What is the Real Meaning of Christmas?

The real meaning of Christmas is about 3 issues – love, purpose and salvation.
Beyond the Christmas gifts and all the commercialization that comes with the Christmas holidays, there is the life changing story of God’s love for the world such that He became flesh in order to save the world from sin and condemnation.
The Christmas story is more than just the birth of Jesus Christ. The Christmas story is about God’s love, God’s purpose and God’s salvation for mankind.

Christmas is About the Love of God
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
God was motivated by His love for mankind to give His begotten Son to be crucified as payment for our sins. The truth is: we are all sinners before a just and holy God.
Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.
Romans 6:23 says the consequences or “the wages of sin is death” which is spiritual separation from God.
As mankind, we cannot pay for our own sins by our own merit or effort. Isaiah 64:6 says “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”
However, even though we are sinners, the Bible says that God still loves us and that He loves us enough to save us from the consequences of sin.
Romans 5:8 says “But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
So we celebrate Christmas because during the Christmas season, we are reminded of the unconditional love of God and the motivation for why God sent Jesus to come into this world.

Christmas is About the Purpose of Jesus Christ
John 3:17 – For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.
Christmas reminds us that Christ was born with a specific purpose. John 1:14 says that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
The purpose of God sending Jesus into the world was not to condemn the world, but that mankind might be saved through Christ.
The Christmas season is a reminder that Jesus Christ came to fulfill God’s plan of salvation.
Matthew 1:20-21 – But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Therefore according to Matthew 1:21, Jesus the purpose of the birth of Jesus was that He may save His people from their sins.
So Christmas reminds us that the world needs a Saviour and this Saviour is Jesus Christ.

Christmas is About Jesus Being the Only Way to Salvation
John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Christmas reminds us of the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and what He did for the world. Jesus was without sin; He is God / the Word who became flesh (1 Timothy 3:17) and it is only because of the blood of Jesus Christ which He shed on the cross that mankind can be saved.
Ephesians 1:7 says “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace”
Christmas should remind us that only Christ’s blood and sacrifice was sufficient to pay for our sins. Therefore our salvation is not through anyone else or through anything else except through the Person of Jesus Christ alone (Acts 4:12).
It is only through Jesus Christ that we can be reconciled to God and it is only through Christ alone that we can enter Heaven. Christ alone is our mediator (1 Timothy 2:5).

 

DO YOU WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN or A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST???

1. ACKNOWLEDGE: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
   This means that we have all broken God’s laws and God’s 10 Commandments like those mentioned in Exodus 20:1-17. For example, if you have told a lie; if you have stolen something; if you have lusted after somebody or if you have coveted. This means you are guilty of breaking at least one or more of God’s 10 Commandments. Breaking God’s commandments makes us sinners. The fact that we are sinners who have broken God’s law means that we are accountable to God who is the Lawgiver. Romans 6:23 says that “the wages of sin is death BUT the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”
   You must acknowledge that you are a sinner who has broken God’s commandments and that you therefore need Jesus in your life.
2. REPENT: “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3), “Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19)
   Repenting means: to change your mind; a sincere turning away, in heart, mind and action;
   Therefore God wants you to repent of sinful values and of sinful living. God wants you to decide to
   follow Him and to make Jesus the Lord of your life.
3. CONFESSION: “If we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9)
   God is a forgiving God. God will forgive any sin that you have done because Jesus died for ALL your sins and to set you free from the bondage of all types of sin in your life.
4. BELIEVE: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
   You must believe that ONLY Jesus can save you and restore your relationship with God. You must believe that Jesus is the ONLY way by which you can have everlasting life and escape from eternal separation from God. You must believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and resurrected from the grave.
   “He came to His own, and His own did not receive him, But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:11-12)
   By faith, You must receive Jesus as Your Lord & Savior and therefore; you become a child of God; you become born again; you become a Christian; you restore your broken relationship with God

 

Why Not Make Your Eternal Decision NOW?

We become born again Christians by GRACE through FAITH or TOTAL TRUST in Jesus Christ as our Lord & Savior (Galatians 3:26) & (Ephesians 2:8,9). Salvation is a FREE gift received through FAITH in Christ.

PLEASE NOTE: You can choose to pray in your own words. This prayer is a sample prayer and it is only an EXPRESSION of your faith, belief & trust in Jesus. Salvation is by GRACE through FAITH or BELIEVING in Christ Jesus as your Lord & Saviour.

“Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your love. I thank You that You died on the cross for me and resurrected so that I may have life through You.
I confess Lord that I have sinned against You and today I ask You to forgive me of all of my sins, past present and future.
Today I repent and have decided to follow you. Thank you for forgiving all my sins.
From this moment, come into my life Lord Jesus & take full control of my life. I want to follow You Jesus and I want to follow Your ways. Save me and from today, make me the person You want me to be.
I receive You Lord Jesus right now by faith. I trust You as my Lord and Savior – Amen”

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