One of the most common complaints about Christmas is the rampaging materialism that dominates the holiday. Both in the church and in the world, people rightly complain about how the holiday has become an excuse for self-indulgence.

But just as troubling to others is how political the holiday has become in recent years. The Christmas season routinely ramps up the skirmishes in the culture wars, as talk of “taking back” the holiday and its traditions dominate the airwaves.

But is that where the focus of the church should be at this time of the year? Is Christmas a key battleground that believers need to win back from society? We recently asked John MacArthur those questions; here’s what he had to say:

Rather than fighting to gain ground on a hell-bent society, God’s people need to fix their eyes on Christ and keep Him and the salvation He brings at the focus of their Christmas celebrations. That means pushing aside a lot of the noise and distractions that encroach as Christmas draws near.

We asked John for some encouragement in that struggle that most Christians face at this time of year. Here’s what he said:

While we don’t often think of it in those terms, the Christmas season is fraught with a wide array of temptations. May God grant each of us the grace and the discipline to fight those temptations in the days ahead, and celebrate the birth of His Son in ways that adorn His gospel.