Why Do We Pretend to know when JESUS was BORN?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

BroTan

Active member
Sep 16, 2021
898
161
43
None of that is talking about a Christmas tree, that is Scripture taken out of context.

Jesus says in Matthew 13: 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand;
And seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive
: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed; Lest at any time they should see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And should understand with their heart, And should be converted, and I should heal them
.
Abuse of scripture dont help.
We are done. We have no further conversation. Thank you.

Jesus says in John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. Pay attention what's being said hear in John 7:51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? If one really read the Bible you would know that it's wrong to lie and deal with paganism.

Didn't Jesus say in John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. Isn't it written Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 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: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
(Exodus 20:2-5)
 

Papermonkey

Active member
Dec 2, 2022
724
257
43
Winters Solstice or Christs-mass, as I see it Jesus said where two or more are gathered in his name he is there also. At any time.

What better time than to imagine millions, billions, of faithful gathered December 25th in heart and mind. Blanket the world with Christ there among them also. ❤️🌲Ever green. Ever Lord. 😊
 
Oct 12, 2021
165
21
18
Are you implying that if the apostles didn't do something, we should not do it either? As mentioned in a previous post, there are MANY things we do as Christians, that the apostles never did.
Out of curiosity, do you partake of communion? .. and if so, when do you do so?
Being an apostle or disciple of Jesus doesn't mean they lived perfect and sin-free lives...Paul wrote about his personal struggles in saying "that which i wish to do I don't do and what I don't want to do is what i do."

And that certainly applies to me and, I will dare say, other Christians.

So, I don't look at any apostles or disciples as role models when we have the perfect One in Jesus....but even with our most earnest efforts we can't get anywhere near His standard.

As to your second point: the Passover was celebrated on Nisan 14 after sundown and it was on that specific date in the Jewish calendar that Jesus and His apostles met for what is known as the Lord's Evening Meal or Supper. That event which was immediately prior to Him being taken prisoner replaced the Jewish Passover. And Paul instructed Christians to take part in that event as an annual Remembrance in which the unleavened bread represents His body and the red wine His blood.

And that's what I do every Nisan 14 which is usually around the end of March or early April each year.
 
Oct 12, 2021
165
21
18
Christmas celebration is not a matter of doctrine in any church that i have ever heard of.
There are many practices in churches that are not a matter of doctrine, but are indeed common practice. Seating in rows, pews, pulpits, baptistries, childrens church, sunday school, youth group, church camp, chiors, praise bands, pianos, organs, carpet, air conditioning, heating, electric lights, hymn books, sound systems, for that matter even personal Bibles. All these things fall in a catagory called niether commaned nor forbidden. But i know this will fall on deaf ears, so why bother? Maybe in the hopes of some soul may read it and not be conscience bound by unbiblical phariseeism.
Collins English Dictionary: doctrine: a creed or body of teachings of a religious, political, or philosophical group presented for acceptance or belief.

That exposition accurately describes the mainstream churches e.g. the Anglican Church view of Christians in that they fully expect all who identify as Anglicans to participate.

I do find it rather ironic that there are churchmen who impose their 'liberal' theology in which same-sex' marriage is to be accepted and welcomed and yet get rather uppity when others won't join in celebrating a festival that neither Jesus nor His apostles participated.
 
K

kaylagrl

Guest
Glad to read God's Word at any time. But that also has nothing to do with the subject of Christmas trees. There is nothing wrong with having a Christmas tree, nothing Biblically against it. If you don't partake that is up to you. But there is nothing in the Word that forbids it.



Didn't Jesus say in John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. Isn't it written Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 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: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
(Exodus 20:2-5)
Yeah again, amen to the Word but maybe stop twisting it so badly out of context. It has nothing to do with the tree.
 

hornetguy

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2016
7,114
1,743
113
And Paul instructed Christians to take part in that event as an annual Remembrance in which the unleavened bread represents His body and the red wine His blood.
Interesting.... where was this instruction written? All I seem to remember was " For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. "
 

Cameron143

Well-known member
Mar 1, 2022
19,198
6,608
113
62
Glad to read God's Word at any time. But that also has nothing to do with the subject of Christmas trees. There is nothing wrong with having a Christmas tree, nothing Biblically against it. If you don't partake that is up to you. But there is nothing in the Word that forbids it.





Yeah again, amen to the Word but maybe stop twisting it so badly out of context. It has nothing to do with the tree.
Jesus was a carpenter and no doubt would have gotten wood chips and sap on Himself. And perhaps some leaves or needles would have stuck to Him. He may have finished the day looking somewhat like a tree. If for some reason His countenance shown brightly and when walking through the cornfield it was particularly hot and some of the kernels popped and stuck to the sap He may well have resembled a Christmas tree.
I guess for some a Christmas tree would look like an idol. But candy canes were invented much later so if you put some on the tree you should be ok.
 
L

Locoponydirtman

Guest
Glad to read God's Word at any time. But that also has nothing to do with the subject of Christmas trees. There is nothing wrong with having a Christmas tree, nothing Biblically against it. If you don't partake that is up to you. But there is nothing in the Word that forbids it.





Yeah again, amen to the Word but maybe stop twisting it so badly out of context. It has nothing to do with the tree.
I dont bother with serial scripture twisters.
 
Oct 12, 2021
165
21
18
Interesting.... where was this instruction written? All I seem to remember was " For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. "
A Google search will produce articles supporting your view and mine on this topic.

What persuades me that an annual Remembrance is the correct exegesis of the Scriptural account?

Moses was instructed by YHWH that the Passover was an annual event to be remembered on Nisan 14.

Jesus was the Passover Lamb who would be sacrificed to atone for our sins and that event then replaced the Passover i.e. the old covenant between the nation of Israel and God and the New Covenant was instituted....on Nisan 14.

So, it was an outstanding event in the entire history of the world and not something to be minimalised and obscured and absorbed and become indistinguishable in the mass blob of daily events in the normal course of human activities.
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
8,705
113
Okay, so I'll accept that your comment that there's no Scriptural support for Jesus and His disciples celebrating Christmas.
There is no scriptural support for celebrating our birthdays either, but I wish you a happy WillB-mas anyway. :)
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
8,705
113
I’m just a heathen who celebrates the birth of Christ on December 25th. 😎
:eek:... Foolish Snack! I told you to be hush about that! :censored:
Soon they will be calling us the happy heathens! :oops::rolleyes::sneaky:
 

Snacks

Well-known member
Feb 10, 2022
1,410
771
113
:eek:... Foolish Snack! I told you to be hush about that! :censored:
Soon they will be calling us the happy heathens! :oops::rolleyes::sneaky:
We’ve been called worse so consider happy heathens to be complementary. 😁 🕺
 
L

Locoponydirtman

Guest
Collins English Dictionary: doctrine: a creed or body of teachings of a religious, political, or philosophical group presented for acceptance or belief.

That exposition accurately describes the mainstream churches e.g. the Anglican Church view of Christians in that they fully expect all who identify as Anglicans to participate.

I do find it rather ironic that there are churchmen who impose their 'liberal' theology in which same-sex' marriage is to be accepted and welcomed and yet get rather uppity when others won't join in celebrating a festival that neither Jesus nor His apostles participated.
I found nothing in the Anglican doctrine statements that requires any celebration of any kind.
The earlist writings we have concerning the celebration of Christmas dates to 336 ad. This writing is a letter that casually refers to the Christmas celebration. It reads as if the intended reader would know exactly what was being spoken of and therefore implies that it was common practice. Christmas hate began in the puritan circles in about the 1600s and was banned in 1644. But they didnt mind murdering folks they didnt like, accusing them of witchery and then burn them alive. (Much like the RCC, they made up rules to control folks' life and if they didnt adhere murder them). In my opinion that excludes them from setting christian standards.
As for what celebrating is found in the Bible. I find Angels, shepards, and wise men celebrating the incarnation of God on earth in Human flesh.
As for what you find the disciples doing; i dont find them setting in pews, or using hymnals, or pianoes or organs, nor rock bands playing soft rock as praise music, nor pulpits, or stages, or fellowship halls or childrens church or sunday school, or bible study or alter calls, also ya dont find personal Bibles. Also you see no examples of communing women. So lets skip the arguments from silence.
I know you dont really care what i have to say amd that it wont change your mind. Im only writing this for the sake of others who may read it.
 

Cameron143

Well-known member
Mar 1, 2022
19,198
6,608
113
62
I’m just a heathen who celebrates the birth of Christ on December 25th. 😎
That's one of my evangelizing tools actually. I tell people...hey, if you get saved, you won't have to celebrate Christmas a different day. Turns out Christians and heathens settled on the same day...
 

hornetguy

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2016
7,114
1,743
113
A Google search will produce articles supporting your view and mine on this topic.

What persuades me that an annual Remembrance is the correct exegesis of the Scriptural account?

Moses was instructed by YHWH that the Passover was an annual event to be remembered on Nisan 14.

Jesus was the Passover Lamb who would be sacrificed to atone for our sins and that event then replaced the Passover i.e. the old covenant between the nation of Israel and God and the New Covenant was instituted....on Nisan 14.

So, it was an outstanding event in the entire history of the world and not something to be minimalised and obscured and absorbed and become indistinguishable in the mass blob of daily events in the normal course of human activities.
I can certainly see the validity of that argument... I don't agree with it, personally, but I can see how one could understand it that way.
There are other scriptures that hint/indicate that the early church partook in it more frequently.
Where we often run aground is the term "break bread".... it was used interchangeably for a regular meal, and for the communion.
The apostolic fathers pretty much unanimously wrote about the brethren gathering together to "break bread" on the first day of the week.... and many scholars agree that in most cases, they were describing communion.

and, the instruction of "as often as you do this...." leads me to think that we could, if we wished, partake of communion EVERY day.
In fact, at least one of the apostolic fathers indicated that was his practice....

For me, the bottom line is... we NEED to "commune" with each other and with God, remembering the sacrifice that our Lord and savior made for us. How much of that would be too much? Is once a year often enough to proclaim Jesus' death to the rest of the world?