What Does Satan Know About Christmas, You Don’t?

Recently, a young, friendly acquaintance of mine posted a biblical quote on Facebook of 2^nd Peter 3:9-11 using the NLT trans-paraphrase whatever rendition of this passage. I could not get past verse 9: it was so horrible that I became very angry. I was not angry at the young man but at the whole American church scene that caters to a new kinder, gentler gospel; one that elevates man while degrading our God and Savior. I am quite positive he meant it for good and I am sure most readers took it that way…to their shame.

Caveat: I would rather one had the NLT than nothing; there is a very good possibility that they are a believer and truly are seeking the Truth. That is why I did not comment on the young man’s post, but it did stir me to write this article.

The flavor of the passage in question pictures an impotent, whining, head in one’s hands, wanting everybody to be saved but they just won’t listen to me, god. We are being brainwashed to reason that God thinks and reacts like us. We say out of one side of our mouths that God is sovereign and out of the other side we extol the will of man. We do not have to look very far to see the underlying reason for the impotence of the church: we do not believe that God is God alone. We ignore His written Word: His thoughts and ways are not our thoughts and ways, every Word that comes forth from Him will perfectly accomplish what He intended and prosper the thing to which it was sent. (Isaiah 55)

As soon as one goes down the path of unbelief in a true sovereign God, look what happens. Salvation is now a work of man; not only the decision process but the keeping of one’s eternal hope. Elitism now determines which is or is not acceptable for a true believer: i.e. bible versions, food, drink, holidays and the sabbath. Add to this; denominations, communion observance, dress and appearance codes, bible school and seminary attended, marriage and funeral traditions and the list goes on. Not one bit of this means anything to God; it is your obedience to His Word and your love of the brethren that will tip the scales in your favor come judgment day. Remember, judgment begins with the Church.

The emphatic and short answer is a resounding yes! In the days of Moses, we know that He hardened Pharaoh’s heart that world would know His power. The other side of the coin was that the nation of Israel began to understand that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the great I AM. Sadly, a great number of them were constantly doubting as evidenced by their blatant unbelief. They cried in dismay prior to God making the way through the Red Sea, they built a golden calf when Moses was away too long, Korah’s rebellion, fear of the giants in the land of Canaan and it cost them dearly. Our sovereign God winnowed out the faithless and He is still sifting out His Church in this very day and age.

I remember a statement by Billy Graham concerning the Devil; he is nothing more than God’s messenger boy. This has stuck with me for nearly 50 years and its truth has been proven over and over. I will agree with the Christmas dissenters, that Santa is an anagram of Satan and has nothing to do with our Lord. Two questions: if Christmas is so important to God why did He allow Santa Claus (Satan’s ploy) to usurp the holiday; and secondly, if Christmas is not to be of importance to the Christian why did Satan take such a keen interest in this holiday?

Answer to the first question: to harden the heart of the heathen and the semi-religious, to cloud their vision of the Christ; as it says in 2^nd Corinthians “…lest they should believe.” The god of this world is an instrument of God’s choosing to blind those whose names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. God in His sovereignty has usurped a pagan holiday, one that centered around the giving of gifts to one another and has drawn the world’s attention to the Son of Glory. To some, it will be another nail in their coffin so to speak, in others it will produce massive outpourings of good will with the belief that their good works will save them. It also becomes a season when many hearts are ready to hear and receive the Gospel. The benefits, even to the lost, far outweigh the void that would exist should there not be a season to rejoice with the angels in the birth of the Christ Child. As for me and my house, we will celebrate Christmas for I have seen lives redeemed because it exists.

Answer to the second question: the Devil knows the importance of Christmas, or he would have allowed a sleeping dog to lie. We cannot comprehend his hatred of anything godly as he continually raises distractions such as the Easter Bunny, in an attempt to keep as many as possible from the Truth. The wiles of the Devil are without measure but at the same time, he can do no more than God allows him. He was constrained in his dealing with Job and as a believer, every one of us would be dead if he could have his way. He cannot deter the will of God, but God can surely deter the Devil’s will.

Of the seven things God hates, the first five are very obvious as they deal with the eyes, the mouth, the hands or one’s actions, one’s thought life and all being without restraint. As a Christian, we are with restraint for God will first rebuke and if necessary, chasten us to teach us restraint. It is the repentance from the old life of sin that deals with the first five abominations but numbers six and seven belong to both the church-goer and the lost. How so, you may ask?

The false witness: When dealing with the Word and one privately interprets a passage or doctrine to their liking either through ignorance being a novice or deliberately manipulating scripture to one’s personal advantage, they are being a false witness. Anyone who has been a Christian for more than a few years has learned, sometimes the hard way, that scripture cannot be taken lightly. A verse or passage will not have conflicting meanings but will take on a deeper meaning as one matures in the Word. The depth and breadth of Truth will grow with age and diligent study. When a body of supposed believers meet on a regular basis and are continually being fed baby food or bad doctrine, they will in turn espouse a false witness to a world that is watching. No one gets a free pass. If you are following a wolf in sheep’s clothing, you will own their false doctrine and will be held personally accountable. James 3:1, warns anyone who would be a teacher that the measure of their works will be held to a much stricter standard. Remember, whom God loves, He chastens.

The sowing of discord (the evil offspring of the false witness): In today's churches and amplified within social media, the anger and hatred that supposed Christians have toward other believers due to differences in doctrine is being broadcast openly to the world. It is no wonder the world is not eager to heed our message; the salt has lost is savor and as Jesus stated, "...it is henceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot...". It is very difficult have a civil discourse these days within the Church and as the Church goes, so goes the society. We are not known by our love for one another but as those who shoot their wounded. We do not base our wisdom on our love of the Word but upon the doctrines and traditions of men and denominations. We do not study to show ourselves approved of God but seek the approval of those we revere and the doctrines they espouse.

Remember, God hates those who falsely testify of His loving grace towards His chosen ones and seeks to destroy the fellowship that gives the Church its life this side of heaven.

May this Christmas find us more in love with our Lord and His Word!