The Meaning of Christmas

8 Dec 2013 by Stewart Chew- 

 

Born that man no more may die

Born to raise the sons of earth

Born to give them second birth

FROM “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” 

 

I have been asked many many times before what does all the above taken from a popular Christmas carol mean.  Let us look at them sentence by sentence:

 

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BORN THAT MAN NO MORE MAY DIE ?

Who is born?  Who is being referred to?  We all agree that it is the angels in Heaven singing joyfully about the birth of Jesus Christ.  But one questions how the birth of Jesus (or anybody) is possibly able to stop man from dying.  How is anybody successfully able on his own to find his way to God in Heaven?  This is a very difficult question for a non-Christian to fathom.  In fact, it is even quite hard for a Christian to understand. 

The human race has knowingly rebelled against God after it succumbed to the temptation of Satan in the Garden of Eden. God is angry because the human being who He created and loved and given a choice in life had preferred to listen to Satan instead. Remember that Satan was not against God in the beginning but lived in Heaven. It was when he challenged the authority of God that he was then thrown out of Heaven where he shared with Michael and the other angels. 

 

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Thus, because of human beings’ rebellion against God, they have been dying ever since they were evicted from Paradise!  Jesus Christ had seen too much of this eternal doom from His Heavenly throne. 

How is Jesus Christ, Son of God to win the acceptance of a reprieve for mankind?  It’s like starting a new human race at another tangent with another pure and sinless man like Adam before the Fall or have someone who is absolutely sinless like God.  Jesus Christ who became human and lived with us 2000 years ago is the only option thus “born that man no more may die!”

 

BORN TO RAISE THE SONS OF EARTH?

We now know that Christ is born to raise the sons of the earth. But how? How do we become the new ‘sons of earth’? 

Firstly, it is the firm belief in the divinity of Jesus, then the realisation of His perfect life on earth that Jesus led and finally the imitation of His perfect character when we receive His salvation in our lives. 

 

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To again become ‘the sons of the earth’, we have to be born for the second time in Christ. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). 

It is difficult even for an intelligent person to understand what is “being born again” means. The Bible tells us that Nicodemus (John 3:4) had difficulties understanding this and had to ask Jesus to explain it to him. 

 

BORN TO GIVE US SECOND BIRTH ?

Notice that this was purposely written to make use of the specific word “BORN”.  And notice that this word “born” was repeated three times.  It accurately describes rebirth – returning to the womb and being born anew, and, for the second time.  It clearly means that we have to experience ‘SECOND BIRTH”.  It is metamorphosis – changing from caterpillar to butterfly! 

Now, whatever we were before we were reborn is irrelevant – we are now new, brand new in Jesus Christ!  He has accepted our confession and He has forgiven us.  We live our new lives in the future in Him and for Him! 

 

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So, it is Jesus Christ, Son of God who came over two thousand years ago to live and to individually identify with each and every one of us – beggar or king!  He has provided an only acceptable avenue for our reconciliation with God.  We believe that we are doomed no more because of the sacrifice of Christ.  Thus only for those who have personally received His salvation, they will once again be eternally restored to God the Father in Heaven.

Note: Stewart Chew is a retired senior lecturer in School of Medical Sciences, Curtin University in Perth, Australia

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Disclaimer: The views or opinions expressed by the columnists are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Christianity Malaysia.com

References for pictures

http://rlv.zcache.com/mary_baby_jesus_angels_w_message_card-ra2e94bb9b9394daf8ba62e14597729e4_xvuai_8byvr_512.jpg

http://angels-angelology.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/eden5.jpg

http://www.handofgod.com.au/attachments/Image/jesus-christ-sermon-mount.jpg

http://media.salemwebnetwork.com/worshiphousemedia/resource/images/main/s/mo/cpm/mo/spiritofthecross3.jpg

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