The origin of Christmas

I have received a message from Mrs. Tatiana, the reader of the portal Moldova Creștină and I was asked to give an explanation of the origin of the word “Cristmas” and what the Holy Scriptures say with regards to this. The lady was present at a discussion between a group of believers, that think that we don’t have to celebrate Christmas or that we don’t have to pronounce this word, because it is not mentioned in the Holy Scriptures, and some sources even say that it would have had a pagan origin. So, we want to see what is the origin of Christmas and its relation with the event of the Lord Jesus Christ’s birth, He who is the Savior of the world.

All nations celebrate the Birth of the Lord Jesus on Christmas

No matter what word they use for this holiday (Christmas, Craciun, etc.) all nations and all people celebrate the awesome event of the Lord Jesus Christ’s birth exactly at that moment, the way it is described in the Bible:

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Gospel of Luke 2:1–7)(NASB)

God doesn’t specify the exact date of the Lord Jesus Christ’s birth in the Bible

In the Word of God there are recorded the exact dates of many events. For example, the book of the prophet Haggai begins this way:

In the second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest… (Haggai 1:1)(NASB)

It is not the same with the great event of our Lord Jesus Christ’s Birth. God wanted to let this date unfixed in the Scriptures and we think that there were some reasons for this. Much later on it was fixed a date to celebrate this event. There was and there is still much discussion with regard to the day when we have to celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. At the same time some use this for political and individual attacks.

True Christians celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus every moment

At his embodiment the Savior came into this world to bring salvation and the hope of eternal life to all of us. Those who believed in Him from all their heart received forgiveness of sins and the promise of inheritance the Kingdom of God. All of us that rejoice in this hope have a great privilege to celebrate our Savior daily and to solemnize His person and work.

The third of those 10 commandments of God says:

You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. (Exodus 20:7)(NASB)

We should beware of taking the name of the Lord in vain through having discussions with regards to the origin or date of Christmas holiday, for He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Translated by Djugostran Felicia