The Silly Season

Status
Not open for further replies.

MW

Puritanboard Amanuensis
[I'm posting the following pamphlet for the sake of those who might find it useful. It obviously risks causing offence. Please understand that no personal offence is intended. The concern of the pamphlet is entirely pastoral, seeking to lead the souls of men to the only Saviour of sinners.]

The time around Christmas has been aptly called “the silly season.” For a few days in the year people do a whole range of things that are out of the ordinary, and there are some things that might be regarded as a little silly if they were to do them at any other time of the year. But there is a religious side to Christmas which makes it more than a little silly. In fact, if we were to look at the season from the perspective of the Bible, we might well come to the conclusion that it is downright foolish.

First, it is one day in the year when a religious festival is observed by people who do not care for religion at any other time in their life. What is worse, they do not use this religious festival to become religious – to think about the thanksgiving which they owe to God – but only to please themselves and to have what they call “a good time.” Is there a name for this? The Bible calls this “the sacrifice of fools” (Ecclesiastes 5:1).

Secondly, it is a day when some religious people try to show their thankfulness to God for the birth of Jesus Christ. They probably know that the day of His birth has not been recorded. They do not read anywhere in their Bible where God has set apart this day to be a day of religious thanksgiving. Nevertheless, they think the day can be used to help the cause of religion because it proclaims that Jesus Christ is the only one who can bring true and lasting peace on the earth. But the peace which Jesus has brought to people’s lives cannot be celebrated with an earthly feast: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Romans 14:17). It cannot be symbolised in the giving (and receiving) of earthly presents: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you” (John 14:27).

Jesus came to bring spiritual and heavenly peace to believers: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). It cannot be expressed by worldly festivity on one particular day of the year. It is proclaimed in the gospel and celebrated in the hearts of believers every day of the year.

Does the Bible have anything to say about the religious celebration of Christmas? It does. When the Christians of Galatia thought it would be a good idea to pay attention to special days and to look on them with religious devotion, the apostle Paul feared for their souls. He says to them, “Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain” (Galatians 4:10, 11). He called the observance of such days a “bondage” to the weak and beggarly elements of the world (verse 9), and went so far as to call these Christians “foolish” (chapter 3, verse 1). Why is it foolish? It is foolish because it presents the spiritual blessings of Christ as if they were worldly joys. What is more, the person who engages in this worldly festivity only succeeds in turning his affections away from things above to the enjoyment of the things of the earth, and he does it all in the name of Christian religion.

For these reasons Christmas is to be seen as a foolish season. But it may be, in the midst of all this folly, that something wise and instructive can be learned. Afterall, isn’t there a certain foolishness in every one of us? The irreligious observance of Christmas reminds us of the lack of religion in our own life. Likewise, the religious observance of Christmas shows us how easily we can be turned aside from heavenly things. We are led to face the fact, yet again, that we are miserable sinners – yes, each and every one of us. We need a Saviour to save us from our irreligion and our own religion. Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ, who came into the world to save sinners.
 
Does the Bible have anything to say about the religious celebration of Christmas? It does. When the Christians of Galatia thought it would be a good idea to pay attention to special days and to look on them with religious devotion, the apostle Paul feared for their souls. He says to them, “Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain”
That's obviously talking about the weekly Sabbath, right?
 
That's obviously talking about the weekly Sabbath, right?

Calvin: "The Jewish Sabbath, new moons, and other festivals, were earnestly pressed by the false apostles, because they had been appointed by the law."

If days which have been appointed by God are not to be distinguished on religious grounds, much less days which have been appointed by man.
 
Haha. It should've read "Who's" not "Whose is".


Thanks, I will quote you when I post it on facebook, if that is okay...?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top