Ben Franklin on Christmas
Dec 21st, 2007 by Nathan White
“How many observe Christ’s birth-day! How few, his precepts! O! ’tis easier to keep Holidays than Commandments.” –Benjamin Franklin
What keen observation from one who apparently died outside of Christ. Benjamin Franklin certainly saw religion up close and personal through his friendship with George Whitefield, but despite Whitefield’s plea to repent and turn to Christ, Franklin never gave Whitefield the satisfaction of ever listening. Franklin, as we can see from this quote, was quick to notice the hypocrisy of many professing Christians, and I believe it played a pivotal role in his rejection of Christ. (Though he did see true religion in Whitefield, and admitted such again and again).
Regarding Franklin’s quote, let us keep this firmly in mind this holiday season: Unbelievers are watching professing Christians very closely, especially this time of year when Christians speak more of ‘keeping Christ in Christmas’ than they do living like He actually is.
It’s a great quote from Franklin. I knew basically nothing about him until I read Dallimore’s Whitefield…..interesting man. As you infer it is actually very frightening to think that someone can recognise true faith and yet reject it….perhaps partly because of our hypocrisy.
JP
Wow, what an awesome quote! very profound!
When the unbelieving want to remain in unbelief there is no Christ that they will approve of even if the works testify of the authority to judge.
Of Christ we have witness that he put to open shame that powers that existed, yet they would not repent. It is fatal when we direct the claims of Christ to ourselves and our behavior. While it is truth that we should not by our action give cause for the unbelieving world to blaspheme God, it is also true, that eventhough they know him, by the testimony of the Word we speak, they do not honor him, and supress the truth in the equivocating claims that we are sinners too. It is our humiliation, then, that we must proclaim along with Christ, that we are sinners should be first in our claim to the Righteousness that is found only in Christ. For the world is watching, not for proof of our claim, but for our stumbling, that they may blame, and having found out our faults, excuse themselves. Let us then turn our gaze upon Christ the author and perfecter and away from this body of sin, and worship God with our mind as Paul instructs. For, therefore there is no condemnation. Who will accuse us then if we first judge ourselves? For it is Christ who has taken our judgement upon himself who is for us, weak as we are. For in weakness is his power, the power of the Gospel, made perfect. For his grace is sufficient, not behavior, but his grace is what has made us joint heirs to the glory yet to come.
Let’s us then remind the world, not of our righteousness, but our sin. It is no wonder that Ben could not see the glory God, for he sought that which all men without the Spirit seek, the hope in this present life of glory in the flesh made perfect by its own effort.