Francis Frangipane: The Grinch That Stole Christians - THE ELIJAH LIST

December 24, 2018

"The Grinch That Stole Christians"
Francis Frangipane, Cedar Rapids, IA

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"The Grinch That Stole Christians"
Francis Frangipane, Cedar Rapids, IA

Can we have a little family talk? For most of you this won't apply, but the devil has some of us bound, where we are focused on issues that are not the real issue. What do I mean? A few Christians have been taught that, according to Jeremiah 10:4, God is against the use of Christmas trees. The text reads, "They decorate it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers so that it will not totter" (Jeremiah 10:4). Superimpose the image of our silver and gold Christmas decorations and we have a "revelation" that God hates Christmas (or at least Christmas trees).

However, if you read the entire chapter, it isn't talking about Christmas, but idols and people who worship them. So if you are sitting at home reading this and it's prior to December 25, you can get a Christmas tree. It's okay as long as you don't worship it. In fact, if you're reading this and it's past December 25, that might even be better—Christmas trees and decorations are very inexpensive after Christmas.

Been There...

Please don't misunderstand me or think that I'm condemning anyone for their faith about this. I'm writing as one who, for ten years, didn't allow my family to celebrate Christmas.

I, too, had been taught this interpretation of Jeremiah 10:4. I thought I was suffering persecution for my faith when relatives or friends criticized our colorless, joyless, and loveless viewpoint about Christmas. Their criticisms actually hardened my heart and made my stand more firm.

Avoiding Christmas wasn't easy. We had five children and a foster child. Each December the children had to listen as I explained theologically why the Christmas tree was evil and not celebrating Jesus' birthday was good.

Finally, with childlike innocence and purity, my oldest daughter, who was nine at the time, asked why gift giving was evil if we were also honoring Jesus.

Suddenly, my heart melted. I saw how religiously unloving this doctrine had made me. We weren't being persecuted for our faith, but for my stubbornness and lack of love. I deserved to be criticized. So I asked my family to forgive me, and we decided to have our first Christmas.

We were quite poor at the time and couldn't afford a tree. However, there was an evergreen growing in the ditch along the road by our farmhouse that I cut down and dragged into the living room. It was an ugly tree with the kind of needles that fall quickly. But we had love and we celebrated the birth of Jesus as a family.

The Law of Love

Perhaps the worst thing about not celebrating Christmas is the isolation; it cuts us off from a multitude of people whom we could reach during this season. People, in general, are more open to Christ. If I go into a mall for any reason in December, I love listening to songs about Christ's birth. Yes, I know "Frosty the Snowman" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" will probably be playing also. So what? It won't stop me from rejoicing when I hear "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!" or "Joy to the World."

In my spirit, I agree with the songs.

Sometimes I actually sing along out loud. They are awesome songs. Other times I quietly pray for the Holy Spirit to fall on people as they listen to music that was inspired by people who sought the heart of God. Why be upset with that? Why not praise God? Why be so focused on what's wrong that we fail to celebrate what's right? We can be miserable, complaining, joyless, critical, loveless people sometimes, and then we wonder why God doesn't lead people to us.

Christ's Great Commission commanded us to "Go!" to where people are, not wait until they come to us. Paul said, "To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law though not being myself under the law, so that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the Gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it" (1 Cor. 9:20-23).

You see, the law or principle we follow is the law of love. 

Jesus said, "But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you" (Luke 11:41). Love sanctifies and redeems what it touches. Because of love, Paul was able to "...become all things to all men..." (1 Corinthians 9:22). I have no doubt Paul would be at every Christmas gathering he was invited to, using it as an opportunity to win people to Christ.

And before you wonder how deep I was into this anti-Christmas mentality, yes, I knew the history of Saturnalia, and how in the third century the early Church combined the celebration of the winter solstice (a pagan holiday time) with the celebration of Jesus' birth. Yet I also know that the winter solstice happens to be that time of the year when daylight begins to increase, so it is not inappropriate to celebrate Christ's birth at this time.

I also understand that some may teach that Jesus was probably born in October or April, depending on which basis of research one relies upon. But what difference does it really make? Hundreds of millions of people believe that Jesus was born on December 25, and multitudes reflect on the mystery of the incarnation at some time during this season. So why be uptight about the date, especially when arguing about it alienates you from the very people Christ calls you to love? Why get hung up on when the incarnation occurred when we can experience the reality of His incarnation right now and bring Him into people's hearts?

Finally

We, the Frangipane family, celebrate Christmas. We have a tree and ornaments. We are pretty low key about its size. Some years we buy a smaller, living evergreen and then replant it in the yard in the spring. But we are not focused on peripheral issues; we are focused on Christ and celebrating Him with others during this time.

One more thing: the best way to win people to Christ is to simply enjoy them. Picture Jesus laughing, telling stories, enjoying people as He reached to them.

Let's reveal Him, not the Grinch, this holiday season.

Francis Frangipane
Ministries of Francis Frangipane

Email: francis1@frangipane.org
Website: www.frangipane.org

Francis Frangipane is the founder of River of Life Ministries in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and has traveled throughout the world ministering to thousands of pastors and intercessors from many backgrounds. Francis' heartfelt prayer is to see established in every city Christlike pastors and intercessors, united before God, revealing the love of Christ to their communities. 

Since 1985, he has written fourteen books, plus a number of study booklets. Over the past decades, Francis has served on a number of other ministry boards. However, in recent years he has gradually resigned from these various boards. As of June 2009, he has also retired from his position as senior pastor of River of Life Ministries. In this more simplified life, Frangipane is devoting himself to prayer and the ministry of God's Word.