The only bowing down I do to the tree in our house is to water the thing so it does not catch fire

Now some of you might be thinking, is it right for us to even celebrate Christmas? Isn't that a pagan holiday? The Bible doesn't instruct us to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

To be sure, the debate among Christians over celebrating Christmas has been going on for centuries. But then, Christians love to debate things, so this is nothing new. And I'm sure there are equally committed Christ followers on both sides of the issue.

The four objections

So let's think about it. Why do some who follow Jesus choose not to celebrate Christmas? Here are the top reasons I hear expressed. That the traditions surrounding Christmas have their roots in paganism. That the Bible doesn't instruct us to celebrate Jesus' birth. That the Bible forbids bringing a tree into your house. And that the world celebrates Christmas, so it should be something we avoid.

Here is my response to these objections.

On pagan roots

First off, finding reliable information on the topic of our Christmas traditions having their roots in paganism is difficult, because the origins of many of our traditions are so vague that the sources often contradict one another.

Sure, the use of candles, holly, and other items are mentioned in the history of pagan worship, but to use them in your home and celebrations doesn't mean you're a pagan worshipper.

While there may be pagan roots in some traditions, there are many more traditions associated with the real meaning of the season, the birth of the Savior of the world. Bells ring out the joyful news. Lights remind us of the Light of the world. Stars remind us of the Star of Bethlehem. Gifts remind us of the Magi and their gifts to Jesus, and God's most amazing gift to us.

On the silence of scripture

Secondly, while the Bible doesn't specifically instruct us to celebrate Jesus' birth, neither does it forbid the celebration. Just because the Bible doesn't give us the specific date of Jesus' birth is not justification to avoid its celebration. The opposite could be true as well. One could also argue the Bible's silence on the issue is unspoken approval.

On the tree

Thirdly, the passage typically referenced instructing us not to bring a tree into the house is Jeremiah 10:1-16. Like most erroneous beliefs people adhere to, which come from the misinterpretation of scripture, here is a perfect example. The context of these verses refers to cutting down a tree and fashioning it into an idol and then decorating it for the purpose of bowing down to worship it.

Personally, the only bowing down I do to the tree in our house is to water the dang thing so it doesn't catch fire.

Dr. George Powell

Which is one reason we are getting a fake tree this year. You simply cannot take this passage out of its context and use it to make a legitimate argument against having a Christmas tree in your home.

On what the world does

And finally, the reality is, more and more the world is not celebrating Christmas. They are celebrating the holidays.

This is the same argument made by false religious groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses who deny the deity of Jesus altogether. I prefer not to take my cues from them or similar groups.

Where I land

For me personally, I see this beautiful season of the year as an amazing opportunity to set aside a time of the year to specifically focus on the birth of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

For me, it offers a very relevant way to bring to the minds of the people in my world the most remarkable truth of Isaiah 9:6.

Ultimately, to celebrate or not to celebrate is a personal decision, and whatever position you hold should neither be used as a club to beat others down nor as a badge of honor to lift yourself above others.

So remember, Jesus is the true reason for the season. Were it not for Jesus, we would have nothing to celebrate, not even your own birthday. Because without Jesus, life has no meaning and nothing else matters.

Merry Christmas.