Unbelievers are already at work transforming Christmas. They have emphasized Santa Claus, and elves, and reindeer with many gifts as the main thing of the holiday. Some oppose the nativity scene and the expression of faith in the public square.
Instead of transforming Christmas, we should allow Christmas to transform us. The story of Christmas teaches us what we are supposed to be transformed into. Christmas is the grace of God piercing time and history in the person of Jesus Christ to walk upon this earth to teach the kingdom of God and bring salvation to humanity - salvation from our sins, from our selfish nature, to restore in us his image and likeness. To make us godly people - people like God. Not like him in his divine nature, but like him in his character.
Godliness is not the result of my personal efforts, but the result of God's Grace (in Jesus Christ) at work in my life. To take credit for godliness - how much we conform to the character of God - is like taking credit for the growth of the tomatoes in your garden. You certainly take good care of them, but you cannot make them grow. God gives the growth and you provide the watering and fertilizing.
Godliness is not the result of my personal efforts, but the result of God's Grace (in Jesus Christ) at work in my life. To take credit for godliness - how much we conform to the character of God - is like taking credit for the growth of the tomatoes in your garden. You certainly take good care of them, but you cannot make them grow. God gives the growth and you provide the watering and fertilizing.
The grace of God (Jesus Christ) appeared! Christmas is all about celebrating this appearance (epiphany) in the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The grace of God saves us! Christ came to pay the ransom for our foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved life. The grace of God trains (instructs, encourages, and corrects) us to renounce ungodliness through self-control, righteousness, and true godliness while we await the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The grace of God has the power to transform us into godly people by purifying us from our past lives (sins), pronouncing us justified (rendering us innocent), and making us eager (zealous, devoted) to do what is good (good works).
We should not try to transform Christmas into what we want it to be. We must submit, yield, surrender and allow Christmas to transform us. The grace of God that appeared saves me, trains me to transform me. Let's not forget
"Now there is great gain in godliness..." (1Tim. 6:6). Let us not give up on our garden of godliness.
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