There
is no Biblical warrant, precedent, nor precept for remembrance of the day of Christ's
birth as a day of special religious celebration.
This
is not to say that we shouldn't remember Christ's birth and its significance,
but for religious commemorations or celebrations, we must have Biblical command
or precedent!
The
fact of the matter is this -- the early church did not celebrate Christ's birth,
but such celebration only came into the church with the "Christianization" of
pagan rites as Catholicism was made the state religion by Constantine in the fourth
century A.D. Since the Word of God does not support the tradition of Christmas,
a Christian's conscience ought not and must not be bound.
The
following outline describes the origin of Christmas (with its associated pagan
customs, symbols, and terminology), details the Scriptural support against celebrating
Christmas, attempts to show that celebrating Christmas violates the spirit of
every one of the ten commandments, attempts to demonstrate that celebrating Christmas
does not fall in the realm of Christian liberty, and attempts to debunk eight
of the major rationalizations Christians put forth for celebrating Christmas.
I.
The Origin of Christmas
A.
A Long Evolution --
Christmas
customs are an evolution from times long before the Christian period..... a
descent from seasonal, pagan, religious, and national practices, hedged about
with legend and tradition. Their seasonal connections with the pagan feasts of
the winter solstice relate them to ancient times, when many of the earth's inhabitant's
were sun worshipers. As the superstitious pagans observed the sun gradually moving
south in the heavens and the days growing shorter, they believed the sun was departing
never to return. To encourage the sun's return north (i.e., to give the winter
sun god strength and to bring him back to life again), the sun gods were worshipped
with elaborate rituals and ceremonies, including the building of great bonfires,
decorating with great evergreen plants such as holly, ivy, and mistletoe, and
making representations of summer birds as house decorations.
The
winter solstice, then, was the shortest day of the year, when the sun seemingly
stood still in the southern sky. Observing the slowdown in the sun's southward
movement, and its stop, the heathen believed that their petitions to it had been
successful. A time of unrestrained rejoicing broke out, with revelry, drinking,
and gluttonous feasts. Then, when the pagans observed the sun moving again northward,
and a week later were able to determine that the days were growing longer, a new
year was proclaimed.
B.
Not Among the Earliest Christian Festivals --
Christmas
was not among the earliest festivals of the Church. It was not celebrated, commemorated,
or observed, neither by the apostles nor in the apostolic church.....
not
for at least the first 300 years of church history! History reveals that about
440 A.D., the Church at Jerusalem commenced the celebration of Christmas, following
the lead of Roman Catholicism (see I.C.). It was sufficient for the early Christians
that Jesus, their Lord and Saviour, had been born. They praised God that Jesus
Christ had, indeed, come in the flesh. The day and the time of His birth had no
relevance to them, because Jesus was no longer physically on earth. He had returned
to heaven. And it was the risen, exalted Christ to whom they looked, and that
by faith -- not a babe laid in a manger. Jesus Christ is no longer a baby; no
longer the "Christ-child," but the exalted Lord of all. And He does NOT somehow
return to earth as a baby every year at Christmas-time -- though this is the impression
given even in certain hymns sung in Protestant services. (See sub-report.)
C.
The Role of Religion in Ancient Rome --
Seemingly
forgotten is the essential role religion played in the world of ancient Rome.
But the
Emperor Constantine understood. By giving official status to Christianity, he
brought internal peace to the Empire. A brilliant military commander, he also
had the genius to recognize that after declaring Christianity the "state" religion
(Constantine forced all the pagans of his empire to be baptized into the Roman
Church), there was need for true union between paganism and Christianity. The
corrupt Roman Church was full of pagans now masquerading as Christians, all of
which had to be pacified. What better way than to "Christianize" their pagan idolatries.
Thus, the Babylonian mystery religions were introduced by Constantine beginning
in 313 A.D. (and established a foothold with the holding of the Council of Nicaea
in 325 A.D.). The Constantine-led Roman Church was more than willing to adapt
and adopt pagan practices in order to make Christianity palatable to the heathen.
Constantine used religion as a political tool, totally devoid of any true spirituality:
--
Pagan rituals and idols took on Christian names (e.g., Jesus Christ was presented
as the Sun of Righteousness [Malachi 4:2] replacing the sun god, Sol Invictus
).
-- Pagan
holidays were reclassified as Christian holidays (holy-days).
--
December 25th was the "Victory of the Sun-God" Festival in the pagan Babylonian
world. In the ancient Roman Empire, the celebration can be traced back to the
Roman festival Saturnalia, which honored Saturn, the harvest god, and Mithras,
the god of light; both were celebrated during or shortly after the winter solstice
(between the 17th and 23rd of December). To all ancient pagan civilizations, December
25th was the birthday of the gods -- the time of year when the days began to lengthen
and man was blessed with a "regeneration of nature." Moreover, all of December
25th's Babylonian and Roman festivals were characterized by 5-7 day celebration
periods of unrestrained or orgiastic revelry and licentiousness.
December
25th was particularly important in the cult of Mithras, a popular deity in the
Old Roman Empire.
Robert
Myers (a proponent for celebrating Christmas) in his book Celebrations, says:
"Prior
to the celebration of Christmas, December 25th in the Roman world was the Natalis
Solis Invicti, the Birthday of the Unconquerable Sun. This feast, which took place
just after the winter solstice of the Julian calendar, was in honor of the Sun
God, Mithras, originally a Persian deity whose cult penetrated the Roman world
in the first century B.C. ... Besides the Mithraic influence, other pagan forces
were at work. From the seventeenth of December until the twenty-third, Romans
celebrated the ancient feast of the Saturnalia. ... It was commemorative of the
Golden Age of Saturn, the god of sowing and husbandry."
In
order to make Christianity palatable to the heathen, the Roman Church simply took
Saturnalia, adopted it into Christianity, and then eventually many of the associated
pagan symbols, forms, customs, and traditions were reinterpreted (i.e., "Christianized")
in ways "acceptable" to Christian faith and practice. (In fact, in 375 A.D., the
Church of Rome under Pope Julius I merely announced that the birth date of Christ
had been "discovered" to be December 25th, and was accepted as such by the "faithful."
The festival of Saturnalia and the birthday of Mithras could now be celebrated
as the birthday of Christ!)
The
pagans flocked into the Catholic places of worship, because they were still able
to worship their old gods, but merely under different names. It mattered not to
them whether they worshiped the Egyptian goddess mother and her child under the
old names (Isis and Horus), or under the names of the "Virgin Mary" and the "Christ-child."
Either way, it was the same old idol-religion (cf. 1 Thes. 1:8-10; 5:22 -- Paul
says to turn from idols, not rename them and Christianize them). Roman Catholicism's
Christmas Day is nothing but "baptized" paganism, having come along much too late
to be part of "the faith once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3).
D.
"Christianization" of Pagan Customs, Symbols, and Terminology
Christianity
had to undergo a transformation so that pagan Rome could "convert" without giving
up its old beliefs and rituals. The actual effect was to paganize official Christianity.
"'A compound religion had been manufactured, of which ... Christianity furnished
the nomenclature, and Paganism the doctrines and rights.' The idolatry of the
Roman world, though deposed from its ancient pre-eminence, had by no means been
demolished. Instead of this, its pagan nakedness had been covered with the garb
of a deformed Christianity" (W.E. Vine). Pagan customs involving vestments, candles,
incense, images, and processions were all incorporated into church worship and
continue today. The following customs and traditions associated with Xmas all
have pagan/heathen origins. ("Xmas" is the more preferable form for the day, since
it at least leaves the name of our Saviour out of the heathen observance.) Naturally,
Christians would not keep these customs for such evil and perverse reasons, but
the fact of their origins remain -- "the customs of the people are vain" (Jer.
10:3), and should thereby be carefully considered by all who know and love the
Lord:
1.
The blasphemous "Christ's Mass" shortened to "Christ-mas" --
The
Roman Catholic "Christ's Mass" is a special mass performed in celebration of Christ's
birth. In this mass, Jesus is considered both the priest and the victim, represented
by the Catholic priest who offers Him as a sacrifice each time the mass is performed.
In offering this "sacrifice," the priest believes he has the power to change the
bread and the wine of the Communion into Jesus' literal flesh and blood, requiring
the people to worship these elements as they do God Himself. This is obviously
a denial of the gospel, and thereby, a false gospel (a re-doing of the sacrifice
for sin -- Heb. 9:12, 24-26; 10:10,12,14). Yet, many who cry out all year long
against the blasphemous Roman Catholic system, at year-end embrace Rome's most
blasphemous abomination of them all -- Christmas!
2.
Nativity Scenes (tainted with paganism) --
Nearly
every form of pagan worship descended from the Babylonian mysteries, which focus
attention on the "mother-goddess" and the birth of her child. This was adapted
to "Mary-Jesus" worship, which then easily accommodated the multitude of pagans
"converted" to Christianity inside Constantine's Roman Catholic Church. If anyone
were to erect statues (i.e., images) of Mary and Joseph by themselves, many within
Protestant circles would cry "Idolatry!" But at Xmas time, an image of a little
baby is placed with the images of Mary and Joseph, and it's called a "nativity
scene." Somehow, the baby-idol "sanctifies" the scene, and it is no longer considered
idolatry! (cf. Exo. 20:4-5a; 32:1-5a; 9-10a). Thanks
to worobod at Flickr for the use of the photo
3.
Christmas Tree --
Evergreen
trees, because of their ability to remain green through-out the winter season
when most other forms of vegetation are dormant, have long symbolized immortality,
fertility, sexual potency, and reproduction, and were often brought into homes
and set up as idols. The full mystical significance of the evergreen can only
be understood when one considers the profound reverence the ancient pagans had
for all natural phenomena -- "To them, Nature was everywhere alive. Every fountain
had its spirit, every mountain its deity, and every water, grove, and meadow,
its supernatural association. The whispering of the trees ... was the subtle speech
of the gods who dwelt within" (W.M. Auld, Christmas Traditions). This is nothing
but nature worship or Animism.
The
custom of bringing the tree into the home and decorating it as is done today has
legendarily been attributed to Martin Luther. In truth, the modern custom has
been lost in obscurity, but almost every culture has some such tradition. For
ages, evergreen trees would be brought into the house during the winter as magic
symbols of luck and hope for a fruitful year to come, It may also be that the
star with which many of today's trees are topped did not originate as a representation
of the star that the wise men followed, but rather a representation of the stars
to which the ancient Chaldean astrologers looked for guidance. The first decorating
of an evergreen was done by pagans in honor of their god Adonis, who after being
slain was brought to life by the serpent Aesculapius. The representation of the
slain Adonis was a dead stump of a tree. Around this stump coiled the snake --
Aesculapius, symbol of life restoring. From the roots of the dead tree, then comes
forth another and different tree -- an evergreen tree, symbolic to pagans of a
god who cannot die! In Babylon, the evergreen tree came to represent the rebirth/reincarnation
of Nimrod as his new son (Sun), Tammuz.
In
Egypt, this god was worshiped in a palm tree as Baal-Tamar. (Heathen people in
the land of Canaan also adopted tree worship, calling it the Asherah -- a tree
with its branches cut off was carved into a phallic symbol.) The fir tree was
worshiped in Rome as the same new-born god, named Baal-Berith, who was restored
to life by the same serpent. A feast was held in honor of him on December 25th,
observed as the day on which the god reappeared on earth -- he had been killed,
and was "reborn" on that day, victorious over death! It was called the "Birthday
of the Unconquered Sun." Thus, the annual custom of erecting and decorating evergreen
trees was brought down to us through the centuries by the pagan Roman Catholic
Church -- the paganism of Tammuz and Baal, or the worship of the sun, mingled
with the worship of Aesculapius the serpent. Whether erected in private homes
or in churches, decorated or not, the evergreen tree is a glaring symbol of this
false god.
4.
Christmas Wreaths --
In pagan mythology, evergreen means eternal life and a never-dying existence.
Made from evergreens, Christmas wreaths were most frequently round, which symbolized
the sun (just as do halos in most religious art). Hence, the round Xmas wreaths
stand for an eternal sun, a never-dying or self-renewing sun. In addition, the
round form can also relate to the sign of the female, which stands for the regeneration
of life. Because of these pagan associations, the Christian church was initially
hostile towards the use of wreaths and other evergreen derivatives. But in the
same way it Christianized other pagan traditions, the church soon found a way
to confer its own symbolic meanings. For example, the sharp pointed leaves of
the "male" holly came to represent Christ's crown of thorns and the red berries
His blood, while the "female" ivy symbolized immortality (Sulgrave Manor, "A Tudor
Christmas," p. 6). Such wreaths now not only adorn churches at Christmas time,
but are also appearing during the equally pagan Easter season.
5.
Mistletoe --
The
use of the mistletoe plant (which is poisonous to both man and animals) can be
traced back to the ancient Druids. (The Druids were pagan Celtic priests who were
considered magicians and wizards.) It represented the false "messiah," considered
by the Druids to be a divine branch that had dropped from heaven and grew upon
a tree on earth. This is an obvious corruption of God's prophetic Word concerning
Christ, "the Man the Branch," coming from heaven. The mistletoe symbolized the
reconciliation between God and man. And since a kiss is the well known symbol
of reconciliation, that is how "kissing under the mistletoe" became a custom --
both were tokens of reconciliation. The mistletoe, being a sacred plant and a
symbol of fertility, was also believed to contain certain magical powers, having
been brought to earth from heaven by a mistle thrush carrying it in its toes (hence
the name).
It
was once known as the "plant of peace," and in ancient Scandinavia, enemies were
reconciled under it (yet another reason why people came to "kiss under the mistletoe").
It was supposed to bring "good luck" and fertility, and even to protect from witchcraft
the house in which it hung. A kiss is also something which is, at times, associated
with lust. So the practice of "kissing under the mistletoe" also had roots in
the orgiastic celebrations in connection with the Celtic Midsummer Eve ceremony.
At the time the mistletoe was gathered, the men would kiss each other as a display
of their homosexuality. (The custom was later broadened to include both men and
women.) Kissing under the mistletoe is also reminiscent of the temple prostitution
and sexual license proliferating during Roman Saturnalia.
6.
Santa Claus --
Santa
Claus or "Father Christmas" is a corruption of the Dutch "Sant Nikolaas." ("Saint
Nicholas" was the 4th century Catholic bishop of Myra in Asia Minor, who gave
treats to children; he was canonized by the Roman Catholic Church, "regarded as
a special friend and protector of children." The red suit comes from the fact
that Catholic bishops and cardinals in Italy wear red.) Santa Claus was also known
as "Kriss Kringle," a corruption
of the German "Christ Kindl"-- Christ Child. This has to be one of the most subtle
of Satan's blasphemies, yet most Christians are unaware of it. Originally, the
Santa Claus concept came from the pagan Egyptian god, Bes, a rotund, gnome-like
personage who was the patron of little children. Bes was said to live at the North
Pole, working year-round to produce toys for children who had been good and obedient
to their parents. In Dutch, he was called "Sinter Klaas."
Dutch
settlers brought the custom to America. In Holland and other European countries,
the original Santa Claus was actually a grim personage who traversed the countryside,
determined to find out who really had been "naughty or nice." Those who had been
acting up were summarily switched. The association of Santa Claus with snow, reindeer,
and the North Pole suggests Scandinavian or Norse traditions of the Yuletide season.
(In Babylonia, also, the stag [reindeer] was a symbol of the mighty one, Nimrod.
The symbolism of antlers worn on the head of a noble leader would demonstrate
his prowess as a hunter, and thereby, influence people to follow him.) Santa is
the blasphemous substitute for God! He is routinely given supernatural powers
and divine attributes which only GOD has.
Think
about it. He is made out to be omniscient -- he knows when every child sleeps,
awakes, has been bad or good, and knows exactly what every child wants (cf. Psa.
139:1-4). He is made out to be omnipresent -- on one night of the year he visits
all the "good" children in the world and leaves them gifts, seemingly being everywhere
at the same time. He is also made out to be omnipotent -- he has the power to
give to each child exactly what each one wants. Moreover, Santa Claus is made
out to be a sovereign judge -- he answers to no one and no one has authority over
him, and when he "comes to town," he comes with a full bag of rewards for those
whose behavior has been acceptable in his eyes. Santa Claus has become one of
the most popular and widely accepted and unopposed myths ever to be successfully
interwoven into the fabric and framework of Christianity. It is a fact that Christ
was born, and that truth should greatly rejoice the heart of every Christian.
But the Santa Claus myth distorts the truth of Christ's birth by subtly blending
truth with the myth of Santa Claus.
When
Christian parents lie to their children about Santa Claus, they are taking the
attention of their children away from God and causing them to focus on a fat man
in a red suit with god-like qualities. All of this teaches the child to believe
that, just like Santa, God can be pleased with "good works," done in order to
earn His favor. Also, they teach that no matter how bad the child has been, he
will still be rewarded by God -- just as Santa never failed to bring gifts. Even
in homes of professing Christians, Santa Claus has clearly displaced Jesus in
the awareness and affections of children, becoming the undisputed spirit, symbol,
and centerpiece of Christmas.
7.
Christmas Eve --
"Yule"
is a Chaldean word meaning "infant." Long before the coming of Christianity, the
heathen Anglo-Saxons called the 25th of December "Yule day" -- in other words,
"infant day" or "child's day" -- the day they celebrated the birth of the false
"messiah"! The night before "Yule day" was called "Mother night." Today it is
called "Christmas Eve." And it wasn't called "Mother night" after Mary, the mother
of our Lord -- "Mother night" was observed centuries before Jesus was born. Semiramis
(Nimrod's wife) was the inspiration for "Mother night," and "Child's day" was
the supposed birthday of her son (Tammuz), the sun-god!
8.
Yule Log --
The
Yule log was considered by the ancient Celts a sacred log to be used in their
religious festivals during the winter solstice; the fire provided promises of
good luck and long life. Each year's Yule log had to be selected in the forest
on Christmas Eve by the family using it, and could not be bought, or the superstitions
associated with it would not apply. In Babylonian paganism, the log placed in
the fireplace represented the dead Nimrod, and the tree which appeared the next
morning (which today is called the "Christmas tree") was Nimrod alive again (reincarnated)
in his new son (sun), Tammuz. (Still today in some places, the Yule log is placed
in the fireplace on Christmas Eve, and the next morning there is a Christmas tree!)
Today's Yule log tradition comes to us from Scandinavia, where the pagan sex-and-fertility
god, Jule, was honored in a twelve-day celebration in December. A large, single
log was kept with a fire against it for twelve days, and each day for twelve days
a different sacrifice was offered. The period now counted as the twelve days between
Christmas and Epiphany was originally the twelve days of daily sacrifices offered
to the Yule log. (What, then, are we really doing when we send "Yuletide greetings"?
Are we really honoring Christ by sending greetings in the name of a Scandinavian
fertility god? These are the same customs being practiced today as in ancient
paganism! Only the names have changed.)
9. Candles --
Candles
were lit by the ancient Babylonians in honor of their god, and his altars had
candles on them. And as is well known, candles are also a major part of the ritualism
of Roman Catholicism, which adopted the custom from heathenism. Candles approached
the Yule log in ritual importance. Like the Yule log, they had to be a gift, never
a purchase, and were lighted and extinguished only by the head of the household.
Such candles stood burning steadily in the middle of the table, never to be moved
or snuffed, lest death follow. The Yule candle, wreathed in greenery, was to burn
through Christmas night until the sun rose or the Christmas service began (Sulgrave
Manor, "A Tudor Christmas," p. 9). Obviously, candles should have no part in Christian
worship, for nowhere in the New Testament is their use sanctioned.
10.
Giving of Gifts --
The
tradition of exchanging gifts has nothing to do with a reenactment of the Magi
giving gifts to Jesus, but has many superstitious, pagan origins instead. One
prominent tradition was the Roman custom of exchanging food, trinkets, candles,
or statutes of gods during the mid-winter Kalends (the first day of the month
in the ancient Roman calendar). This custom was transferred to December 25th by
the Roman Church in keeping with the Saturnalian festival and in celebration of
the benevolent St. Nicholas. [Is it not the height of ridiculousness to claim
that giving one another presents properly celebrates Jesus' "birthday" (not that
there is anything necessarily wrong in giving each other presents)? But what are
we giving Him, if indeed we are specifically celebrating His incarnation?]
11.
Christmas Goose --
The
"Christmas goose" and "Christmas cakes" were both used in the worship of the Babylonian
"messiah." The goose was considered to be sacred in many ancient lands, such as
Rome, Asia Minor, India, and Chaldea. In Egypt, the goose was a symbol for a child,
ready to die! In other words, a symbol of the pagan "messiah," ready to give his
life (supposedly) for the world. This is obviously a satanic mockery of the truth.
12. Christmas
Ham --
Hogs
were slaughtered and the eating of the carcass was one of the central festivities
of the Saturnalia. Each man would offer a pig as a sacrifice because superstition
held that a boar had killed the sun deity Adonis. Hence, the tradition of the
Christmas ham on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
13.
Christmas Stocking --
According
to tradition, a poor widower of Myra, Turkey, had three daughters, for whom he
could not provide a dowry. On Xmas-Eve, "Saint Nicholas" threw three bags of gold
down the chimney, thereby saving the daughters from having to enter into prostitution.
One bag rolled into a shoe, and the others fell into some stockings that had been
hung to dry by the fire. Hence, the beginning of the tradition of the "Christmas
stocking" or "boot."
14.
Christmas Cards --
The
first British Xmas card can be dated back to 1843. The first cards featured pictures
of dead birds! Evidently, the popularity of hunting robin and wren on Christmas
Day made the dead bird image an appropriate one for "holiday" cards. Often the
text of the cards would also have a morbid tone. Later, the cards displayed dancing
insects, playful children, pink-cheeked young women, and festively decorated Christmas
trees. The first actual Xmas cards were really Valentine's Day cards (with different
messages) sent in December. Mass production of Xmas cards in the United States
can be traced back to 1875. Initially, the manufacturers thought of Xmas cards
as a sideline to their already successful business in playing cards. But the "tradition"
of sending cards soon caught on, leading to a very profitable business by itself.
15. Christmas
Carols --
What
do you suppose the reaction would be by a church's leaders if its pastor were
to propose that the following hymns be introduced into the church to commemorate
the birth of Christ? After all, the tunes are quite lovely.
Hymn
#1 -- A hymn by a Unitarian minister (Unitarians reject the Trinity and full deity
of Christ) that does not mention Jesus Christ and reflects the liberal social
gospel theology of the 19th century. Hymn #2 -- A hymn by an American Episcopal
priest, the fourth verse of which teaches Roman Catholic superstition about Christ
coming to be born in people during the Advent season. Hymn #3 -- A song, the
words by an Austrian Roman Catholic priest, the music by a Roman Catholic schoolteacher,
containing the Roman Catholic superstition about halos emanating from holy people,
with no gospel message.
Perhaps
you would expect the church's leaders to be very upset. It might surprise you
to learn that they were upset when they suspected that the pastor might somehow
prevent them from singing them! You see, those three hymns were already in the
church's hymnals! The pastor did not have to introduce them. The three theologically
incorrect "Christmas carols" referred to above are It Came Upon the Midnight Clear,
O Little Town of Bethlehem, and Silent Night. (See the sub-report for an evaluation
of some of the most popular Xmas carols found in church hymnals today.)
In
the early days of Christianity, as it moved north and west into Europe, many pagan
celebrations were encountered. For example, in the late-6th century in England,
the Angles and Saxons were found celebrating Yule. The Christian evangelists thought
they would fail in any attempt to rival, suppress, or stamp out such long held
customs, so they simply adopted popular dates for their own "special rituals and
hallowed services." In other words, it was easier to establish a festival celebrating
the birth of Christ if it conveniently coincided with an existing popular pagan
feast day. In this way, the pagan peoples (albeit potential converts to Christianity)
could continue with their usual celebrations at this time of year, but the reason
for the merrymaking could be redefined and attributed to Christ's birth rather
than to any pagan rituals.
As
paganism eventually died out and Christianity became widespread, Christmas became
increasingly more associated with its religious foundations than any others (Sulgrave
Manor, "A Tudor Christmas," p. 2). It was left to the Puritans to denounce everything.
For them, Christmas was rightfully part popish, part pagan, and was forbidden
to be kept as a holiday or feast day. The attack began in 1644 when the Puritans
controlled the Parliament; December 25th was changed to a Fast Day. By 1647, even
the Fast Day was abolished as a relic of superstition, synonymous with the Church
of Rome. No observation on December 25th was any longer permitted, but the day
was to be observed as a normal market-day.
Christmas
was accurately depicted by such names as the Profane Man's Ranting Day, the Superstitious
Man's Idol Day, the Papist's Massing Day, the Old Heathen's Feasting Day, the
Multitude's Idle Day, and Satan -- that Adversary's -- Working Day. In those days,
any Christmas celebrations would be broken up by troops, who would tear down decorations
and arrest anyone holding a service. Some who celebrated it in Europe were also
thrown into prison. Because of the riots that broke out following the banning
of Christmas, the celebrations and revelry were restored in 1660 by King Charles
II, a Roman Catholic (Sulgrave Manor, "A Tudor Christmas," p. 3).
F.
American Xmas Traditions --
America's
settlers (the "founding fathers" of so-called "Protestant America") rightfully
considered Christmas a "popish" holiday. In fact, it was only in the early 1800s
that several founding members of the New York Historical Society "invented" Christmas.
Before then, it was illegal in colonial Massachusetts to even take December 25th
off work. Christmas was forbidden as "unseemly to ye spiritual welfare of ye community."
(It was banned in Massachusetts in 1659, and this law remained on the books for
22 years. In Boston, public schools stayed open on December 25th until as late
as 1870!) It wasn't until 1836 that any state declared Christmas a holiday (Alabama),
and then there were no more state declarations until the Civil War. It was not
until 1885 that all federal workers were given Christmas Day off.
The
so-called Xmas customs and traditions were later concocted more for commercial
purposes than for religious. Quoting from a 12/23/83 USA TODAY article about Christmas:
"A broad element of English Christianity still considered Christmas celebration
a pagan blasphemy. The Puritans, Baptists, Quakers, Presbyterians, Calvinists
and other denominations brought this opposition to early New England and strong
opposition to the holiday lasted in America until the middle of the 18th century."
Henry Ward Beecher, a Congregationalist, wrote in 1874 of his New England boyhood:
"To me Christmas is a foreign day, and I shall die so. When I was a boy I wondered
what Christmas was. I knew there was such a time, because we had an Episcopal
church in our town, and I saw them dressing it with evergreens, and wondered what
they were taking the woods in the church for; but I got no satisfactory explanation.
A little later I understood it was a Romish institution, kept by the Romish Church."
II.
Scriptural Support Against Celebrating Christmas -- Unacceptable Worship
A.
2 Chronicles 33:15 And
he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and
all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in
Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. 16 And he repaired the altar of
the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded
Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel. 17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice
still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only.
The
Israelites had kept the old pagan form (the high places of Baal), but had merely
introduced the worship of God into that form -- a refusal to let go of pagan worship
forms (i.e., God was to be worshiped in the Temple, not on the high places). This
was unacceptable worship because the right object of worship was mixed with wrong
forms of worship; i.e., the mixing of godly worship with ungodly form. Likewise,
is not the celebration of Christmas the taking of a celebration established by
pagans and for pagans, and then introducing the worship of Christ into that pagan
form?
B.
Deuteronomy 12:29
When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou
goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; 30
Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they
be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying,
How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31 Thou
shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which
he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters
they have burnt in the fire to their gods. 32 What thing soever I command
you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
God
warned His people Israel to destroy all vestiges of pagan worship that they found
in the "Promised Land." Not only did God want to prevent His people from being
enticed to worship false gods, but He also specifically revealed that He did not
want His people to worship Him in the same manner in which the heathen worshiped
their gods. We know, therefore, that our Lord is displeased by practices which
profess to honor Him, but which are copied from the tradition of false religions.
The command here was to worship God only in His way, i.e., do only what God commands
-- not adding to God's commands nor taking away from them. Therefore, is not "putting
Christ back into Christmas," worshiping "the Lord your God their way"? Is there
any command in the Bible to give special reverence to the Scriptural account of
Christ's birth more so than to any other Scripture, let alone even a suggestion
to celebrate or commemorate His birth in any way whatsoever? God never intended
for His people to be imitators of the pagan customs of the world, but has called
us to be separate and set apart.
C.
Leviticus 10:1
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put
fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD,
which he commanded them not. 2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and
devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
Nadab
and Abihu offered strange fire to the Lord. Is not the celebration of Christmas,
with all its pagan symbols and forms, a "strange fire" unto the Lord, and is not
this form of worship contrary to what God commands?
D.
1 Samuel 15:1
Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his
people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of
the LORD. 2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did
to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. 3
Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them
not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and
ass. 4 And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim,
two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came
to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. 6 And Saul said unto the
Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you
with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came
up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 And
Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over
against Egypt. 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly
destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people
spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings,
and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but
every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. 10 Then
came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, 11 It repenteth me that I have
set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not
performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all
night. 12 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told
Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is
gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal. 13 And Samuel came to
Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the
commandment of the LORD. 14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating
of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? 15 And
Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the
best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the
rest we have utterly destroyed. 16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I
will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him,
Say on. 17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast
thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king
over Israel? 18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly
destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.
19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly
upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD? 20 And Saul said
unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which
the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed
the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief
of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the
LORD thy God in Gilgal. 22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight
in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold,
to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and
idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected
thee from being king.
Saul
disobeyed God's prophet in order to worship God in his way. Is not the celebration
of Christmas one of man's ways of worshiping Christ? There is certainly no Biblical
command to offer worship in this manner.
E.
2 Samuel 6:1
Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.
2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale
of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the
name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims. 3 And they
set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab
that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.
4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying
the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. 5 And David and all the house
of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood,
even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.
6 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand
to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. 7 And the anger
of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error;
and there he died by the ark of God.
David
attempts to transport the ark on a "new cart" instead of using the rings and poles
as the Law required (Exo. 25:12-15). Additionally, the "transporters" of the ark
were not even authorized to carry it (1 Chron. 15:2, 13-15); i.e., the ark was
not only transported in the wrong way, but was transported by the wrong people!
Is not the celebration of Christmas the wrong way (pagan forms and tradition)
with the wrong people (the heathen of the world join right in with the professing
Christians)?
F.
1 Kings 12:26
And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem,
then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam
king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.
28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said
unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel,
which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 29 And he set the one in Bethel,
and the other put he in Dan. 30 And this thing became a sin: for the people
went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. 31 And he made an house of
high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the
sons of Levi. 32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the
fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered
upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made:
and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. 33
So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of
the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and
ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and
burnt incense.
In
order to unify the northern ten tribes of Israel, ungodly King Jeroboam set up
pagan idols, not in place of God, but as new focal points for directing worship
to God. He even instituted a new festival on a new day; i.e., a new religious
holiday of his own choosing. Even though the true God of Israel was still to be
the object of worship in the new religious holiday, both the holiday and the worship
were not authorized by God nor accepted by Him (1 Ki. 13:1-3; 15:29,30). Why?
Because the concocted mixture of error with truth constituted false religion!
Likewise, is not the celebration of Christmas a religious holiday of man's own
choosing, replete with pagan symbols and forms, all under the guise (by sincere
Christians at least) of worshiping the one true God and Saviour? But does not
this worship form and system still constitute false religion, and thereby, make
it unacceptable to God? And besides, where in the Bible do Christians have the
right to add a new holy day to the so-called Christian calendar, any more than
King Jeroboam had the right to add a new holy day to God's theocratic calendar?
G.
1 Corinthians 8:4
As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice
unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none
other God but one. 5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in
heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 6 But to us there
is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord
Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. 7 Howbeit there is not
in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour
eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better;
neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. 9 But take heed lest by any means
this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. 10 For
if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall
not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which
are offered to idols; 11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother
perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when ye sin so against the brethren,
and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 13 Wherefore, if meat
make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest
I make my brother to offend.
Romans
14:1
Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2
For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which
eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 4 Who art thou
that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth.
Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 5 One man esteemeth
one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully
persuaded in his own mind. 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto
the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.
He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth
not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 7 For none of us liveth
to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto
the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore,
or die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and
revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 10 But why dost
thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall
all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live,
saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to
God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Let
us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man
put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
1
Corinthians 10:14
Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men;
judge ye what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the
communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion
of the body of Christ? 17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for
we are all partakers of that one bread. 18 Behold Israel after the flesh:
are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What say
I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols
is any thing? 20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice,
they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have
fellowship with devils. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup
of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
These
passages concerning Christian liberty are discussed in more detail under Roman
numeral IV. [Christian liberty can best be defined Biblically as "the freedom
to engage in practices not prohibited by the Scriptures or denying oneself what
is permitted (i.e., a moral choice of self-discipline) in order to be a more effective
witness for God." So the question must first be answered, "Is Christmas permitted?"]
Briefly, some claim that Paul is teaching that the participation in pagan forms
condemns no one, and therefore, participation in Christmas and its forms, even
though arising out of pagan idolatry, is inconsequential. However, Paul nowhere
approves participation in acts of idolatry, of which the participation in the
pagan forms of Christmas comes dangerously close to doing. Instead, Paul is speaking
of the liberty to continue in Jewish days of worship/festival that had been previously
ordained under the Jewish law.
There
is certainly no liberty to bring outside pagan forms into the church's worship
services. Likewise, there is no liberty to Christianize Babylonian/Roman pagan
holy days as special days. Christians in the first century churches had the liberty
to observe Old Testament holy days and feasts (days that had previously been revealed
by God) if they were so immature as to do so. The weaker brother, Paul wrote,
was at that time not to be censured for continuing to attach some importance to
the Old Testament holy days, as a clear knowledge of their abolition in Christ
was not yet given to him (the weaker brother). But to observe a pagan holy day
is something this passage does not sanction. They certainly did not have the liberty
to regard Babylonian/Roman pagan holy days (days that were invented by the devil)
as special days.
Again,
that would have been idolatry, worldliness, and perhaps even a form of Satan worship
on their part. Therefore, how can the observance of Christmas Day, or any other
Babylonian/Roman Catholic holy day, be a matter of Christian liberty? Yet when
some of us refuse to regard the pagan holy days as special days, we are the ones
often referred to as the "weaker brother" in this matter! Are we opposed to such
days because we are "weak in faith"? Faith would be defined as believing what
the Word of God says about a matter and acting upon it. It was by faith that we
stopped regarding pagan holy days as special days. Would we be more mature Christians
if we would start regarding such days again? It would certainly be much easier
on our families and us.
III.
Christmas and the (Spiritual) Violation of the Ten Commandments (reverse order)
A.
Do Not Covet --
Children learn to covet the gifts of others, to drool over the Christmas catalog,
to drag their parents endlessly through toy stores, all in the name of "the Christmas
spirit."
B.
Do Not Bear False Witness --
"Jesus
is the reason for the season!" is the Christian battle cry to "put Christ back
in Christmas," when in actuality, there is not only no Biblical warrant for Christmas,
but its roots are in pagan worship systems. Nevertheless, professing Christians
lie to their children about Santa Claus, the supernatural, sorcerous false "god"
of Christmas, whose "gospel" is one of works salvation along with unconditional
acceptance and rewards. Parents lie to their children for years about the god-like
character of Santa Claus, in effect asking them to trust in a false god and a
lie, and then don't understand why later in life their children won't believe
and trust in the true God, Jesus Christ.
C.
Do Not Steal --
Christmas
spending patterns could never stand the test of Biblical stewardship; i.e., Christians,
in celebrating Christmas, "steal" the Lord's resources by ignoring their proper
use; lavishly spend these resources on worthless and useless trinkets (in many
cases); and withhold resources from those in need, while at the same time claiming
to never have enough money to buy good Christian books, pay for home schooling,
or buy Bible helps for their children. (Christians could also be helping the spiritually
needy by buying and giving them tracts, books, etc.) We "steal" from our families
what they need and what we owe them in order to buy gifts for those who don't
need them.
D.
Do Not Commit Adultery --
At
this "special" time of the year, lustful thoughts are actually encouraged; e.g.,
teens are allowed to go to parties and stay out later, thereby having temptations
put in front of them that otherwise wouldn't be there. Christmas parties for adults
also encourage evil thoughts through the use of the mistletoe, etc. (According
to Matt. 5, such thoughts constitute adultery. At the very least, spiritual adultery
is encouraged by the "season.")
E.
Do Not Murder --
Envy
and hate of my brother (which, according to Matt. 5, is equal to murder) because
he has more than me or because he receives a larger Christmas bonus than me, is
encouraged at Christmas time. We also tend to spiritually sacrifice our children
to the "god of Christmas" via greed, selfishness, etc.
F.
Honor Father and Mother --
Christmas
gift-giving is not an honor to parents; the term "exchanging" gifts (i.e., giving
in expectation of a return) is a dead give-away of the mockery associated with
this tradition.
G.
Remember the Sabbath and Keep It Holy --
Although
we recognize that the Lord's Day is not the "Christian Sabbath," clearly the Lord's
Day is to be kept for worship and observed as such. Yet when Christmas Eve, Christmas
Day, or the day after Christ-mas falls on a Sunday, most churches adjust the Lord's
Day to accommodate Christ-mas, usually by canceling the regularly scheduled Sunday
evening service. Most of its members are too busy or too tired to attend services
anyway.
H.
Do Not Take the Lord's Name in Vain --
"Christ"
and "mass" are two words that are totally opposite from one another, and to connect
the two is to blaspheme the name of Christ. By taking a pagan celebration, "Christianizing"
it, and calling it a celebration of the birth of Christ, is most certainly taking
the Lord's name in vain. (A good example of the willingness of the professing
church to profane the name of the Lord would be the title of a popular children's
Christmas concert production -- The Divine Ornament. Imagine, identifying our
Lord with a pagan ornament to hang on a pagan tree! What insult! What blasphemy!)
In addition, some professing Christians use religion ("Christ's birthday") as
a cloak to cover the evils of covetousness, idolatry, greed, immorality, etc.
-- all excuses to give vent to evil lusts.
I.
Do Not Make Yourself Any Carved Image --
Nativity
scenes, "pictures" of Christ, Christmas cards with "pictures" of Jesus, etc.,
all violate this command. God has given us His Word, not images, to teach us about
Christ (1 Pe. 1:23; Dt. 4:12, 15-19).
J.
Have No Other Gods Before Me --
The
"god of Christmas" is idolatrous! Looking to the Christmas season for happiness,
joy, and fulfillment, rather than through a pure, personal, and Biblical relationship
with Jesus Christ, is idolatry.
IV.
Is a Christian's Decision to Celebrate Christmas a Part of Christian Liberty?
A.
Romans 14:1 Him that
is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2 For one
believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3
Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth
not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 4 Who art thou that
judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea,
he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 5 One man esteemeth
one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully
persuaded in his own mind. 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto
the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.
He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth
not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 7 For none of us liveth
to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto
the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore,
or die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and
revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 10 But why dost
thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall
all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live,
saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to
God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 13
Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no
man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
This
passage is speaking of Jews who were observing the Old Testament Jewish holy days/festivals
and dietary laws even though they were now believers in Christ; but they were
also judging their Gentile brothers-in-the-Lord who did not observe the Jewish
customs. Likewise, the Gentile Christians were judging their Jewish brothers who
were seemingly caught-up in ceremonial law. Paul was thusly saying, "To you Gentile
Christians -- leave the Jewish Christians alone, because they are not violating
any Scriptural commands by their actions (i.e., it's a "disputable" matter [doubtful
or gray area] and not a moral issue).
To
you Jewish Christians -- it's okay for you to observe the Jewish festivals and
dietary laws because they were given by God in the Old Testament, and thereby,
are considered to be previously approved worship forms, but don't judge your Gentile
brothers, because there is no Biblical command for either of you to continue to
observe these things." (Actually, it wasn't "okay" [see IV.C. below], but Paul
allowed it as an act of an immature/weaker brother [see II.G. above].) If a moral
issue is involved (i.e., a practice that is covered in Scripture), then this passage
and its application to Christian liberty (i.e., the freedom to engage in practices
not prohibited by Scripture) would obviously not apply. And as brought out earlier
in this report, the celebration of Christmas appears to be such a moral issue,
because its celebration is not only not from God, but is from ancient paganism
itself!
B.
1 Corinthians 8:4
As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice
unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none
other God but one. 5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in
heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 6 But to us there
is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord
Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. 7 Howbeit there is not
in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour
eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better;
neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. 9 But take heed lest by any means
this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. 10 For
if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall
not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which
are offered to idols; 11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother
perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when ye sin so against the brethren,
and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 13 Wherefore, if meat
make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest
I make my brother to offend.
The
Gentile Christians, who had been raised in an idolatrous system, were having a
problem with their Jewish brothers who were eating meat that had been sacrificed
to idols. (Apparently, this was the only "healthy" meat available.) Similar to
the Romans 14 passage above, Paul says that eating meat that had been sacrificed
to idols is not a moral issue, and thereby, is not prohibited. However, Paul does
not say that it is okay to go into the pagan temple itself; in fact, in other
passages (1 Cor 10:14, 18-21), Paul specifically prohibits getting involved with
the pagan feasts. In other words, it's not a moral issue to partake in the byproducts
of a pagan religious system (note, however, that there is no indication here that
the Jewish Christians were using the "idol meat" as part of their worship), but
it is not okay to partake in the religious system itself (because the corrupt
character of the participants would be harmful for believers). Rather, we must
be separate from the worldly system (2 Cor 6:14-7:1). Therefore, when items (byproducts)
associated with a pagan religious system not only develop religious associations
of their own, but have been integrated into what would otherwise be true Christian
worship (as the celebration of Christmas has clearly become in our culture), then
we should pull away from them so that there is no confusion over our allegiances.
C.
Galatians 4:9
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye
again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
Colossians
2:16
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday,
or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things
to come; but the body is of Christ.
Both
these passages of Scripture refer to the Jewish holy days under Old Testament
law. If Christians were not even to observe the Old Testament holy days -- days
that did have divine sanction, for a time -- they certainly don't have the liberty
to observe pagan holy days!
D.
James 4:11 --
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother,
and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if
thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
James
is saying that Christians may only judge a brother on matters determined in God's
Word (i.e., moral issues). If a matter is not covered in the Word, then these
are matters of Christian liberty (á la Rom. 14:1-13 and 1 Cor 8:4-13), and he
who judges in these areas of Christian liberty is, in effect, judging and condemning
the Word of God as being an imperfect standard to which the judge, thereby, refuses
to submit. On the other hand, since we have clear Scriptural precept that condemns
the things that go on around December 25th in the name of Christ, the celebration
of Christmas does not appear to be a matter of liberty, but one of moral conduct.
V.
The Right Response
A.
Quench Not the Holy Spirit (1 Thes 5:19-22)
Test
all things against the Scripture and line-up beliefs and actions with what is
true (i.e., do not treat with contempt the Word of God). If one is convinced that
to celebrate Christmas is sin, then he and his family must not compromise with
the world or the church by participating in any Christmas celebrations (Rom. 14:23).
B.
Avoid Traps of the Devil
1.
Lack of Zeal -- One who never considers why he does certain things, but he just
does them because he always has or because his parents always have; one who acts
on emotions rather than on facts.
2.
Lack of Truth -- One who does things for good reasons and right motives (i.e.,
plenty of zeal), but not in truth.
C.
Realize that Christians Celebrating Christmas as the Day of Christ's Birth Makes
No More Sense than Adding Any of the Following Days as Special Days of Christian
Celebration
(Remember,
the Bible's focus on the birth of Christ is for the sole purpose of documenting
his virgin birth, his incarnation, and the fulfillment of His prophetic Messiahship.
Like the tongue-in-cheek suggestions below, one must also remember that there
is no Biblical warrant, precedent, nor precept for the remembrance of the day
of Christ's birth as a day of special religious celebration.)
1.
Baptism Celebration -- Why not have three days of swimming parties in the summer
in order to celebrate/symbolize Christ's three days in the grave? We could even
pick a time based upon our speculation of when John the Baptist baptized Jesus!
2. Ascension
Celebration -- Why not have one day set aside every year for hot-air balloon rides
in order to celebrate Christ's ascension to heaven?
3.
Miracle Celebration -- There is considerable Biblical focus on Jesus' miracles
(even more than on his birth), so why not have one day set aside every year to
celebrate the first of Christ's miracles? And since that was the turning of water
into wine (John 2), why not have "Christian" wine-tasting parties?
D.
Avoid the Rationalizations that
1.
"Christmas Provides a Festive Time to Share the Gospel" --
One
cannot take something condemned in God's Word and "use it" to spread the Gospel;
neither will God bless it to spread His Word. Unacceptable worship and the "mixing-in"
of unholy/pagan forms is surely not the normal means through which God blesses
the faithful. Satan works to blend together his system with God's system, because
when unacceptable worship (paganism) is blended with true worship (God's truth),
true worship is destroyed. In fact, any time one mixes pagan ideas and practices
with the pure religion of Christ, it is condemned in Scripture as the heinous
sin of idolatry! God has always detested taking those things dedicated to idols
and using them to worship Him. As a matter of fact, this "special time of the
year" is probably more a hindrance to the receptiveness of the gospel message
than a help. Much of the celebration observed by our contemporary society deludes
people into assuming that God is pleased, when in reality, He is offended by false
religion, pseudo-worship, and alien philosophies. The ecumenical spirit and a
counterfeit "love" under the guise of "peace and goodwill among men," more than
likely dulls one's sensitivity to his desperate need to repent of sin and be reconciled
to a holy God.
2.
"Christmas is Merely the Honoring of Christ's Birth" --
Someone
says, "I know Christmas is of pagan origin, but I still think it's not wrong for
a church to have a special time for honoring Christ's birth." But since when did
Protestants believe that Christians have the right to add to the Bible? Is the
church a legislative body? Are we to follow the Bible in our faith and practice,
or the thinking of fallible men? If we have the right to add a special holy day
to the Christian economy, then we can add 10,000 other things. Then we will be
no better than the false cults and the Roman Catholics who follow heathen traditions!
[Besides, celebrating Christ's birth is a form of worship. But since Christmas
is a lie, those who celebrate it are not worshiping in "spirit and truth" (John
4:24).]
3.
"All I'm Doing is Putting Christ Back into Christmas" --
The
modern conservative cry to put Christ back into Christmas is absurd. As detailed
earlier in this report, Jesus Christ was never in Christmas. It's a lie to say
He was. He has no part in a lie. When anyone takes the truth and mixes it with
a lie, they no longer have the truth. They have changed the truth into a lie.
Neither is it possible to take a lie and mix it with enough truth to change the
lie into the truth. You still come out with a lie. One may say, "Well, I know
it's not the truth, but I'll put Christ back in Christmas and glorify God in it
then." No, you won't. Christ never was in Christmas. You cannot change a lie into
the truth. It should in reality be called Baal-mass, Nimrod-mass, Tammuz-mass,
Mithras-mass, or Mary-mass. Christ-mass is a lie. Why use a lie as a good time
for a fundamental truth (the incarnation) of the Christian faith?
4.
"I'm Using Christmas to Witness for Christ, Just Like the Apostle Paul Did" --
Some say
that all they are doing is taking the "truth" from Christmas (i.e., the incarnation
of Christ) and "cultivating" it as the Apostle Paul did (Acts 17/Mars Hill), taking
the opportunity of the season to witness to a lost world. This would be fine if
these Christians were actually doing only as Paul did. Paul, in addressing the
Greek philosophers on Mars Hill, proclaimed to them that their "unknown god" to
whom they had erected an altar, was none other than "the God who made the world
and all the things therein." Paul was not intimidated by the pagan surroundings
and symbolisms, nor did he berate the Greeks for their error, but merely showed
them the truth of the gospel of Christ. But do Christians really use the "opportunity
presented by the season" in the same way as Paul used the opportunity of the pagan
altar? Do Christians personally stand in front of their hometown public displays
of Xmas (Nativity scenes, etc.) and preach the gospel? To paraphrase Paul, do
they say: "Men of Indianapolis, I see that in every way you are very religious;
what you worship as something unknown, I am going to proclaim to you"? Do they
come out of the public schools, where they have just attended their children's
Xmas programs, and preach to the attendees about the true God who has been grossly
misrepresented in the program they have just witnessed? Hardly. Even to most of
those who understand the true origin of Xmas, this "unique time of year" means
inviting unbelievers into their homes to gather around the Xmas tree, to enjoy
the beauty of the wreaths, absorb the heat from the Yule log, etc., reasoning
that they are only using the pagan forms and the pagan festival season as an opportunity
to witness. If Paul meant this in Acts 17, he would have met the people in the
Athenian temple or in his or their homes, gathering around their idols that he
had Christianized and was now using as a part of his worship. Most of the people
who decorate their homes and churches with Xmas trees, holly wreaths, Nativity
scenes, etc., all supposedly to be used as "opportunities" via "Xmas coffees,"
neighborhood "grab bag" gift exchanges, Xmas concerts, etc., are thoroughly convinced
that they're doing God a service. And since they are not involved in the crass
secular "commercialization" that the world revels in, but have instead "put Christ
back in Xmas" (so to speak), they reason that all is Biblical and pleasing to
God.
5.
"It Doesn't Mean Anything to Me" --
Many
Christians who routinely make a habit of picking-and-choosing which Biblical commands
they will or will not obey, have likewise carried this practice over into a justification
for celebrating Christmas. They claim, "but the Christmas tree, mistletoe, Santa
Claus, etc., don't mean anything pagan to me, so I'll exercise my Christian liberty
and partake in all of it." Obviously, if one were to take such a cavalier approach
to the physical world (i.e., "I can drink rat poison because I choose not to regard
it as poison"), it would likely lead to a quick physical death. Why, then, do
Christians think they can avoid spiritual harm by ignoring God's spiritual warnings?
6. "The 'Connection' Has Been Broken" --
There
are those who clearly recognize the pagan nature of the various Christmas worship
forms and practices. Nevertheless, many of these Christians claim that because
of the long passage of time from their pagan inception to the present (6,000 years?),
the "connection" to paganism has been sufficiently diminished to allow the adoption
of these forms and practices into our Christian worship and celebration. While
it may be true that most symbols have lost their original demonic meaning and
significance in a modern society, it is strangely bizarre and ironic that Christendom
seeks to commemorate Christ's birth with the faded symbols of Satan. And even
though some of God's people may be naive and ignorant about the source of these
things, surely God is not. Can such things please Him? And think about this --
if it were possible to "disconnect" current practices from their pagan/occultic
roots, why does Scripture not provide us any guidelines as to:
(a)
how much time is necessary for the "neutralization"/disassociation process to
occur; and (b) which of the hundreds of ancient pagan rites would then be
acceptable for adaptation into Christian worship (since some are obviously much
more pagan/occultic than others)?
7.
"There Are Hundreds of Other Items of Daily Life that Have a Pagan Origin" --
It is said, "Such things as the wedding ring, certain clothing customs, the modern
division of time into hours and minutes, the names of the days of the week, etc.,
all have pagan connections in their origins, so isn't it a contradiction on your
part to say that their meanings have sufficiently changed while Christmas's meanings
have not?" But we are not saying that their meanings have changed. The question
is one of using things of pagan origin in our worship of Christ. So we would ask
the question back, "Which of these pagan items do we focus on to celebrate the
birth of Christ? Or which of these is 'Christianized' and brought into our weekly
worship of, or our daily devotion to Christ, as you do with the pagan forms and
traditions of Xmas?" The origin and meaning of a custom, tradition, or form does
not take on significance unless it is somehow specifically incorporated into,
or lined up with, our worship. As we have already detailed in the section on Christian
liberty (Section IV.B.), these rings, clothing customs, etc. would be merely the
byproducts of paganism, not paganism itself, and they have developed no religious
connotations or associations of their own, as have the Xmas customs and traditions.
8. "Baptism
(and Circumcision) Have Pagan Origins and God Still Gave Their Use in Scripture,
So What's Wrong With Using the Pagan Forms of Christmas?" --
This argument
is frequently made by pastors who say that to be consistent, those who would have
us forbid the forms, symbols, and traditions of Christmas should also be calling
for us to abandon believer's baptism; i.e., shouldn't the would-be banners of
Christmas be saying, "Since the ancient mystery religions practiced forms of baptism,
therefore baptism is a pagan custom and should be outlawed for the believer in
Christ"? This is a strange argument for anyone to make, particularly a theologian
(and, in our opinion, reveals a low view of Scriptural admonitions). If baptism
were absent from the Bible, as using pagan forms and traditions to celebrate or
commemorate the birth of Christ are totally absent, there would then be no Biblical
justification for baptism. But God has not commanded us to celebrate or commemorate
Christ's birth in any way. He has commanded us to baptize (Matt. 28:19).
E.
Abstain From the Observance of Christmas --
What,
then, ought to be the Christian's response to this and other pagan and Roman inventions?
It cannot be denied that they are pagan, pure and simple, from beginning to end.
God gives us specific instructions in His Holy Word: Thus saith the Lord, Learn
not the way of the heathen ... (Jer. 10:2). These words are perfectly clear. What
rational options do we have as Bible believing Christians?
VI.
Conclusion
The
very popularity of Christmas should cause the Christian to question it. Anyone
and everyone can celebrate Christmas without question -- outright pagans, nominal
Christians, and even Buddhists and Hindus. If, in reality, December 25th were
a date set by God to remember the birth of Jesus, there is no doubt that the world
would have nothing to do with it. After all, God has commanded one day in seven
-- the Lord's Day -- to worship Him. Does the world observe it? Of course not.
As expected, the world loves Christmas, but hates the Lord Jesus Christ (John
15:18, 23-25). It shuns anything pertaining to true religion. Shouldn't the Christian
be just a little suspicious of a celebration in which the whole sinful world can
join without qualms? One way to test the Scripturalness of our practices is to
reflect on what we would expect missionaries to teach new converts in a foreign
culture. We assume that they would use the Bible as their guidebook. If they could
start new local churches without importing American culture encumbered with Roman
Catholicism, liberal Protestantism, and crass commercialism, wouldn't it be wonderful?
Missionaries
who have urged new converts to forsake all pagan superstitious relics have later
been questioned about the apparent inconsistency of their own American Christmas
customs. Nationals perceived them as idolatrous even though the missionaries were
oblivious to that possibility! When Christmas is exposed for what it really is,
this angers people. It angers Evangelical Protestant people! And there is reason
why it does so. When the pagan celebration of Christmas is rooted up, and rejected,
then what has become a Protestant tradition is, in effect, being rejected! And
that is why people become angry. It began as a Roman Catholic holy day, and then
it became a Protestant holy day. And if anyone dares show it up for what it really
is, they face the wrath of the Protestant religious machine. And these days, that
can be very ugly. Christmas is a thoroughly pagan holiday -- in its origin, in
its trappings, and in all its traditions.
Perhaps
we should contemplate the words of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, delivered in a Lord's
Day sermon on December 24, 1871:
"We
have no superstitious regard for times and seasons. Certainly we do not believe
in the present ecclesiastical arrangement called Christmas: first, because we
do not believe in the mass at all, but abhor it, whether it be said or sung in
Latin or in English; and secondly, because we find no Scriptural warrant whatever
for observing any day as the birthday of the Saviour; and consequently, its observance
is a superstition, because [it's] not of divine authority. Superstition has fixed
most positively the day of our Saviour's birth, although there is no possibility
of discovering when it occurred. ... "It was not till the middle of the third
century that any part of the church celebrated the nativity of our Lord; and it
was not till very long after the Western church had set the example, that the
Eastern adopted it. Because the day is not known, therefore superstition has fixed
it; ... Where is the method in the madness of the superstitious? Probably the
fact is that the holy days were arranged to fit in with the heathen festivals.
... We venture to assert that if there be any day in the year of which we may
be pretty sure that it was not the day on which the Saviour was born, it is the
twenty-fifth of December. ... regarding not the day, let us, nevertheless, give
God thanks for the gift of His dear Son."
And
from Dr. H.A. Ironside's Lectures on the Book of Revelation (1920: p. 301):
"It
is a lamentable fact that Babylon's principles and practices are rapidly but surely
pervading the churches that escaped from Rome at the time of the Reformation.
We may see evidences of it in the wide use of high-sounding ecclesiastical titles,
once unknown in the reformed churches, in the revival of holy days and church
feasts such as Lent, Good Friday, Easter, and Christ's Mass, or, as it is generally
written, Christmas. ... some of these festivals ... when they are turned into
church festivals, they certainly come under the condemnation of Galatians 4:9-11,
where the Holy Spirit warns against the observance of days and months and times
and seasons. All of them, and many more that might be added, are Babylonish in
their origin, and were at one time linked with the Ashtoreth and Tammuz mystery-worship.
It is through Rome that they have come down to us; and we do well to remember
that Babylon is a mother, with daughters who are likely to partake of their mother's
characteristics ..."
And,
finally, from Alexander Hislop's 1916 classic, The Two Babylons: Or the Papal
Worship:
"Upright
men strove to stem the tide, but in spite of all their efforts, the apostasy went
on, till the Church, with the exception of a small remnant, was submerged under
Pagan superstition. That Christmas is a Pagan festival is beyond all doubt. The
time of the year and the ceremonies with which it is still celebrated, prove its
origin."
We
can summarize by saying that nowhere in Scripture are we commanded to commemorate
the birth of our Lord, and God the Father evidently deemed it unwise to make the
date known. Hence, it will always remain unknown and is not to be ceremoniously
remembered and celebrated. (In fact, as pointed out in the Ironside quote above,
God has warned us about getting entangled with any special days [Gal. 4:10]).
Notice though, that we are commanded to remember Him in His death (but no special
day was specified for this either):
"Take,
eat; this is My body which is broken for you; this DO in remembrance of Me"
(Luke 22:18,19; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).
To
commemorate His death is Scriptural. Any day of the year will do. To commemorate
His birth is non-Scriptural, even extra-Scriptural (Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Prov. 30:6;
Rev. 22:19), whether one chooses December 25th or any other day. If God had desired
us to remember the day of Christ's birth, He could have left us the precise date.
But if He had, He would have vindicated every astrologer in the past 2,000 years.
In occult circles, the anniversary of a person's birth is the most important metaphysical
day of the year.
The
Bible recognizes no such significance. It is intriguing that there are only two
birthday celebrations recorded in the entire Bible and they were both those of
ungodly kings -- and both resulted in an execution (Gen. 40:16-22 and Matt. 14:6-10/Mark
6:21-27)! The Apostle Paul says: "But God forbid that I should glory, save in
the cross [not the manger] of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified
unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal. 6:14). By itself, we find no salvation in
the birth of the Lord Jesus, for salvation was only made possible through His
death (i.e., His shed blood) and resurrection. Our focus should be on the cross
and our ascended Saviour, not in a cradle.
Those
who love Jesus should certainly rejoice that He was born and lived amongst us
as a man. But if we truly want to glorify Him and bear testimony of who He is,
we must stop marrying that blessed gift with the debauchery of paganism. If we
want to honor His birth, let it be done as He would have done it: year-round unselfishly
serving our fellow man as an unending act of love for our God. Let us put away
all of the mixture of pagan customs and take up His mantle and His pure worship,
and show the confused world that there is a difference.
James
4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is
sin.
1.
Assemblies of Yahweh. The Case Against Christmas. Sacred Name Broadcaster, Bethel,
PA,23 pp. 2. Becker, R.F. The Truth About Christmas. Chapel Library, Venice,
FL, 36 pp. 3. Blanton, Raymond. The Christmas Lie. Highways & Hedges Tracts,
Liberty, SC, 13 pp. 4. Buday, George. The History of the Christmas Card. Putman
Pub., New York, 1954, 304 pp. 5. Dager, Albert James. "The Origins of Christmas
Traditions," Media Spotlight Special Report Redmond, WA, 1985, 2 pp. 6. Dickey,
D.J. & Shetler, Earl. "Should A Christian Celebrate Christmas?" Grace Reformed
Baptist Church, Vernonia, OR, 10/89: three-part sermon series -- each on a 90-minute
audio cassette tape. 7. Dossey, Donald. Holiday Folklore, Phobias and Fun:
Mythical Origins, Scientific Treatments & Superstitious "Cures." Outcomes Unltd.
Press, Asheville, NC, 1995 (paper ed.), 232 pp. 8. Elwell, Walter A. (Ed.).
Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1984,
pp. 218-221. 9. Halff, Charles. The Truth About Christmas. The Christian-Jew
Foundation, San Antonio, TX, 13 pp. 10. Halff, Charles. "Is Christmas a Jewish
Holiday?" Message Of The Christian Jew. November-December 1993, pp. cover, 1,2
& 7. 11. Helgerson, John C. Considering the Christmas Issue. The Church of
the Open Bible, Burlington, MA, 12/31/90, 12 pp. 12. Hislop, Alexander. The
Two Babylons: Or The Papal Worship. Loizeaux Bros., Neptune, NJ, 1959:Second Edition,
330 pp. 13. Kohler, John. Our Baptist Heritage. Heritage Baptist Church, Salem,
IN, Vol. 2, No. 3, 11/92, 8 pp. 14. McCurry, Robert. The God Man Has Made.
Heritage Press, Sharpsburg, GA, 8 pp. 15. Nissenbaum, Stephen. The Battle for
Christmas. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1997, 381 pp. 16. Pink, A.W. Xmas . Chapel
Library, Venice, FL, 6 pp. 17. Schneider, Michael. Is Christmas Christian?
Chapel Library, Venice, FL, 15 pp. 18. Spurlin, Ed. Where Is The Christ In
Christmas. Voice in the Wilderness, Milford, NH, 11/92, 8 pp. 19. Spurgeon,
C.H. "Joy Born At Bethlehem," A Sermon: Delivered on Lord's Day Morning, December
24th, 1871. Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, pp. 697-698. 20. Unknown. My Lord
Has Not Told Me To Do It: The Christian and "Christmas. " Chapel Library, Venice,
FL, 4 pp. 21. Unknown. 10 Reasons Why Christmas Is Unscriptural. Chapel Library,
Venice, FL, 8 pp. 22. (Vine, W.E.), Gospel Tract Publications. The Collected
Writings of W.E. Vine, Volume 5. Glasgow, Scotland, 1986, pp. 436-439. 23.
Willcock, Shaun. The Pagan Festivals of Christmas and Easter. Bible Based Ministries,
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, 1992, 76 pp. 24. Wilson, Greg. Let's Keep Christ
Out of Xmas. Landmark Independent Baptist Church, Archer, FL, 4 pp.
2.
Nativity Scenes (tainted with paganism) -- 
corruption
of the German "Christ Kindl"-- Christ Child. This has to be one of the most subtle
of Satan's blasphemies, yet most Christians are unaware of it. Originally, the
Santa Claus concept came from the pagan Egyptian god, Bes, a rotund, gnome-like
personage who was the patron of little children. Bes was said to live at the North
Pole, working year-round to produce toys for children who had been good and obedient
to their parents. In Dutch, he was called "Sinter Klaas."