Clearing Up Christmas Confusion: Jesus’ Birth, Not His Beginning

Pastors should use Christmas as an opportunity to communicate and explain truths about the Trinity and Jesus’ birth and divine nature.

By Aaron Earls

Christmas celebrates Jesus’ birth, but most Americans, including many in your church, may be confused about what exactly that means.

More than half of Americans (55%) believe Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God, according to the 2022 State of Theology study. This belief reflects an early church heresy, which, appropriately enough for the season, Saint Nicholas confronted.

In the early church, Arius began teaching that Jesus, as God the Son, had a beginning, unlike God the Father. The First Council of Nicea condemned the teaching, which became known as Arianism, as heresy in A.D. 325. Later councils would continue to debate the position before, finally, the orthodox position of the Trinity rooted out Arianism. But this belief is not confined to church history. It’s also in our church pews.

Among Americans who attend church at least weekly, 70% believe Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God. Ironically, only those who never attend church are more likely to disagree than agree (49% to 28%), though they probably have a different reason.

Most Black Protestants (78%), Catholics (71%), evangelicals (61%), and mainline Protestants (61%) say Jesus is a created being. Non-Christians, who again have other reasons, are split (41% agree, and 43% disagree).

Almost 3 in 4 Americans who hold four key evangelical theological beliefs (73%) believe Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God, while those without such beliefs are less likely to agree (51%). Read More