Welcome to the Paul Tripp podcast, where pastor and best-selling author Dr. Paul David Tripp

connects the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life. In today's episode, Paul answers two

questions about Christmas. The first question is, should parents teach their kids about Santa?

Here's Paul.

People ask a little, maybe a lot more than I kind of think they should,

is it all right to teach our children about Santa?

Well, I have no problem with fantasy stories.

I think fantasies and fables teach children a lot of things.

They teach them how to think and how to follow a plot

and how to develop their imaginations.

Those are all good things.

But you've got to be careful.

Particularly with this fantasy,

I have no problem with talking about Santa,

but to deify this human being,

to make him the center of Christmas,

and to have this as your Christmas story that you must live a righteous

life or you don't get anything, that is the exact opposite of the gospel message. The Christmas

story is this, I had no hope of living a righteous life.

And Jesus sent his son to live righteously on my behalf

so that I could have relationship with God.

Whatever Christmas stories you tell, whether it's Santa or Rudolph or Frosty make sure that you make the hero of Christmas the Savior the Lord Jesus

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