Can Followers Of Christ celebrate Christmas?
When I was 16, I conducted a case study to determine whether followers of Christ could participate in Christmas. I was prompted by a conversation I had with a friend who was a Jehovah’s Witness. Although I don’t practice any religion, by definition, I fall under Christianity. My study aimed to find answers to my questions regarding this matter.
I have no prior background in theology but what I do have is the Internet, Bible, and others to back me up. In this case study I will go over whether it is OK to worship in our own way.
My question was if Christmas, was a good thing for followers of Christ, (or for some who reject Jesus) to take part in. The answer I got from one person which was it was pagan (and they were worshiping many gods), but that didn’t answer my question. Me using my reasoning and putting this into more simple terms: if you were in a situation where you had to protect somebody, who was good from someone bad is it “OK” to lie and at that rate sin for the cause? With the added effect that it’s not for a bad cause and not selfish, as sin usually is.
On this subject, I asked my grandmother (no prior background in theology yet was well-versed in the Word) (KJV) she said “He (God) would want you to tell the truth and leave the consequences to him.
The TGC (The Gospel Coalition) said in the “Is it ever okay for a Christian to lie?” article: “Peter understood the difference between a general principle and a recognized exception.” The context of their question is 1 Peter 2:13–15 and how he also said this: “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29 (KJV) (Not the translation they use they used the ESV) (This is the context that led Peter in Acts 5:29) In the article they begged the question was Peter hypocrite for this, and they answered no. that “Peter Just understood the difference between A general principal and a recognized exception.”
Building on my understanding, this means that there are exceptions to sin, teaching, and “wrongdoing” in the bible as long as it is for a good reason and or circumstance. One puzzle solved. So now I needed to know what would yield these exceptions to exceptions in the first place.
I grew up hearing that all is good with you and God as long as your intentions were good, with The I hope obvious given that you’re not doing something outrageous and just saying it’s for God.
Which is more important to God: Good intentions or good results?
The question was asked and posted on Quora (Quora is a social question-and-answer website and online knowledge) and answered by Mark Hamric a lifelong Evangelical Christian and the Author of “God has your B.A.Q.- Biblically Answered Questions.” Said “Well intentioned charitable acts can easily have unintended consequences. A common example is when one gives money to a poor person who buys drugs or alcohol rather than food. Or, as in the case of the widow’s mite (Mark 12:41–44, Luke 21:1–4), when one donates money to an organization believed to be worthwhile, but that may be corrupt.”
In this comment of much more words than what I’m going to put down, he went on to say “Learn to be sensitive to the Spirit and follow that. Don’t worry if you do sometimes give to corrupt things but try to be wise in your giving. If you have supported a charity and find out that they are not doing what they claim then quit supporting it until you have a chance to investigate whether the claims are true. Pray a lot about how to give effectively and as much as we like to think we need to feed the hungry what they need more than food is a way to earn their keep. In other words, support efforts that work to empower the poor not just feed them.” Now that’s one good thing to take from just alone but What this confirms for me: Is that if you are moving with good intent as long as they aren’t per say ignorant good intentions we are all good in God’s light. The N.C.E.C. (National Catholic Education Commission) had this to say in their article about Acts 12: 41–44: “Jesus affirms the widow’s giving not because it is generous, but because she does not give out of her abundance, rather out of her poverty she gives all she has to live on. Mark makes a point of noting that she has two coins; she could have kept one, but rather she gives away both.” Now looking back to what I had said ignorant good intentions, what is ignorance, it’s a lack of knowledge, what is knowledge, as stated by the Bible study tools (the largest online Bible website for verse search and in-depth studies.) article “Bible verses about knowledge.” It says “Through God’s words we gain an understanding that God is the one who gives the gift of knowledge- that is an understanding or awareness of something. The Lord, however, grants knowledge to those who have an honest relationship with him.”
Now I would say, problem solved you can worship in your own way, as long as your intentions are good you committed with pure heart, and you don’t violate scriptures, with exceptions. Those exceptions are the ones that you wish to stay ignorant about and do no research nor prior prayer to figure out if right or wrong.
Who are you worshipping God, man, or the things we created and crave
What is your intent
How do you seek to find the right thing to do
The overall question is, does it matter what the people who made Christmas were worshiping with Christmas back then and does that change if we worship God instead? Is it then fine to take part in these once bad things? And to that I say….. I don’t know. This is why I think people just much rather be safe than sorry. I will leave on this. If you are doing something that in the bible was said to be bad then you don’t do it, but if it’s not outlined, or you are not sure of, said thing at least do your research, examine your heart, and make sure you are doing it with the glorification of God or representing God in the right way, God would not have you do anything that you know isn’t representing him in a good way.
I now see why people are torn on this.
