I am writing this article to uphold the truth of the angels’ message to the shepherds on that first Christmas Eve. Shortly following my salvation experience, I recall myself telling my new Christian friends that, in addition to all of the learning I now had to do, I also felt the need to unlearn much that I had been taught while in the world!

For example, many Christians still believe that the angels declared this: “Peace on Earth, goodwill to men.” They did not! What they actually proclaimed is this, as translated in the NIV:

“Peace on Earth, Good will to men on whom God’s favor rests.”

What a huge difference that is! I had been a Christian for many years before I learned the truth about Luke 2:14! Peace on Earth and Good will to men is the sole prerogative of the redeemed who have gained God’s favor by bowing their knee to Christ! Perhaps this poor article can save others from believing the illusion created by a world that wants God’s peace and good will without the submission that brings His favor.

In 1863, American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the famous Christmas carol, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” Below are two of the verses from that poem.

“I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet, the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

“And in despair I bowed my head;
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said;
‘For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!’ “

His conclusion is logical… the angels’ song as we have been taught it rings hollow and false because it is hollow and false! This Christmas, let us know and be set free by the truth – – that peace and good will belong only to Christians. Remember also that the  angels’ message was not just for the shepherds but for the entire Bride of Christ! So as we enter the new year of 2025, let us pray that God will display our peace and good will to a lost and sorrowing world that longs for the hope that only we possess. In this way, may we be, “to those who are being saved, a life-giving perfume” (2 Cor. 2:16, NIV).

Angels We Heard Wrong on High!

Christmas cards proclaim it!
Christmas songs refrain it!
Linus declared it from the stage!
Even saints think it comes from a Bible page!
“Peace on Earth, good will to men!”
Except this is truly a slip of the pen!

For why is there still no peace on Earth?
And why do all men still need a new birth?
Could we have mistaken the angels’ word?
To tickle our ears with a message unheard?

The truth that I want to impart today
reveals what the angels truly did say:
“Good will to men on whom God’s favor rests”
are the Greek words that translate their message the best!

KJV missed it! YLT dissed it!
NLT deals it!  NIV reveals it!
Peace and good will can only belong
to those who have learned to sing the new song!

To those whose sins have been washed away
by the blood of the Lamb born on Christmas Day!
So seek Him and find Him and you’ll gain His favor
And you’ll have a Christmas to cherish and savor!

Now that you know the true word that was spoken
go seek for the Christ with a spirit that’s broken.
God’s favor rests only on those who confess
that Jesus is Lord, for in Him we are blessed!

Since the Book of Genesis is inspired Scripture, every Bible-believing Christian would agree that it matters (at least in that sense). But is Genesis still relevant considering that we are living in the Last Days spoken of in Hebrews 1:2?

The answer is a definite yes, and we can have assurance that is the case because (1) God’s Word does not change, and (2) Genesis 1-11 is still the foundation for the rest of Scripture. Even though Christians are not living under the Old Covenant (such as the laws and ceremonies delineated in Leviticus), the Old Testament is still inspired Scripture that God has preserved for our edification (see 1 Corinthians 10).

Not only has God given us a wealth of prophetic insight and information in the Old Testament, but He has also given us the basis for all our Christian doctrines (including eschatology) in the first Book of the Bible: Genesis.

Why is the world the way that it is? Genesis 1-11 gives us the answer. What is sin? Genesis 1-11 gives us the answer. Why did Jesus come into the world to save sinners? Genesis 1-11 gives us the answer. Why is Jesus coming back? Genesis 1-11 gives us the answer. We can go on and on!

Tragically, many Christians are not aware that Genesis is a goldmine of world history. For example, did you know that Cain built the first city in all human history? Genesis 4:17 tells us, “And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.”

Have you ever wondered why we have a seven-day week? In that same chapter, we are told that mankind was capable of crafting instruments (Genesis 4:21) and practicing metallurgy (Genesis 4:22).

Genesis 5:1 opens with the following signature: “This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him.” The presence of the word “book” signifies that mankind at that time was fully capable of reading and writing.

Since we are living during a time in which books are being re-written and historical lessons forgotten, there is a great need for Christians to return to the Bible as the true, authoritative account of world history.

The Book of Genesis is not a collection of fables; rather, its authors (by the grace and guidance of God) have given us the foundational information we need to build our thinking and to answer the popular questions of our age.

Do our children and grandchildren know that the virgin birth was not a New Testament invention but a promise from God that had been long foretold? A promise that God gave to the serpent in the Garden of Eden (see Genesis 3:15). Do they know that God has promised to restore our broken world to the “very good” state we read of in Genesis 1:31?

My prayer is that we would look to the infallible Word of God, beginning in Genesis, and build our thinking upon that foundation. May we stop measuring the infallible Word of God against the fallible ideas of man and start measuring the fallible ideas of man against the infallible Word of God!