In the last issue of the Electronic Gospel , Jeff Smith wrote about the practice of most Christian denominations to celebrate religiously the birth of Jesus on December 25th. The date is actually an example of the Catholic church appropriating a pagan celebration (the winter solstice celebration of the sun god). Jeff commented:
“It probably seemed logical to keep the holiday and dedicate it to the son of God instead, but a number of assumptions are necessary to add Christmas to a sparse biblical calendar.”
I like the phrase “sparse biblical calendar.” Jeff later pointed out, “The danger, then, is in going beyond what the New Testament does say, but also in minimizing the significance of the one ritual that really is on the church’s calendar. The first day of the week, without regard to season…”
God determined that we come together on Sunday to worship him. One Sunday is no more important than another, but they all are extremely important. It is on that day we celebrate the Lord, with a memorial feast commemorating his death. We do this because it is God’s will. The only authority for the elevation of some days above others, and the observance of Christmas day as the birthday of Jesus in particular, is the tradition of man. This is simply not sufficient (cf. Matthew 7:21-23).
