An Open Letter

Dearest family, friends, and guests to this site,

It is with the deepest sincerity that we share this information with you, regarding why our family has chosen not to participate in the celebration of the holiday commonly known as Christmas.

On the surface, we may appear to have a strange and unique view of what Christmas is all about, and what it has become. This is understandable, as we know how highly Christmas is regarded in our culture.  We just want to be able to ensure you have an understanding of why we have made the choice to abstain from common traditions and practices surrounding this holiday.

It begins as a loose thread; something grabs the attention because it just doesn't seem quite right. As you begin to pull on the thread, you hope to simply snap it off; but soon the garment begins to unravel. The more you pull on it, the more the garment unravels. This is how the whole system of Christmas disintegrated before us when we began to explore some of the context of Christmas traditions, both religious and secular.

As Christians, however, we believe very strongly what Jesus said about the type of worship that God desires, namely:

"...true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." - John 4:23-24

Since the Christmas holiday has been labeled a celebration of the birth of Jesus, we believe that if people are sincerely attempting to worship God through this holiday, they would do it not only in spirit but in truth, as Jesus said we must.

Unfortunately, so much misinformation surrounds the origins, practices and traditions of this holiday, that we believe that what actually takes place through this season is less of the truth, and more of the things that actually displease God, from what he has revealed about these types of activities in the Bible.  Perhaps some examples of some "untruths" regarding the holiday may help to explain.

To begin with, the actual date of the birth of Jesus is unknown. This is a clear historical fact, as the Bible does not reveal exactly when Jesus was born. In fact, it is generally historically agreed that his birth could not have been in December, as the events surrounding his birth as recorded in the Bible would most certainly not have been taking place at that time of year; namely, a requirement from Caesar to return to hometowns for taxation purposes (this would have been an activity in warmer weather that allowed for ease of travel), and shepherds tending flocks in the fields (another activity relegated to warmer weather).

Therefore, it appears very odd that Christians would select this date over any other to commemorate the Lord's birth.  At any other time of the year beyond the season of Christmas, most Christians are generally very diligent at attempting to prove the historical accuracy of every biblical fact, to provide as much support as possible to the claims of Jesus and his message of the kingdom of God. However, as to the date of December 25, we believe that to arbitrarily support a date that is knowingly not true is inconsistent at best, and insincere and hypocritical at worst. This is not evidence of worshiping in spirit and in truth.

Additionally, there is no indication that the early church (first century AD) ever celebrated or commemorated the birth of Christ, nor are Christians encouraged or commanded to do so anywhere in the Bible. We believe that to create an arbitrary holy day (holiday) is equivalent to worshiping God in a way of our own choosing, something that God has expressed extreme displeasure with in the Bible, and this is also not consistent with worshiping in spirit and in truth.

Since we are discussing truth and falsehood in the traditions of the Christmas holiday, another prominent area that should raise concerns for Christians involves how the character of Santa Claus is portrayed. Santa is effectively a caricature of God, possessing supernatural powers and divine attributes which only God has.

"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. 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...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."  -  From an article by John and Kathy Beardsley

Most people think that Santa is just a silly mythical character, and all of this play-acting in good fun that we ultimately grow out of.  However, the truth is that when children ultimately come to realize that Santa is not real, they logically begin to question God's existence and/or qualities (not to mention the trustworthiness of their parents for having lied to them, even if it is generally considered "good-natured" lying). This practice is obviously not consistent with either worshiping God or doing so in spirit and in truth.

Taken individually, we know that none of these issues by themselves appear to raise any serious concerns that should cause someone to suddenly abandon their time-honored Christmas traditions.  However, these are merely brief examples to open a line of thinking in your mind; perhaps to point out a loose thread or two.  If the practices and traditions of Christmas are explored on a rational -  as opposed to emotional -  level, much like tugging on a loose thread of a favorite garment, the whole convoluted collection of myths and falsehoods begins to unravel, exposing some very unexpected, and we believe, unholy, roots.

It is not our intent to condemn other Christians (or anyone else, for that matter) for celebrating Christmas or participating in Christmas activities. However, we believe that Christians should take a very long and hard look at not only what they do, but why they do it, and be obedient to God's word above all else.  The scriptures demand nothing less.

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves." 2 Cor. 13:5

We understand that Christmas is such a huge part of our culture that it has become a part of the very fabric of our society. This decision, even for our family, has only been reached over a long period of time and with much prayer and individual research.  The goal of providing this information to you is simply to give all of our family and friends some additional reasons as to why we have personally chosen not to participate in the season, and to ensure that no personal ingratitude is intended on our part if we are not reciprocal in our participation in holiday events or traditions. Hopefully, we can also raise awareness of some spiritual concerns surrounding this annual event.

"If any of this steps on your toes, I sincerely apologize. Stepping on your toes is not my intent. I really wasn’t aiming at your toes, I was aiming at your heart." -Pastor Michael Brigmond

As Christians, we believe we are commanded to "Prove [test; discern examine; try] all things; hold fast that which is good [beautiful; valuable; virtuous]."  This admonition is immediately followed with "Abstain from all appearance [form, fashion, or shape] of evil [that which is derelict or diseased]" (1 Thess. 5:20-22).  We believe that God requires us to diligently evaluate our lives by his Word, the Bible, and remove everything that violates his clear commands or does not bring honor to him.

At least in our own examination of the facts, we have seen enough inconsistency and falsehoods in historical origins of Christmas traditions, along with validation from numerous clear commands of Bible passages to come to this conclusion: we believe very firmly that Jesus is not the reason for the season, he never has been, and he most certainly should not ever be associated with anything related to Christmas.

We understand this obviously sounds very strange to many of our Christian brothers and sisters, but we hope that all of you understand that this is not a conclusion that has been reached lightly.  We encourage anyone - especially believers - to at least look through some of the information presented on this site in the context of researching some of these "loose threads" regarding what Christmas is all about, and to simply decide for themselves.

Thank you in advance for your understanding and tolerance of our convictions on this topic, and we offer the same tolerance and understanding to other individuals who may feel differently.

Sincerely,

We who are simply seeking to worship in spirit and in truth.

For an overview of the spiritual significance of this topic, 

please start by reading The Golden Calf of Christmas article on this site.

(Opens in a new window)

Video: The Unwrapping of Christmas (recommended)

The video below is about 35 minutes long, and gives a very broad overview of the basics of the history behind the holiday of Christmas. All of this information can be easily corroborated in any encyclopedia or search online.

Is Christmas Christian?

1. Introduction

'What a strange question,' you may exclaim. 'Of course Christmas is Christian: it commemorates the birth of the Saviour of the world - Jesus Christ - the Son of God!'
Stunning as the following facts may appear, it is essential to bring them to your notice.

• Christmas is a PAGAN not a Christian festival.
• The 25th December was celebrated in ancient days as the birthday of the unconquerable SUN god, (variously know as Tammuz, Mithra, Saturn, Adonis or BAAL) centuries before Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem.
• Nowhere in the Bible are believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob required to celebrate Christmas.
• The early Christian church did not celebrate Christmas. Instead it celebrated the sacred festivals mentioned in the Bible, in Leviticus chapter 23.
• In order to win Gentile converts to the Christian faith, the Roman Church, centuries after the apostolic era, adopted this ancient pagan winter festival of the SUN god and renamed it 'Christmas' mistakenly thinking that it would honour the SON of God.
• Scholars have for centuries known these facts. They can be confirmed in any reference library.
  

The word “Christmas” is derived from the Old English “Cristes maesse” from around 1100-1200 C.E.

Christ's Mass = Christmass = Christmas

A Roman Catholic Mass is an ongoing mystical reenactment of the death of Christ. “Merry Christmas” then becomes a joyful phrase of celebration that Christ has been killed.


2. Celebrating Christmas is breaking the commandments of God
By adopting Christmas from the various pagan gods of the world - we would be breaking the commandments of God, primarily the very first of the ten commandments. 

The First Commandment:

Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Numerous sun gods were supposedly born on December 25^th: Nimrod, Thor, Saturn, Mithra, Jupiter, Tammuz, Baal, Osiris, Adonis. The same traditions used to worship those gods have come down to us in the traditions of Christmas today: the yule log, christmas lights (lamps in the windows), mistletoe, holly, wreaths, and of course, Christmas trees. The Lord says these things are abominations [absolutely detestable] unto him, and were the reason that he helped Israel destroy those countries when Israel overtook the land of Canaan.

Deuteronomy 6:14-15 Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 9:3-5 Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee. Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee. Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Deuteronomy 12:30-31 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. 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.

Deuteronomy 32:16 They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.

“But that's only one commandment,” some may say. Yes, you are correct. However it is the primary commandment that God has delivered and placed in the most important position, because he knows our tendency to follow our own desires to worship whatever we want. Additionally, breaking any one commandment brings guilt of breaking all:

James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

While no further proof is needed to convict anyone of transgressing the law of God, here are some more of the ten commandments that are transgressed in the celebration of Christmas:

The Second Commandment:

Exodus 20:4-5 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.

When we set up these traditional Christmas images of trees, stars, angels, and other objects due to the season, even though we may not physically bow down to them, we are in effect serving those things that are detestable to God by closely aligning ourselves with their meanings, and giving our assent to them.

The Third Commandment:

Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Saying that Christmas is the birthday of Jesus is taking the name of the Lord in vain [in emptiness; without purpose], because this holiday has never been about him!

The Fourth Commandment:

Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

We are reminded to keep the weekly sabbath day holy (and with it all of the biblical feasts of the Lord), NOT the holiday traditions of men. Yeshua/Jesus says we transgress [i.e., violate or go contrary to] his commandment when we choose our traditions over his commandments. In doing this, we make his commandments of no effect when we choose to follow our own traditions over his commandments:

Matthew 15:3, 6 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? ...Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

The Seventh Commandment:

Exodus 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Anytime we choose to follow other gods, Yahweh considers it equivalent to adultery.

Jeremiah 3:6-9 The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks [i.e., idols of stone and wood].

Ezekiel 23:37 That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour them. Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths.

The Ninth Commandment:

Exodus 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Continuing to promote the myths of Santa, reindeer, elves, and the false date of Dec. 25 as the birthday of the Messiah is equivalent to bearing false witness to the truth of God.

John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The Tenth Commandment:

Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

The commercialization of Christmas and the gift frenzy demonstrate how covetousness is equivalent to idolatry and “the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim. 6:10)

“...all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints” Eph. 5:3

...”and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience” Col. 3:5-6

3. Other scriptural commandments and exhortations to remove ourselves from the things of this world.

James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Jeremiah 10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen...

2 Corinthians 6:14-15 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

Proverbs 25:26 A righteous man falling down [side-slipping, wavering] before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.

Ephesians 5:6-11 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Perhaps you have participated in the celebration of Christmas up until this point in your life, how shall you proceed, having learned these scriptural truths? The good news is that even if sins are committed in ignorance, God will forgive, if he is sought with the whole heart in repentant attitude. However, having this knowledge of the truth of the pagan origins of Christmas and still choosing to follow the traditions of men over the commandments of God is a reproach against the Lord, and carries dire consequences.

Numbers15:28-31 And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.

We no longer need to offer sacrifices of animals, because Yeshua/Jesus is our high priest forever, who

has once for all offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for sins. Turn your back on the pagan traditions handed down to this generation, and with humility seek his forgiveness, and you will be forgiven.

Hebrew 10:11-14 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

I'll end this article with a prayer that the Holy Spirit will grant you the humility, understanding and courage you will need in order to break with paganism and take your stand for the Truth of the Almighty God as revealed in His Word.

A Bible story about idolatry...and its results

Why all this fuss about idolatry when the topic of Christmas is raised?  How can that possibly apply to our own harmless family traditions and celebrations?  To answer this, I simply submit the following passage from 2 Kings 17:6-18:8 (ESV). (Highlighting and bracketed comments are mine).

The Fall of Israel
17:6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria, and he carried the Israelites away to Assyria and placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

Exile Because of Idolatry
7 And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods 8 and walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel, and in the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced. 9 And the people of Israel did secretly against the LORD their God things that were not right. They built for themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city. 10 They set up for themselves pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, 11 and there they made offerings on all the high places, as the nations did whom the LORD carried away before them. And they did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger, 12 and they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, “You shall not do this.” 

[Even then, as they "walked in the customs of the nations," God, in his mercy, does not give up on them...]

13 Yet the LORD warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”

14 But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the LORD their God. 15 They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the LORD had commanded them that they should not do like them. 16 And they abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made for themselves metal images of two calves; and they made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. 17 And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger. 18 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.
19 Judah also did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the customs that Israel had introduced. 20 And the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
21 When he had torn Israel from the house of David, they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. And Jeroboam drove Israel from following the LORD and made them commit great sin. 22 The people of Israel walked in all the sins that Jeroboam did. They did not depart from them, 23 until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had spoken by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria until this day.

[This next passage is a look at mixed worship, where the people wanted to worship the Lord, but also continued the idolatrous practices of the nations.  This is called syncretism, and has the same results as flat-out idolatry, as it is equally offensive to God.  This syncretism that is described below is the same sinful mixing of pagan and religious traditions we see in Christmas traditions today, even if it is performed under the intent to worship the Lord.]

Assyria Resettles Samaria
24 And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. And they took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. 25 And at the beginning of their dwelling there, they did not fear the LORD. Therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which killed some of them. 26 So the king of Assyria was told, “The nations that you have carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the law of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they are killing them, because they do not know the law of the god of the land.”

[Even the worldly wisdom of the king of Assyria demonstrates an understanding of respecting the "god of the land."  But this worldly acknowledgment is not sufficient to maintain the level of obedience that God desires.]

27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, “Send there one of the priests whom you carried away from there, and let him go and dwell there and teach them the law of the god of the land.” 28 So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel and taught them how they should fear the LORD.
29 But every nation still made gods of its own and put them in the shrines of the high places that the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities in which they lived. 30 The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32 They also feared the LORD and appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. 33 So they feared the LORD but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.34 To this day they do according to the former manner. They do not fear the LORD, and they do not follow the statutes or the rules or the law or the commandment that the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel.

[In God's eyes, this mixed worship is the very same as unbelief; notice, in v. 34 it says: "They do not fear the LORD...]

35 The LORD made a covenant with them and commanded them, “You shall not fear other gods or bow yourselves to them or serve them or sacrifice to them, 36 but you shall fear the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm. You shall bow yourselves to him, and to him you shall sacrifice. 37 And the statutes and the rules and the law and the commandment that he wrote for you, you shall always be careful to do. You shall not fear other gods, 38 and you shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you. You shall not fear other gods, 39 but you shall fear the LORD your God, and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.” 40 However, they would not listen, but they did according to their former manner.41 So these nations feared the LORD and also served their carved images. Their children did likewise, and their children’s children—as their fathers did, so they do to this day.

[Are we not leading our own precious children down the same path, if we continue mixing the myths of pagan traditions and religiosity at Christmas within our families?]

Hezekiah Reigns in Judah
18:1 In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. 3 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done.

[Again, while it does not look like mercy, God demonstrates mercy to Israel by raising up a king who was zealous for God's own honor, that Israel would be spared further immediate judgment from the nations around them; namely, the Philistines.]

4 He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan). 5 He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him. 6 For he held fast to the LORD. He did not depart from following him, but kept the commandments that the LORD commanded Moses. 7 And the LORD was with him; wherever he went out, he prospered. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and would not serve him. 8 He struck down the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city.

While the stories of the nation of Israel throughout the Old Testament continued to fluctuate between following God and not following God, these lessons are for us today.

Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 1 Cor. 10:11-12

I believe that God is just as equally opposed to idolatry in this day and age as he was in this previous day and age with Israel

"For I am the LORD, I change not..." Mal. 3:6

The God of the Bible may not be the national God of this nation today, but as the King of kings and Lord of lords, he is no less the God of us individually, and this same cleansing of repentance from wicked works is necessary today just as it was then.  I am not advocating we break into people's homes and remove their idolatrous Christmas trees and trappings of the season.  What I am saying is the responsibility is ours to conduct this cleansing in our own lives, not to wait for or attempt to raise up some sort of godly leader to conduct this housecleaning for us.  Only godly individuals standing up for God's honor can accomplish this type of transformation today through the power of the holy Spirit and by resting squarely on God's word.  We must physically, mentally, and spiritually depart from the practices of the world around us. We need to break down our own altars, our own idols, and remove ourselves, not from the world, but from the ungodly worldly practices of the nation around us.

Start with your own household and be the light of Christ to those around you as you demonstrate faithfulness to God!  Explaining to others why you have no Christmas tree, or why you do not participate in the day will absolutely create opportunities to witness to those around you, I guarantee it!  God doesn't want us to smash trees, he wants us, through the power of his holy Spirit, to smash the blindness covering the eyes of those closest to us!

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2 Cor. 4:3-4

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. 2 Tim. 2:24-26

Brothers and sisters in Christ, that's how evangelism works, and there is rarely a better opportunity to create discussions of commitment when you are committed to drastic actions yourself! This principle is active all year long, not just at Christmas! Be gentle toward others, but hard on yourself! Then you can speak the truth as one who knows the truth by experience, not just by understanding it to be true, and those who listen will understand that you actually believe what it is you preach.

Quitting Christmas

• As with any sin, Christmas is difficult to stop and make appropriate adjustment. Christmas, along with other pagan holidays are only a habit, a bad habit, that those around us want us to believe we are being too nit-picky about. As the alcoholic around other alcoholics, and a drug addict around other users are ridiculed and mocked, if they announce they had enough and want to quit, so the person who stands up among friends who practice pagan holidays, and announces they quit, get the same treatment. Quitting pagan holidays has even divided families.  Source link

• If we fail to send out "gifts" our friends will think hard of us, probably deem us stingy and miserly. The honest course is to go to the trouble of notifying them - by letter if at a distance - that from now on you do not propose to send out any more "Christmas gifts" as such. Give your reasons. State plainly that you have been brought to see that "Christmas merrymaking" is entirely a thing OF THE WORLD, devoid of any Scriptural warrant; that it is a Romish institution, and now that you see this, you dare no longer have any fellowship with it (Eph. 5:11); that you are the Lord's "free man" (1 Cor. 7:22), and therefore you refuse to be in bondage to a costly custom imposed by the world.  Source link

Jesus NOT born on December 25th?

• “It was a custom among Jews to send out their sheep to the deserts about the Passover [early spring], and bring them home at the commencement of the first rain,” Clarke’s Commentary by Adam Clarke, vol. 3, p. 370. He adds, “As these shepherds had not yet brought home their flocks, it is a presumptive argument that October had not yet commenced, and that, consequently, our Savior was not born on the 25th of December, when no flocks were out in the fields …the flocks were still in the fields BY NIGHT. On this very ground the nativity in December should be given up.”
  
  Celebrating our Savior’s birth on December 25 and teaching others to do so is to live and teach a lie. Some will say, “We know he was not born on December 25. We simply choose that day to remember his birth.” Of all the days in the year to remember his birth, why that day? History has shown...that that day was chosen by the Roman church in order to assimilate pagans who were celebrating their gods and goddesses on the same day. If Christians know Messiah was not born on December 25, then why not move the celebration of his birth to a different day, one that is closer to the approximate time of his birth (September/October)? Since we are not commanded to celebrate Yahshua’s birth and since we do not know the exact date of his birth, the prudent course of action in dealing with such a holiday stemming from paganism is to abandon it.  Source link
  

• There is probably a good reason as to why the exact date of Yahshua’s birth is not known. Not even the devout followers of him, in all of their research and attempts, were able to ascertain that date. Simply put, “Not mentioned, not important.” There is no instruction to observe the day of the birth of Yahshua as a religious holiday. If Yahweh thought that would be important he would have said so. The lack of a specific date being even slightly alluded to should actually keep us on our guard against it.  Source link
  

• Most of the traditions practiced surrounding this December celebration are Pagan in origin. Things are used that are from a time long, long before Christ. To look at two of them; the date of December 25th and the decorating of a tree. Both have absolutely no connection whatsoever with Jesus. God did not reveal to us the date of His only Son’s birth.
  
  Ancient heathen and pagan civilizations held festivals and worshiped the sun. One date for such was the winter solstice, after which days begin to get longer. Babylon noted December 25th and so did Rome. Hundreds of years after Christ, the Catholic Church adopted this date for the celebration of their X-mas.  Source link

• DATE OF CHRIST’S BIRTH NOT KNOWN—"The supposed anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ, occurring on Dec. 25: No sufficient data . . exists, for the determination of the month or the day of the event . . There is no historical evidence that our Lord’s birthday was celebrated during the apostolic or early post-apostolic times.
  
  "The uncertainty that existed at the beginning of the third century in the minds of Hippolytus and others—Hippolytus earlier favored Jan. 2; Clement of Alexandria (Strom., i. 21), "the 25th of Pachon" [May 20]; while others, according to Clement, fixed upon Apr, 18 or 19 and Mar. 28—proves that no Christmas festival had been established much before the middle of the century. Jan. 6 was earlier fixed upon as the date of the baptism or spiritual birth of Christ, and the feast of Epiphany . . was celebrated by the Basilidian Gnostics in the second century . . and by Catholic Christians by about the beginning of the fourth century.
  
  "The earliest record of the recognition of Dec. 25 as a church festival is in the Philocalian Calendar [although copied in 354, represented Roman practice in 336]."—Newman, A.H., "Christmas," New Scaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. 3, 47.
  
  THEY WERE NOT CERTAIN WHAT DATE TO SELECT—"Uncertainty about Jesus’ birthday in the early third century is reflected in a disputed passage of the presbyter Hippolytus, who was banished to Sarinia by Maximinus in 235, and in an authentic statement of Clement of Alexandria. While the former favored January second, the learned Clement of Alexandria enumerates several dates given by the Alexandrian chronographers, notably the twenty-fifth of the Egyptian month, Pachon (May twentieth), in the twenty-eighth year of Augustus and the twenty-fourth or twenty-fifth of Pharmuthi (April eighteenth or nineteenth) of the year A.D. 1, although he favored May twentieth. This shows that no Church festival, in honor of the day, was established before the middle of the third century. Origen, at that time in a sermon, denounced the idea of keeping Jesus’ birthday like that of Pharaoh and said that only sinners such as Herod were so honored. Arnobius later similarly ridiculed giving birthdays to ‘gods.’ A Latin treatise, De pascha computus (of ca. 243), placed Jesus’ birth on March twenty-first since that was the supposed day on which God created the Sun (Gen 1:14-19), thus typifying the ‘Sun of righteousness’ as Malachi 4:2 called the expected Messiah. A century before, Polycarp, martyred in Smyrna in 155, gave the same date for the birth and baptism placing it on a Wednesday because of the creation of the Sun on that day."—Walter Woodburn Hyde, Paganism to Christianity in the Roman Empire, 249-250.  Source link

Idolatrous meanings are no longer relevant?

• Christmas, its origin found nowhere in scripture and surrounded by pagan worship and rites, has no place in the congregation of our Master. We cannot separate a religious holiday with its past or its origins. We can’t say, “Well, that was then, and this is now.” We are told in Deuteronomy 12:29-30 – “When Yahweh your Elohim cuts off before you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, beware that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?,’ and 18:9 – “When you enter the land which Yahweh your Elohim gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations."
  
  We cannot “Christianize” something that was theirs first, just like they can’t “Paganize” something that was ours first. They can’t take Passover and dance around snakes and sacrifice children and it be pleasing to Yahweh, so how can we imitate the rites of those pagan celebrations and honor Yahweh or Yahshua? If they offered gifts to a tree representing their god (by putting them under the tree), how can we do the same and separate the paganism from that? That is the same as playing with a wee gee board and asking Yahshua to guide our hands. We cannot bring Yahshua into that pagan practice. Is it a sin to give gifts to one another? No. But when it is done in the same manner, at the same time of the year as the ancient pagans did it, we should run away from it to avoid association with the world in it. We have had this in our past for so many hundreds of years that it seems normal. But normal doesn’t always mean right. Did Yahshua observe it? Did Yahshua instruct it to be observed? Did any of the apostles teach or observe it? Did the early church fathers observe it? The answers to these are obvious. Why should we unite our festivities with those rooted in or imitative of pagan rites and rituals?  Source link

• Did the Catholic church of the 4th century, in adapting ("Christianizing" ) the pagan practices of their day, obey the following commands of God? No, they did not:
  
  1 Corinthians 10:14 & 19-20: ". . . flee from idolatry." "What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons."
  
  1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 (they turned from idols); 5:22: "Abstain from every form of evil." See also Acts 14:8-15.
  
  1 John 5:21: ". . . keep yourselves from idols."
  
  Romans 12:9: "Abhor what is evil."
  
  Ephesians 5:8-11: "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them."
  
  1 Peter 3:11: (Turn away from evil.)
  
  3 John 11: ". . . do not imitate what is evil"
  
  The Catholic church of the 4th century did not oppose the evil idolatry of its day, but they actually participated in it by giving them new names. Was this pleasing in the sight of God? Not at all! What about today? Should Christians participate in Christmas? Should they do as the 4th century Catholic church did (take a pagan holiday and "Christianize" it)?  Source link

• ...the reader can visit any reference library and trace the origins of Christmas and Easter back to paganism. The facts are legion.
  The question now is: Should a true believer in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel celebrate Christmas and Easter? Is it acceptable to enter into these festivities and keep these pagan feasts now that their heathen origins have become widely known? And will the Holy One of Israel object to one of His followers, say, attending a Christmas dinner or party?
  The Bible answer is absolutely clear on this point and if you have the courage to read it turn to 1 Corinthians 10 and study verses 16-22 you will find this question, answered and it amounts to this:
  
  • That those who eat festival sacrifices become united with the God to whom those sacrifices are made. (v16-18)
  • That though the food partaken of is itself not intrinsically changed (v19), when a person partakes of and shares in a pagan feast or celebration, he/she becomes partner with the spirits of evil, the demon host who daily defy the dictates of the Almighty. (20-21)
  As Paul says:
  

  1 Cor. 10:

  "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. 22: Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?"

  In other words when a person celebrates Christmas, which was and still is motivated by the forces of evil, he/she is honouring the demons who conceived that pagan festival in the first place; demons who are totally opposed to the Holy Spirit of God; and who go out of their way too prompt mankind into committing all kinds of evil at their winter festival. You may be sure that the so-called "spirit of Xmas" is not the Holy Spirit of the LORD God of the Bible. Greed, drunkenness, violence and debauchery are hallmarks of the Xmas season. Everyone is now aware of this.  Source link

The Best of Intentions

• I have recently been criticized, chastised, ridiculed, and slandered for not celebrating Christmas, Halloween, Easter, etc. My critic feels that celebrating Christmas in a "positive way" is a good thing.
  
  All I can say to him is, "Thank you for helping me understand how compromise works. Thank you for showing me how to couple human reasoning with idolatry to create a new doctrine that is both positive and good. Thank you for explaining how we can disobey God, enjoy it and be blessed in knowing that God is pleased with our manipulation and polluting of His Word.
  
  While the Scriptures show us that God views idolatry as an abomination, by utilizing this man’s reasoning idolatry can become a positive event in our lives. How blessed we are to know that we can commit an abomination to God in a positive way and win souls through lies and false doctrine.
  
  Folks, this really opens the door to a new wave of positive compromise. I suppose we could steal from the rich and give to the poor and this would be considered a "positive theft." Wow! Just imagine the possibilities. If we can change evil to good just by shining a rose colored light on it we can do anything. The sky is the limit!
  
  Little white lies, because they are told to "help" someone or some situation, must be okay as well. With this brand of humanism, "positive idolatry" can take the pressure off lying. Jesus’ command to, "Go and sin no more," can be now be understood as "go and sin no more, except thou do it with good intent."  Source link

• Because Christmas uses the name of Jesus Christ and His birth in conjunction with the celebration of the Christmas season, many Christians believe that this justifies its observance and its idolatrous association with a "pagan origin". I know and understand that many things today come from pagan origin; the days of the week, months, etc. Many things that are of pagan origin, we can not eliminate. It is part of living in this world. God clearly says we are in the world, but not of the world. "And be not conformed to this world" Romans 12:2. In comparison, many in the church today live very similar to those in the world. Where is our light? We are called to be different. Luke 16:15 "Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God". Source link
  

• If we can see that there is even a chance, of which there is much more than that, of Christmas being pagan, should we still seek or find justification in participating? We would only succeed in being ensnared to follow pagan gods in the same way that the pagans did. The rites performed during Christmas today are those that were done to glorify their false gods in the past. Do we want to give those gods any glory whatsoever? If those things are detestable to Yahweh, should we not stay far, far away to avoid even the appearance of evil?  Source link
  

• If you have a "reasonable doubt" that your participation in X-mas, to whatever extent, displeases God, then leave it alone. "Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin" (Rom. 14:23).  Source link


• To be sure, there is nothing wrong with a human tradition - if it does not clash with a command of the Almighty God. But if a tradition conflicts with a divine commandment, as most of the popular Christian festivals do, then once they are recognised for what they are, their continued acceptance will neutralise one's worship, making it vain, pointless and futile. Their continued use can even jeopardise one's salvation. This frightening fact is clearly taught by the Master himself:
  

  Mark 7:6	He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7: Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
  Matt.15:8	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.

  The Christian church is guilty of placing the traditions of men above the commandments of God. The celebrating of Christmas, Easter, Ash-Wednesday, the Nativity of St John, the Feast of the Assumption, Hallowe'en and Sunday etc. are all human traditions. Not one of these festivals was authorised by the LORD God. They are all spiritual weeds in the Garden of Salvation. Celebrating them in preference to Yahweh's Sabbaths is no more than self-deluding idolatry. These facts may stun or even anger some who read them. But they must be told. Because replacing a divine commandment with a human tradition is a very serious sin. At the coming Judgement would you forgive me for not telling you the Truth?
  Then came his disciples, and said unto him,
  Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
  But he answered and said,
  Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.(Matt.15:12-14)  Source link

"Under every green tree"

The following nine verses all contain the phrase "under every green tree" (in the King James Version of the Bible). One thing to note is that every one of these verses is speaking about the practice of idolatry, and God's abhorrence of it.

Consider this: where are all the gifts typically placed on Christmas Eve?

1. Deuteronomy 12:2-4
Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God.

2. 1 Kings 14:22-23
And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done. For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.

3. 2 Kings 16:2-3
Twenty years old [was] Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel. And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

4. 2 Kings 17:7-12
For [so] it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made. And the children of Israel did secretly [those] things that [were] not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree: And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as [did] the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger: For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.

5. 2 Chronicles 28:1-4
Ahaz [was] twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father: For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim. Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

6. Isaiah 57:3-5
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, [and] draw out the tongue? [are] ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood, Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?

7. Jeremiah 2:19-20
Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that [it is] an evil [thing] and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear [is] not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts. For of old time I have broken thy yoke, [and] burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.

8. Jeremiah 3:6, 12-15
The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen [that] which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; [and] I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I [am] merciful, saith the LORD, [and] I will not keep [anger] for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

9. Ezekiel 6:9-14
And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. And they shall know that I [am] the LORD, [and that] I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my fury upon them. Then shall ye know that I [am] the LORD, when their slain [men] shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols. So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.

These verses show how strongly the Lord abhors idolatry.  Each time Israel mixed their worship with the idolotrous practices of the heathen nations around them, he pronounced judgment and wrath.  How much sorer punishment awaits us today if we continue to mix our Christmas "worship" with the idolatry clearly outlined in the Bible?

These lessons are available to us today for a specific reason:

1 Corinthians 10:5-7 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them

Lest anyone considers this was just an adomonition for the Old Testament believers, and not applicable to New Testament believers in Jesus Christ, consider this:

Colossians 3: 5-6 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience

Therefore, by placing what we want (covetousness, the New Testament definition of idolatry) under every green tree (the Old Testament location of idolatrous worship), this practice becomes the very demonstration of biblical idolatry!

Going Beyond God's Word is Lawlessness

• ..Christians certainly do not have the liberty to create a day not found anywhere in the New Testament to observe every year and then in the process using pagan customs to practice it.  Source link

• “Be not conformed to this world” (Rom. 12:2) No true Christian should ever celebrate Christmas for it is man-made worship who's customs come from a pagan god in various cultures and pagan religions through the ages. We are not to be conforming God's Word to the worldly celebration but we are ourselves are to be conforming to His Word on a daily basis. Christians should leave the practice of Christmas, as Revelation 18:4 would say, come out and do not be partakers of her sins!  Source link

• When pastors and elders authorize a special Christmas service, they do so on their own authority, because there is no warrant from the Word of God to do so. Therefore, in this one point they act no differently than the pope or a bishop.  Source link

• Many of us celebrate these Traditional Christian holidays without a single thought. These holidays have been handed down in traditional form and celebrated for years with out much question. Why don't we as Christians stop to question these holidays as to whether they are biblical (commanded by God)? Is it that we Christians are often blindly led through man's traditions into idolatry, which God hates? Where in God's word has He commanded us to celebrate Christmas or even given a date?... It's very clear to me that God's people are teaching man-made traditions as if the are commands from God. God says that our man-made, handed down traditions violate the direct commandments of God; making our worship worthless, void, and in vain.  Source link

Strange Fire
"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.  And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord" (Lev. 10:1,2).

"What was their sin? Their sin was offering of strange fire, so the text saith that they offered strange fire, which God commanded them not. . . . But had God ever forbidden it? Where do we find that ever God had forbidden them to offer strange fire, or appointed that they should offer only one kind of fire? There is no text of Scripture that you can find from the beginning of Genesis to this place, where God hath said in terminus, in so many words expressly, 'You shall offer no fire but one kind of fire.' And yet here they are consumed by fire from God, for offering 'strange fire.'" (Jeremiah Burroughs, Gospel-Worship (London: Peter Cole, 1650), pp. 2-3.).

Those who reject God's regulative principle of worship have a real problem explaining this text. Some argue that Nadab and Abihu were condemned because they offered strange incense, for offering strange incense is expressly condemned in Exodus 30:9. But the text does not say "strange incense", it says "strange fire". Others argue that they must have been insincere or drunk. But what does the Holy Spirit give us as the reason for their judgment? They offered strange fire "which he commanded them not." When it comes to worshipping God, there must be a warrant out of God's Word.  Source link

• The sin of lawlessness includes going beyond what has been delivered from God. In 1 Kings 12:25-33, we can read how Jeroboam was guilty of lawlessness when he changed the worship of Israel. This rebellion against God eventually led to the downfall of Israel. Jeroboam established new priests, new feast days, and a new location for worship. God did not command any of these things, but 1 Kings 12:33 tells us that Jeroboam devised these things in his own heart. God did not specifically tell Jeroboam not to do any of these things. Instead, Jeroboam was supposed to obey what God had already commanded concerning worship. Because of Jeroboam's lawlessness, God rejected him and eventually destroyed his family. It makes no difference whether we live under the Old or the New Covenant, we must follow God's instructions if we are to be pleasing to Him. In 2 John 9, we are warned, "Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son." This warning is just as true today as the day it was first written...We should be able to give book, chapter, and verse in God's Word to establish the authority for anything we are doing in our worship to God. If no scriptural authority can be found, the practice must be given up. To do something without Biblical authority is to ignore the will of God.  Source link
  
  "You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." (Deuteronomy 4:2)
  
  "So you shall observe to do just as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left." (Deuteronomy 5:32)
  
  "Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it." (Deuteronomy 12:32)
  
  "Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go." (Joshua 1:7)
  
  "Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words Lest He reprove you, and you be proved a liar." (Proverbs 30:5-6)
  
  "But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:8-9)
  
  "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:17)
  
  "Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." (Hebrews 8:5)
  
  "If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God." (1 Peter 4:11)
  
  "Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son." (2 John 9)

• X-mas and it’s commemoration is a man-made mode of worship to Christ. God has set forth how and when to worship. Man is incapable of devising an acceptable way to worship Christ or God. X-mas is false worship, it is strange fire. "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censor, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not" (Lev. 10:1). Also, "God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24).  Source link
  

The "divinity" of Santa Claus

• "He knows when you are sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake." These words describe a god (only a god could do such things worldwide). Santa Claus is a false god (an idol, 1 John 5:21). Even though it's all "make-believe", it still is evil. He looks good and clean. 2 Corinthians 11:14 warns us of the schemes of the Devil and his crafty ways. Satan transforms himself into an angel of light. The whole Santa Claus concept is evil to the core (a false god), yet sugar coated to deceive the unsuspecting.  Source link

• Now we come to the Santa Claus divinity or mythology as I like to call it, he has God like features for instance, he never dies, so he has eternal life. Santa has been labeled as the "magic" of Christmas because of his so-called ability to travel around the world in one night visiting billions of homes which no human being could really do in one night. He also judges the people of the world to see if they are bad or good. And rewards those who have acceptable behavior which is not a symbol of faith freely given of God without any merit, but a symbol of salvation by works. Some call this commercialism and would agree this should be kept out of the celebration, but it's more than "commercialism" of a materialistic world, it's a pagan deception which doesn't point in the direction of God or agrees with His Word, but points in the direction of hell and no Christian should have anything to do with pagan customs.  Source link

• The idea of a bearded wonder with an "all seeing eye," makes Santa Claus into not only a spirit god who is every where beholding the good and the bad, he actually replaces Jesus Messieh and stands superior to him during the Christmas Paganalia.  Source link
  

Excessive consumerism and covetousness

Christmas (in America) creates stress and debt. Children fall prey to greed/covetousness because parents/adults enable them with “wish lists” and excessive consumerism to support the lie of Santa Claus.

• I believe that gifts can be great blessings. But a gift is of no value whatever unless it is given in love. Today the common custom seems to be to give a gift at Christmas as a part of a bargain to receive one. Those who give only at a time of a celebration of idolatry certainly are only doing so to the abhorrence of the Almighty. How much more then are they mocking God and making themselves abominable to Him, who send gifts to one another at such a time in a pretense of honoring the birth of His Son? And what account shall those Christians give to our God in the day of judgment, who have annually spent hundreds and even thousands of dollars upon Christmas presents out of their abundance and yet have given little or nothing to support gospel work in our land or in the needy mission fields?  Source link

• Christmas brings out sinful behavior on how people and children should drool over the gifts of excesses from Santa Claus, parents, friends, and so on.  Source link

• In his new book, Greed as Idolatry: The Origin and Meaning of a Pauline Metaphor (Eerdmans, 2007), Moore College lecturer Brian Rosner elevates the issue Latham raises to the level of importance the Bible gives it: being greedy is the worst kind of opposition to God. It is idolatry.  Source link
  

• Christmas has become a COMMERCIAL season. It's sponsored, kept alive, by the heaviest retail advertising campaign of the year. You see a masqueraded "Santa Claus" in many stores. Ads keep us deluded and deceived about the "beautiful Christmas SPIRIT." The newspapers, who sell the ads, print flowery editorials exalting and eulogizing the pagan season, and its "spirit." Gullible people have become so inoculated, many take offense when told the TRUTH! But the "Christmas SPIRIT" is created each year, not to honor Christ, but to SELL MERCHANDISE! Like all Satan's delusions, it appears as an "angel of LIGHT," is made to appear GOOD. BILLIONS OF DOLLARS are spent in this merchandising spree every year, while the CAUSE OF CHRIST must SUFFER! It's part of the economic system of BABYLON!
  
  We are God's people ISRAEL! Yes, we're IN BABYLON, as Bible prophecy foretold, and we don't know it! Come OUT of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her SINS, and that ye receive not of HER PLAGUES" — now soon to fall — is the warning of Rev. 18:4.  Source link

Childhood lies become grown up skepticism

• Let me tell you about my experience. When my daughter was about 8 years old, she quit talking to me. For several days she wouldn't come into a room where I was and if I went into the room where she was, she got up and went out. After a day or so I got a little upset. I tried to talk to her and she would answer my questions as briefly as she could and then leave. So I talked to her brother and asked him to talk with her and he came back and told me something that broke my heart. I have paid for this, right on up until today. Marie told him, “Mother lied to me. Can you believe it? She lied about the tooth fairy, she lied about Santa Claus, she lied about the Easter Bunny. She may be lying all the time, we don't know.”  Source link

• The question may be asked, what harm is there in telling the children of "Santa Claus?" Now honestly consider: Can "Santa Claus," a mere myth, a fable having its origin in Roman Catholicism, that idolatrous system, be owned of God? This "Santa Claus" is taught by parents to have the very attributes of God Himself! Parents talk of him as of a living spirit who sees and knows when boys and girls are disobedient, and who is able to travel through space, from north to south, east to west, in a few brief hours of time. Christian, you are teaching your child the first principles of idol worship; and telling an untruth yourself when you teach this wicked tale of "Santa Claus." Do you say, it is such a nice story for them, they are so little and must have their pleasure too? No doubt it is nice, and most agreeable to the flesh, or the world – whose god is Satan – would never relish it or commemorate it from year to year as it does. Some will argue for the "keeping of Christmas" on the ground of "giving the kiddies a good time." But why do this under the cloak of honoring the Saviour's birth? Why is it necessary to drag in His Holy Name in connection with what takes place at that season of carnal jollification? Is this taking the little ones with you out of Egypt (Ex. 10:9, 10), a type of the world, or is it not plainly a mingling with the present-day Egyptians in their "pleasures of sin for a season" (Heb. 11:25)? Scripture says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Prov. 22:6), to bring up children "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4).  Source link

• Parents purposely and deliberately lie to their children and tell them that they should fear Santa Claus because "he knows if you've been bad or good". These same parents also lie to their children about the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy. Then they wonder why their children become liars and don't believe the Messiah is real later on in life.  Source link

• Thru the year, parents punish their children for telling falsehoods. Then, at Christmas time, they themselves tell their little children this "Santa Claus" lie! Is it any wonder many of them, when they grow up and learn the truth, begin to believe God is a myth, too?
  
  One little fellow, sadly disillusioned about "Santa Claus," said to a playmate, "Yes, and I'm going to look into this 'Jesus Christ business,' too!" Is it CHRISTIAN to teach children myths and falsehoods? God says, "Thou shalt not bear FALSE WITNESS!" It may seem right, and be justified by human reason, but God says, "There is a way that seemeth RIGHT to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of DEATH!" "Old Nick" also is a term for the devil! Is there a connection? Satan appears as an "angel of LIGHT," to deceive! II Cor. 11:4 and Rev. 12.9.  Source link

The only time some people hear the gospel?

One of the objections to dismissing Christmas is the idea that people can actually come to Christ during this season of focus on his birth, and that evangelism is buoyed through the season of good will and cheer.

• Christmas is the only time some people will hear the gospel. Really? I have two problems with that. Firstly, will these people never have a Christian co-worker, aunt, or next door neighbour who will share the gospel with them? Christmas is their only chance, (assuming that they go to church at Christmas)? Secondly, if Christmas was such a vital evangelical tool, why didn’t God think to institute it Himself? How is it that the apostles didn’t think of it? Fancy leaving it to the pagans and the Roman Catholics to come up with the idea.  Source link

Bible & Early Believers are Silent on Christmas

Celebrations of Jesus' birthday are nowhere in the Bible. The disciples did not celebrate it. The early "church fathers" did not celebrate it.

• Christmas is not a scriptural subject, it is never mentioned in the bible, so although many scriptures are used, this study cannot be based solely on the word of God.  Source link

• Nowhere in the pages of scripture do we find a command to keep the celebration of Christmas.  Source link 

• The Apostles in the Lord who later would walk with Jesus and be taught by Him never created a special day set aside to celebrate his birth after His accession into Heaven. There was also no such record in the Scriptures of a special day to celebrate the Lord's birth when He was living on Earth. It's like calling Jesus a "baby" when He is not.  Source link

• ...the scriptures do not tell us when His birthday was. We know the date of His death (on Passover) and scripture tells us the time of many other important events in biblical history such as the founding of the temple (first day of the year), the timing of the Exodus from Egypt (also on Passover), the date that the flood began and many other events. But the date of the Messiah's birth? Scripture is silent. To me this speaks volumes. Even though Yahushua could look into the future and know that there would be billions of people who wanted to celebrate His birthday, He never told us when it was. If He wanted us to celebrate His birthday, He surely would have told us when it was.  Source link

• This is not to say that we shouldn't remember Christ's birth and its significance, but no where in God's word are we instructed to celebrate, commemorate, or observe Christmas. We will find in the Bible that Christmas was not observed by the early Church or by the apostles. It is not a bible doctrine. Biblically, “Christmas” does not exist. If Jesus wanted us to celebrate His birthday, He would have instructed us to. Had the Lord deemed this knowledge essential to our salvation, he would have spoken through his prophets and apostles. But the silence of the Scriptures upon this subject point evidences to us that it is hidden from us for the wisest purposes. Christians are commanded to remember the Lord Jesus' death, by uniting together and partaking in what we call the "Lord's Supper". This was instituted scripturally by both the Lord Himself in Luke 22:17-20 and by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.  Source link
  

• Does not the very term itself denote it's source - "Christ-mass." Thus it is of Roman origin, brought over from paganism. But, says someone, Christmas is the time when we commemorate the Savior's birth. It is? And WHO authorized such commemoration? Certainly God did not. The Redeemer bade His disciples "remember" Him in His death, but there is not a word in scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, which tells us to celebrate His birth. Moreover, who knows when, in what month, He was born? The Bible is silent thereon.  Source link
  

• As we face this issue, it must be understood that we have inherited 1600 years of deceit. The idea that Jesus was born on December 25 is made up (no man on earth knows when He was born ). AlI the practices that surround it (giving gifts, Christmas trees, etc.) are all rooted in pagan practices of the past and have absolutely no Biblical foundation whatsoever.
  
  Therefore, the celebration of Christ's birth (Christmas) and the way it is celebrated are not found anywhere in the Bible, and everything about it (the date and manner of celebration) is not from God. What is not from God, and is of a spiritual nature, is from the domain of the Devil (Ephesians 6:12; Revelation 12:9; John 8:44).  Source link
  

• The Bible is entirely silent about X-mas and the celebrating of it. The holy Scriptures, which is God’s Will, do not command, show example, or infer any such commemoration. X-mas is not a part of God’s Will.  Source link
  

• There is not one word in the New Testament, or anywhere in the Bible, telling us to observe Christmas. The Christians of the first century, under the inspired teachings of Peter and Paul and the other apostles, never observed it. There is NO BIBLE AUTHORITY for its observance, strange as it may seem...It is not so much as MENTIONED anywhere in the New Testament. It was never observed by Paul, the apostles, the early true Christian Church!  Source link