Why christians shouldn't celebrate Christmas.

[psychomom]

Scripture gives the celebrations and parties, usually it is found in the Old Testament. I realize many Christians feel anything written there and not repeated in the new isn't to be considered scripture now that Christ lived on earth and was crucified so perhaps my thinking it is scripture seems strange to many. I have carefully checked everything Christ improved on--His blood instead of the blood of animals is a glaring example. I haven't seen Christ set up feasts and celebrations as improvements, so I take the feasts as scripture about how to celebrate the Lord.

Oh Dear!! I can just hear the slam bang from these beliefs as not from God!! Especially from how Paul was against using rituals to be accepted by the Lord, and comparing the feasts to rituals. Afraid this is opening up a can of worms. I guess you only see feasts as rituals to not be used, or you see feasts as celebrations from scripture to celebrate the Lord. I have never seen a scripture to say not to use these celebrations. Don't use animal blood, don't use diet, don't use physical circumcision, but no don't use feasts. There were lots of pagan feasts scripture talks about in the NT, even, and we aren't to judge by feasts, even, but no don't use what scripture told of.

oh...i think i see...you're saying since no one celebrated the birth of Christ in the OT
(before the birth of Christ)
it's wrong?

 

[RedTent]

oh...i think i see...you're saying since no one celebrated the birth of Christ in the OT
(before the birth of Christ)
it's wrong?

that is sarcasm, and I guess if this post is only about Christmas, there isn't a feast in scripture designated to celebrate his earthly birth. The celebrations given us is to celebrate the entire plan of God for our salvation. The problem is if it is fine to dump all of God's suggestions about parties in favor of just ones we decide on ourselves. Are we better party planners than God?

And I don't think this is about right/wrong. It is better or not better. I don't think our Lord is sitting over us telling He is watching to see if we make a misstep so He can zap us.

 

[prove-all]

Jesus did not tell his new church to celebrate his birth,

and anyone can see that he was not born dead of winter.

the bible does tell the new church

1 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV)
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened.
For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

1 Corinthians 5:8 (KJV)
Therefore let us keep the feast,

not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness;
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

 

[psychomom]

that is sarcasm, and I guess if this post is only about Christmas, there isn't a feast in scripture designated to celebrate his earthly birth. The celebrations given us is to celebrate the entire plan of God for our salvation. The problem is if it is fine to dump all of God's suggestions about parties in favor of just ones we decide on ourselves. Are we better party planners than God?

And I don't think this is about right/wrong. It is better or not better. I don't think our Lord is sitting over us telling He is watching to see if we make a misstep so He can zap us.

from my heart, it was honest confusion, not sarcasm.

we most definitely do not have to 'dump' God's, er, suggestions?
because they weren't suggestions, they were commands, right?

and, from my heart, i don't believe God sees the celebration of Christ's birth as 'not better'.

 

[Butch5]

Answer me this. How is celebrating the birth/incarnation of our Savior Jesus on Dec. 25th ... pagan?

The date was at the time of a pagan celebration that the Catholic church absorbed. When more and more pagans began to convert many kept celebrating their former holidays, instead of telling them they needed to stop, the church just used the date for celebrating Christ's birth. In essence, they Christianized the pagan celebrations. If one wants to celebrate Christ's birth why not Celebrate it in September when He was actually born. This would serve two purposes, one, it would celebrate Christ's birth, and two, it would help Christians remove themselves from the secular aspects of the holiday.

But even more so, why not celebrate the feasts that God gave, rather than ones men gave?

 

[psychomom]

The date was at the time of a pagan celebration that the Catholic church absorbed. When more and more pagans began to convert many kept celebrating their former holidays, instead of telling them they needed to stop, the church just used the date for celebrating Christ's birth. In essence, they Christianized the pagan celebrations. If one wants to celebrate Christ's birth why not Celebrate it in September when He was actually born. This would serve two purposes, one, it would celebrate Christ's birth, and two, it would help Christians remove themselves from the secular aspects of the holiday.

But even more so, why not celebrate the feasts that God gave, rather than ones men gave?

sooo...no American Thanksgiving for you?

 

[LRG]

In what spirit do you celebrate Christmas? Do you really set up a tree and worship a false god and then maybe commit all kinds of disgusting sins under that tree?

There are those that are down on celebrating Christmas and celebrating birthdays and really anything that involves any kind of joy or happiness.

There is nothing wrong with celebrating the birth of the savior and if you want a Christmas tree, gifts and plum pudding then so be it.

I love Christmas and no Ebenezer Scroogies are going to stop me either.

It is done to celebrate Christ and not some false pagan god.

 

[Butch5]

Is one shadow any better than another compared to the Substance...Jesus Christ?

Colossians 2:16-17 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Did you notice what this passage says? Paul said these things "are" a shadow of what is to come, not they "were" a shadow of things to come. If you notice, they were observing these things, he says let no one judge you. These new moons, sabbaths, and holy days, are a shadow of what is to come. These feasts will be observed in the Kingdom, consider Jesus' words to His disciples.

15 Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
16 "for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." (Luk 22:15-16 NKJ)

The Passover is going to be celebrated in the kingdom. If God allowed the Jews to participate in the Passover and believers in the kingdom will participate in the Passover, shouldn't believers today participate in the Passover, rather than holiday created by men?

 

[Butch5]

The Egyptians used to worship cats (and some say cats have never forgotten this.)
Should I get rid of my cat? I'm not worshipping my cat, but Egyptians used to.

Okay, put another way - Are you really trying to say we worship christmas trees? The references you drew from and the allusions you drew from them are invalid unless you are in fact making that very point, that we WORSHIP trees.

Trying a third way to put this - if you avoid everything that someone used to worship, you find no place in the universe suitable for you. There isn't a thing someone didn't used to worship. But just because they worshipped trees in the past doesn't mean we can't decorate them now.

Trying a fourth way - you really need to get a hobby man. You have waaaaaaaay too much free time on your hands.

Did you read the passage? The point was that the Israelites were "NOT" to worship God in the same ways the pagans worshiped their gods. The pagans used trees in the worship of their gods, therefore the Israelites (God's people) were not to. Any method that the pagans used to worship their gods was off limits to the Jews. God gave them specific ways in which they were to worship.

We can play word games and say were not worshiping with the trees they are only decorations, if we want to, but, God is not fooled. The trees are there for the purpose of celebrating the birth date of Christ.

 

[Butch5]

sooo...no American Thanksgiving for you?

What does Thanksgiving have to do with the feasts of God?

 

[Butch5]

No one seems to be addressing the question, why celebrate the holidays of men and ignore the feasts of God?

 

[psychomom]

The date was at the time of a pagan celebration that the Catholic church absorbed. When more and more pagans began to convert many kept celebrating their former holidays, instead of telling them they needed to stop, the church just used the date for celebrating Christ's birth. In essence, they Christianized the pagan celebrations. If one wants to celebrate Christ's birth why not Celebrate it in September when He was actually born. This would serve two purposes, one, it would celebrate Christ's birth, and two, it would help Christians remove themselves from the secular aspects of the holiday.

But even more so, why not celebrate the feasts that God gave, rather than ones men gave?

sooo...no American Thanksgiving for you?

What does Thanksgiving have to do with the feasts of God?

well, you said that, so i was just wondering, since it's a feast man made.

 

[RedTent]

What does Thanksgiving have to do with the feasts of God?

The feast of Tabernacles was a Fall feast giving thanks for the harvest, symbolic of the harvest of saints at the second coming. Pilgrims were Christians who knew all scripture, many think they knew the connection and was the reason for establishing this feast.

 

[Billyd]

Do you think that our early church fathers that set up this way of celebrating really improved on the way God set up the holidays for us? I notice that the few people who still follow God's plan still have holidays without the world's changing them through commercialism, etc., even though many of the people who use this plan don't even acknowledge that the Christ who was crucified was the real Messiah they are so far off in many ways.

I'm not convinced man's way is better than the plan given us by God. Man has made it reflect God even better than those who used the golden calf to worship did, there is a lot of God in man's holidays. But better?

Christ gave his life so that we can live. We thank Him for that daily, celebrate His resurrection weekly, His birth annually, and His sacrifice for us annually. None of these are specifically mentioned in the scripture, but I believe that this is the least that anyone can do to honor Him. The greatest honor that we can give Him is a life dedicated to Him. I pray that we always be found doing this.

 

[psychomom]

The feast of Tabernacles was a Fall feast giving thanks for the harvest, symbolic of the harvest of saints at the second coming. Pilgrims were Christians who knew all scripture, many think they knew the connection and was the reason for establishing this feast.

okay, so (just honestly trying to understand this)

what you're saying is Thanksgiving here in the states is okay because it's predicated on an OT feast?

and Christmas is not because it isn't?

 

[Billyd]

Did you notice what this passage says? Paul said these things "are" a shadow of what is to come, not they "were" a shadow of things to come. If you notice, they were observing these things, he says let no one judge you. These new moons, sabbaths, and holy days, are a shadow of what is to come. These feasts will be observed in the Kingdom, consider Jesus' words to His disciples.

15 Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
16 "for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." (Luk 22:15-16 NKJ)

The Passover is going to be celebrated in the kingdom. If God allowed the Jews to participate in the Passover and believers in the kingdom will participate in the Passover, shouldn't believers today participate in the Passover, rather than holiday created by men?

What's wrong with doing both?

Did you notice how Jesus changed the Passover meal, and then how he told them to celebrate it? Read on a few verses. Is this how you celebrate it?

What do you think the Passover feast will be like when we get to Heaven? Hint "Marriage Supper of the Lamb".

 

[Butch5]

well, you said that, so i was just wondering, since it's a feast man made.

Actually mom, I don't really celebrate the American holidays anymore, but that wasn't my point. I'm not saying celebrating a holiday of man is wrong. What I'm asking is if one is going to celebrate God, why not do it using His feasts rather than the way some men decided to?

God gave the feasts and they tell us how God wants to be worshied, yet not many Christians observe the feasts. On the other hand millions of Christians are willing to celebrate in a manner not prescribed by God. It seems that rather than do it God's way Christians would rather do it their way. Didn't Jesus chasptise the Pharisees for that same thing?

 

[prove-all]

These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.

these were not mans feasts, they where Gods

• Exodus 19:6 (KJV)
  
  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
• 1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)
  
  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

​

 

[Butch5]

What's wrong with doing both?

Did you notice how Jesus changed the Passover meal, and then how he told them to celebrate it? Read on a few verses. Is this how you celebrate it?

What do you think the Passover feast will be like when we get to Heaven? Hint "Marriage Supper of the Lamb".

If you study the history of Christmas you'll find the answer.

Actually, I believe the "Marriage Supper of the Lamb" is the Fast of Tabernacles

 

[psychomom]

Actually mom, I don't really celebrate the American holidays anymore, but that wasn't my point. I'm not saying celebrating a holiday of man is wrong. What I'm asking is if one is going to celebrate God, why not do it using His feasts rather than the way some men decided to?

God gave the feasts and they tell us how God wants to be worshied, yet not many Christians observe the feasts. On the other hand millions of Christians are willing to celebrate in a manner not prescribed by God. It seems that rather than do it God's way Christians would rather do it their way. Didn't Jesus chasptise the Pharisees for that same thing?

i'm not sure that was what the real problem was with the Pharisees...

but thank you so much for answering my questions.

ps--you may call me ellie, if you wish.