Divine Holy Christmas: Its Essence, Secularisation, Despiritisation and Commercialisation, Supreme Jehovah GOD Ministries & Missionaries, December 2013
Post date: Dec 29, 2013 1:7:26 AM
Holy Christmas is the time when majority of Christians believe The Lord Christ Jesus was born, even though it was not clearly stated in the Bible that He was born on December 25. But for centuries, Christians all over the world have recognised this day as very unique in Christendom. As once again Christians join their compatriots across the 5 Continents to mark the event on December 25 with the exiting of one year and the ushering of a New Year; and a sinful world continues the agenda of vicious secularisation, commercialisation, and de-spiritualisation of Christianity, some Soul-pricking and Spirit-searching pertinent Questions arise, not the least:
How should Holy Christmas be celebrated?
Should Holy Christmas be Celebrated with the secular merriment that normally characterises the Season? Or
Should Behaviour and Conduct of the Observation of Holy Christmas reflect the Essence of The Lord Christ Jesus’ sacrifice?
A Considered Credible position is that Christians should Keep in Mind heightened consciousness about the Spiritual Essence of Holy Christmas – a time for deep Reflection, Meditation, Fasting, Prayers about the Divine Birth of The Lord Christ Jesus, His Sacrifice and Gift to the World which also mirrors the Supernatural Love of The Supreme Jehovah GOD for humankind i.e. NOT all about secular merry-making that glorifies Satan, demonic deities, principalities, powers, agents and agencies or their vicious agendas to coerce people into Eternal Hell.
1- Christians Are To Reflect On The Sacrificial Spirit Exhibited By Our Lord Through His Birth
Holy Christmas is that Special Season when Christians celebrate the Divine Birth of The Supreme Jehovah GOD’s most Precious Gift to Humankind: Our Lord Christ Jesus, whose coming is not just a Supernatural Occurrence or a fulfilment of a Prophecy, but The Supreme Jehovah GOD’s way of reconciling humankind to Himself. Though He was the desire of All Nations, yet His coming into the world was little observed and taken notice of, His birth was obscure and un-regarded: herein He emptied Himself, and made Himself of no reputation rather, he took upon Him the form of a servant. This manner of Humility and Sobriety is an important part of the human value system, which has completely been eroded and traded for praise singing, and self-adulation, which has continued to promote and engender corruption and evil practices around the world.
The heart of the message of Christianity is The Supreme Jehovah GOD’s provision for dealing with human sin, which is not just individual acts of deceit, immorality and so on, nor is it the sum total of all such acts. Sin also includes a natural tendency to rebel against the Will of Supreme Jehovah GOD. This rebellion separates humans from Supreme Jehovah GOD (Isa 59:2; Rom 3:23; 6:23; Eph2: 1-3) and lies at the heart of all social misconduct and conflict. Jesus came into the world to liberate humans from sin and from the consequent wrath of Supreme Jehovah GOD, whose very nature is opposed to sin in every form.
So, while Christmas is a period for Christians to Celebrate the Divine Birth of The Lord Christ Jesus, it is equally a big reminder to us all that His coming is to bring humankind closer to The Supreme Jehovah GOD, as a result of man’s sin against Him. The essence of The Lord Christ Jesus’s Divine Birth, which teaches us to give ourselves and our all to The Supreme Jehovah GOD and for His use and encourages us to share ourselves and our all with those, who do not have and show devout love and respect to and for one another, must not be lost on us.
It takes us to love one another as The Supreme Jehovah GOD loves us to share ourselves with others and be willing to give ourselves to His service and humanity. This is the only way to guarantee peace and harmony in the midst of life’s turmoil and challenges. The modest and reticent manner of His birth despite His royal connections and divinity, which lays a solid foundation for the concept of a servant-leader, should serve as a big lesson to all of us, especially those in leadership positions and places of authority. The fact that we are leaders in whatever sphere of human existence does not confer on us the power to oppress others. Rather, it is a responsibility committed to us that should not be abused and misused.
The Lord Christ Jesus came to the world to make The Supreme Jehovah GOD even more accessible to man by means of being a Mediator, an advocate and a divine communications channel. Such is the role of leaders, who truly think of the people they rule or seek to govern because they are meant to provide good roads, quality education, constant power supply, equity and justice, joy, prosperity, good and quality living, responsible and responsive governance accessible the people. Leaders are to put the people they serve before themselves and not the other way round. Unfortunately, this is not the case in our society today. We have leaders, who think only of themselves and in the process impoverish their people and make life more difficult instead of making it more meaningful.
2- Respect For The Sanctity And Value For Human Life Is The Essence Of Christmas
Christmas for Christians is a joyful season, when we celebrate the birth of Our Saviour, The Lord Christ. Only that in our context as Children of The Supreme Jehovah GOD, one also wants it to be a Season of sober reflection, because the essence of The Lord Christ Jesus’ coming was Sacrifice and Redemption of humankind from the crises in a Satanic World, which is attributable to ignorance, wickedness and selfishness. Most of our leaders are selfish and the moment you do not value human life, you would not know what it takes to lead properly and better their lives.
For Christians in particular and within the context of contemporary World, it should also be a sober reflection because The Lord Christ Jesus came as a sacrifice; He didn’t come for Himself but for the Holistic Liberation of humankind. So also in the leadership role as President, Prime Minister, Cabinet Minister, Corporate Chairman, Chief Executive, Clergy, Church Elder, Monarch, Traditional Leaders, Civil Society Leaders, Professionals, Man or Woman, it is cataclysmic for humans to be thinking only of themselves, family or close circle of loved ones. Selfishness has been the bane of the contradictions in Cultural and Human Civilisation and I believe that when an individual values human life he/she will do everything possible to better other’s lives. That is the key to civilisation. We are not just building roads, for its sake. Roads are built because human beings are going to use them and drive safely. The same goes for the provision of electricity, which has the aim of the betterment of living conditions. But if one does not value human life as a leader, one becomes a disaster. But if one values others, then the essence of The Lord Christ Jesus coming would have been fulfilled. The Supreme Jehovah GOD loves us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to us. And so, as we celebrate, it should be mixed with a lot of reflection.
3- Occasion Should Not Be Used To Insult The Power That Sustains Our Existence
Christmas is a time Christians reflect about the prophecy of the coming of our The Lord Christ Jesus, His birth and the happenings, which surrounded His birth, which also confirms His person and the importance of His coming. The prophecies of His birth were made hundreds of years ago by Great Servants of The Supreme Jehovah GOD before the actual fulfilment.
One of the prophecies by Isaiah revealed that although The Lord Christ Jesus will be born as a male child, He is actually a Gift of Wonder, the Mighty Supreme Jehovah GOD, the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace. Of the time of His birth, Gal. 4: 4-5 says, “But when the fullness of the time was come, GOD sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”
Christmas is the manifestation of our redemption from the bondage and curse of the law, and our adoption into the number of Supreme Jehovah GOD’s children. The Son of Supreme Jehovah GOD took upon Him our flesh, that we might be partakers of His son-ship so as to be freed from the bondage of sin because the primary purpose of His manifestation is to destroy the works of the devil.
As written in 1Jn 3: 8, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of Supreme Jehovah GOD was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
The Scripture above explains that anybody that commits sin makes himself a child of the devil. For the devil is the designer and developer of sin. Anybody that indulges in the works of the devil is not celebrating The Lord Christ Jesus (mas) but Satan. Unfortunately, many people have turned Christmas into a period of committing fornication, adultery, stealing, drunkenness, dissipation and indulgence among other vices. But it ought not to be such a Holy Golden Opportunity missed.
4- Any Ceremony Where People Over-Indulge In Food And Alcohol, Is Not Celebration, But Defilement Of The Body Of The Lord Christ Jesus
Christmas is a symbol of The Lord Christ Jesus’s birth; The Lord Christ Jesus’s coming into the world. It should be celebrated with joy. If a woman is pregnant for nine months and is delivered of a baby, how do they celebrate it? Do not they eat and drink? Do not they pray and thank the Supreme Jehovah GOD? So it should be celebrated with thanksgiving and joy.
Keep in mind however that any ceremony, where people over-drink or over-eat is not a celebration; rather abuse of their food, drinks and above all their bodies – the latter meant to be Temples of The Supreme Jehovah GOD, The Creator of Human Beings and the Universe. Moderation should be the watchword of the celebration and people should be moderate in whatever they are doing. The Lord Christ Jesus is more concerned with the state of our Spirits and Souls than in our bank accounts. He is more interested in the love and care we share around this Season of His Divine Birth than on the number of cars you purchase or the number of house-warming ceremonies you organise during this festive season.
Let us strive to look beyond the material and truly prepare ourselves for the coming of the Son of The Supreme Jehovah GOD. Let us make straight the way of the Lord so that we would not be found wanting when, on Christmas morning, He leaves His heavenly home to come and dwell among us.
5- Christmas Is A Time To Reconcile With SUPREME JEHOVAH GOD
CHRISTMAS is a time when the Lord remembered the world. Before Christmas, the whole world was in darkness but when Jesus came, He brought light? So, it is a time to remember that The Supreme Jehovah GOD has a Plan of Triumph for each and every one of His Children. He discharges His plans to the world and we should celebrate it in the spirit of friendship, openness, exchange of gifts reconciliation and forgiveness because that is the essence of Christmas.
Christmas is a time The Supreme Jehovah GOD just remembered ‘I don’t want to keep these people in bondage’ and sent the Saviour to them. This period is meant to be for sober reflection, of joy and to make peace with each other and not just with our families, but also with friends, neighbours to exchange gifts and pleasantries. We should also remember the poor because The Supreme Jehovah GOD remembered us in our poor estate. He sent His only begotten Son from Heaven. We should carry all this to various quarters. We should go to hospitals, share the Good News with them. With gifts, go to the less privileged homes, the orphanages and share with them. The Lord Christ Jesus represents Divine Peace and the conduct of Christmas should be peaceful. Christmas is not a period for agitation to sinfulness or submission to satanic pressures of the Secular World. No, far from it!
6- There Is Nothing Christ-Like About Secularised Christmas or the Historical Notoriety of the Date Itself
IT is common knowledge that December 25 is notorious in history, as the date for the celebration of a number of pagan festivals, which the Church deliberately absorbed and ‘baptised’. December 25 was the date the Greeks marked the birth of their saviour-god, Dionysus; the Egyptians the birth of their saviour-god Osiris; and the Persians of their god Mithra. It was a special day for the Babylonians, who held a festival for the victory of the sun-god, Saturnalia, and a day for the worship of the Roman god, Attis, whose body was eaten symbolically by his followers in the form of bread. But Christians should have nothing to do with paganism. – Jeremiah 10:2,3; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.
The word Christmas is derived from the Old English Cristes Maesse, or Cristes-messe, the Mass of The Lord Christ Jesus. Mass is the public celebration of the Eucharist, a sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church (especially) in which Catholics believe that “under the appearances of bread and wine, the body and blood of The Lord Christ Jesus are truly and substantially present, as the grace-producing food of our souls.” But those, who take the memorial supper of Holy Communion, are not eating the very body of The Lord Christ Jesus or drinking His blood, as the bread and wine only represent or stand for His body and blood.
Further, it is thought that, the celebration of the Memorial Supper in this age is anachronistic because it ought to have ceased in this period of The Lord Christ Jesus’s second presence and it was meant to be observed ONCE a year by a select few, the apostles only, not everybody. – Matthew 24:3-8, 23-26; 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; etc. However, one sees nothing wrong in extending and sharing in the Holiest of Experiencing the touch of The Supreme Jehovah GOD.
Conclusion
In view of the importance of The Lord Christ Jesus’s advent, in preaching the truth, so that people of The Supreme Jehovah GOD may be freed from lies and ignorance, and perishing through the sins of men, the importance of the observance of His birth is beyond question. See – John 5: 23-25; 3:16; 15:13,14; Hebrews 10:10-13.
The churches should have told the world they do not know the date of His birth and should have chosen a day far removed from December 25, knowing its pagan associations rather than trying to win the heathen to Christianity by replacing “pagan superstitions with similar ecclesiastical institutions”.
The manner Christmas is celebrated shows its origin: the stress on materialism and pleasure, contrary to the essence of The Lord Christ Jesus’s mission to the world. The commemoration of the birth of The Lord Christ Jesus should be an occasion for sober reflection, studying the Word of Supreme Jehovah GOD, thanksgiving, praying for the mercies of Supreme Jehovah GOD, singing and dancing in praise of Supreme Jehovah GOD.- Matthew 18:20; Proverbs 14:28; Psalm 92:1-3.
SJGServant Mawuvi, President of the Supreme Jehovah GOD Ministries & Missionaries