The True Meaning of Christmas

bySnellings18

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Updated 2 years ago

"For a child has been born to us,

a son has been given to us.

He shoulders responsibility

and is called

Wonderful Adviser,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace."

-- Isaiah 9:6

"Simeon took him in his arms and blessed God, saying, 'Now, according to your word, Sovereign Lord, permit your servant to depart in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:

a light, for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.'”

So the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, 'Listen carefully: This child is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected. Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul as well!'”

-- Luke 2:28-33

"And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world."

-- 1st John 4:14

Mankind was created in the image of God that they might know Him personally, experience relationship with Him, and live lives of righteousness and holiness as they served Him on earth. Life originally was meant to be free -- free from evil, free from unrighteousness, and free from immorality. Yet, that freedom was given to man to choose, and to remain choosing. However, due to deception by Satan Adam and Eve were led to believe that God was not telling them the truth, and was holding back from them the things that would be best for them, and Adam and Eve believed the deception of Satan and as a result sinned against God.

God is holy and perfect; and He is a God of justice. God previously told Adam and Eve that eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil would lead to their death. Death was the penalty for sin (both physical death which is the separation of soul and body; and spiritual death, which is the separation of man's soul and spirit from relationship with God). This sin by Adam brought death upon all mankind, both physically and spiritually.

Yet, even as early as Genesis 3, God gave a promise that there would be a seed of the woman who would conquer not only Satan and sin, but death itself.

That promise was fulfilled by the coming of Jesus into the world, four thousand years later.

The Bible teaches that because we have all fallen short of God's perfect standard of righteousness, we face His judgment for our sin (Romans 3:23). And there is nothing we can do in and of ourselves that will save us from His judgment.

Thankfully, He didn't leave it up to us.

"For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him."

-- John 3:16-17

The Christmas story is about the gift of Jesus that God gave to the world, so that through His sacrificial death on the cross, all can be saved and forgiven, and experience eternal life with Him.

"Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You sent."

-- John 17:3

The relationship between God and mankind that was lost when Adam sinned has been restored in Christ, for through Him God is with us once again.

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Listen carefully, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call his name Immanuel (God with us)."

-- Isaiah 7:14

Christmas is about Christ, and what He has done for us.

"12 So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all people because all sinned— 13 for before the law was given (namely, the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy 5:1-20), sin was in the world, but there is no accounting for sin when there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam until Moses even over those who did not sin in the same way that Adam (who is a type of the coming one [that is, of Jesus]) transgressed. 15 But the gracious gift is not like the transgression. For if the many died through the transgression of the one man (Adam), how much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ multiply to the many! 16 And the gift is not like the one who sinned. For judgment, resulting from the one transgression, led to condemnation, but the gracious gift from the many failures led to justification. 17 For if, by the transgression of the one man, death reigned through the one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ!"

-- Romans 5:12-17

In other words, because Adam sinned all of us stand condemned because we, being ultimately from Adam, have sinned too. Thus, like a hereditary cancer the punishment of his sin (as well as his nature) has spread to us all. So, then, all of us need saved. Jesus was born of a virgin, not inheriting the sinful nature of Adam, and thus His sinless life enabled Him to give His life for all of us, which is enough to grant forgiveness of sin for everyone who repents (changes their mind about sin) and puts their faith in Christ.

Finally, His resurrection from the dead conquered the ultimate penalty of sin -- death, and this is why there is the guarantee of eternal life for those who are trusting in Christ.

Just as the first man, Adam, was born to be free, sin became that which enslaved him; and as a result all of us has been enslaved by sin. But, Jesus came to set us free from that as well.

"For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery."

-- Galatians 5:1

In Christ there is freedom to live in a way that pleases God -- something Adam and Eve, and everyone after them was meant to do. But it is now possible in Christ because of the gift He gave to us on the cross.

This is the true story of Christmas. It is the story that began from a promise in Genesis 3, and fulfilled in Jesus 2000 years ago. And it is a gift and promise available for all.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Larry