Tag Archives: judgment

What does Christmas Mean?

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The author AW Tozer once wrote a powerful article about the meaning of Christmas. Though it was written several decades ago, the words have more impact for today than ever before. Christmas is not about the celebrations, the materialism, the gifts, or even the family time. It is about a Savior! As we approach Christmas Day, may our hearts and minds be fixed upon the truth of God’s Word.

Throughout the Western world we tend to approach Christmas emotionally instead of factually. It is the romance of Christmas that gives it its extraordinary appeal to that relatively small number of persons of the earths population who regularly celebrate it.

So completely are we carried away by the excitement of this midwinter festival that we are apt to forget that its romantic appeal is the least significant thing about it. The theology of Christmas too easily gets lost under the gay wrappings, yet apart from its theological meaning it really has none at all. A half dozen doctrinally sound carols serve to keep alive the great deep truth of the Incarnation, but aside from these, popular Christmas music is void of any real lasting truth. The English mouse that was not even stirring, the German Tannenbaum so fair and lovely and the American red-nosed reindeer that has nothing to recommend it have pretty well taken over in Christmas poetry and song. These along with merry old St. Nicholas have about displaced Christian theology.

We must not forget that the Church is the custodian of a truth so grave and urgent that its importance can not be overemphasized, and so vast and incomprehensible that even an apostle did not try to explain it; rather it burst forth from him as an astonished exclamation:

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. – 1 Timothy 3:16 ESV

This is what the Church is trying to say to mankind but her voice these days is thin and weak and scarcely heard amid the commercialized clangor of Silent Night.

It does seem strange that so many persons become excited about Christmas and so few stop to inquire into its meaning; but I suppose this odd phenomenon is quite in harmony with our unfortunate human habit of magnifying trivialities and ignoring matters of greatest import. The same man who will check his tires and consult his road map with utmost care before starting on a journey may travel for a lifetime on the way that knows no return and never once pause to ask whether or not he is headed in the right direction.

The Christmas message, when stripped of its pagan overtones, is relatively simple: God is come to earth in the form of man. Around this one dogma the whole question of meaning revolves. God did come or He did not; He is come or He is not, and the vast accumulation of sentimental notions and romantic practices that go to make up our modern Christmas cannot give evidence on one side or the other.

Christ’s coming to Bethlehem’s manger was in harmony with the primary fact of His secret presence in the world in preincarnate times as the Light that lighteth every man. The sum of the New Testament teaching about this is that Christ’s claims are self-validating and will be rejected only by those who love evil. Whenever Christ is preached in the power of the Spirit, a judgment seat is erected and each hearer stands to be judged by his response to the message. His moral responsibility is not to a lesson in religious history but to the divine Person who now confronts him.

Christmas either means more than is popularly supposed or it means nothing.

We had better decide.

Walk Worthy of the Gospel

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“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ…”
(Philippians 1:27)

In military service, one of the most serious charges that can be brought against you is Conduct Unbecoming an Officer.  Within the realm of service, there are certain moral attributes common to the ideal officer and the perfect gentleman, a lack of which is indicated by acts of dishonesty, unfair dealing, indecency, indecorum, lawlessness, injustice, or cruelty. Not everyone is or can be expected to meet unrealistically high moral standards, but there is a limit of tolerance based on customs of the service and military necessity below which the personal standards of an officer, cadet, or midshipman cannot fall without seriously compromising the person’s standing as an officer, cadet, or midshipman or the person’s character as a gentleman.

Examples of behavior that can lead to such a charge include: making a false official statement; failure to pay a debt; cheating on an exam; being drunk and disorderly in a public place; public association with known prostitutes; committing or attempting to commit a crime involving moral turpitude; and failing without good cause to support the officer’s family.

Keep in mind, these are the military’s standards of moral behavior for officers.  Officers have been called out, set aside for specific purposes, entrusted with authority and honor to lead others.  Having been called to such a position, officers are also expected to set an example, not just in their service, but also in their manner of living.  A failure to live up to these standards is a failure to lead, a failure to honor the call, a failure to honor the nation you serve.  Those convicted of Conduct Unbecoming face dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of pay, and imprisonment.

It shouldn’t surprise you that all that was said above can also be said for the Christian.

The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 5:

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.  Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.  For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.  Therefore do not become partners with them;  for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),  and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.  Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

There are things that are unbecoming, inconsistent, unfitting in the Christian life.

Sexual immorality and impurity – and let’s be clear about this means: adultery, infidelity, promiscuity, pre-marital or extra-marital sexuality, homosexuality, pornography – immorality is an idolatry of the body, putting the desires of the flesh before the desire of the Spirit.

Covetousness – note that this is listed right alongside the “naughty parts” – a covetousness is an idolatry of the heart for the things of the world, not being satisfied with what God has given, with what you have, always longing for what your neighbor has.

Filthiness nor foolish talk, crude joking – bathroom humor, racy talk around the office, celebrating in foolishness, profane jokes – should these things come out of the same mouth that is supposed to be praising God?

Those who take part in these things, those who encourage these things in the lives of others, exhibit conduct unbecoming a follower of Christ, and have “no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”  These are the things that characterize those who walk in darkness, those sons of disobedience, and have no place in the life of a believer.

Those who are in Christ have been called out of darkness and into the light, and are called to imitate God in their lives. A failure to live in the light is a failure to lead and bring light to the gospel life, a failure to honor the call of Christ, a failure to honor the Kingdom you serve.

Now, if I left this message there (where my cursor has sat for the last two days), what would we be left with?  Were we to reduce the gospel to this “do this, don’t do this”, we would all fall under judgment and condemnation.  For, in fact, we do all fall under judgment and condemnation.  We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

What’s missing here is the grace of the gospel.  We have all fallen, and we all once walked in the ways of darkness.  But now, those who are in Christ walk in the light as he is in the light.  We are no longer under the domain of darkness, but are citizens with the saints in light.

The Christian life, while by necessity must demonstrate growth in holiness if faith is genuine and indeed the Holy Spirit is working in you, is not a moral system.  Immorality has no place within the Christian life, but a heightened sense of morality is not what makes you a Christian.  The offer of grace does not negate the call to holiness; the offer of grace is the only way true holiness is even possible.  A Christian is one who places their hope, their trust, their faith, their life in the grace and mercy of God in Jesus Christ, and in Him and by His power is one who begins to grow in holiness and truth.

So walk worthy in a manner of the gospel of Christ.  Do not fall back into the ways of darkness, but rest and live in His grace, and walk in the light as He is in the light.

SDG