An important item in religion is the idea of worship, where a being subject his will and desires to another or a supposed greater being. In Christianity, it is the fervent craving to please God that is fundamental and clearly it is same which Jehovah desires. Christmas as it has come to be known as a celebration for Christians is so designed to commemorate the birth of the saviour Christ Jesus.

An interesting case made for it celebration is the article “Christmas: from the unknown god to the Known God”. There are few things to note and address our minds to from the article which sought to strengthen the festivity with the sermon of Apostle Paul in Acts 17:16-28.

First of all, one item that can be gleaned easily from the text (Acts 17) is that, the whole sermon was intended to persuade the people to leave the “false unknown god” to the “true known God” it was not a permit for them to continue in their futile worship, so how can that be a basis for any Christian’s continuity in a pagan worship of the “sun god”. That is Paul’s sermon was to employ an abstract idea that had not been identified with anything and use it as a pointer to the True living God.

On the other hand, the present Christmas celebration is designed as taking a festival which was identified with the worship of gods and re-identifying it with Christ, now that is very dissimilar to the case in Acts 17. This re-identification envelopes the creation of a new story (a lie) as a foundation for the celebration, viz: setting up 25th December as the day Christ was born (shepherds could not have been in the field in winter-Luke 2:8). Is Christmas still pagan? Why not, where does Santa Claus fit in Christianity? Where does the Christmas tree (with it pagan connotations) fit in God’s worship?

An analogy from Acts 17 that will create a clearer view for modern day Christian commemoration is this: Paul used the pagan worship of “an unknown god” by the Athenians to re- direct them to the right worship of the true living God and so, the pagan remembrance of the “sun god” ought to and should be re-directed to the remembrance of the saviour with the item He had already shown and authorized His followers to use, The Lord’s Supper, but not a continuation of a camouflaged pagan celebration.

Furthermore, the idea that there is a historical account of the birth of Christ give Christians no joy in doing something He (Christ Jesus) has not asked to be done for Him. Then what of He providing food to shame hunger and God giving food to the Israelites in the wilderness, do we Christianize Homowo or Kundum for that account? All through the Old Testament (or Jewish worship), we study that people who designed their own scheme or way to worship God or engaged in acts that they were not commanded to obey never delighted HIM, Nadab and Abihu’s (“little” change in ) sacrifice (Lev 10:1), Uzzah’s (unwarranted) aid (II Sam 6:7), Saul’s (well-intended) disobedience (I Sam 15).

Fast forwarding to Christianity, there are key texts that defines whatever is or ought to be done in or among Christians. Matthew 28:18-20…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Here we find that among the  final words of the savior before His ascension was to command His disciples to preach the gospel throughout the world and teach them thereafter what He had already commanded them, not new things that they desire or want, not things that will fit contemporary world but only those that He had commanded them.

In Acts 2, we find the first gospel being preached and over 3000 people added by the Lord to His church and look at what the people were doing, Acts 2:42…And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. The very first Christians followed steadfastly only that which was proclaimed by the Apostles who had been with Christ and had been taught by the saviour Himself, only that did they hold steadfast. That is why Christians of today ought to be cautious in doing things that has not been commanded to be done in the church, GOD does not take joy in the teaching that has no root from Him.

Lastly, it is always a danger to do something that is outside the Bible, Apostle Paul tells us not to go beyond what has been written for us (I Corinthians 4:6). In Matthew 26:26, we learn about Christ instructing the disciples to remember Him in a particular defined manner (Lord’s supper), the Corinthian Christians obeyed and observed that only (I Cor 11:23), Christians at Troas adhered to it fully (Acts 20:7), these Christians didn’t go beyond what they had been commanded to God does not require us to take pagan worship practices and use it for Him while He has already given us something to identify Him with.

It is far easier to appreciate and practice the simplicity of the scripture than to enjoy glamorous celebrations that add little to knowing Christ. Shall we not forget as people who want to please God, 2 John 9…Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father
and the Son.

Has Christ Commanded us to observe his birth (or a date)?...Is it his doctrine?...Do we have his authority in this celebration?

Writers: Gordon Y. Assan (paayeboah@gmail.com) & Michael Agyapong (agyapongmichael3@gmail.com)