QUESTION! (about Christmas and Easter)

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Once again your words, not mine.
I do not deny what Jesus said, and I as well as others have over and over again showed what it means to believe in Him.
It is not just simply believe He existed, died on the cross, rose on the third day to give us forgiveness of our sins.

I have NEVER claimed this is the gospel. Those are your words not mine. You have been told this over and over, but refuse to listen. Mere belief will not save anyone. God says it must be true faith.
Jesus tells us clearly that those who hear and do His teachings believe in Him, not those who hear only.

Actually he says over and over, those who truly have faith in him (and are saved by that faith) obey him. because they love him.

You have the cause and effect backwards, your relying on self. not God.
 
Jesus didn't say these things to make people feel condemned. That's not His nature. His nature is love and mercy and kindness. The Lord told us these things so we would stop trying to be good and to rest in His love and grace. Jesus set us free! He wants us to come to the realization that because of Who He is and what He has done for us, WE ARE ALREADY MADE PERFECT IN HIS SIGHT! That's not condemnation! THAT IS THE MIRACLE OF HIS GRACE! And because we are made perfect, we can abandon our striving to be good and just be living vessels for Him to do as He pleases in us. You will never go wrong if you walk with your eyes focused only on Jesus. He will finish what He started in us. We are only to believe and rest in Him alone.
 
Jesus didn't say these things to make people feel condemned. That's not His nature. His nature is love and mercy and kindness. The Lord told us these things so we would stop trying to be good and to rest in His love and grace. Jesus set us free! He wants us to come to the realization that because of Who He is and what He has done for us, WE ARE ALREADY MADE PERFECT IN HIS SIGHT! That's not condemnation! THAT IS THE MIRACLE OF HIS GRACE! And because we are made perfect, we can abandon our striving to be good and just be living vessels for Him to do as He pleases in us. You will never go wrong if you walk with your eyes focused only on Jesus. He will finish what He started in us. We are only to believe and rest in Him alone.


Actually the bible says we are made perfect by walking in love.
If we love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, love our neighbors as yourself, and love your enemies; then you are perfect. For by walking in love it fulfills the law, and then you are perfect in His eyes.

For if you say you love your Lord, but hate your brother or sister the truth is not in you is what the scriptures say. Love makes us perfect, that is why it says be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. You must show love to all men.
 
I have NEVER claimed this is the gospel. Those are your words not mine. You have been told this over and over, but refuse to listen. Mere belief will not save anyone. God says it must be true faith.


Actually he says over and over, those who truly have faith in him (and are saved by that faith) obey him. because they love him.

You have the cause and effect backwards, your relying on self. not God.


I have not refused nothing, and you keep twisting things.
I don't go by a mere belief gospel. I go by a true belief gospel, the one our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ preached.
 
Even the names of the days of the week come from pagan rituals, but that's not why I use the names. I use them because that is the current word for recognizing which day it is. In the same way, even if others use Christmas and Easter as a way to worship a false god, does not mean that I do. It is ok to have worldly holidays, such as birthdays. And it is ok to celebrate Jesus any day. I agree He was not born in winter- shepherds didn't have snow suits and wouldn't be laying in the snow. The sheep, who wouldn't be able to reach the snow covered grass, would not be grazing on snow. So what? To a Christian every day is Christmas- a day to celebrate Christ and to share with others, and every Sunday is Easter- a day to come together in memory of what Christ did for us.
 
Actually the bible says we are made perfect by walking in love.
If we love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, love our neighbors as yourself, and love your enemies; then you are perfect. For by walking in love it fulfills the law, and then you are perfect in His eyes.

For if you say you love your Lord, but hate your brother or sister the truth is not in you is what the scriptures say. Love makes us perfect, that is why it says be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. You must show love to all men.

it does?

I know it says if we are in him, HIS LOVE is perfected in us (AS WE LOVE OTHERS.

But it does not say we are perfected by doing, it says HE PERFECTED US by one sacrifice, And we are in the process of being sanctified (those who were perfected by God)

Hebrews 10:14
For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
 
Actually the bible says we are made perfect by walking in love.
If we love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, love our neighbors as yourself, and love your enemies; then you are perfect. For by walking in love it fulfills the law, and then you are perfect in His eyes.

For if you say you love your Lord, but hate your brother or sister the truth is not in you is what the scriptures say. Love makes us perfect, that is why it says be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. You must show love to all men.

The only way you can walk in agape (godly, perfect, unconditional) love is by submitting to Jesus Christ wholly and keeping your eyes and heart focused only on Him. It is Jesus who gets the glory for the love that He gives to others through us.

Again, you must ask yourself: What am I focused on, my works or Jesus Christ?

The goats said, "Didn't we do this and that in Your name?"
The sheep said, "When did we do that for you, Lord?"

The goats focused on their works.
The sheep were oblivious to how the Lord was using them because they were abandoned to the love of Christ.
 
I have not refused nothing, and you keep twisting things.
I don't go by a mere belief gospel. I go by a true belief gospel, the one our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ preached.

I do not go by a mere belief Gospel. (in spite of you claiming I do) I go in a FAITH Gospel.

however. you add works, which cancels out grace. which makes your gospel a works based Gospel.

Belief will nto get you to heaven, Faith will. And no one who has REAL faith in God would NEVER do any work.

 
The only way you can walk in agape (godly, perfect, unconditional) love is by submitting to Jesus Christ wholly and keeping your eyes and heart focused only on Him. It is Jesus who gets the glory for the love that He gives to others through us.

Again, you must ask yourself: What am I focused on, my works or Jesus Christ?

The goats said, "Didn't we do this and that in Your name?"
The sheep said, "When did we do that for you, Lord?"

The goats focused on their works.
The sheep were oblivious to how the Lord was using them because they were abandoned to the love of Christ.

That is because the goats were focused on self and how good they were. where the sheeps were to busy focusing on God and others, than to worry about self.
 
My faith is weak at times. But even if I should be faithless, Jesus remains faithful for He can't deny Himself. Jesus knows who he is whether I believe or not. Whether I have faith or not. Jesus is Lord of all no matter what anyone thinks or believes.

My faith is in the faith of Jesus Christ. I believe because Jesus says I can believe in Him. I know He is unchanging and faithful. And even when I don't, even if I doubt, His Spirit within me is an anchor and overcomes my flesh. Jesus is the faith in me.
 
Here is my question...
If Easter and Christmas were pagan holidays, should we worship Christ on those days? (No way was Christ born on the 25th, or died Easter Sunday...

Truth is truth. A number of truths have initially startled me, but the truth is the most important thing.

Deuteronomy 12:29-32, “When Yahweh your Father cuts off the nations from in front of you, and you displace them and live in their land, Be careful not to be ensnared into following them by asking about their gods, saying: How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do the same. You must not worship Yahweh your Father in their way, for every abomination to Yahweh, which He hates, they have done to their gods. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods. Whatsoever I command you, be careful to observe and do it, you shall not add to it, nor take away from it."
 
Truth is truth. A number of truths have initially startled me, but the truth is the most important thing.

Deuteronomy 12:29-32, “When Yahweh your Father cuts off the nations from in front of you, and you displace them and live in their land, Be careful not to be ensnared into following them by asking about their gods, saying: How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do the same. You must not worship Yahweh your Father in their way, for every abomination to Yahweh, which He hates, they have done to their gods. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods. Whatsoever I command you, be careful to observe and do it, you shall not add to it, nor take away from it."

The problem seems to be this...

Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

It doesn't matter what seems right to us. It doesn't matter what we think at all. Our ways and thoughts are not God's. Our first parents decided they could decide right or wrong and here we are.

God doesn't leave it up to us to decide how to worship Him, what days to celebrate and how. He tells us. What He leaves up to us is whether we will or not.
 
The problem seems to be this...

Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

It doesn't matter what seems right to us. It doesn't matter what we think at all. Our ways and thoughts are not God's. Our first parents decided they could decide right or wrong and here we are.

God doesn't leave it up to us to decide how to worship Him, what days to celebrate and how. He tells us. What He leaves up to us is whether we will or not.

Free will. People have been trained by the world their whole lives... Myself included, but this should not be so, this is why we must IMO, set our minds to do as Yahweh says.


Proverbs 1:29-31, "Because they hated knowledge, and did not choose to give reverence to Yahweh! Since they would have none of my counsel, and despised all my rebuke and warning. They will eat the fruit of their own ways, and be completely idled with their own devices."

Isayah 30:9-13, "That this rebellious people, lying children, are children who will not hear; (listen to), the Law of Yahweh; Who say to the seers; Do not see! Who say to the prophets; Do not prophesy right things to us, speak smooth things to us, prophesy deceits; Get out of the way, turn away from the path, cause the Holy One of Israyl to cease from our presence! Therefore, this is what the Holy One of Israyl says: Because you despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay there on. Therefore, this iniquity will be to you like a breach; a weakened wall ready to fall a bulge of a high wall which breaks suddenly, in an instant."

Romans 8:5-8, "For those who live according to the flesh, set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit, set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against; (bitterly opposed to), Yahweh; for it his not subject to the Law of Yahweh, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are of the flesh cannot please Yahweh."

Isayah 24:1-6, "Behold, Yahweh makes the earth empty and makes it waste, perverts the face of it and scatters abroad its inhabitants; And it will be: as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his owner; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with him who takes usury, so with him who gives usury to him: The land will be utterly emptied and utterly plundered, for Yahweh has spoken this word. The earth mourns and fades away, the world mourns and fades away, and the haughty people of the earth languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants of it, because they have transgressed the Laws, changed the ordinance, and broken the everlasting covenant. Because of this, the curse has devoured the earth, and they who dwell therein are desolate; therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left."

1 Kepha (Peter) 4:17-18 For the time has come that judgment must begin at The House of Yahweh; and if it first begins with us, what will the end be of those who do not obey the message of Yahweh? And if the righteous are scarcely saved, where will the wicked and the sinner appear?

Romans 6:16, "Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?"
 
And we both know that "Just As I Am" doesn't work with God.

Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
 
Deut. 11:28b "but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods" . . . .

#1 - If I dye Easter eggs for my grandkids to hide - am I worshipping the "eggs" as a "god"?

#2 - Do I worship the Easter Bunny as a "god" if I take part in this holiday?

#3 - If I set up a Christmas tree - am I worshipping that "tree" as a "god"?

#4 - If I give presents - am I worshipping the "presents" as a "god" or giving out of my abundance?

#5 - As I sing Christmas carols - am I worshipping the "carols" or singing in praise?

My answer to the above is an emphatic NO! Therefore I am not worshipping other "gods" in taking part of these holidays. I just don't get the big deal over this.

P.S. EG was correct in stating that this section of scripture is written to Israel. Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God . . . . Now can we learn something from it ?- of course - we will be blessed by choosing to walk by the Spirit!
 
EG was correct in stating that this section of scripture is written to Israel. Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God . . . . Now can we learn something from it ?- of course - we will be blessed by choosing to walk by the Spirit!

Romans 9:6-8, "However, it is not as though Yahweh's plan had failed. For it is not everyone who is a descendant of Israyl who belongs to Israyl. Nor, just because they are his descendants, are they all Abraham's children; but: In Isaac will your seed be called. That is, it is not those who are the children of the flesh who are Yahweh's children; but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's seed."

Psalm 105:6-9, "O seed of Abraham His servant, You children of Yaaqob, His chosen ones! He is Yahweh our Father! His judgments are in all the earth. He has remembered His covenant forever, the Law He commanded for a thousand generations; Which He made; ratified, established, with Abraham, and vowed by His oath to Isaac. He confirmed it; let it stand, to Yaaqob for a Law, and to Israyl for an everlasting covenant."

Galations 3:28,29, "Is there not the Yahdai as well as the Greek; Gentile? Is there not the slave as well as the freeman? Is there not the male and the female? For all of you must be in unity in Yahshua Messiah. And if you are in Messiah, then you are a seed of Abraham, heirs according to the promise."

Psalam 89:26-37, "He will call out to Me; You are my Father, O Yahweh! You are the Rock of my salvation! And I will make Him My firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. My mercy I will keep for Him forever and My covenant will stand fast with Him. And I will establish his Seed forever, and his throne will be as the days of heaven. Should his children forsake My Law, and refuse to walk in My judgments; Should they profane My statutes, and fail to keep My commandments; Then I will punish their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with lashes from the whip. Nevertheless, My lovingkindness I will not utterly withdraw from him, nor will I ever betray My faithfulness. My covenant I will not break, nor will I change what has gone out of My lips. Once for all, I have vowed by My holiness--I cannot lie, and I say to David: His Seed will endure forever, and his throne will endure before Me like the sun. His throne will be established forever like the moon: the faithful witness in the sky."
 
And again I'm saying, ask yourself this question:

WHAT ARE YOU FOCUSING ON?

YOU? (Lord, Lord, we have prophesied in your name! We cast out devils! We did many great works!) <goats

OR JESUS CHRIST?
(When did we clothe & feed & visit you, Lord?) <sheep

When I was blind and living in the flesh I indeed did not have God's thoughts.
I beg to differ with you now: I do have the mind of Christ. I do have His thoughts. I am one with Christ Jesus. I have His Holy Spirit working out His perfect will in and through me. I belong to Jesus because He paid the cost for my life. I am no longer my own but am the prisoner of Jesus Christ's love.

If I said that I have the power to overcome the Holy Spirit in me and that I could separate myself from Him, I would call Lord Jesus a liar and the Truth wouldn't be in me.
 
Deut. 11:28b "but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods" . . . .

#1 - If I dye Easter eggs for my grandkids to hide - am I worshipping the "eggs" as a "god"?

#2 - Do I worship the Easter Bunny as a "god" if I take part in this holiday?

#3 - If I set up a Christmas tree - am I worshipping that "tree" as a "god"?

#4 - If I give presents - am I worshipping the "presents" as a "god" or giving out of my abundance?

#5 - As I sing Christmas carols - am I worshipping the "carols" or singing in praise?

My answer to the above is an emphatic NO! Therefore I am not worshipping other "gods" in taking part of these holidays. I just don't get the big deal over this.

P.S. EG was correct in stating that this section of scripture is written to Israel. Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God . . . . Now can we learn something from it ?- of course - we will be blessed by choosing to walk by the Spirit!

Well, lemme see, where does God tell you to do these things?
 
#1 - If I dye Easter eggs for my grandkids to hide - am I worshipping the "eggs" as a "god"?

The practice of dying eggs for "Easter" is of one of the most horrifying origins.

"They celebrated it by baking cakes to Ishtar, getting drunk, engaging in sex orgies and prostitution in the temple of Ishtar. Women were required to celebrate the conception of Tammuz by lying down in the temple and having sex with whoever entered. The man was required to leave her money. Babies were sacrificed in the honor of these pagan gods and their blood was consumed by the worshipers. The priest of Easter would sacrifice infants (human babies) and take the eggs of Easter/Ishtar, as symbols of fertility, and dye them in the blood of the sacrificed infants (human babies)."

Deuteronomy 12:29-32, “When Yahweh your Father cuts off the nations from in front of you, and you displace them and live in their land, Be careful not to be ensnared into following them by asking about their gods, saying: How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do the same. You must not worship Yahweh your Father in their way, for every abomination to Yahweh, which He hates, they have done to their gods. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods. Whatsoever I command you, be careful to observe and do it, you shall not add to it, nor take away from it."
 
And again I'm saying, ask yourself this question:

WHAT ARE YOU FOCUSING ON?

YOU? (Lord, Lord, we have prophesied in your name! We cast out devils! We did many great works!) <goats

OR JESUS CHRIST?
(When did we clothe & feed & visit you, Lord?) <sheep

When I was blind and living in the flesh I indeed did not have God's thoughts.
I beg to differ with you now: I do have the mind of Christ. I do have His thoughts. I am one with Christ Jesus. I have His Holy Spirit working out His perfect will in and through me. I belong to Jesus because He paid the cost for my life. I am no longer my own but am the prisoner of Jesus Christ's love.

If I said that I have the power to overcome the Holy Spirit in me and that I could separate myself from Him, I would call Lord Jesus a liar and the Truth wouldn't be in me.

John 4"24, "Yahweh is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."