I did not support to have a Christmas. Why? *Concerning Christmas* Unbelievers will think it strange that we do not care to participate with them in fleshly indulgences. In particular, they may think it strange that we do not celebrate Christmas or care for Christmas parties. The way of this corrupted world, the way of this crooked, perverted generation, is to follow the trend of indulgence and dissipation. But we would not run together with them according to this trend. (LIFE-STUDY OF FIRST PETER, MESSAGE TWENTY-SIX) One of the most striking examples of the deeds of this apostate church is the so-called Christmas. We want Christ, but we do not need a mass. Originally, December 25, the so-called Christmas Day, was the day the ancient Europeans worshipped the sun. They said that December 25 was the birthday of the sun. When the apostate church spread to Europe, she assimilated this ancient custom because she had taken in thousands of unbelievers into the church. These unbelievers still wanted to celebrate the birthday of their god. Therefore, to accommodate them, the apostate church declared December 25 to be the birthday of Christ. This is the source of Christmas. The book, The Two Babylons, exposes the origin of the evil, demonic, pagan things that were brought into the apostate church. If we see this picture on the negative side, then we shall know what we must be on the positive side. (LIFE-STUDY OF REVELATION, MESSAGE THIRTEEN) Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Christian Practices: #Christmas - December 25th It is the day designated in todays calendars as the day of Christs birth. Christians and non-Christians alike celebrate it. But does the Bible have a command to remember the birth of Christ? Is this the day on which Christ was born? Are todays Christmas custom and practices of Christian origin? Or is Christmas an example of mixture between paganism and Christianity? Christ Not Being Born in Winter? Although the birth of Christ is one of the most important events that happened in the whole universe, yet remembering it by celebrating Christmas is not something God wants Christians to do. That no precise date of the Lords birth is recorded in the Bible indicates that the Lord never intended to celebrate His birthday. Rather, He wants us to remember His death and look forward to His second coming (1 Cor. 11:26; Rev. 22:12). As to the actual date of Christs birth, December 25th is to be doubted. Weather condition at the time of Jesus birth indicates that it could not have taken place in December. Luke 2:8 tells us that when Jesus was born, the shepherds were watching over the sheep at night. The cold weather in the evening during midwinter is very piercing; it is the custom of shepherds in Judea to bring home their flocks before the start of November, prior to the onset of the cold winter months. Hence, the birth of Christ could not have been in December. In 4 B.C. The Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar issued a decree for a census to be taken in order to know just how many subjects he had and how much taxes he could collect. Quirinius, who was then governor of Syria (where Judea was then part of the great Roman-controlled province), implemented the decree to take the first enrollment for census of Judea that same year. There were no historical records to indicate that the inconvenient harsh months of winter was the time the authorities scheduled for the tax enrollment, which necessitated the populations traveling from all parts of the land to their natal districts to register in the electoral roll, for storms and rain make journeys both unsafe and unpleasant in the winter. It was in compliance with this decree for registration that Joseph went up to Mary from the city of Nazareth in southern Galilee to his hometown Bethlehem in southern Judea (Luke 2:1-5). It is also unlikely that Mary, who was pregnant, would travel 190 kilometers from Nazareth to Bethlehem because it was considered not fit for a pregnant woman to travel during winter (Matt. 24:20; Mark 12:18). #Christmas Account Being Inconsistent with Scriptural Record The Christmas nativity scene, as customarily portrayed, with the infant Jesus in the manger surrounded by His parents, the shepherds with their flock, the three kings with their gifts, gathered together in the barn, and heralded by the angels and the star outside, is not an accurate account of what actually took place during the birth of Jesus. The shepherds visit of Jesus and the magis visit occurred at different times and separate places! Matthew 2:1-12 and Luke 2:1-20 are two Biblical passages that record separate accounts of stories related to the birth of Jesus. We do not see the shepherds in Matthew chapter 2, neither do we see the three kings in Luke chapter 2. Luke chapter 2 presents the picture of the angels appearing to the shepherds who eventually found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby Jesus lying in the manger (v.16). Matthew chapter 2 portrays the magi (or wise men, not kings) from the east, who after sighting the star and believing such a star must be the sign that a great king had been born in far off Judea, set off to the capital city, Jerusalem, where a new king is supposed to be born, only to find that Herod still reigned as king and were interrogated by him. By the time they arrived in Bethlehem under the guidance of the star, Joseph had been able to move Mary and Jesus from the temporary rough shelter of the barn to a house. As they entered into the house they found the child Jesus and Mary only (v.11). This could have transpired quite a while after the Lords birth, which was why Herod ordered the slaughter of all the boys in Bethlehem and in all its borders from two years old and under according to the time accurately determined from the magi (Matt. 2:16). Moreover, the fact that the magi brought three kinds of gifts does not necessarily mean that there were three magi. The Origin of Christmas Being Paganistic Under the article Christmas, the Catholic Encyclopedia states: In the earliest days of the Church there was no such feast. ...Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church ... Christians in early days did not commemorate Jesus birthday! Christians in the first three centuries were persecuted for their faith until 325 A.D. when Roman Emperor Constantine in the council of Nicea formulated the Nicene Creed, fully legalizing and legitimizing Christianity, even making it the state religion of the Empire. In an effort to appease the nominal converts all over the Roman-subjugated territories who were unwilling to give up their heathen feasts and to make them subservient to the cause of religion, Constantine adopted many heathen religious feasts and practices in honor of the various gods into Christianity. Despite protests by many faithful believers against the paganistic nature and frivolity with which Christs birth was celebrated, a Roman Almanac from 354 A.D. gives a first clear reference to December 25, the date celebrated by several pagan religions, being regarded as the date of Christs birth. Prior to conversion to Christianity, Mithraism was the most wide-spread and most influential pagan religion among the Roman subjects. Mithra was the sun god in ancient Persia (todays Iran). After the defeat of the Persians by Alexander centuries ago, the soldiers brought the worship of Mithra throughout Asia and to Europe where he was called Deus Sol Invictus Mithras. It fostered the celebration of December 25 as a holiday throughout the Roman and Greek worlds. The Catholic Encyclopedia states that, The birth of Christ was assigned the date of the winter solstice because on this day, as the sun began its return to northern skies, the pagan devotees of Mithra celebrated dies natalis Solis Invicti (birthday of the Invincible or Unconquered Sun). ...The well-known solar feast...celebrated on 25 December, has a strong claim on the responsibility for our December date. The Romans adopted this festivity to honor Saturn and other agricultural gods with boisterous weeklong feasts of Saturnalia and Brumalia during the winter solstice that culminates on December 25. These two pagan feasts were too deeply entrenched in popular custom to be set aside by Christian influence that in 530 A.D. the Roman church commissioned the Monk Dionysius Exiguus to officially proclaim December 25 as the birth of Christ. The midwinter festival was also celebrated by many other cultures. The Egyptians dedicated it to the son of Isis, Queen of Heaven, and to Osiris and Horus. The Greek dedicated it to their gods Apollo, Dionysus, and Adonis. Sabeans of Arabia celebrated it as the birthday of the moon. The Saxons celebrated Yule in honor of Thor, Scandinavian god of war. In Scotland, Hogmany was celebrated. In England it was to the Nordic God Balder. The Babylonians celebrated Baals birthday with the festival of Bacchus, the Drunken festival. In 600 A.D. Pope Gregory I instructed Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury, to adapt existing local religious customs to Christianity in order to help propagate the faith. This humongous amalgamation of paganism and Christianity has resulted in a grotesque mixture of what is known today as Christmas. The Customs and Practices of Christmas Being Idolatrous Christmas Tree - Scandinavians in pre-Christian era worshipped trees. In Egypt, the date palm was brought indoors as a religious symbol. In Rome, the fir tree was decorated with toys in honor of Saturns birthday; candles were fastened to trees to indicate the return of the sun to the earth. The Druids honored Odin (Woden) by tying gilded apples and other offerings on the tree branches. The Germans used evergreen trees in worship and celebration of the yule god and also in observance of the resurrected sun god; they brought it indoors as a symbol of good luck. In Jeremiah 10:2-5, the Lord strongly forbade us to learn the vain and idolatrous customs of the nations in cutting down trees and decorating them indoors. Wreaths - In the early days, pagans decorated places of worship with wreaths at the feasts to express good luck. But blessed is the man who makes Jehovah his trust (Psa. 40:4a) and blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him (Psa. 34:8b). Holly, Berries, and Mistletoe - The Christmas practice of kissing under the mistletoe came from the feast of Saturnalia. The holly, berries, and mistletoe were hung in doorways of temples and homes to invoke powers of fertility in those who stood beneath and kissed, causing the spirits of god and goddess to enter them. Gift-Giving - This originated from the Roman celebration of the feast of Saturnalia and Kalends of January (Roman New Year). Todays Christmas practice of exchanging gifts is based on the notion that gifts were presented during the Lords birth. But the wise men gave gifts to the Lord and not to one another. Santa Claus - Saint Nicholas in the 4th century was said to have brought gifts to children by throwing them through the windows. The belief that he enters the house through the chimney comes from an Old Norse legend that believed the goddess Hertha appeared in the fireplace and brought good luck to the house. Christmas Party - The merrymaking in Christmas parties today is commensurable to the ancient pagan feasts of Saturnalia and Brumalia that were highlighted by wanton indulgence of eating, drinking, and revelries dressed in costumes. Paul warned us to neither become idolaters, as some of them did; as it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play (1 Cor. 10:7). Conclusion In his message REMEMBERING #CHRISTMAS, Brother Watchman Nee said, According to the opinions of many believers, it is a good thing to have a day each year to remember the Saviors birth....Apart from ones opinion, Gods Word, the Bible, is still the only standard and the highest standard. Our concern lies not on what man speaks, but on what God has spoken....Does the Bible have a command to remember the birth of Christ?...Only one who believes in the Bible will know that the things God did not command and the things God did command have the same significance ....Many say that God never put a stop to the celebration of Christmas....It is sad when Christians search the Scriptures to give a basis for their sin and an occasion to the flesh....May God give us more strength to enable us to say, How do we dare do what God has not commanded? The true significance of Christs birth is God became man (through His incarnation - John 1:14) that man may become God (through our regeneration to become His sons - John 1:12-13) in life (1 Pet. 1:3) and in nature (2 Pet. 1:4) but not in the Godhead (1 Cor. 8:6). As Gods children, we are in the world, but we are not of the world (John 17:11,14). If we make a clear-cut separation from the world, we will live a sanctified life (1 Thes. 5:23) and a holy life for the church life. Jesting and revelry in paganistic Christmas celebration will put our holy life under siege. Idolatry is a serious sin. To participate in Christmas celebration is an abomination that the Lord hates. Christ is the reality of all feasts; we do not need the shadow because we have Christ as the reality (Col. 2:16-17; John 1:14b). As the world celebrates the day of the unconquered sun god, we have Christ as the true Sun of righteousness (Mal. 4:2) who has conquered Satan, world, sin, and death. We want Christ, but not the mas, the mixture. Christmas is a leaven added to the meal by Christendom (Matt. 13:33). In 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 Paul admonished us to purge out the leaven and instead keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the continuation of the Passover (Exo. 12:15-20). It lasted for seven days, a period of completion, signifying the entire period of our Christian life. It is a life-long feast that we must keep with unleavened bread, which is Christ as our nourishment and enjoyment. Only He is the life supply of sincerity and truth, absolutely pure, without mixture, and full of reality. We are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired for a possession (1 Pet. 2:9). In this age of apostasy the Lord is calling us, the overcomers, to come out and be separated from the world and from the degraded Christianity that is full of mixtures (2 Cor. 6:17), and not to participate in her sins that we might not receive her plagues (Rev. 18:4). The Lords promise to the overcomers is to give them to eat of the hidden manna (Rev. 2:17). If we love the Lord and forsake the world and its enjoyment, we shall surely enjoy the Lord in a subjective and transcendent way. Bible Verses for Your Reading: Jer. 10:2-3 Do not learn the way of the nations...for the customs of the people are vanity. 1 Cor. 5:8 So then let us keep the feast, not with old leaven ...but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truths. 1 Cor. 10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.. Amen. Bro. Kienhy Zoe.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 15:28:37 +0000
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