Easter/Christmas

[larryt]

Amen, Tess.

What is the intention in our hearts?

Call it what ever you want, if you celebrate the rise of Christ in your heart, then take comfort.

Is there another name for how I celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25th? Well, use that name then. It doesn't really matter.

Christ, who lives in our heart, knows our intentions. I think we will be covered on this one.

Is our heart turned form Him and celebrating the worldly matters of these holidays?

Time for reflection.

Thanks, and welcome to Worthy! :hug:

t.

Hi Ted & All,

By your logic and reasoning why was the LORD angry with the Israelites in this instance. Aaron called the "holy day" by the name of YHWH. Didn't that make it OK? Didn't God know that Aaron wanted to worship Him? Are we not supposed to worship God in spirit and in truth as He directs. Cain thought he could honor God by his own design instead of following the prescribed method. I hear so much "talk" about "what saith the scriptures" but when it comes down to it most pick and choose when they follow the Word and when they follow the flesh.

Exodus 32:1

[ted]

Ok, Larry.

Actually, I'm not that emotionally charged about the subject at all.

I celebrate the Birth of Christ and His resurrection.

Simple as that.

As for the reference to Aaron's mistake, they were still under the law then. I haven't really thought much of the old testament rituals when it comes to celebrating these two things.

Maybe I'm wrong.

How about this, you call it whatever you want. I'll stick with the word Christmas and be done with it. I certainly don't feel like a pagan on that day.

Thanks,

t.

[Leonard]

Jesus Christ Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Well, just so everybody understands, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JESUS THE MESSIAH argues for a birth of Christ around the latter part of December.

The BIBLE states that Jesus' resurrection occured on THE VERY DAY of the 'Feast of Ishtar,' and as Christians encountered pagan cultures which worshipped their dead ancestors on Samhain, the Christians said, "Well, we are going to have a festival in honor of all the christians of the past." They called the festival "All Hallow's Day" (hallow meaning 'holy'), and is now called "All Saints Day." The evening before was called All Hallow's Eve, from which we get our word 'Halloween.' So Halloween is really referring to Christians, and we Christians need to reclaim the festival from the pagans who have been reasserting their wickedness.

I suggest letting the kids go out and get treats, but dressed as biblical characters, or great Saints of the past!

With a blessing,

Leonard, a sinner

[larryt]

Ok, Larry.

Actually, I'm not that emotionally charged about the subject at all.

I celebrate the Birth of Christ and His resurrection.

Simple as that.

As for the reference to Aaron's mistake, they were still under the law then. I haven't really thought much of the old testament rituals when it comes to celebrating these two things.

Maybe I'm wrong.

How about this, you call it whatever you want. I'll stick with the word Christmas and be done with it. I certainly don't feel like a pagan on that day.

Thanks,

t.

Hi Ted,

Some things to concider.

Ro 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Yes we are not "under the law" for the law is now written on our hearts.

Jer 31:33  But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Prov. 7:1

[Guest aggiekat]

If you all want to discuss this we can. The fact that it is emotionally charged says something about how some people look at it. The facts are that true christians down through the ages have not celebrated the birth of Christ at all. The false converts in the 3rd and 4th centuries that satan used to infiltrate the church brought the custom in.

Instead of crying LEGALISM, show from the scriptures: Why we should celebrate this holiday.

Why wouldn't we celebrate Christ's birth as well as His death and ressurection? These things are what made our salvation possible. If Jesus hadn't been born, He couldn't have died for us. Besides, His birth was celebrated when it occured.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the timeof King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the One Who has been born King of the Jews?

Edited October 23, 2004 by aggiekat

[Guest LMKloft]

A big THANK YOU to all who have posted their opinions and those who have posted scriptures to support their opinions. This is exactly why I posted this topic: I wanted to be able to see this topic from all angles. There are so many people on this forum who are knowledgeable in scripture and what God would have us do to serve Him in the best possible way. This exchange of ideas in a respectful manner is wonderful. We all come from different walks of life and have had different experiences to make us the people we are today. So, when ideas are shared, there are bound to be people who have had similar experiences. These experiences that have shaped your thinking might be helpful to reach another person with similar thinking/experiences. When this thread looks like it has run its course, I'm going to print it out. This is one of those topics I want to put in a "hard copy" folder to refer to when needed. Thanks again to all! Lynn from Iowa

[Orr v'emet]

AggieKat and Shiloh...great posts! Simply because something may have a pagan origin doesn't mean we are pagan ourselves. We are taking days that are at least recognized world wide to celebrate the birth and resurrection of our Lord and Savior. It's an opportunity for God's children to share the real meaning of these holidays with those who only look at it with thoughts of Santa and the Easter Bunny. Just my 2 cents.

[apothanein kerdos]

Can a Christian eat meat sacrificed to idols?

[Guest aggiekat]

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge.  Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.  The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.  But the man who loves God is known by God.

So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one.  For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), yet for us thereis but one God, the Father, from Whom all things came and for Whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through Whom all things came and through Whom we live.

But not everyone knows this.  Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.  But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.  For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols?  So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.  When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.  Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.

1 Corinthians Chapter 8

So in answer to your question, Super Jew, yes... a Christian can indeed eat meat sacrificed to idols. Although when it comes to celebrating Christ's birth and ressurection from the dead, I'm not sure the example quite fits.

I believe that if we make it clear to everyone around us that we are celebrating Christ's birth on Christmas and have nothing to do with the secularized side of it, we are not doing wrong. We can even use our celebration/ denial of materializm and pagan rituals as a tool to minister/witness to others. We should take a bold stand for Christ! We're celebrating His birth, whichout which we couldn't have been saved! Make some joyful noise, brothers and sisters! :il:

aggiekat

[eric]

Hi, all,

A celebration is just that a celebration. I dont think it makes any difference what sort of roots it has. To most people, it's a great excuse to decorate the house and party. In America you have the 4th of July and thanksgiving and all for different reasons. Christmas and Easter are times of celebration, but you can rest assured that God knows your motives, whether it's to celebrate the birth of Jesus or not. I myself dont worry about it simply because to me, it's not the Lord's birthday, not because of any Pagan roots. However I have to admit that at christmas, the prescence of Jesus seems more prominent in my heart and mind, because of the exposure of His Holy name everywhere. Easter is different though. There's nothing pagan about the death, the resurrection and the ascention of our Saviour and I believe it's about as near to the right time as it's possible to get. Whatever way you think, it's strctly between you and God, so who cares what man thinks.

my thoughts,

eric.