Should Christmas be celebrated or rejected according to the word of God?

[Bro.Tan]

“Tis the season to be jolly.” Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all men. These are sayings associated with Christmas, the day that Jesus the Christ was born; or was it? Certainly this could be a description of Christmas. Celebrations such as these were taking place among non-Christians centuries before Jesus Christ was born! Such customs do not come from the Bible. They have nothing to do with the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus did not originate them, nor were they observed by the prophets (Old Testament) or the apostles (New Testament). We're going to examine Christmas, its origin and customs, and see if in fact Christmas is of God or Pagan. Should it be Celebrated or Rejected? 

Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all men. Why, because we feed and shelter the less fortunate on this one day called Christmas? Shouldn't we care for the less fortunate all year long? Retailers increase the prices on merchandise, to try to recover from poor sales from the 1st three-quarters of the fiscal year.

Christmas (December 25th) is taught to be the day that Jesus the Christ was born. The fact is Jesus was not even born in the winter season. When Jesus was born, "there were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." (Luke 2:8). This could never have occurred in Judea in the month of December. The shepherds always brought their flocks from the mountainsides and fields and corralled them no later than October, to protect them from the cold, rainy season that followed. Notice in Songs of Solomon 2:11 and Ezra 10:9, 13, that winter was a rainy season and typically the herds would most likely not be out in the rainy winter season. "It was an ancient custom among Jews of those days to send out their sheep to the fields and deserts about the Passover (early spring), and bring them home at commencement of the first rain," says the Adam Clarke Commentary (Vol. 5, page 370, New York ed.) Continuing, "During the time they were out, the shepherds watched them night and day. As..the first rain began early in the month of Marchesvan, which answers to part of our October and November (begins sometime in October), we find that the sheep were kept out in the open country during the whole summer. And, as these shepherds had not yet brought home their flocks, it is a presumptive argument that October had not yet commenced, and that, consequently, Jesus was not born on December 25th, when no flocks were out in the fields; nor could He have been born later than September, as the flocks were in the fields by night. 

Therefore, to celebrate Jesus' birth date on December 25th is not scripturally sound. Any encyclopedia will tell you that Christ was not born on December 25th. The exact date of Jesus' birth is entirely unknown, as all authorities acknowledge - though by reading the scriptures, it strongly indicates His birth was in the early fall, probably September, approximately six months after Passover. This can also be found in the Catholic Encyclopedia 1967.

Some may say, "It does not matter when He was born. I am just celebrating His birth."; whereas others may say "Jesus is the reason for the season." Is that really the case? If Jesus is the reason for the season, then why didn't He let us know when to celebrate his birth? We claim we love Jesus so much but why don't we observe his death as he commanded us. Luke 22:19, "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and break it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me." 

He commanded you to observe the Passover, not Easter, which is also a pagan holiday associated with wild sexual orgies. Jesus commanded us to observe the Holy Days in Leviticus the 23rd chapter but we ignore those days and observe traditions that have nothing to do with Jesus. (Matthew 15: 1-9). 1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 

2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 

3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 

4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 

6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 

7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 

8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 

9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

 

[FJK]

FWIW, I don't think I've ever seen any evidence of the early Christians celebrating Christmas, apparently it wasn't very important to them.

But as a Christian cultural thing, it does make a very strong statement of the importance of Christ and Christianity, which is probably why so many powerful people seem to be trying to stamp it out and change it to a more "inclusive" holiday that doesn't have any semblance of religious content.

 

[Ray12614]

For many years my family celebrated my mother-in-law's birthday on July 4th, as we thought it was her birthday. When she died we had to prepare an obituary, and then we found out that she was actually born on July 11th. We celebrated her birthday on the wrong day. That did not change anything, and, in fact although it was error, all those birthdays were joyous times of focusing our attention on her and loving her.

Frankly, I could care less if Christmas was created on or around a pagan holiday, and I could care less if it is probably not around the time of Jesus' actual birthday. I celebrate it as a time of rehearsing the biblical accounts of Jesus' birth found in Luke and Matthew and am in awe of how Jesus clothed Himself with a body, and was born for us, to redeem us back unto God. 

So . . . if people condemn me for celebrating Christmas because of a pagan holiday or bad timing, thats ok . . . maybe . . . BUT keep in mind 'why' I am celebrating it with family and friends, and try to ignore the obvious historical errors and timings etc.

My 2 cents . . . . Ray . . . . 

[Neighbor]

30 minutes ago, FJK said:

FWIW, I don't think I've ever seen any evidence of the early Christians celebrating Christmas, apparently it wasn't very important to them.

But as a Christian cultural thing, it does make a very strong statement of the importance of Christ and Christianity, which is probably why so many powerful people seem to be trying to stamp it out and change it to a more "inclusive" holiday that doesn't have any semblance of religious content.

 

Well Christ's birthday ( Yeshua) and it's place was so important that some traveled on toward the site of His birth. Finding that place through guidance in the heavens placed by God. I think there was precious worshipful celebration by those that followed the guidance when they finally arrived at the destination. Seems to have been a two year sojourn for some others were much closer at the time.

Today Christmas is almost totally secular in scope at post Christian USA. It is a secular buying celebration marked by the placing of blow up plastic Snoopy's, Santas, Elves and candy canes in front yards everywhere. The bigger, the more in any one yard, the better.  It has nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with Christ nor Christianity.

Christmas as a celebration of the reconciler coming to take on the sin of the world's population isn't being stomped out, it was abandoned.

[farouk]

The deeper matter is: Is the Incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ important?

John 1.14: "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

[Who me]

So amid all the pagan feasting and commercialism you are going to do nothing that shows that Christmas is about celebrating  the birth of their Saviour.

You are not going to explain what peace on earth means, what the good news is.

There are plenty  of gifts that benefit the poor and persecuted around the world and a card from you saying that the 20-50 dollars  you would have spent on them has gone to buy bibles, pay for an education, medical fees etc etc.

Your light display on your house can include a manger scene or don't  have one and give to your favourite  charity, ditto Christmas cards.

Christmas is a time when we can celebrate  if we want to, but also a great time for evangelism. 

[Jayne]

6 hours ago, Bro.Tan said:

Therefore, to celebrate Jesus' birth date on December 25th is not scripturally sound.

You are telling us something that we already know and have already known for most of our lives.

At my church and in my family we celebrate December 25 NOT AS Christ's literal birthday, but as an acknowledgment of the fact that God sent Christ to earth via a virgin birth to eventually become a man [also God] to die for our sins.

It's obvious that you hate Christmas - so what.  Don't celebrate it.  Just remember, not doing so doesn't make you a better Christian.

I love it for a variety of reasons.  Let me celebrate it in peace and let me celebrate Christ my own way.  It doesn't make me an ignorant Christian.

[Bro.Tan]

3 hours ago, Jayne said:

You are telling us something that we already know and have already known for most of our lives.

At my church and in my family we celebrate December 25 NOT AS Christ's literal birthday, but as an acknowledgment of the fact that God sent Christ to earth via a virgin birth to eventually become a man [also God] to die for our sins.

It's obvious that you hate Christmas - so what.  Don't celebrate it.  Just remember, not doing so doesn't make you a better Christian.

I love it for a variety of reasons.  Let me celebrate it in peace and let me celebrate Christ my own way.  It doesn't make me an ignorant Christian.

Hate is a strong word, I don't hate it, but if it goes against God then it's a problem. Certain foods out here in the world taste good, but if it's goes against God, it's a problem. Paul says in Colossians 2: 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Paul said in "1 Corinthians 6:9" Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 

[Bro.Tan]

Where Did Christmas Come From? 

World Scope Encyclopedia (1960 vol.3) states, "Christmas, the festival observed by the Christian Church on the 25th day of December in commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ. No certain knowledge of the birthday of Jesus Christ exists and its observance was not established until some time after the organization of the first churches. The 25th day of December was advocated by Julius 1, Bishop of Rome from 337 to 352, as the most suitable time to commemorate the birth of Christ. The day was finally placed on December 25th, which made it possible for all nations to observe a festival of rejoicing that the shortest day of the year has passed. The end of December was an especially significant time in the northern hemisphere. Days were short; nights long. The sun was at its lowest point. This called for the celebration of special festivals of thanksgiving and encouragement to the waning sun. When at the winter solstice in late December, the days began to lengthen once again, there was great festivity lasting into the first part of January. The reason was that the declining sun---the light of the world--had been reborn and began to gain in strength. Moreover, the newly converted peoples found it convenient to get a kind of substitute for their original celebrations of the solstice ". The birth of Jesus the Christ was assigned the date of December 25th, because on this day, as the sun began its return to the northern skies, the pagan devotees of Mithra (the Persian's Sun God) celebrated the dies natalis Solis Invicti (birthday of the invincible sun). 

The history book a Pictorial History of the Italian People states, "Saint Gregory was repelled by Graeco-Roman civilization and, paradoxically, did more than anyone else to facilitate the absorption of pagan residues into Italian Christianity. Through that process of absorption, any paganism hostile to Christianity remaining in Italian rural communities faded away".

The simple fact is that, as more and more people from throughout the Western Roman Empire became converted to an increasingly popular Christianity, they brought many of their favorite customs with them. "The pagan [winter festivals of the] Saturnalia and Brumalia were too deeply entrenched in popular custom to be set aside by Christian influence... The pagan festival with its riot and merrymaking was so popular that Christians were glad of an excuse to continue its celebration with little change in spirit or in manner... Christians of Mesopotamia accused their western brethren of idolatry and sun-worship for adopting as Christian this pagan festival. Yet the festival rapidly gained acceptance and became at last so firmly entrenched that even the Protestant revolution of the sixteenth century was not able to dislodge it..." (The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Volume III, article "Christmas.") You see this going on in churches today. Churches are constantly recruiting new members from other denominations and they often bring some aspect of their previous church to the new one. If you notice, many Christians today celebrate the Roman Catholic tradition of Lent. Historically, Lent, was not celebrated by Protestant churches.

[other one]

I do not see anywhere in scripture that we should celebrate Jesus's birthday....    Likewise, I don't see anything that tells me not to celebrate his birthday...  So, I would say that it would probably depend on how you celebrate it and why.   

I personally do not like the pagan stuff, but that's just me.   The rest of you, it's between you and the Lord.