Is Christmas Biblical?

A personal letter that I shared with family and friends in 2012

"And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord ? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams." (1 Samuel 15:22 ESV)

"teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20 ESV)


Dear family and friends, as a Bible believing Christian, I'm always troubled in Celebrating holidays like "Christmas" for reasons I'll explain later.

But regrettably, I used to find myself doing things contrary to my convictions, rather than practicing the perceived truth of the Bible. It's sad but, I've to admit that I'm guilty as charged by the Scripture. Guilty, for being so oblivious to my convictions and the Scripture itself and telling most of you "Merry Christmas" in the past (even with good intention,) and therefore a pleaser of men not God: (Galatians 1:10).

Did I say "good intentions?" Ha! This is what always gets me into trouble, (in trouble with my conscious) because, deep inside my heart I know that I should be true to God and pleasing to Him alone, not pleasing to people, by identifying myself with their unbiblical traditions. Because I know what Jesus said in Mark 7:8 when He speaks of the Pharisees and the scribes: "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men." (NASB).

The Bible says in James 4:17 that, "Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin." (NASB)

But why have I acted so foolishly and subdued myself in practicing human tradition in the past?

When it comes to Christmas, people who know me close enough, and well enough knew what my opinions are about this holiday. I always tell my wife, family and friends a number of things regarding Christmas; things like, Christmas’ pagan origins standing in contradiction with God’s serious warning of His people not to worship Him in a borrowed styles of pagan customs; Deuteronomy 12:30-32; 2 Corinthians 6; things like no record of this holiday is in the Bible either during the sojourn time of Christ nor after His ascension to heaven, and most importantly, the Bible is clear as to what we commemorate, i.e. His death not His Birth, Matthew 26 and 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; things like the birth day of Our Lord Jesus Christ could not be December 25th, January 7 or any other day in what is observed by many to be His birth day, because a careful study of Scripture debunks this assumptions. Here are at least two primary reasons as to why this could not have been a season for Christ's birth,

First, We know that shepherds were in the fields watching their flocks at the time of Jesus' birth,

"And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." (Luke 2:7, 8 ESV)

You see, shepherds were not in the fields during December. According to Celebrations: The Complete Book of American Holidays, Luke's account "suggests that Jesus may have been born in summer or early fall. Since December is cold and rainy in Judea, it is likely the shepherds would have sought shelter for their flocks at night" (p. 309).

Second, Jesus' parents came to Bethlehem to register in a Roman census,

"In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn." (Luke 2:1-7 ESV)

To use Scott Ashley's words: "It would have made no sense to have conducted a census in the dead of winter, when temperatures often dropped below freezing and traveling was difficult due to poor road conditions. Taking a census under such conditions would have been self-defeating!"

One other obvious fact is that, Christmas today is driven more by commercialism than a true Biblical spirit.

Therefore, I tell my peers: "we shouldn't be celebrating this unbiblical holiday, in a way that is consistent with the pagan worshippers of the sun and their calendar."

However, (like I said earlier) my propensity to please people kicks in and I'll find myself not practicing what I preached to others. I give in easily to my wife's request to buy a new Christmas tree or my own urge to buy a Christmas present for loved ones during the hustle and bustle of the season or by the time spent with family and friends sharing a nice meal and seasons greetings like the one that I've expressed to many of you up until last year via Facebook, emails, text messages, phone calls, even including physical visits.

These were the things I said & I did with good intentions; deeds well meaning in my part but Biblically not so sound to be proud of. But I did them anyways without seriously examining the implications of my actions to others and I'm very contrite about what I've done up until last year.

I don't want be like the proverbial Pharisees whom the scripture said:
"they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God." (John 12:43 NASB)

Therefore friends, I'm not wishing you "a merry Christmas" that doesn't do you any good anymore. Whereas if you are in Christ, I exhort you to live a life worthy of your calling (Ephesians 4:1-16).

"Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you." (1 Timothy 4:16 NASB).

And if you're a family or a friend who has not committed your life to Christ yet, I say to you why not consider it right now?

"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. "(Acts 4:12 ESV)

"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures," (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4 ESV).

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done." (Matthew 16:26, 27 ESV)

Peace be with you!