Merry Christmas to everyone.  As many of you know, at least I hope you do, I am a born-again Christian and try to live my life according to the Bible, so I’d like to share what Christmas means to me at this time.

There are many scripture passages that are regularly used in Christmas cards, sermons, blogs, and letters, but I’d the one I’ll share is a little different:

   
¹² Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— ¹³ (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. ¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. ¹⁶ And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. ¹⁷ For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
¹⁸ Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. ¹⁹ For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
²⁰ Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, ²¹ so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:12-21, New King James Version)

There’s a lot in that passage, but the key idea is that, because Adam sinned ALL people are born sinners (vv. 12-15, 18-19), but because Jesus Christ was fully obedient (vv.18-19), God through His grace offers justification (Ephesians 2:8-9) to us.

The giving and receiving of gifts at Christmas is fun, and, believe it or not, I prefer the giving over receiving, but the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ and the free gift offered by God because of that is the greatest gift that can be given.  I’m glad that I accepted and opened that gift and I hope you have as well.