Salvation: The True Spirit of Christmas and The Reason for The Season

The prevalent thoughts and images about the "spirit" of Christmas usually involves: Santa Claus, worldly peace, sweets, merriment, feasting, lavish gift giving and receiving, the hustle and bustle of shopping and enjoying elaborate entertainment events to celebrate the birth of Jesus—the First Coming of Christ, the only begotten Son of God. But none of these things are found in any of the Old Testament prophecies or in the New Testament accounts of the great and glorious day that our Creator entered into His own creation as a humble babe.

Please don't misunderstand, I'm not saying we ought not enjoy celebrating Christmas. My family does. What I am saying is, the focus and purpose of our joyful celebrations should be the same as God's focus and purpose: to bring the Good News of eternal salvation by giving us Christ as a propitiation for our sins.

The true spirit of Christmas and the reason for the season according to God is: eternal salvation.

"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel...Abraham said, 'God will provide for Himself a lamb for a burnt offering, my son.'

"I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a Light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness...He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then His own Arm brought Him salvation, and His righteousness upheld Him...And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,' declares the LORD.

"She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord...And it was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ...for my eyes have seen Your salvation that You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Your people Israel."

~Gen 3:15, 22:8; Is 42:6-7, 59:16, 20;

Mt 1:21; Lk 2:11, 26, 30-32 (ESV)

The spirit of Christmas isn't about just being happy and more thoughtful to others than we would be any other time of the year. It isn't about making sure everyone says "Merry Christmas" rather than "Happy Holidays". The essence of Christmas is the Son of God, coming in human form, to save sinners from what our sins have earned us: the wrath of God, which is eternal damnation in Hell.

This is why Christ came the first time. This is the Good News. This is the peace of God. This was God providing His own Lamb for the final and only acceptable sacrifice—for the remission of sins.

We nonchalantly say "The reason for the season is Christ". But we don't finish the sentence. The reason for the season is Christ came to save sinners...like you and me. 

So let us, the beloved children of the Most High God, stop trying to make the world do what they can never do on their own; give honor, praise and glory to our Lord Jesus (Heb 11:6). And let us stop entertaining the worldly and ephemeral, warm and fuzzy feelings of Christmas through decorating our homes and mere acts of charity. Rather let us do what Christ came to do—let us engage in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, adorning our hearts with His Word, while doing good to others. Because this is the true spirit of Christmas and the reason for this season.