Even if our culture didn't...
Even if our culture didn't seduce us from a biblical focus upon Jesus' birth, our propensity
to trivialize our faith into sentimentalism also tempts us. We can't substitute Christmas
for Easter; but, if we listen carefully to Paul's instruction for us at Christmas, we can
allow the coming of the baby Jesus to teach us (v. 12: "training us to renounce
impiety and worldly passions").
Every Christmas Eve Christians should repeat, "If it hadn't been for Easter we wouldn't
know about Christmas." Or we could chant, "Christmas teaches us. Easter saves us."