Part of a series by William Miller

            Christmas is near at hand, and in many of the countries of the world people are joyfully making preparation for this great festival, in some lands pine trees are brought to homes, and are beautifully decorated with colored lights and tinsel. In other places joyous meetings are arranged in which ehere is music, Christmas  songs are sung and poems are recited and addresses are given in honor of Jesus Christ. In many countries it is the custom for friends to call on one another at Christmas, or to exchange cards of greeting and gifts. Often special programs are arranged on radio and TV for all to enjoy. Christmas is of course the festival of the birth of Jesus Christ, and while it is in a special way the festival of the Christians of the world, it is being observed more and more by people who are not Christians. In fact, Christmas has now become the most widely-observed international festival of the world, and we are led to ask what the reason for this is.

            Of course we know that many people observe Christmas, not chiefly because it is Christ’s birthday, but because it is such a happy day. They like to decorate the trees, give toys and candy to their children, call on friends, and exchange cards and gifts with them. This is not strange, for in a world in which there is so much sorrow and suffering and hatred it is very good to experience at least once a year the friendly and happy spirit of Christmas.

            But there are no doubt many other people, Muslims as well as Christians who observe Christmas because they want to honor Him whose birthday it is. Muslims often say to their Christian friends, “We love His Excellency Jesus as much as you do,” and many of them gladly accept invitations to be present at Christmas  celebrations in churches or in the homes of friends. In all parts of the world millions of intelligent people of various religions acknowledge that Jesus Christ was one of the greatest men who ever lived, and many consider Him to be the greatest. So they gladly unite in honoring Him at this festival of His birth.

            However, is it not remarkable that a man who lived nearly two thousand years ago in the country of the Jews, who was not a king, or a conqueror, or a rich man, or a famous writer, and who died on a cross when he was only thirty three years of age, should be so greatly loved today by an increasing number of people in all parts of the world? Why is it that Jesus Christ, who was hated by the rulers of His country and executed between two criminals, should have become the most greatly beloved person who has ever lived on the earth? Let us consider several aspects of the life and character of Jesus which make Him unique among men, and worthy of the highest honor.

            First of all, let us remember the wonderful birth of Jesus from a pure virgin. From the time of Adam, whom God created from the dust of the earth only one person has come into the world without having a human father, and that man was Jesus Christ. The true account of the birth of Jesus is found in the Holy Injil (also called the New Testament, Matthew I:I8 – 2:I2, Luke I:26 – 2:2I). It is evident that God by this miracle wished to indicate that Jesus, while in every respect a man, is different from other men. When Jesus was a child He probably addressed Joseph the husband of His mother Mary as “father” but Joseph was not His real father. Since He had no human father, we must say that His true Father was God, who by His Holy Spirit caused Jesus to be formed in the womb of His virgin mother. As we learn from the Injil, Jesus usually referred to God as “my Father” (Luke 2:49, Matthew 7:2I, I0:32, I2:50, etc.). Truly one who has the unique distinction of being born of a virgin, and of being in a special spiritual sense the Son of God, deserves the highest honor.

            Another thing which distinguishes Jesus Christ from all other men of whom we have any knowledge, is that He, so far as is known, never once in His life said, “Forgive me!” When we read the records of the greatest and holiest men of ancient times, such as Moses, David and Daniel, we see that all of them were conscious of having done wrong, and that it was necessary for them to seek forgiveness from God. But in the Injil, in which the words and deeds of Jesus are recorded, there is no indication whatever that He ever did anything wrong, or failed in His duty in doing right. In fact, it is clearly stated in the Injil that Jesus was without sin (First John 3:5, Second Corinthians 5:2I, Hebrews 4:I5, etc.). Hence, He never needed to ask pardon, either from God or from man. In our world there have been great warriors who defeated the enemies of their native lands and are honored today for their victories. But Jesus is the only man who has been able to win a complete victory over Satan, the most powerful enemy of mankind, for never in His whole life did He allow the devil to prevent Him from obeying God perfectly. Surely for this great and unique victory He is worthy of all honor.

            Moreover, Jesus Christ differs from other men in that He always practiced perfectly what He preached. How many of the great teachers of the world have found it necessary to say to their disciples, “Follow our words but not our deeds!” But in the case of Christ it is very different, for His words and deeds were always one. For example, He told His followers to love God with all their hearts and souls and minds, and to love their neighbors as they loved themselves, and He Himself did this. He bade them love and forgive their enemies, and He did this also. For when He was about to be crucified He healed the wound of one of those who came to arrest Him, and later prayed that God would forgive those who were nailing Him to the cross. Also, Jesus told His disciples that they must be perfect as their Father in heaven (God) is perfect, and the more we study the life of Jesus Christ in the Injil the more we are amazed at His perfection. How greatly we should rejoice that in this world, which is so full of sin and evil, and in which the lives of even the best men have been marred by failures and mistakes, there has lived one man who was absolutely perfect, as God wished all men to be. All honor to the one Perfect Man (insan-i-kamel) Jesus Christ!

            There are of course many other reasons why Christ is worthy of the highest honor, such as His great love in dying voluntarily as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind, His rising from the dead on the third day in accordance with His prediction, His glorious ascension to heaven forty days later, and His promise to come again, all of which are described in the Injil, and none of which have been true of any other man.

            One of the titles which was given to Jesus Christ in the Holy Bible is Immanuel, which means “God is with us” (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew I:22-23). The reason why Jesus is so perfect and so different from all other men is that He is the Word of God and the Light of God, and is indeed one with God. Therefore, when He came to earth to dwell with men He was truly “God With Us”. In Jesus Christ God came to save men from sin and give them eternal life. So at Christmas all the people of the world should rejoice and, like the Magi of old, worship at the feet of Him who is the Savior of the world.