I WON'T BE PART OF THE CONTROVERSY
Among scholars, Christmas celebration has generated lots of controversies for centuries. A major fuel for the Christmas controversy is its purported pagan root and history. This has divided opinions. On the two sides of the divide, there are good Christians with their convictions.
According to the western tradition, using the Gregorian calendar, the birth of Christ is celebrated December 25th but those using the Julian calendar celebrate theirs on January 7th.
We read about how Saturnalia was worshipped around december 17th-25th but the Roman Catholic bishop declared that it be replaced with the celebration of Christ's birth. Whether Christ was born on 25th of December or not is not my concern.
My concerns are: was he born? Did he do ministry on earth? Did he die and resurrect? If the answers to these questions are yes, let's focus on Christ and not the day we have chosen to celebrate.
Paul says, "Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honour him..." (Romans 14:6).
If we have chosen today to honour the incarnation of Christ, it should not be a subject of debate even If we don't know the exact date of his birth. We are at liberty to choose any date or a special day to honour the incarnation of Christ as our lives keep honouring him daily as well.
Aside the arguments trailing the date of his birth, I observed that many celebrating Christmas are yet to meet the Christ in Christmas. They see it as another public holiday for revelry.
So many will commemorate his birth with bottles of alcohol, outing with their sex partners while some will engage in orgies. This has been the practice of many all over the world. All these shows they have not met the Christ in Christmas.
In Christmas, there is a man you must meet, his name is Christ. If you do the "mass" (celebration) and you do not meet the "Christ" behind the mass, you have wasted your time and money. Also, you are wasting your life and playing with your eternity.
The Christ in Christmas wants to meet you. He is seeking to have a relationship with you today and forever. His birth is of no significance If you ignore the gift he has brought to you- eternal life.
If you want to meet the Christ in Christmas, make up your mind to abandon your sinful ways and accept him into your life by saying this prayer out loud: