This is a Q & A blog in support of an exciting new venture -- what I call Santa-tizing. Santa-tizing:What's wrong with Christmas and how to clean it up is a new book due to be released December 2008. Check out http://www.santa-tizing.com/ for availability. I realize that once people start delving into Santa-tizing, they may have questions or comments that they may want to share. This is the idea behind this forum. Let's help one another in our quest to becoming the Bride of Christ.
4 comments:
Dear Robin,
What advice would you give in this situation; a wife has read Santa-tizing and studied the Sciptures you cited. She is convicted that her family's celebration of Christmas isn't pleasing to the Lord. Her husband, however, is VERY attached to the traditions, etc, and is not convicted to change. How can the wife submit to her husband's wishes, while submitting to God's Word?
Dear Lynn,
This is a VERY difficult situation; and, unfortunately, you probably will not be the only one facing this situation. You have two biblical situations that appear to be colliding: submission to your husband and obedience to the Lord.
First, let me share what I did in this situation. In chapter 1 of Santa-tizing I share that Jesus appeared to me with tears in his eyes and told me, "The mixture of Christmas grieves my heart. Come out of Babylon and lay down Christmas, for I will have a pure and spotless Bride." The only option for my sold-out heart was a genuine but feeble heart cry, "Lord, I want to. Help me. Show me the way. My husband's not ready for this. Give me, give us a way out.” Within a few hours our gorgeous Christmas tree was infested with hundreds of spiders at a time that I was arachnophobic. The Lord knew how to flush out our tree (i.e., the symbol that represented Christmas for us). Once our Christmas tree was out of the house, all the spiders were instanteously and miraculously gone.
I believe that this is a picture for all of us. If you or I set our heart like flint toward the Lord and what He is saying (scripturally saying), He will show up BIG TIME. It may not be how we would prefer, but in the end it will be good. Each individual has a unique set of circumstances and God knows them intimately. I believe that if you choose to lay down Christmas, the Lord our God will show up BIG TIME in the midst of your family. The infestation of our Christmas tree was the catalyst for our family laying down Christmas, but my husband and I have had many discussions (he would probably say too many) in this regard. For example, our son was five years-old at the time and we were concerned how this would affect him.
Sometimes this situation doesn’t resolve itself as quickly as we would like. In the Old Testament, it tells how if a wife makes a vow and her husband disagrees with it, the vow can be annulled without any consequences. The Lord knows your heart. If your husband wants to keep doing Christmas and you do not, I advise you pray, pray, pray. And after you have prayed, pray some more. The Lord will show up for you and yours. There might be some situations within you or your husband that the Lord is dealing with first. All I know is that you must hear from the Lord before you can obey what He would like you to do.
I personally believe that God doesn’t want to break up a marriage over the laying down of Christmas. I advise everyone I talk with to take your family with you. Discuss things, seek the Lord, and follow-through together.
I hope that answers your question. If I can be of further assistance, please let me know.
Hi Veronica,
Keep Reading. The questions you currently have should be resolved by the time you finish the book. For instance, I cover nativity sets on pages 123-126. If you still have questions, please let me know.
But by no means am I trying to say what people can or cannot do, or should or should not do. That's between you and your God. I'm just trying to present information from a historical and scriptural perspective, and I am asking people to decide for themselves. "Let each one examine his own work" (Galatians 6:4 NASB).
Of note, in Galatians 4:10 Paul is not appalled at Christians observing special days and months and seasons and years (for he and first century believers still celebrated these... see Chapter 7). Like circumcision, Paul was against observing special days and months and seasons and years according to the Law so that they could be saved through their good deeds (i.e., see precious verse's "enslaved" reference). We are not justified by our works as Ephesians 2:8 clearly articulates "by grace you have been saved through faith". But additionally the entire council of Scripture tells us that "faith without works is dead" (James 2:26) OR "even a child is known for his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right" (Proverbs 22:11) OR "by this we know that we are in Him; the one who says he abides in Him ought himself walk in the same manner as He [i.e., Jesus] walked" (1 John 2:6). Etc. Etc. Etc.
Like Abraham, we are justified by faith, but "works" (our deeds and action... our walk) are the evidence of the reality of our faith that will some day result in a verdict before the throne of God. Everyone will be judged according to the Word of God. For believers, the Bible says that our works will be tested by fire. If a person's works survive the fire, they will receive a reward (1 Cor. 3:12-14). Our celebrations will be one area that will go through the fire. The subject of my book is not salvation, but moving onto maturity. It's about retaining eternal rewards and becoming the Bride of Christ.
By the way, at least three of the deeds of the flesh listed in Galatians 5:19-21 are found in the celebration of Christmas (Christian or otherwise). Let's also remember that while freedom in Christ is the focus of the book of Galatians, it constantly warns "do not turn your freedom into an opportunity of the flesh" (Gal. 5:13 NASB). I just have seen my flesh and others go through many gyrations to justify its sensual behavior. It's human nature. The aim of this book is to promote the nature of Christ.
Best to you.
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