As political strife intensifies and people are increasingly canceled for their opinions, the reality of Christmas should ground us in deeper truths.
In our hyper-politicized culture and angst today, Christmas is often diminished. One of the goals within our cultural wars is to push Christmas aside, to make even more room for divisive politicized agendas that tear us apart.
Religion, and particularly Christianity, reminds people that there are spheres much higher and important than politics and government. Ideologues detest and rage against this truth. They want the focus to remain solely on the worldly realms so that they can usher in their perceived political kingdom – better known today as tyrannies. Simply put, they want individuals worshiping a disordered world over the Lord.
Yet, whether the ideologues realize it or not, Christmas will never be canceled. Even if people stopped celebrating Christmas and the birth of the Lord, Scripture proclaims that “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:40) Why? Ultimately, everything is under the purposes of God, and creation speaks to this truth whether we acknowledge it or not.
Unfortunately, confusion and false teaching have infected many Christian churches today. A few years ago, a study revealed that 78% of Evangelical Christians believe that Jesus was the first created being of God. Of course, this is the third-century Arian heresy, which denies the eternal nature of Christ.
While Christmas can never be canceled, it’s essential that we understand what it means. The Incarnation and preexistence of our Lord is everything.
There is a great quote that highlights the beauty of the Christmas season and our carols.
“It is extraordinary to notice how completely this feeling of the paradox of the manger was lost by the brilliant and ingenious theologians, and how completely it was kept in the Christmas carols,” declared the English writer G.K. Chesterton. “They, at least, never forgot that the main business of the story they had to tell was that the absolute once ruled the universe from a cattle stall.”
How astounding is the Incarnation? The Protestant Reformer Martin Luther noted that the angels are envious of humans because Christmas means we share the same flesh and blood with Jesus. There will never be a time, ever again, where Jesus is not fully human. Amazingly, this means humanity is now united to the Godhead…forever.
Emmanuel or “God with Us,” is truly the greatest story ever told.
Another great line comes from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” It goes, “’Maybe Christmas,’ he thought, ‘doesn’t come from a store.’ Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more.’”
While grinches or even politicized automatons can’t cancel Christmas, they do want to rob you of your joy and keep you from looking up to the higher truths. Christmas is a great reminder that their efforts are ultimately futile.
Merry Christmas!
Ray Nothstine is Carolina Journal opinion editor and a research fellow on Second Amendment issues at the John Locke Foundation.