CHRISTMAS

THIS month the Christian world of every sect celebrates the birth of Christ. Protestants of every denomination and Roman Catholics, both take part in it in their own way. By singing carols, special music and all such things a great time is made about this event. In addition to this the business world profits by it, because money is spilled out of the bag to buy presents, and in this even the Jews and the atheist take part, so that taking it all and in all, the event has been commercialized and the real meaning of it all is overlooked, for all this is nothing but an invention of the god of this world to dupe his poor victims so that they will content themselves with these things and have no desire for that which would turn their hearts from those vanities and seek those things which would serve to their eternal peace. For by nature man’s heart is set upon all that which is sensual and it fully agrees wTth their sentiment to wallow in those things as a swine does in the mire. For in all these things Christ has been superceded by Santa Claus, and the real meaning of Christmas is entirely overlooked, for even the religious world, instead of instructing the children in those things which are necessary to know for that great eternity, brings Santa Claus into the church and the children are made happy (?) with a vain show.

All this must convince every sober-minded person that we live in the time of the great apostasy, and that darkness covers the people, and gross darkness the nations. The church, which should be the salt of the earth, has lost its savor, for the church is no longer in the world, but the world in the church, and as Newton says, a ship in the ocean is safe, but the ocean in the ship, will cause it to sink. Alas, that the church has become so conformed to the world, that there is no longer any visible difference. When looking back four centuries,, witness those holy martyrs, who would rather suffer the loss of all things, yea even their very life, for the sake of Christ, than submit to those errors which the church of Rome teaches. Their blood was the seed of the church, and the Lord gave their children those things to enjoy unmolested for which they willingly suffered and died. But when Jeshurun waxed fat, he kicked, and so it has become with the church, for instead of standing shoulder to shoulder, and witnessing against these things, we go along with it. Shame should cover our faces because of this, for when we consider the purpose of Christ manifesting Himself in the flesh, we have no reasons to indulge in all those outward things. For was it not because of the sins of the world that he left His throne and crown to come upon this sinful earth and to ransom those that had brought themselves under God’s curse by their transgressions? Behold Him in the manger, which was His bed, and although He is the King of kings there were no attendants waiting upon Him, but the cattle were His companions, and poor shepherds came and paid Him homage. It is true, heaven was all astir, but the earth was sleeping. He became poor, so that others could become rich thereby. He humbled Himself because we in our pride and rebellion had exalted ourselves against the Most High. Thereby He would teach us humility, for only those that humble themselves shall be exalted. During His life He suffered poverty and privations, to teach us to set lightly by the things of this world. His whole life was a life of self-denial, He was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, and eventually He suffered God’s wrath in His soul and body, gave His back to the scourgers, allowed Himself to be spit upon, and to be nailed to the cross, where He poured out His soul unto death. This is the Person whose birth we commemorate this month, who also teaches us that we cannot serve God and prophets of old to put the noise of songs and Mammon. This same Person tells us by His music from before Him, and that all our will worship is a stench in His holy nostrils, for a broken heart and a contrite spirit are pleasing and acceptable in His sight. Oh that we might be favored to come before Him in such a manner, as poor lost sinners at His footstool, denying ourselves and turning our backs upon all those vanities, desiring that He might dwell in our hearts and rule and reign over us and in us by His Holy Spirit. What a different celebrating that would be, to behold Him with an eye of faith, as the one given by the Father to be a propitiation for our sins.

Oh, that the Lord might arise to work powerfully in the hearts of His people to restore Zion to her former lustre, and also in the hearts of those who are yet strangers thereof, and whose only desire is now to get as much of this world’s goods as possible, although it shall leave them comfortless in a dying hour. For what shall it profit a man though he should gain the whole world and lose his soul, or what shall a man give to ransom his soul?

At this time of the year, there is what is called a Christmas spirit, consisting of giving baskets of food to the poor and exchanging of gifts, but what does all this amount to in the sight of a righteous God, for Jesus Himself teaches, that except your righteousness exceed those of the Pharisees and Scribes, ye can in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven, and as we read in the epistle to the Romans “by the works of the law no man shall be justified before God.” May that be our great concern, how we shall be just before the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do, who knoweth our hearts and tryeth our reins, and Who can only be worshipped in spirit and in truth, and which all flows from the merits of Christ, for though we may make a big show, we can only deceive ourselves and others, but not Him whose eyes are like a flaming fire and out of Whose mouth goeth a sharp two-edged sword. May we yet learn to tremble before Him, and seek our salvation in Him Who shall one day appear in the clouds of heaven as the Judge of the quick and the dead and to render every man according to His work.

People of God, may you be favored to worship at this manger in the spirit, and behold Him, who for your sakes became poor, so that He could make you rich: to behold Him with an eye of faith as having done all this on your behalf as the greatest gift which the Father could bestow, for then all other things will sink into nothingness.—V.

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