Christmas, Uncensored

Freedom’s true foundation.

As we gratefully celebrate this Christmas season, may our hearts be lifted beyond the noise and worry. Christmas is much more than the things of this world—and it comes just the same, along with the joy and true peace, if you’d only let it.

For parents and citizens of Waterloo Region who care deeply about freedom, Christmas is more than nostalgia, decor, or sentiment. It is a declaration.

Christmas marks the moment God entered human history in the flesh—not as an idea or a symbol, or a feeling. Jesus came because the human will is weak, and temptation led us into something terribly wrong and destructive. Scripture is clear, even if modern society—and increasingly, even our churches—have grown uncomfortable saying it plainly: evil is real. Satan exists. Sin enslaves. And humanity cannot, and will not, free itself.

That is why Christ came.

The Christmas story does not begin in a stable; it has been a rescue mission since before time. Jesus did not come to affirm our systems or bless our institutions—and He did not come to save us from Rome. He came to save us from sin, to break the chains it holds over us. These spiritual chains must be broken first; only then do the political and cultural ones lose their hollow grip. Tyranny, control, and coercion are not merely human failures—they flow from a deeper rebellion against God.

What is striking is that while we may have stopped speaking openly about Satan and sin, the truth has never disappeared—it has been sung, right in front of us, perhaps even by you.

Listen carefully to the traditional carols this Christmas season.

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen: The lyrics of this traditional English carol, which date back to at least the 18th century, explicitly mention the devil. The second verse includes the lines: “Remember Christ our Saviour was born on Christmas day, to save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray.”

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”: This ancient Advent hymn includes a verse that asks God to “free Thine own from Satan’s tyranny; From depths of hell Thy people save.”

‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’, ‘O Holy Night’, ‘Angels We Have Heard on High’, ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’, and ‘This Little Babe’ speak of hell being vanquished and the enemy undone. Even the well-known Lord’s Prayer—despite its removal from public schools in 1988 under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982)—reminds us plainly: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

The message has been there—perhaps more of a whisper, now, as bold preaching fades.

This Christmas, perhaps we’ll hear it just a little more clearly. Not with despair, but with hope. Not with fear, but with trust.

Because the story does not end with darkness. Good people often avoid speaking of Satan, preferring instead the language of ‘comfort and joy.’
We know these words well:

Oh, tidings of comfort and joy. Comfort and joy…

Comfort and joy are good things. Peace is part of the gift of Christmas. But they are not the whole story—even if they are repeated while the harder truths are overlooked or quietly passed over:

Remember Christ our Saviour was born on Christmas Day,
to save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.
Comfort and joy.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

And still many good people choose not to speak of Satan, not out of ignorance, but from a desire to avoid giving him any attention. That instinct is understandable. Yet evil does not weaken in silence—it grows there. The truth is, the power of Satan is real, but it also reminds us of something far greater. When we downplay Satan, we underestimate the battle—and in doing so, we also obscure the magnitude of God’s victory and ultimate authority. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not, can not, and will not overcome it.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
— Isaiah 9:6

That is Christmas. And that is freedom’s true foundation.

May there be a renewed excitement in celebrating our Lord Jesus—the One who stepped into darkness to bring everlasting light—for us all.

Wishing you and your families a truly joyful and hope-filled Christmas that brings with it an unwavering faith and everlasting freedom for this coming new year and all the years to come.