What Is The True Meaning Of Christmas?

Last updated on: November 11, 2022 at 2:03 pm by Jack Wellman

What Is The True Meaning Of Christmas? 2022-11-11T14:03:11-06:00 Jack Wellman

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What is the true meaning of Christmas? Is there something significant about this holiday?

The Prophesied Messiah

Isaiah wrote hundreds of years before the birth of Christ about this coming Messiah, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). In seeming to refer to Isaiah’s saying “For to us a child is born” the Apostle John wrote in John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The Word is clearly Jesus (John 1:1, 14) and where John writes that “the Word became flesh” he points to Jesus’ being conceived by the Spirit of God in Mary. Why did Jesus have to be born of a virgin? Because He would not inherit the sin nature of man that had entered into humanity by Adam so God, “By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh” (Rom 8:3) and so we could be reconciled back to God. Paul says as much in 2nd Corinthians 5:18 “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” To many Christians, that’s what Christmas is all about.

The Purpose of Jesus’ Birth

I don’t celebrate Christmas because it was Jesus’ birthday. There is no record of His exact date of birth and it is highly unlikely that it was December 25th. We celebrate the arrival of Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, devoid of the sinful nature of man, and Who lived a completely holy and perfect life to become the Lamb of God to take the wrath of God by removing our sins from us and by God’s placing them on His only Son at Calvary. My late mother had no idea of her real birthdate. Apparently, her birth certificate was lost in a fire. She thought it was in February which might seem strange to you but her mother, my grandmother, didn’t celebrate birthdays so she simply decided to make it on Valentine’s Day just so she’d remember what day to observe it. It mattered much less about what day it actually fell on but it mattered immensely about who that celebration was about so regarding Christmas, we celebrate Jesus Christ and not a day on the calendar. And, we do that more than once a year. Jesus came to save as many who would humble themselves and repent and then put their trust in Him. You could express Christmas in this verse: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). What was His suffering and death needed? Because “in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (2nd Cor 15:22). By the Word (Jesus) becoming flesh, we can finally “be made alive” in Him.

The Arrival of Peace with God

There is very little peace in the word today. There are terrorist attacks, disease epidemics, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, financial upheaval, natural disasters, murder, and other things similar to these. Rare if the exception of a time where there were no wars in the world. If there were, it wouldn’t last long. A bigger problem than world peace is having peace with God. The Bible says that at one time we were enemies of God and He saw us as wicked sinners (Rom 5:8, 10) but the Christian can “rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” (Rom 5:11). If you have never repented and trusted in Christ then here is what Jesus says to you; “whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36b). The sinner is cut off from God by their sins (Isaiah 59:2) but the ones who trust in Christ now have peace with God as Paul writes “since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1) which also means “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1). That is what I think about during the Christmas season and on Christmas Day and Eve but certainly more than these days. It is something to think about all year long for you cannot have the peace of God until you are at peace with God.

Respect the Differences

Many people do not celebrate Christmas and those who do celebrate it have no business imposing their own personal preferences on others that they should observe it. Conversely, the ones who do celebrate it should have the freedom to do so but not judge those who don’t. Paul wrote to the Colossians to “let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath” (2:16). If you know someone that teaches “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (Col 2:21) do not stop, leave that person’s company immediately. Paul said that “These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” (Col 2:23).

Conclusion

Many families have their own Christmas traditions, many Christians included, but they might omit Santa, the elves, the reindeer, and all the other trappings of Christmas. Many just read the biblical account and explain the meaning of the nativity scene. There are many Scriptures that refer to the Word becoming flesh but to many believers, Christmas is a celebration of Jesus Christ and His coming to earth, and His dwelling among us and dying for us so that He could save us.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.

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