"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased" (Luke 2:14). Celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus who came to the earth to save all mankind, let's look into the true meaning of Christmas.
First of all, Christmas is the joyful day celebrating God giving salvation to all mankind
The birth of Jesus, the Son of God, was the beginning of the providence of human salvation. He came to the earth in flesh in order to become the atoning sacrifice for men who were under the curse of the Law, which says, 'The wages of sin is death.'Hence, we should remember this love of Jesus who came to save us and take greatest delight in it on Christmas.
Suppose you were in great hardship but someone helped you out of it and you gained new strength and hope through him. Then you should not forget his grace. This is the duty of man. If you really feel thankful, you will repay the grace not just once, but also try your best to repay it constantly until the last moment.
In the same manner, through the Lord Jesus, we have been saved from the eternal death of Hell. Moreover, through Jesus Christ, we have gained Heaven where we will live happily forever. If we really understand the grace of salvation, we must give thanks continually not only on Christmas but also for the other 364 days until the Lord comes again. We have to understand from our hearts how great, thankful, and joyous the grace of salvation is.
The birth of Jesus made available to all men the blessing of salvation, the greatest joy that cannot be compared with anything else in the world. Let's enjoy the joy of salvation on this blessed Christmas.
Secondly, Christmas is when God demonstrated His greatest love to human beings
1 John 4:9-10 reads, "By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
One can't be the Savior to save sinners by just having power or riches. The one who is to save them must be qualified according to the law of the spiritual world, be hung on the wooden cross, and shed his blood.
In other words, he must shed blood that is identified with his life to set us free from death and bring life to us. Because it says, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree", he must also be hung on the wooden cross as a curse to redeem us from the curse of the Law since "the wages of sin is death."
That is, the one who is to be the Savior has to completely sacrifice himself and bear all sufferings. God knew it better than anybody else. Nevertheless, God sent His greatly beloved Son Jesus to the earth as the propitiation and the Savior for us.
Romans 5:7-8 says, "For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." As recorded, God loved us who became sinners to the extent that He could exchange His loving Son Jesus' life for our lives.
Today are there people who would readily and willingly surrender everything they possessed for the sake of others? Furthermore, could they surrender everything for their enemies? God did just this. God gave up His only begotten Son, whom He loves and cherishes most, for us who were the slaves to the enemy devil and became God's enemies. He didn't love us only with words, but He demonstrated His love with deeds and truth.
Christmas is the day when Jesus was born on this earth in this great love of God, and the day we should celebrate it. Therefore, on Christmas we have to feel and experience God's love deep within our hearts and love God more from the heart. We also have to show our love for God in deed and truth as well as with word and with tongue just as God demonstrated His love for us through Jesus.
Thirdly, Christmas means that God wants to lead many souls to Heaven and share love and joy with them forever
John 14:6 reads, "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.'" As read, God sent Jesus to the earth as the propitiation for our sins, and wants all men to be forgiven of their sins and enter into Heaven through Him.
God opened the way for us to enter Heaven even by giving us His most beloved Son without expecting anything in return. He has prepared our heavenly dwelling places with the most beautiful and valuable things and He has been calling all people to enter there and waiting for them with patience not to lose a single soul.
God wishes for His loving children to enter Heaven and live there with joy and happiness forever. He also wants to share love with them. So, He didn't spare His only begotten Son and He has been enduring all sorrows and pains during the 6,000 year period of human cultivation.
If we understand this heart of God, we should naturally come forth as His best children who resemble Him. We should not be satisfied with only the fact that we will enter Heaven. But we should strive to move closer to God's throne and give thanks for His grace and love and please Him forever.
Hebrews 12:14 says, "Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord." As said, let's accomplish sanctification and be faithful in all aspects, and thereby enter New Jerusalem the best dwelling place in Heaven and see the Lord!
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