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Christmas – A Pagan Idea
In the 17th century the Puritans cancelled Christmas (kind of). What a tragedy! But they had their reasons, and one of them went back to a discussion that went on in the church over a thousand years before.
For around the first 200 years following Jesus’s death and resurrection Christmas was not celebrated, and for almost the next 100 years there was a big discussion as to whether or not it was right to celebrate it.
You see, the idea of celebrating the birth of a god in bodily form was a Pagan practice. To celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus was never debated, but whether or not to celebrate his birth was.
Was it right to follow a Pagan idea and celebrate the birth of the Christian God in bodily form? Or should we ignore such an incredible Supernatural act as God stepping into a human body simply because it was a Pagan idea? Now if you have any experience in church decision making you will know that things take a long time, but this took almost 100 years!
Finally it was decided that Christians would celebrate the coming of their God to the Earth in bodily form, the birth of Jesus, and in Europe (and most of the Roman Empire) the date chosen was that of an already existing celebration of another ‘saviour god’ who stepped out of heaven into a human body and saved the human race through his death – the Roman God ‘Mithras’.
Whatever road the church took, and whatever parts of other faiths it ‘transformed’ to celebrate Christ, I am glad they decided that Christmas was a good idea!
Because I love Christmas! I love the lead up to it (although I think it starts way too early!), and I love the celebrations (although I dislike the commercialism of it!).
Celebrations and fun are part of the life that God has always intended us to have. One of the reasons that Jesus said he came to Earth was to give us a full, fun life! (John 10v10b).
So, whatever you do this Christmas, wherever you spend it, whoever you spend it with, make sure that you make it one that is full of fun and celebration!
Make sure you celebrate this Christmas in a way that honours Jesus and the amazing act of God stepping down from the glories of heaven into human skin and hanging out among us and giving us the route to eternal life by God’s side.
Have a great Christmas and New Year!
May God bless you and your family at this time
Pastor David Cole |
