Christians urged to remain steadfast in Christ

25.12.2007

Christians have been called upon to resist any attempt to remove Christ from the celebration of Christmas. Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Most Reverend Peter Akinola, made the call on Monday in Abuja in his Christmas message.

He said “efforts to turn Christmas to a mere holiday season continue unabated all round us. Christian greetings are replaced by seasonal greetings as if it is possible to have Christmas without Christ.

“People make every effort to prepare for physical and social celebrations without the spiritual significance of the birth of Jesus Christ, which in fact, is the reason for the celebration.

“All these calculated attempts by the non-believing world to mislead the unsuspecting believers to make them deny Christ should not deter us from celebrating, for we are confident that their efforts are bound to fail.”

According to him, the birth of Jesus Christ, which is celebrated in Christmas, was the “decisive divine intervention in the history of man for the eternal salvation of mankind.”

Akinola urged Christians to give Christ His rightful place in their celebration and “be bold to proclaim the Good News of the Saviour-born.

“Let all of us unashamedly proclaim the news of the greatest gift of all, the love behind the gift, and peace the gift brings to all.” In a similar message, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, the Most

Reverend John Onaiyekan, said his message was that of hope for the nation. He said “despite all our difficulties and problems, Christmas reminds us that God is still with us; a child is born, his name is Emmanuel, meaning God is with us.

“This year, Muslims and Christians are celebrating within the same week of their respective major religious festivals, the Eid-el-Kabir and Christmas.