Why as a believer I do not celebrate Christmas or Easter With the Rest of the World

[SarahM777]

Note they said "these are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt. It says the same thing in Nehemiah.
Neh_9:18 Even when they cast themselves a metal calf, saying of it, "This is your god that brought you up from Egypt," and committing other gross provocations;

When King Jehu destroyed the baal temples, he let the golden calf temples remain because the calves represented God.

Do you understand what 2 Kings 10 says?

28 So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel. 29However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
30 The Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all I had in mind to do, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” 31Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit.

Jehu did not turn them away from worshipping the golden calves. It's not commending Jehu for that.

And didn't the Lord tell them this

Exodus 20:1/26

And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,

 

[chubbena]

If only we are as meticulous as we deal with the topic on hand....

 

[tripsin]

When you follow God's word, God talks about using things with a pagan influence in our worship. That is different than worshipping something with a pagan influence. Again, we can use the golden calf as an example. The Jews didn't worship the golden calf. They used this as a stand in for God, it was something they could see with their eyes as they worshipped the true God. We are just using the pagan holiday as a means of worshipping the true God. We are asking God if that is OK to do.

Can you give us the biblical quote?

Isn't this reasoning Catholic? I once asked a Catholic in-law if bowing down to the wooden image of Mary and asking 'her' for fertility wasn't worship of an idol and the answer was, "no, it's just a reminder that we can look at." Get it? Yet they were actually thinking that dead, wooden Mary could answer a prayer and grant fertility.

 

[dcontroversal]

sarcasm alert*** Yeah, remember if scripture doesn't agree with some peoples' position, then the scripture really doesn't mean what it says. ***end

awesome statement..it is true that people who have no spiritual ground to stand on like to belittle, name call and make rude comments..what amazes me is that if I am so wrong in something that I post you would think the enlightened ones would be most gracious and share their knowledge without the mouthy, rude and belittling comments..where is the speech seasoned with grace? HAH

 

[john832]

This is the thinking of today's church. Christ added to the way Moses gave law, Moses gave the physical way to express love, even though God spoke of needing the heart at that time. Christ bought out that need of heart involvement. Today's church says to get rid of anything God said through Moses.

A very important fact to consider is that it was Jesus Christ who gave the Law to Moses. Same Jesus Christ who said that the Law would outlast the heavens and the earth...

Luk 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

 

[john832]

Just because there is no command present, it doesn't mean to imply we CAN'T. Jesus never commanded the church to meet every Sunday...but people do it anyway. With your logic, that's like saying you obey everything that is commanded. How long is your hair? Your beard? Do you wear jewelry? I'm pretty sure you have a very flawed logic system...i'm quite positive.

Here is the problem with it...

Deu 12:29 When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
Deu 12:30 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.
Deu 12:31 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.
Deu 12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

Most today do not observe the Feasts of the Lord...

Lev 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
Lev 23:3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.
Lev 23:4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.

God gave His Feasts, but most today would rather adapt the pagan celebrations of the heathen and worship God by them. The exact opposite of what god says to do.

 

[john832]

I never said all Christians. Don't get offended when I simply stated the fact.
The whole world (I trust you understand what I mean when I say "the whole world" and not taking it laterally) goes wild during the Christmas season doing those things. There's no peace on earth at the mall on boxing day. Drinking and driving charges multiplied on Christmas holidays. Orgies - need I say more?
Unfortunately (or is it fortunately) you don't represent the whole world.
I'm not here to speak again Eucharist, just so there's no misunderstanding.

Just to add gasoline to the fire, there are more suicides and family homicides during the xmas holidays than any other time of the year.

 

[john832]

You think we don't know that? Just because something has a Pagan influence does NOT mean we are worshiping those deities...Get a grip! I love thunderstorms! But that doesn't mean I worship Thor! I love the rain but that doesn't mean I worship Hyades! Just because something is ASSOCIATED with pagan tradition, it doesn't make the object itself evil. Pagans sexified themselves up in order to worship their gods/goddesses. But that doesn't make sex inherently evil. Your logic is out the window. Yet again.

And when is the beginning of the New year in 2014?

 

[john832]

Did you read Exodus 32?

32 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods[a]who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”
2 Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf,fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods,[b] Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”

5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.” 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings.Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.
7 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’

THEY WERE WORSHIPPING AN IDOL.

Why would it matter, the Law is done away?

 

[john832]

awesome statement..it is true that people who have no spiritual ground to stand on like to belittle, name call and make rude comments..what amazes me is that if I am so wrong in something that I post you would think the enlightened ones would be most gracious and share their knowledge without the mouthy, rude and belittling comments..where is the speech seasoned with grace? HAH

One would think there would be a plethora of scripture to support the observance of xmas and Ishtar.

 

[dcontroversal]

One would think there would be a plethora of scripture to support the observance of xmas and Ishtar.

Yeah like, If I am going to glory, I will glory in the "______________" fill in the blank HOLIDAYS that men bring into existence without true knowledge. HAHA Hey this could be in 3rd THESSALONIANS 6:66 HAHAHHAHA SORRY I just had to.

 

[secularhermit]

Is God badly molested for their celebrations?

Is this so sinful that we need to be denounced and isolated in THEIR TRADITIONS?

It is good to say "I am a Grinch" as other say: "I love X-mas". But we know the robes on these...

 

[john832]

Is God badly molested for their celebrations?

Is this so sinful that we need to be denounced and isolated in THEIR TRADITIONS?

It is good to say "I am a Grinch" as other say: "I love X-mas". But we know the robes on these...

Yeah what was I thinking. Just because it hides the truth of God's plan, what would that matter? God's 7000 year plan is revealed by the Holydays...

Col 2:16 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:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Shadow of things yet to come not already fulfilled.

 

[RedTent]

Can you give us the biblical quote?

Isn't this reasoning Catholic? I once asked a Catholic in-law if bowing down to the wooden image of Mary and asking 'her' for fertility wasn't worship of an idol and the answer was, "no, it's just a reminder that we can look at." Get it? Yet they were actually thinking that dead, wooden Mary could answer a prayer and grant fertility.

My best friend is Catholic, and feels the statues are fine because "we don't worship them". I cannot believe God approves.

I found an article on the net that says what I have been saying about this, and does it SO much better than I do with lots of scripture backup. Here is the link. Does God Allow Us to Choose Our Own Religious Holidays? - Good News Magazine | United Church of God

Maybe there is a remnant of God's people who are growing closer to God, who want to listen to scripture closer.

I don't know anything about "The United Church of God". This article seemed to reflect scripture correctly.

 

[dcontroversal]

Yeah what was I thinking. Just because it hides the truth of God's plan, what would that matter? God's 7000 year plan is revealed by the Holydays...

Col 2:16 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:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.


Shadow of things yet to come not already fulfilled.[/QUOTE
]And what holydays would he be talking about? Certainly not present day holydays, but the holy high days that were celebrated by the Jewish People.

 

[SarahM777]

Why would it matter, the Law is done away?

Go back and read what it was addressing. Exodus was when they first given the law.

 

[john832]

Go back and read what it was addressing. Exodus was when they first given the law.

Wrong on so many levels.

 

[SarahM777]

Wrong on so many levels.

Sorry Exodus 20 was when they were given the Ten commandments, Exodus 32 came afterwards. And at the end of chapter 20 God said this

22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: 23 Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.
24 “‘Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. 25 If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it. 26 And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.’

 

[Isdaniel]

Go back and read what it was addressing. Exodus was when they first given the law.

What is sin ?
Who commtted the first sin

 

[john832]

Don't

Sorry Exodus 20 was when they were given the Ten commandments, Exodus 32 came afterwards. And at the end of chapter 20 God said this

22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: 23 Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.
24 “‘Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. 25 If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it. 26 And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.’

Don't be sorry, anyone can make a mistake...


Rom 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

And why did death reign...

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And what is sin...

Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Paul says there is no sin without Law.

By the way, why would they REMEMBER the Sabbath? And why does the 4th Commandment hearken back to creation week?

Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

The Sabbath existed from creation week.