Christmas is the one holiday when seemingly the entire world gets into the spirit of good cheer, festive decorations, carol-singing and gifts under a tree. It’s a day that is commonly celebrated, but what is Christmas really about? Genesis is the book of beginnings, including the origin of Christmas. As we understand the true meaning of Christmas, we can then fully appreciate the blessed hope and joy of the season.

Christmas is all about God. God planned, initiated, and accomplished salvation in Jesus Christ. (Jn 3:16) He is the only true and living God, the only One who can save man, the eternal God who is full of glory. (Ex 3:13-14, Is 42:8, Is 43:11) Christmas displays God’s attributes for us to behold.

– God is powerful– all are lost, but God alone is Almighty. By His power, Christmas exists for man’s salvation.

– God is holy– If all were lost, who can judge righteously? Man is blind to the bottomless depths of his corruption- only Jesus was without sin. God is the only Judge, and He is the One who made Christmas to redeem us.

– God is full of grace– Christmas is at the pinnacle of God’s grace. The perfect birth of Jesus Christ is at the center of Christmas- a gift that no man has ever deserved. Our gift exchanges during Christmas dimly reflect the grace God had for us on Christmas Day.

Christmas is all about the plight of man. The original setting of Christmas is bloody, because it is all about sin. (Gen 3:14) In this fallen world that is continually ravaged by the curse of sin- incessant wars, hatred, and animosity- there has never been a day of peace since the Fall. God sent Jesus to this world to resolve man’s plight of sin, but Jesus was rejected by the world since the day of His birth, for the nature of sin is to always reject what is good and pure. Jesus endured the most excruciating pain during his crucifixion as He bore the full suffering and perfect wrath of God for the sins of man.

Christmas is about sin. This day provides the context to reflect and ponder on our own sinful nature and the seriousness of sin. Even as Christians, our lives are not marked by having no sin, but grief over sin. Our sin are blatant attacks against God, who is fully righteous and just to condemn us. If God’s grace did not intervene, we would continually increase to the darkest, most perverted depths of sin, for our depraved hearts are fully set in enmity against God. We need God; we need a Savior. Christmas is a time for repentance.

Christmas is all about Jesus. Jesus is the true and only reason for this season’s joy. Man can not save himself by Old Testament laws and rituals- the Old Testament sacrifices themselves point to Christ. Christmas is all about Jesus, who was God, who became man, who came to us through the virgin birth. The doctrine of the virgin birth is absolutely essential, because Jesus was born without man’s original sin. (1 Tim 3:16) Jesus came to save us. Do you love Christ? If you do not love Christ, you do not know the true meaning of Christmas. If you love any other more than Christ, you do not yet understand how sinful you are. (Lk 14:26, 33) Christmas reminds us of our former sinful lives that we’ve forsaken, and the life of Christ we now have because of Him who loved us.

Christmas is all about the gospel. “…He shall bruise your head…” Jesus’ resurrection was the final blow to Satan. The invisible God became visible, suffered and bled on the cross, rose again, and crushed the power of Satan. (1 Cor 15:3-4) Hallelujah, what a Savior. This is God’s most important gift to us- the gospel. The gospel is all we can boast of, and it is what every man needs. Christmas shows us the power, love, and salvation from God, and it is an opportune time to share this gift with those around us. In the midst of this bustling season, above all, let us remember God, our sin, and Jesus. Let us remember the gospel.

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Gal 5:1

The desire and pursuit of freedom is innate to man, but the idea of freedom does not come from man. Freedom is a divine attribute- fallen man is not born free. In the beginning, God created man to indeed be free; he was to rule over all creation. (Gen 1:25-26) But freedom was forfeited after the Fall. Man is now enslaved by sin, for everyone who sins is a slave to sin. (Jn 8:34) He became enslaved by creation, worshipping idols rather than the Creator. (Rom 1:25) He is enslaved by the flesh; his old nature that can do nothing but sin (Col 3:5-9), and he is enslaved by the ideas of culture, society, and politics. There are so many things that enslaves man, but in all circumstances, Christians are free. In Christ, there is true hope for all. Jesus Christ can set you free. (Acts 26:29)

Freedom is possible in Christ alone. Jesus paid the price for our freedom, by coming into this world as a man and by dying on the cross in our place.(Phil 2:6-8) Only Christ can set us free. Sin destroys freedom, but Christ alone is sinless– He was fully God, and fully man. He paid the price, offering a sacrifice of Himself that was accepted by God. Jesus was the only one who kept the law perfectly. He is the end of the law for righteousness, because He was punished in our place for our sin. (Rom 10:4) He is God Almighty, all powerful to redeem us, and He overcame the power of death by His resurrection– He rose from the dead to give us victory over sin and death. (1 Cor 15:56-57)

Essentially, freedom equates to salvation. If you are saved, you are free. Believers are free from the bondage of sin, no longer under the power of sin. They are free from the guilt of sin, because they have been forgiven by God. Christians are released from the tyranny of the law- they are free by faith, no longer trying to justify themselves by the law like the rest of the world. Finally, Christians are free from the fear of death. Only the redeemed can truly enjoy this freedom. (Phil 1:21-22) Those who are free are set apart from the world. Believers know where their priorities lie- God and His Word are prioritized over themselves and their physical needs. (Matt 4:3-4) They use their freedom to edify and build up others, loving selflessly by putting others before themselves. (1 Cor 10:23-25)

Jesus did everything to set you free- He died on the cross in your place. Therefore, we must stand firm, and not return to our old nature. How can we stand firm? We must consider ourselves as free. No matter what our circumstances are, we must maintain a strong conviction that we have been set free in Christ. (Rom 6:8-11) We must live by faith, by denying ourselves and living for Christ, who loved us and gave Himself up for us. (Gal 2:20) Repentance must be constant in our lives– sin is constantly striving to steal our freedom, but as you repent, you remember God’s faithfulness and righteousness. As we reflect on our salvation and our lives before and after Christ, we can be thankful to the Lord in all circumstances, because He has truly set us free. The reality of this world is getting bleaker still- are you free today? The gospel can set you free. It is for this freedom Christ has set us free.

Although there are many choices in life, the Christian can always look behind at the paths that he’s taken in life and be absolutely sure that all the decisions that was made in the past were the correct ones. It’s no surprise – after all, God has promised so in His word. (Rom 8:28) In fact, we, as Christians, can be confident that God will always lead us to the path that he wants us to travel; this is because God’s grace oversees, directs, and protects the believer. Although we may choose the wrong things in life, including sin, God upholds our salvation by His power and grace.

In Galatians 4:21-31, Paul shows us the two conditions of mankind, illustrating the benefit that is given to the Christians using the historical account of Sarah and Hagar.

There are two mothers. All of mankind are either sons of Hagar, the slave woman, or the sons of Sarah, the free woman. All men are naturally born as slaves to sin, so that their identity is aligned with Hagar. Just as a slave cannot free himself, so no sinner can overcome sin by himself. There is nothing men can do to escape their identity as a slave – Christian heritage and the highest work cannot free them from who they are. Only God can change men from the inside out – and Scripture tells us that the believers of Christ are children of the free woman, Sarah, born to her through promise. It is the supernatural work of God to take slaves and make them anew with a different identity altogether.

There are two covenants. All of mankind are subject to one of the two covenants. The Old Covenant is exacting; it demands absolute obedience to the perfect law of God. The New Covenant is gracious (Jer 24:7b); it is a covenant of grace which tells of God’s willingness to forgive on the basis of faith. Does the new covenant then forsake the law? No, because God has always saved men on the basis of their faith according to His grace. (Rom 4:3) When God establishes a new covenant relationship with the believer, He creates in them a new heart of righteousness and begins a relationship with them. The salvation that comes from the new covenant establishes the believer so that his every spiritual need is met. (Psalm 23:1)

There are two cities. All of mankind are living to fulfill their joy in their current home or their future home to come. In Paul’s days, Jerusalem was the hub of Judaism and the center of Pharisaical legalism. The children of Hagar are still living in the current Jerusalem; that is, they are living in the present condition of their false religious views. However, the believers are promised by Jesus a new Jerusalem that will be established on earth. (Rev 21:2) This new kingdom will be ruled by King Jesus, and all the believers will be in His royal court. (Phil 3:20)

There are two ways of life. If all of mankind are either sons of Hagar or Sarah, it’s important to observe the characteristics of the two people. Hagar’s child was Ishmael, who was constantly at war with others and was the one that attacked, offended, and avenged. (Jn 8:44) Sarah’s child, Isaac, was gentle and humble, and he did not repay evil for evil. Jesus was like Isaac; He was reviled but did not revile in return. Christians must be like Jesus and Isaac.(Rom 12:19-21) This is not a moral lifestyle, it’s a spiritual lifestyle. We must always reflect God’s grace, seeking to be just, righteous, and meek. (Matt 5:11-12)

There are two inheritances. All of mankind are promised one of two fates – heaven or hell. Just as Abraham gave the largest portion of his inheritance of Isaac, God will give heaven to the children of Sarah. (1 Pet 1:4) The inheritance for the children of the slave woman will be hell. (Gal 5:19-21)

In Conclusion, the children of Sarah, as allegorically depicted by Paul, are the very children of God. Of the two ways that Paul presented, the believers are clearly seen as the benefactors. The reward is coming, because Jesus is coming soon. We must respond with faithfulness to God in every way, because we have been saved by God’s amazing grace.

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? Gal 4:21

 

In an age where the reach of man’s feats are boundless, there remains one thing that is impossible with man – salvation. Salvation can never be earned by man’s effort, and Jesus did not save those who by man’s moral measure was worthy. (Jer 13:23, Matt 11:28) The doctrine of grace sets Christianity apart from every false religion. Grace is God’s unmerited favor- as sinners, we are debtors to God, unable to pay. Though there is nothing good of us that God would love us, He paid this debt for us through Christ Jesus. (Rom 4:4-8) Grace is not an idea- grace is a person, a power fully presented in Jesus. Apostle Paul understood the grace of God in his own life, and as we continue in his letter to the Galatians, we examine the reasons why God’s grace is so necessary for man’s salvation. (1 Cor 15:10)

Everyone is dead. God’s perfect law judges us rightly. By practicing unbelief, we are under God’s condemnation. (Acts 2:36, Rev 20:12-13) Under the power of the world, sin nature, and Satan, we are deceived and dead in our sin. We are under the wrath of a holy and just God. (Ps 51:5, Gal 5:19-21) The agonizing reality of God’s wrath was on complete display in Jesus’ crucifixion. As Jesus suffered and died in our place, God’s wrath was poured out on His perfect and holy Son. Jesus came to us, full of grace and truth, ready to lavish His grace on anyone who repents and trusts in Him. (Jn 3:17-18, 1:14)

Without God’s grace, everyone would think they are good. God’s grace is based on our total depravity. We are dead, with no desire to seek Him. Even after we are saved, in our sin nature we constantly desire to go back to our old ways. (Ecc 7:20) This is every man’s condition. Arminianism is wrong- man can not choose God. We have no desire to be saved, and we have no merit in our nature to be saved. Salvation is by God’s grace alone. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, and it only by grace that we can even understand and accept this blessed truth. Without grace, we are hopeless. (Rom 3:11, Lk 19:10)

Without God’s grace, we would not have the assurance of salvation. Even though we are saved, we sin, but it is God who continually sustains us by His grace. God has promised us eternal life in Christ Jesus. His steadfast love for us never changes. (Jn 6:39)

Although we know it is by grace alone that we are saved, we often forget and limit God’s grace in our lives. This is the same issue that Paul addresses to the Galatians. The Galatians were confused with Scripture, and they lost their conviction of God’s truth. They placed their emotions, self convictions, and circumstances above God’s Word, and were no longer able to understand and experience God’s grace. Grace comes through the Word of God. We must know Scripture faithfully, putting it into practice by following Christ and His teaching. (Matt 8:1-2) We must know Christ accurately, studying Scripture diligently to gain understanding, and handling the text literally within its context. We can not compromise on the teachings of the Bible, and we must not use it for our own personal agenda and gain. Finally, we must see the Bible prayerfully. Scripture is the living word, inspired by the Holy Spirit. We need to pray for understanding and conviction, so that we do not become confused with Scripture and lose sight of grace.

God’s grace is truly amazing. Salvation is a gift of God, given to those whom He chose before the foundation of the world. God has called us by His grace, in His grace we are sustained, and by His grace, He will bring us home. Amazing grace!