Christmas according to the Apostle Paul: The Past, Present & Future of Christmas
By Ps Vernon Quek
With just three days to go to Christmas 2024, we need every reminder of the significance of Jesus coming down to dwell with us. Our usual go-to places for such reminders are the opening chapters of the Gospels of Matthew, Luke and John. But did you know that the Apostle Paul also writes many reflections on the First Christmas? I’ve spent some time this week in one of them, from Titus 2:
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
In these four verses, Paul is giving us a good dose of helpful truth for our hearts this Christmas:
Firstly, Paul is helping us look back to the Past in verse 11. Two thousand years ago, Jesus, God’s Grace in the flesh, appeared to bring Salvation for all. The starting point of Christmas is that all people – including you and I – needed Jesus to appear to save us. Isn’t that so important to keep at the forefront of our thinking this season? To grow our own hearts in thankfulness but also to remind us what this season should be about: reaching out to all with the One who came to save them too.
Secondly, in verses 12 & 14, Paul helps us to see how that first appearance of Jesus impacts the Present. Did you know that Christmas is a time for training? Not for physical training (though a bit of exercise this season might not be a bad idea with all the eating), but of spiritual training! Training to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, to be self-controlled, upright, godly and pure – zealous for good works. Were those things on your Christmas to-do list this year? Paul here gives us a much-needed challenge to counter the lawlessness and rampant worldly passions of the season. Why is it so important to train ourselves in these things? It is because…
Finally, Paul helps us look to the Future in verse 13. He gives us the reason that all this training in godly living is worth it. It’s because our blessed hope is found in the Second Appearing that is coming. Doing everything that we can to proclaim the Salvation that’s only found in Jesus to all around us makes sense because He is coming again to save those who trust in Him. Living pure and self-controlled lives now only makes sense if we’re living for something far better than what this world has to offer.
May this short Christmas reflection from Paul help us live for Jesus in the coming week and beyond!
