The Fatal Trade Off

The idea of believing in an invisible God is largely mocked and rejected in our society. We have been on a steady course away from God for a long time. Though this country was founded by strong believers, the spiritual climate of the world has been steering the opposite direction for centuries and we have followed suit. Yet in the midst of this focus on “reality” there are beliefs within it which contradict that very trend, and yet are praised and upheld. It is a hypocritical contradiction that has inflicted a fatal wound on our society.

 

Exodus 20:2-4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth.

Colossians 1:15-16 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

(Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities all things have been created through Him and for Him.

 

God is God, the invisible Creator of all. He strictly commanded that we not praise, believe or worship any other god or deity. Many reject His claims, but that does not make them untrue. Yet those who reject God accept the myth of Santa Claus, a fictitious invisible man who comes at Christmas to give gifts. Our society has traded in the real God for one of their own making. They want a Santa who gives gifts, rather than a God who offers judgment and salvation.

 

God is with us always, continually bestowing good gifts beyond our imagining. Santa, on the other hand, only comes once a year, and only to those who have been good. We have to earn gifts from Santa, but not from God. There is a popular song of an adult’s Christmas wish list including peace on earth and the end of pain. Tragically, Jesus came to bring peace on earth, yet they have rejected His peace and look to Santa instead. Jesus has promised an end of pain for eternity for those who believe, yet they have rejected eternity with Jesus and instead hope in a fake fat man in a red suit.

 

God made everything out of nothing, including a way of salvation and freedom from sin. Santa only brings toys. God has control and power over everything. Santa controls nothing and is powerless. God is real, Santa is not.

 

Our society ridicules belief in an invisible God, yet praises belief in a fictitious man who brings presents. They have traded reality for fiction, and with that trade went their souls. They value presents over salvation. Instead of teaching their children about God, they “let kids make up their own minds” and yet teach them lies about Santa. This is the fatal trade: God for Santa, and both weep at that trade. The man Santa was originally modeled after believed in God, and so acted in a godly way, blessing others as God gave him the ability. He would grieve over the trade our society has made and would probably do whatever he could to keep his image from causing this devastating trend.

 

We need to repent of the lies we have believed and the truths we have rejected and do what we can to correct the wrong teaching to those in our influence.