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