A Christmas reflection

Christmas is for life, and not just for Christmas

With the festive season upon us, we warmly invite you to pause for a moment and enjoy a special Christmas reflection from Trust Director, Chris, as he offers thoughtful insights to help us find meaning in this special time of year. 

Back in the 1970s in the UK, it became fashionable for parents to buy pet dogs as Christmas presents for their children. The idea of a cute and cuddly puppy was appealing, but in many cases the commitment required soon wore thin. Within a few months, many of these dogs were neglected or, worse still, abandoned. In 1978, The Dog Trust—a national dog-welfare charity—launched an awareness campaign to promote responsible ownership using the memorable slogan: “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas.” 

Whether a dog is a beloved member of the family, as in the UK, or an important guardian of property, as in many developing nations, dog ownership is not a seasonal novelty but a year-round responsibility. With a touch of irony, I have adapted that motto for the title of this letter: “Christmas is for life—not just for Christmas!” 

The Christmas story appears in only two of the four Gospels, and it was not until the fourth century that Christians began to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Today, Christmas is perhaps the major national celebration across the Western world, with cultural variations elsewhere that often focus on the turning of a new year. Sadly, in our multicultural and commercialised societies, the Christ-centred meaning of Christmas is often overshadowed by Santa Claus, extravagant gift-giving and abundant food and drink—though traces remain in nativity plays and traditional Christmas cards. 

Christians who take their faith seriously will readily acknowledge that Easter—the celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ—is the high point of the Christian year. Yet despite its later appearance on the calendar and its increasing secularisation, Christmas remains deeply worth celebrating. 

At the heart of Christmas is the astonishing truth that God became a man. There is even a special word for this: incarnation, meaning that Jesus took on human flesh—skin and bone, just like us. Christmas is the season when we remember this unique and foundational event. And there are at least five life-shaping truths that depend on Jesus being the God-man—truths that matter not only on 25 December but throughout the whole year. 

Five reasons the Incarnation matters all year round 

1. God’s commitment to humanity 

The incarnation demonstrates God’s unwavering involvement with humankind. His promise to Noah was that He would never give up on humanity, and the birth of Jesus is a profound expression of that promise. God is not a remote creator who steps back after His work is done; He remains actively committed to His purposes for us. Without Jesus entering the world as a real human baby, God’s plan could not be brought to completion. 

2. Only Jesus could deal with the problem of sin 

Many unfortunate people have suffered the horrors of crucifixion, but only the death of Jesus dealt with humanity’s root problem—sin. Only the God-man could accomplish what needed to be done. Jesus set aside the privileges of divinity and took on human nature in order to offer Himself for us. Without the incarnation, there could be no effective solution to sin. 

3. Jesus represents us before God 

Only Jesus, fully God and fully human, can truly represent us before the Father. Because He has lived as one of us, He understands us completely and grants us secure and continual access to God. Without His birth as a real human baby, we would not enjoy the extraordinary privilege of 24/7 access to God’s presence. 

4. The gift of the Holy Spirit 

Jesus alone is qualified to pour out God’s Spirit on His people. He gives the Holy Spirit because He is God; He pours Him out on us because He is one of us. Without the incarnation, the Holy Spirit could not have been given to humanity. 

5. We worship God through Jesus 

The incarnation proves that Jesus—the God-man—is worthy of our worship, devotion and loyalty. Every other allegiance is secondary to Him. Without Jesus becoming truly human, we could not worship God through Him in Spirit and in truth. 

The apostle Paul urges us to be “…transformed by the renewing of your minds” (Romans 12:1–2). This transformation is not automatic; it requires our active participation. Here are three practical ways to allow these truths of the incarnation to shape your daily life: 

• Use them as an agenda for worship and thanksgiving.
• Keep them as a list to encourage and refresh your heart—tuck it inside your Bible or save it on your phone. 
• Recall and meditate on them during everyday tasks that don’t require much thought. 

May God richly bless you this Christmas season and throughout the coming year. 

Chris Moffett 
Sovereign World Trust