Everyone knows that 25 December is one of the most important dates for Christians as this is the day we celebrate Christmas. It is also probably the most widely marked holiday of the year, as people of all faiths and none exchange gifts.
However 25 December may not be the exact date when Jesus Christ was born. The debate is still open as to when exactly Christ was born. Some say the date was taken from the winter solstice as Roman customs were aligned with Christianity. Nobody can really be sure over 2000 years later. Nevertheless, this date is still meaningful for Christians as 25 December is the day each year, when we remember the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The word Christmas literally means Christian Mass. It’s a shortened form of Christ’s Mass. Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah, which the prophets of the Old Testament were talking about. The One who was promised to come, to set the captives free and to cleanse us from all wrongdoing. We also know He is the author and finisher of our faith.
We celebrate Christmas, to acknowledge that “for unto us a Child was born, to us a Son is given” to pay the price for the things we have done wrong or for our sin. To remind ourselves that God sent His only son to be the atonement for all our sins so that we would no longer be separated from Him. Acknowledging that without Jesus, we would all die in sin. And that’s reason for more than just any celebration.
We consider Christmas as an important foundation of our Christian faith where we reflect God’s love for all His people through the birth of a very special child, which is Christ Jesus. No matter whether Jesus was born on 25 December or on another date, the important thing is that He was born, bringing peace and goodwill to all people.
Visit Find Peace to learn how you can experience the gift of God, not just on 25 December but all year round!
