The scripture condemns such practices as Christmas. Jeremiah 10:2,3 tell us to “learn not the way of the heathen” and that “the customs of the people are vain.” In Matthew 15:9 Jesus explains that men worship Him in vain, “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” In Colossians 2:8 we are told to beware lest someone should spoil us “through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world.” I Timothy 1:4 instructs us to “neither give heed to fables … which minister questions.”
I pray more start seeing that this information is not to judge their hearts but to share the truth.
The Good Lord also reminds us that our hearts are deceitful…
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Another question that has come to me is IF people are observing this as the birth of the Messiah- why are they buying people gifts?
My heart was far from the Lord in what I perceived to be an observation of the birth of the Messiah. I am very very thankful that the Lord has opened my eyes to His truth- many do not seek it- they just assume ( I have done that, too ☹️)- with information literally right st our fingertips ( THE BIBLE) we have no excuse to continue in our ignorance.
I say this with 💕
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We are not being judgemental- but when people tell us the truth we feel like we are being judged by an individual- in fact we are not judging -what we are feeling is the conviction of God’s Holy Spirit – PRAISE THE LORD !!!
❤️❤️❤️
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Beth, this is true. We become very uncomfortable. Praise God that He deals with us as His true children, loving and correcting us.
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❤️❤️❤️
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Beth, and why are we telling others what we would like to receive, and even buying gifts for ourselves?
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I think there are a few typos ☹️
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People may be unhappy with me but I change mistakes that make a comment look bad, that is when I can tell a commenter didn’t mean it. Does that make sense? Like when someone forgets “not” in a sentence.
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😊
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Feel free to fix any I might make 😁 I try to be careful but….
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You’re fine, Beth, and the Lord guides you as you write! 💟
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❤️❤️❤️
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God’s word is never wrong. Ty:)
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Amen, Bonnie. Amen.
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:))
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:))
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I guess I have first a statement and then questions. Ellen and I have since committed to follow Christ, placed the Christmas Day focus on the story of His birth. Over time we learned that His the celebration by the world was paganism. The true birth of Christ was Sukkot in the fall when the sheep were grazing in the fields. We learned this from our messianic Jewish brethren. So to the questions: why is the world attempting to remove Christ from this celebration? When else is this witness better made to prick the world’s conscience? Are the Christ Mass carols not a witness to the lost? If God is in complete control (ruling through His Church) as you believe why do you challenge what is happening in the church at Christmas? These are just some of my questions.
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Jerry, before answering I want to quote you and ask a question about what you said. You wrote,
“If God is in complete control (ruling through His Church) as you believe why do you challenge what is happening in the church at Christmas?”
Do you believe that the Lord is in complete control?
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Well, that can be a trick question. I believe that God is sovereign over His plan for mankind. In other words He will intervene to see to it that things turn out according to His Will and His ultimate plan. He is Sovereign in His call to man in His offer of Salvation, but His creation in general has been given free will, and thus His Church is not in unity concerning doctrine. Nor do I believe that it is His perfect will to have us celebrate the birth of His Son on a pagan holiday, which is the subject of your post. So since it is not His will He has given men (some leaders in His church) the right to make wrong decisions. Which they or we are very capable of doing, I might add. Hope that answers your question.
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It does, Jerry. I hope my question wasn’t sharp. God bless you and Ellen!
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Thank you, I receive your blessing.
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Sorry, I’m not thinking. Not sharp at all, and blessings to both you and Tom.
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Thank you, brother!
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Welcome
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This is my take on the whole thing. What I personally have done is I will not put up a Christmas tree or decorations. I still pass along gifts and cards that show or give bible verses on the birth of Jesus. Why gifts? Because I believe the wise men bore gift for our new born Saviour and this is something that I use as witnessing tool for believers and non-believers, along with the cards. If you were to come to my house you wouldn’t any of the halls decked or a tree alight. What you would find is gifts for others generally no wrapping, just in a bag, cards explaining the birth of the Saviour. I try to use all things in this world as witnessing tool. Athough, breaks my heart to see a tree in any house of God that is all decked out. Never do I make a request for a Christmas present!!!!
God bless you all.
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I love it Christian. Good way to honor our savior. The wise men did it approximately 2 years after His birth, and we can do the gifts even today.
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A great video on whether Christmas is pagan or not: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugxJBb0lPXQ&t=26s
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Thank you, faithonthefarm! I will watch it.
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Dear faithonthefarm, thanks again for adding to the discussion.
Dave Winger, the teacher who made the video, obviously cares that people receive sound teaching but I have problems with his teaching, especially his nonchalance. He stated,
“I don’t personally have a problem with re-purposing a pagan day.”
He also doesn’t have a problem with Christians introducing their children to the legend of Santa Claus and sort of playing with them about this fictional character. David instructs his listeners to simply center the celebration – whatever you do – around the Lord Jesus Christ.
He undercuts the understanding that pagans regularly celebrated various feasts at this time of year. He said,
“We don’t have a pre-establish ‘something else’ [pagan festival] that’s being replaced [by Christmas].”
He repeats the legend that Martin Luther originated the Christmas tree after a walking in the woods and seeing the stars through the trees’ boughs. Martin Luther preached on the Incarnation at this time of year as his duty but like other Reformers was trying to move away from the Catholic feasts which were frought with temptations.
For all his hard work on the subject, David Winger neglects to mention that the origin of the English day for this celebration is the ‘Christ Mass’. As Protestants we need to know this and be wary.
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Faithonthefarm, most importantly he misuses the text of Romans 14. Be sure to read the article I linked to. Thanks again!
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Good post Maria. Blessings…
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Yes, Cathy, Mike found a good explanation of this passage. Blessings…
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And I believe that something we need to keep in mind is that just because millions (maybe billions) follow Roman Catholicism does not make Roman Catholicism right-same goes for the world making December 25th what they would like it to be. I’m out on that. That does NOT make me any better than anyone else it just reminds me as a follower of God through Jesus Christ it is another day I am allowed to REST in Him and what He has done for us -finished for us-through His obedience to God the Father ❤️❤️❤️
His birth is part of the Gospel-Good News- message-we don’t need a puffed up day to celebrate Him-He is a celebration in our hearts everyday-He is the Gift we need everyday ❤️❤️❤️
I believe that more witnessing has come out of me by NOT celebrating-I have honestly found it opens more doors up to the “fence sitter/non-believer”
Posted with love!
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Amen, Beth, on all of this. When you can, could you share more about your opportunities to witness?
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For example I clean houses- and I have had to tell my well meaning ladies when they want to give me a gift the truth. I can’t just take it and say thank you- I am convicted to lovingly tell them that I don’t celebrate the birth of the Lord with the world. I let them know I celebrate it everyday because not only has his birth saved me- but his life- death and resurrection. So to celebrate with the world doesn’t make sense to me. Of course they still give me a gift- with out gift wrap and a thank you card instead of a holiday card.
Strangers I tell them when they give me their merry wishes that I believe in The
Lord- but do not celebrate with the world on one particular day- some get nasty…
I have been accused of being legalistic and a grinch and s Scrooge- and a Jehovah’s witness – that’s ok though because I feel very convinced that God’s Holy Spirit has convicted me. So I will keep doing what I feel He has commanded me, too ❤️
It gets easier as the years pass and I honestly do not know if one will go to hell for celebrating or not- I’m not The Judge of them I just BELIEVE what The Good Lord has shown ME in His Word and convicted ME of through His Spirit. ❤️
HE IS A GOOD AND MIGHTY AND TRUTHFUL GOD – I will trust in and on Him all the rest of my days ❤️
Love ya, dearly Maria💕
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One of the questions I get is “well what do you do that day?”
My reply:
“ I do what I always do everyday in the Lord- I rest in what He has done for us through His finished work-like He tells us to do ❤️“
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Simplicity of devotion to Jesus Christ, Beth.
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I should have said what He ALLOWS us to do 😁
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Beth, what a feast of encouragement! Love ya dearly too! May I quote you?
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Yes you sure can! All the glory goes to God ❤️❤️❤️
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Yes, amen!!
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❤️
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❤
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May I add , Maria, that I have been Born Again- spiritually- and I have learned that once a person is born again -the way that Jesus says we must be -we have been blessed with new spiritual ears- eyes and a mouth-things that we partook in when we were of the world just aren’t the same when we try to participate in them 🙏🏻 That is how it has been for me ❤️❤️❤️ Praise the Lord!
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Right, Beth! We are new creations in Christ and love what He loves. This happens right away and also He keeps working in us. Praise Him!
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\o/ \o/ \o/
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