"And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned to fables."
(II Timothy 4:4)
Christmas would just not be the same for most American families without Santa Claus. Many children are taught by their parents during the Christmas season, not only about the birth of Christ Jesus, but about the existence of Santa Claus as well. Indeed, there is a far greater degree of focus on the mythical old man, Santa Claus, than on baby Jesus, who is the reason for the season. The impressionable minds of children are inundated with stories, songs, movies, and advertisements about Santa Claus, while they prepare for his coming, hoping and praying that he will bring Christmas gifts to their homes on the night before Christmas. Many parents seem to get great pleasure in entering their children’s “make believe world,” especially when they become involved with the orchestration of their childhood fantasies. Such games with the imagination of children can be great fun, but O the web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.
Well you might ask, “What’s wrong with a little deception if it’s for a good cause?” Many people would argue that there is nothing wrong with the desire to give children a merry Christmas and a time of good cheer. After all, it’s the season to be jolly. Why, only a “Scrooge,” lacking the Christmas spirit, would say “Bah, humbug” to that benevolent elf, called Santa Claus, pictured as a plump and jolly figure, with twinkling eyes, a nose like a cherry, and a long snowy white beard. Consequently, there is a consensus that there is really nothing wrong with the fabrication of Santa Claus’ existence.
The consensus in America for perpetuating such a lie to children was underscored in the famous response of the editor of the New York’s Sun newspaper to the letter of an eight year old child. The little girl, Virginia, wanted to know if Santa Claus really existed. What was his response? “Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Clause.” This response was viewed by the American public as a response of compassion and sensitivity to the emotional needs of children. However, such lies can only give a false sense of reality and hope to children, which can warp their thinking about spiritual realities. Lies, although well intentioned, can serve to entangle and ensnare the minds of children in a web of doubts, confusion, scepticism and ultimately disbelief of the truth.
Parents, you need to know what the Bible has to say about teaching fables. In II Timothy 4:4 the Bible says, “And they shall turn their ears from the truth, and shall be turned to fables.” In light of this scripture you should ask yourself this question, “Have I been turning the hearts of my children away fron the truth by the teaching of the fable about Santa Claus?" If this question is answered in the affirmative, then God will hold you accountable for preventing the impressionable minds of your children from focusing on the Christ of Christmas. Indeed, you have been used as the diabolical tool of Satan. Perhaps you might say “A tool of the enemy? Perish the thought. As a Christian, I have taken my children to church every Sunday." However, let us take an objective view of the contradictions presented in your profession of faith by fostering the belief in a fable. Hopefully, then you will see with more clarity why so many children are so terribly confused about their faith. Consider the following contradictions: You teach your children the marvellous truth about Jesus, God’s gift to the world on the first Christmas, but you also teach them the diabolical lie about Santa Claus, bringing gifts on Christmas day. You teach them to pray to Jesus about their needs, but you also teach them to send a prayer request to their god, Santa Claus, to grant them their wishes. As Christians, you proclaim the truth of Christ to others, but as parents, you proclaim a lie to your children; it is really the worse kind of lie, the kind that negates the truth of Christ. Because of your false teaching, you have made Santa Claus to be no less than a god for children, who descends from the North Pole on Christmas night with his angelic reindeer. Such a false teaching is a contradiction of your faith in God.
Well you might ask, “What’s wrong with a little deception if it’s for a good cause?” Many people would argue that there is nothing wrong with the desire to give children a merry Christmas and a time of good cheer. After all, it’s the season to be jolly. Why, only a “Scrooge,” lacking the Christmas spirit, would say “Bah, humbug” to that benevolent elf, called Santa Claus, pictured as a plump and jolly figure, with twinkling eyes, a nose like a cherry, and a long snowy white beard. Consequently, there is a consensus that there is really nothing wrong with the fabrication of Santa Claus’ existence.
The consensus in America for perpetuating such a lie to children was underscored in the famous response of the editor of the New York’s Sun newspaper to the letter of an eight year old child. The little girl, Virginia, wanted to know if Santa Claus really existed. What was his response? “Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Clause.” This response was viewed by the American public as a response of compassion and sensitivity to the emotional needs of children. However, such lies can only give a false sense of reality and hope to children, which can warp their thinking about spiritual realities. Lies, although well intentioned, can serve to entangle and ensnare the minds of children in a web of doubts, confusion, scepticism and ultimately disbelief of the truth.
Parents, you need to know what the Bible has to say about teaching fables. In II Timothy 4:4 the Bible says, “And they shall turn their ears from the truth, and shall be turned to fables.” In light of this scripture you should ask yourself this question, “Have I been turning the hearts of my children away fron the truth by the teaching of the fable about Santa Claus?" If this question is answered in the affirmative, then God will hold you accountable for preventing the impressionable minds of your children from focusing on the Christ of Christmas. Indeed, you have been used as the diabolical tool of Satan. Perhaps you might say “A tool of the enemy? Perish the thought. As a Christian, I have taken my children to church every Sunday." However, let us take an objective view of the contradictions presented in your profession of faith by fostering the belief in a fable. Hopefully, then you will see with more clarity why so many children are so terribly confused about their faith. Consider the following contradictions: You teach your children the marvellous truth about Jesus, God’s gift to the world on the first Christmas, but you also teach them the diabolical lie about Santa Claus, bringing gifts on Christmas day. You teach them to pray to Jesus about their needs, but you also teach them to send a prayer request to their god, Santa Claus, to grant them their wishes. As Christians, you proclaim the truth of Christ to others, but as parents, you proclaim a lie to your children; it is really the worse kind of lie, the kind that negates the truth of Christ. Because of your false teaching, you have made Santa Claus to be no less than a god for children, who descends from the North Pole on Christmas night with his angelic reindeer. Such a false teaching is a contradiction of your faith in God.
Your teaching has been extremely effective, because your children trust you. In their minds you are a paragon of truth. They believe the truth about the virgin birth, and the truth that Jesus is the Son of God. Why? Because you told them the word of God was true. They also believe the lie that Santa Claus comes to their home the night before Christmas to be true. Why? Because as their paragon of truth, you violated their innocence and told them that this was true. What will these contradictions do to the minds of children, when they become a little older, and when the myth of Santa Claus is shattered? Their minds will probably become warped with confusion and doubts. If their minds should become filled with doubts, as adults they will no longer see truth to be absolute, but only relative, and they will be asking the same question that Pilot asked Jesus, “What is truth?" Their impressionable minds could be forever marred and scarred by the blatant contradictions in the profession of your faith.
Parents, you need to know the equation for the cause of doubt in the minds of your children. This is the equation for doubt: truth plus lies equals doubt (truth + lies = doubt). The doubt which you nourished in the young and fertile minds of your children could develop in later years to outright rejection of Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life. The first impression on a child’s young and impressionable mind is the most lasting. If the first impression of a parent’s faith is linked to the lying fable of Santa Claus, then how credible to a child’s mind can such a faith be? When a lie is presented with the truth, then the truth could be perceived as a lie.
God wants you to tell your children the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. What is truth? Jesus is the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth. Do not confuse a fable in the minds of your children with the truth. The fable of Santa Claus serves Satan’s cause. What is the diabolical cause of Satan? The cause and mission of Satan is to plant his seeds of lies in your children, so he can reap a harvest of doubt. By helping to plant the seeds of lies, you have empowered Satan to harvest doubts in children. Children, doubting the truth due to your lies, will ask the question, "If Santa Claus is a myth, then couldn't the birth of Jesus be a myth also?" There is no question that Satan’s cause is to destroy the burgeoning faith of your children. Jesus says, “Satan is the father of all liars." God forbid that you should become a child of Satan, because you have perverted the minds of your children in presenting Santa Claus as a god to grant them their wishes. However. I hope you can see clearly now that Santa Claus serves Satan's cause. So down with Santa Claus and up with the Christ of Christmas. Jesus is saying to you today, “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.” Lift up Jesus and He will draw your children to Him. Turn their eyes only upon Jesus during the Christmas season, and the things of this world, starting with Santa Claus, will grow strangely dim, in the light and the glory of His grace. I hope that you will choose to give up the "magic" of Christmas, embodied in Santa Claus, for the miracle of Christmas, embodied in the birth of Christ, who is God in the flesh. You must choose the "magic" or the miracle. The choice that you make today can shape your children's world tommorow into a world of doubts and fears or a world of faith and hope.
Parents, you need to know the equation for the cause of doubt in the minds of your children. This is the equation for doubt: truth plus lies equals doubt (truth + lies = doubt). The doubt which you nourished in the young and fertile minds of your children could develop in later years to outright rejection of Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life. The first impression on a child’s young and impressionable mind is the most lasting. If the first impression of a parent’s faith is linked to the lying fable of Santa Claus, then how credible to a child’s mind can such a faith be? When a lie is presented with the truth, then the truth could be perceived as a lie.
God wants you to tell your children the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. What is truth? Jesus is the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth. Do not confuse a fable in the minds of your children with the truth. The fable of Santa Claus serves Satan’s cause. What is the diabolical cause of Satan? The cause and mission of Satan is to plant his seeds of lies in your children, so he can reap a harvest of doubt. By helping to plant the seeds of lies, you have empowered Satan to harvest doubts in children. Children, doubting the truth due to your lies, will ask the question, "If Santa Claus is a myth, then couldn't the birth of Jesus be a myth also?" There is no question that Satan’s cause is to destroy the burgeoning faith of your children. Jesus says, “Satan is the father of all liars." God forbid that you should become a child of Satan, because you have perverted the minds of your children in presenting Santa Claus as a god to grant them their wishes. However. I hope you can see clearly now that Santa Claus serves Satan's cause. So down with Santa Claus and up with the Christ of Christmas. Jesus is saying to you today, “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.” Lift up Jesus and He will draw your children to Him. Turn their eyes only upon Jesus during the Christmas season, and the things of this world, starting with Santa Claus, will grow strangely dim, in the light and the glory of His grace. I hope that you will choose to give up the "magic" of Christmas, embodied in Santa Claus, for the miracle of Christmas, embodied in the birth of Christ, who is God in the flesh. You must choose the "magic" or the miracle. The choice that you make today can shape your children's world tommorow into a world of doubts and fears or a world of faith and hope.
Let us pray: Father, I pray that the eyes of Christians will be opened to the deception of the father of liars, the deceiver, Satan. Let them see that they are serving Satan's cause, when they foster in the impressionable minds of their children the belief in Santa Claus. Let them see the cruel game that they are playing with the minds of children in teaching them lies, instead of the truth. Open their eyes, Holy Father, that they can see how the belief in Santa Claus serves Satan's cause. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Our God is gracious and merciful, and He is always willing to forgive our sins when we repent with a broken and contrite heart. Why is God so gracious and merciful? Because of His great love for us. Our next topic is entitled, "The Love of God."
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