For many years I have been a huge proponent for Christmas. Even though I have known and celebrated the pagan side of Christmas and it’s counterpart Winter Solstice, I have still felt that Christmas is not inherently evil or wrong for Christians to celebrate. I have focused on the good in Christmas and tried to remove as much of the pagan rituals we incorporate as I could. That being said, I have also seen another side of Christmas that is often less talked about. The Antichrist side.
I want to preface this by saying I am not against Christmas or the celebration of it and I am not condemning anyone who celebrates it. I simply want to bring a few truths to light to help those who are interested continue to refine the practices in which we use to worship through Christmas.
Santa
As a child, we are filled with wonderful stories of the magic of Christmas that Santa brings to us. He is a jolly old elf who drives a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer who help him deliver presents to all of the good children around the world. Parents use it to encourage children to behave and children love the thought of being inundated with special gifts. Santa Claus sounds great, however, the figure of Santa Claus is a representation of Satan himself.
Satan is the Antichrist, as he wants to be God and take His throne. He comes in disguise as an angel of light to deceive those who love God into believing he is God, but he is an imposter. As Santa, he comes to the most vulnerable of all people, children, seducing them with gifts and the power of magic. He bases his ministry to children on their behavior, convincing them that they need to be good to be accepted and loved, continuing the belief in our power over the grace of God.
Santa Claus is eternal, omniscient, and omnipresent. He has no true beginning or end and uses the power of witchcraft to know and see all, as well as to be everywhere at once, at least on one night. This is the same as Jesus Christ, who as the Living God is the eternal God over all creation.
For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:24
Santa has the power to work miracles and children believe he can do even more extraordinary things if they ask him (pray to him). Children believe he can bring families together, heal the sick, give people a home or a job, and much more. Satan can also work through signs and wonders, and will use these to prove he is “god”. We must be vigilant to know the difference between a true miracle from God and false signs and wonders of the Antichrist.
Ultimately, Santa is represented as a God, with minions who do his bidding as he commands them from his hidden fortress in the North Pole. Satan too has his Kingdom of Darkness where he uses the demonic as well as human spirits to carry out his Antichrist plan. He is setting up an army of darkness for his purposes when he believes he will overthrow God once and for all and become the only god of man.
There is only one Jesus Christ, and Satan is not going to stop trying to funnel all of the worship that Jesus deserves over to himself. Satan will use whatever tactics he can to deceive us into believing he is the one true God we need.
Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.
1 John 2:22
Baby Jesus
The story of the Nativity that we hear every year is a beautiful story and is based on Biblical truth. We know that Jesus came humbly to this world as a baby, and His birth was a miracle for the world to behold. However, the story of the Nativity is changed to make this beautiful picture of a precious baby Jesus who is all bundled up in a warm and cheery manger. The facts are that Jesus was born into hardship as King Herod wanted Him to die.
When we think of Baby Jesus, we think of a sweet, innocent, helpless baby who cannot do a thing for the world, but He someday will. We tell the story of Baby Jesus every year and put up Nativity scenes in our homes to commemorate the story. However, this Baby Jesus we worship is not the True and Living God. This is an Antichrist version of Jesus that is powerless and helpless.
We cannot continue to worship Jesus as a baby because that detracts away from who Jesus truly is. He is the all-powerful, sovereign, and righteous King over all the earth. He is the name above all names and one day every knee will bow to Him. His birth was miraculous and special, but it was just a small part of the bigger picture of who Jesus is. He humbled Himself on the cross so that He could become sin for us and take back the keys to death and hell.
For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.
Matthew 24:5
The Christmas Tree
The Christmas tree adds beauty to our home and for most families, it brings the nostalgia of a time of innocence and childhood joy. We carry ornaments from childhood and add new ones to grow our collection of memories over the years. The Christmas tree is also a symbol of the magic of Christmas and of the presents Santa brings, and I think all children love them.
Many Christians use the Christmas tree as a reminder that Christ died on a tree and therefore it helps them to keep focused on Him. However, the Christmas tree is also a representation of Christian oppression by the world as we try to conform to pagan ideals. It is a mockery of Christ’s work on the cross by Satan, as he attempts to bring us into idol worship.
I have argued for a long time people do not actually worship the Christmas tree and all it represents, but I have had to come to the harsh truth this year that as a people group, we Christians do worship the Christmas tree. We worship the childhood memories and good times from our past, and we have become a slave to the routine of putting up the tree every year and decorating it. Most people I know do not spend time focusing on Jesus Christ while they put up their tree, but instead, they focus on family and reminiscing of past years.
Who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
2 Thessalonians 2:4
The Christmas tree becomes the center of our home during the Christmas season yet we don’t even recognize it. It is the place we gather when we open Christmas presents and it creates a false sense of peace and serenity that only comes from Christ. I do not want to sound harsh or condemning in these words, as I am just recognizing them in myself this year, but anything that takes our eyes off of Christ and onto any form of self-worship is Antichrist.
We may not see the connection to things such as Santa and the Christmas tree to self idolization, but we have a deep internal motivation to continue to carry out these rituals every year because the familiarity brings us comfort and the need to please others keeps us stuck in the cycle. These are self-motivated reasons to celebrate Christmas and are not Christ-centered. What we need to ask ourselves is how can we really strip down all these non-essentials from Christmas to make it truly about the joy of our salvation in Christ alone?
I do not believe God condemns us if we celebrate with these things because He understands the hedonistic legacy we have inherited from our ancestors. Yet this is exactly what we need to overcome. We have been handed down mindless traditions based on pagan practices for hundreds of years and we have only just begun to question why. It takes time, prayer and healing to move away from what we have been given, and we need to be gentle with ourselves and others as we walk with the Lord into wisdom.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:19-21
Christmas does not have to be a time of condemnation, but neither does it have to be a time of the following suit with the rest of the world to worship the Antichrist god. When we think of Christmas we need to focus on the risen Christ who is eternally sovereign over all creation. We need to think about how we can humble ourselves as He did, becoming servants for those around us, and loving others as we love ourselves. We need to become the vehicle of God’s love, grace, and mercy, just as Jesus has for us.
We need to feed the poor and give to the orphans and put the needs of the less fortunate over our own. We need to stop pandering to commercialism that promotes self-idolatry and live set apart as an example for the lost of the world. Christ is all we need in this world, and without Him, we are utterly desolate and lost. This is the true meaning of Christmas.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6:33