My favorite secular Christmas movie is, without a doubt, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”. Did you
know there have been over 200 theatrical and television productions of the novel? I have seen several
of the versions, and I like them all. In fact, I have already watched one this year.
A few years ago, it dawned on me that, while it isn’t a religious writing, it reflected the three steps one
must take to be saved. The ghost of Jacob Marley, his old business partner is the “proclamation” to him
of the gospel. The Ghost of Christmas Past brings about some conviction. The Ghost of Christmas
Present allows him to confess (that he isn’t a very good person). The the mysterious Ghost of Christmas
to Come brings about repentance. Boom! Ebenezer Scrooge becomes a new man.
I believe that Dickens was somewhat of a Unitarian, drifting away from any religion that did not strongly
emphasize a social gospel that was geared toward the poor and destitute. But in “A Christmas Carol” I
see that somewhere inside, he saw that it was conviction, confession, and repentance that would allow
a person to truly change. If he had only thrown God in the mix, we would have a Christian classic,
wouldn’t we?
But then I had a different thought. If Dickens had interjected any sort of religion (but especially
Christianity) into the story many…many…people would have discounted the book automatically even
though the story and ending would have the same relativity the same: being convicted of sin, confessing
sin, and repenting of sin will allow you to become a new person.
You see, he left out what Scrooge was really doing. Scrooge was a sinner, not simply a man with a selfish
and self-centered mindset. Truly, Scrooge was lacking one final, but important step: Asking for, and
receiving God’s forgiveness.
Conviction, confession, and repentance.
know there have been over 200 theatrical and television productions of the novel? I have seen several
of the versions, and I like them all. In fact, I have already watched one this year.
A few years ago, it dawned on me that, while it isn’t a religious writing, it reflected the three steps one
must take to be saved. The ghost of Jacob Marley, his old business partner is the “proclamation” to him
of the gospel. The Ghost of Christmas Past brings about some conviction. The Ghost of Christmas
Present allows him to confess (that he isn’t a very good person). The the mysterious Ghost of Christmas
to Come brings about repentance. Boom! Ebenezer Scrooge becomes a new man.
I believe that Dickens was somewhat of a Unitarian, drifting away from any religion that did not strongly
emphasize a social gospel that was geared toward the poor and destitute. But in “A Christmas Carol” I
see that somewhere inside, he saw that it was conviction, confession, and repentance that would allow
a person to truly change. If he had only thrown God in the mix, we would have a Christian classic,
wouldn’t we?
But then I had a different thought. If Dickens had interjected any sort of religion (but especially
Christianity) into the story many…many…people would have discounted the book automatically even
though the story and ending would have the same relativity the same: being convicted of sin, confessing
sin, and repenting of sin will allow you to become a new person.
You see, he left out what Scrooge was really doing. Scrooge was a sinner, not simply a man with a selfish
and self-centered mindset. Truly, Scrooge was lacking one final, but important step: Asking for, and
receiving God’s forgiveness.
Conviction, confession, and repentance.