Christmas

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KennethC

Guest
#21
There is nothing wrong with celebrating Christmas, birthdays, anniversary, or any other such holiday or specific days as long as we do it in the right manner and do not put them above or before God.

Now with that being said we are not under, and I repeat, we are not under the OT ordinances.

We in the New Covenant have liberty in Christ to walk in morality of LOVE.

We are not bound to written ordinances, nor is salvation at risk for celebrating or not these days.

We need to resist putting a yoke on people still !!!
Also like to add we are told in all that we do, do it for God.

Would not celebrating His birthday be a way of showing thanks to God for sending Jesus in the flesh ???

To me it does show and respect for His wonderful grace He showed us.

Just because something is not mentioned in the scriptures does not make it wrong to have or do.

That is going to far in the legalistic approach to place do's and don'ts on people not mentioned in the NT.
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,778
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#22
I personally think Jesus was born in the spring. However, Christmas is still about Jesus and there is also nothing pagan about Jesus.

........unless you are a Progressive
 

JFSurvivor

Senior Member
Jan 20, 2015
1,184
25
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#23
But using a pagan holiday to woship a holy God, doesn't that sound a little off to anyone?

http://rcg.org/books/ttooc.html <-- check that out



 
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KennethC

Guest
#24
But using a pagan holiday to woship a holy God, doesn't that sound a little off to anyone?

http://rcg.org/books/ttooc.html <-- check that out



Don't believe everything you read, as the legalistic approach has marred the lines to make almost all things wrong to do.

The NT teachings clearly show by Paul we are not bound under ordinances.

Yes things about Christmas does have some pagan roots to it, but what matters in the New Covenant is are you celebrating the day by the pagan rituals or are you celebrating it because of the birth of our Lord ???

The only time the physical implications apply now is if it makes another stumble, or if you feel so deeply condemned yourself if you do it.

If it bothers you that much it is okay not to celebrate on that day, but it should never be held against another if they do.
 
S

Sirk

Guest
#26
But using a pagan holiday to woship a holy God, doesn't that sound a little off to anyone?

http://rcg.org/books/ttooc.html <-- check that out



we are free in Christ. We can worship Him on Friday the 13th if we want. We can eat turkey and stuffing for breakfast and eat pancakes for dinner.
 
S

Siberian_Khatru

Guest
#27
But using a pagan holiday to woship a holy God, doesn't that sound a little off to anyone?

http://rcg.org/books/ttooc.html <-- check that out
Your perception is your reality. I also like what Neil Peart says: "Different eyes see different things. Different hearts beat on different strings."
 

KohenMatt

Senior Member
Jun 28, 2013
4,063
266
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#30
It's not biblical true and I am not saying this to be one of those well if you want to be specific kind of ppl but t.v. isn't biblical nor are phones:b But yes Christmas is no longer about Jesus to most of people it's about presents santa jack frost ect.
But for those of us who celebrate it to celebrate Jesus birth we know it's not his actual b day the bible doesn't give a date to his birth but even so is it wrong to celebrate his birthday even though it's not his actual b day?
The difference between the christmas vs. TV or phones is that those things weren't created for and intended to worship God. They are just secular common items. Christmas (and easter) are different in that they are supposed to be worshipping God. They're 2 completely different things.

But let me ask a couple of questions. Do you think Jesus is pleased that people celebrate His birth on day we know not to be correct?
Would you pleased if all of your friends and family decided to start celebrating your birthday 6 months after your actual birth, even if they knew it was incorrect?
 
Apr 14, 2011
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#31
Simple answer because God said we should not do it:

Amo 5:21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.
You just took this verse out of context just as bad as when the Jehovah's Witnesses and other cults take things out of context. God despised their feast days because when they were celebrating them, God was not their focus. That is why. Here is the whole context.

Amos 5
Hear this word, Israel, this lament I take up concerning you:

“Fallen is Virgin Israel,
never to rise again,
deserted in her own land,
with no one to lift her up.”
This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Israel:


“Your city that marches out a thousand strong
will have only a hundred left;
your town that marches out a hundred strong
will have only ten left.”
This is what the Lord says to Israel:


“Seek me and live;
do not seek Bethel,
do not go to Gilgal,
do not journey to Beersheba.
For Gilgal will surely go into exile,
and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.[a]”
Seek the Lord and live,
or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire;
it will devour them,
and Bethel will have no one to quench it.
There are those who turn justice into bitterness
and cast righteousness to the ground.
He who made the Pleiades and Orion,
who turns midnight into dawn
and darkens day into night,
who calls for the waters of the sea
and pours them out over the face of the land—
the Lord is his name.
With a blinding flash he destroys the stronghold
and brings the fortified city to ruin.
There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court
and detest the one who tells the truth.
You levy a straw tax on the poor
and impose a tax on their grain.
Therefore, though you have built stone mansions,
you will not live in them;
though you have planted lush vineyards,
you will not drink their wine.
For I know how many are your offenses
and how great your sins.
There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes
and deprive the poor of justice in the courts.
Therefore the prudent keep quiet in such times,
for the times are evil.
Seek good, not evil,
that you may live.
Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you,
just as you say he is.
Hate evil, love good;
maintain justice in the courts.
Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy
on the remnant of Joseph.
Therefore this is what the Lord, the Lord God Almighty, says:


“There will be wailing in all the streets
and cries of anguish in every public square.
The farmers will be summoned to weep
and the mourners to wail.
There will be wailing in all the vineyards,
for I will pass through your midst,”
says the Lord.


Woe to you who long
for the day of the Lord!
Why do you long for the day of the Lord?
That day will be darkness, not light.
It will be as though a man fled from a lion
only to meet a bear,
as though he entered his house
and rested his hand on the wall
only to have a snake bite him.
Will not the day of the Lord be darkness, not light—
pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?
“I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
your assemblies are a stench to me.
Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I will have no regard for them.
Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!
“Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings
forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?
You have lifted up the shrine of your king,
the pedestal of your idols,
the star of your god—
which you made for yourselves.
Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,”
says the Lord, whose name is God Almighty.

Another reference that is similar to this has the same theme, a lot of it is through Malachi, where God calls out Israel on their disobedience against Him because they have hardened their hearts against Him and are only halfheartedly worshipping him, not in spirit and in truth but in a religious way and going through the motions. Including not following God's instructions. Sorry but you cannot use this verse to say that celebrating Christmas is wrong because according to that same logic then the Jews should not celebrate the feast days they celebrate like the Passover, Feast of Booths, Feast of Unleavened Bread, etc. God bless.
 
Jan 25, 2015
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#32
You just took this verse out of context just as bad as when the Jehovah's Witnesses and other cults take things out of context. God despised their feast days because when they were celebrating them, God was not their focus. That is why. Here is the whole context.


Another reference that is similar to this has the same theme, a lot of it is through Malachi, where God calls out Israel on their disobedience against Him because they have hardened their hearts against Him and are only halfheartedly worshipping him, not in spirit and in truth but in a religious way and going through the motions. Including not following God's instructions. Sorry but you cannot use this verse to say that celebrating Christmas is wrong because according to that same logic then the Jews should not celebrate the feast days they celebrate like the Passover, Feast of Booths, Feast of Unleavened Bread, etc. God bless.
You make a valid point and I didn't mean to quote the verse out of context.

God is clear that we will be judged on what is in our hearts. People should do what they feel comfortable with.

I for one can't take a pagan day and celebrate it for God...
 

Dan58

Senior Member
Nov 13, 2013
1,991
339
83
#33

In the spirit of Christmas, people seem to enjoy cutting down a tree and decorating it (heathenism), and then killing a turkey and stuffing themselves with an enormous meal (gluttony). They often knock each other over to grab gifts for everyone they know (materialism), and go into a ton of debt doing it (usury). They teach children to anticipate the arrival of a mystical man bearing gifts (paganism), and to be good for this immortal Saint Nick (idolatry). Meanwhile, many adults are content watching football games all day with a 12 pack of beer (drunkenness). Dec 25th is about family, you and yours are all that's important (selfishness). We engage in these things to commemorate a man who detested all of it, and who was not even born on the day we celebrate. Perhaps it might be more honest to leave Christ out of Christmas and just recognize the 'Merry' part of it? Just my ridiculous opinion :)
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,778
6,937
113
#35
But using a pagan holiday to woship a holy God, doesn't that sound a little off to anyone?

http://rcg.org/books/ttooc.html <-- check that out




The days Christians choose to celebrate God/Jesus Christ ARE NOT pagan holidays..............there are ONLY so many days in a week, month, year............so IT IS NOT unusual that Christians and pagans could have a celebration of differing things on the same day.

Only those who choose to believe in pagan holidays/rituals are concerned about this. True Believers do not recognize pagans or their holidays..............as being worthy of consideration.
 
Apr 14, 2011
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#36
You make a valid point and I didn't mean to quote the verse out of context.

God is clear that we will be judged on what is in our hearts. People should do what they feel comfortable with.

I for one can't take a pagan day and celebrate it for God...
Fair enough.