“Joy to the World: The Poor at the Beginning of Christianity, and the True Meaning of Christmas”

Christianity started in the Roman Empire as the Religion of the poor, the oppressed, the economically-disavantaged people, the socially-outcast folks whom God in Christ has chosen to begin this radical Movement and to whom Jesus the Messiah and Savior of the World has come to save spiritually, give them life abundantly, and rescue them from oppression. God has a special affection and passion for the poor and the weak in our society.

Christians ought to keep this population closely connected with modern Christianity and its evolution in our contemporary society.
Followers of Christ need to always be mindful about the life of the poor and their participation in the life and actions of modern Christian churches. This relationship is vital for human flourishing and necessary in the survival of Christian churches in the twenty-first century, and no Christian church is a biblical and apostolic church if it is neglecting this segment of individuals and families in our population. God is on the side of the weak and the least among us.

Don’t you ever forget it was the oppressed population that began the Christian movement in the Roman Empire and zealously spread it beyond the Empire to places like Africa, Asia, Europe, etc.–in that order–just because they believed that God loves the poor and the humble and was doing something remarkably different and new in the world redeeming other poor and outcast people elsewhere and everywhere! That’s the true meaning of Christmas and the central message of the Christian faith!

If your favorite theologian, religious scholar, or even your own pastor tells you something different, tell that person he or she is talking about a different religion and that he or she is/has been reading the wrong Bible or is currently reading the Bible wrongly!
If it is possible, buy him/her a new Bible for Christmas! 🙂

“Remember the poor!” (Galatians 2:10)

Merry Christmas!
Joy to the World!