3. It’s possible to figure out at least the general season of Christ’s birth by looking closely at some details of your Bible, such as the priestly service of Christ’s uncle and the habits of the shepherds in the cold December climate around Bethlehem. I have many God-honoring traditions in my life that are not commanded in the Bible. A Nigerian man on Facebook has drawn a few responses from Christian visitors on the application, over his questionable post concerning Christmas. It can be an opportunity for us to grow closer to Jesus and point others to faith in Him. We know that Yeshua was born 15 months after Elizabeth conceived as Miriam conceives in Elizabeth’s sixth month. Of course, this myth is found nowhere in the Bible. Dec. 25 was assigned to be the date of Christ’s birth about 300 years after He was born basically to encourage followers of a variety of pagan religions that celebrated that day to convert to Christianity. For just $100 per month you can bring the gospel to 10,000 homes. Because of the attention paid to the story of Christ’s birth and the carols celebrating the baby Jesus, many may be shocked at this time of year to hear someone say, “I don’t celebrate Christmas because it is not Christian to do so.”. What is Christmas about in the Bible? As millions of people around the world decorate trees, wrap and give gifts, and tell their children the story of Santa Claus—a fundamental question must be answered. God’s holy days were created by God for His people. God instructs us to never worship Him with pagan practices: “You shall not worship the LORD your God with such things” (Deuteronomy 12:4). There is NO BIBLE AUTHORITY for its observance, strange as it may seem. Roman pagans first introduced the holiday of Saturnalia, a week long period of lawlessness celebrated between December 17-25. Human nature allows people to justify self-contradictory things because they appear to produce benefits for them. Christmas (25 th December) is not the Day Jesus was Born Christmas is a day which was set about 350 years after the birth of Jesus Christ. Two of the traditions of Saturnalia that live on today in Christmas include gift giving and fabulous light displays. Of course, this is just a hypothesis—but a cool one. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t. Read our article “The Birth of Jesus” to learn more about what the Bible indicates regarding Jesus’ birth. This was celebrated in honor of Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture. In the mad rush of the holiday season, the true meaning of giving is often forgotten. . Bible Says Christmas Is Time of Blessing. Encouraging children to help bake, frost and decorate a birthday cake is a great way to wrap up the Advent season. Christmas is not in the Bible and neither is the Timing of Yeshua’s Birth. . Leviticus 23 lists seven festivals that God calls His feasts. December 19, 2013. Answer: The Bible does not have any direct or explicit statements saying, " Thou will not celebrate Christmas." Gift giving is one of the oldest customs associated with Christmas: it is actually older than the holiday itself. There definitely isn’t any evidence of Santa being in the Bible. The custom practically makes Santa Claus into a godlike being—with the ability to hear children’s wishes (prayers) and visit all the good children of the world in one night (supernatural powers). The reality is that the Bible forbids the observance of holidays like Christmas and Easter that have their origin centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ! God has placed so many gifts within His church. (It is the) same with Christmas, it's not the term or calendar date we celebrate but the event and … What is meant to be a time of blessing and joy becomes instead, a time of stress and depression. Let’s examine holy days vs. holidays. “Your name is […] 1. The Bible shows that we offend God if we try to worship him in a way … The time of year chosen, starting a week before Christmas, correlates with the pagan festival of Saturnalia. He lives in the Dayton area with his wife, Shannon, and two daughters, Isabella and Marley. Although the date of the Christmas celebration is not found in the Bible, it is not wrong for us to remember Christ’s birth during the Christmas season. What Sort of Star Led the Astrologers? Is it Christian for parents to teach this myth to their children? Let’s start with the word, “Christmas.” According to reputable sources, Christmas originated from the Old English word, Christes-masse. 450, Continuum, 2001. Is it Christian to lie to children about a mythical figure’s existence? The Bible does not give us Christ’s date of birth, but it gives some clues that it was at a warmer time of the year. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t. Christmas is all about the good news that the angels announced to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds: the birth of the Savior of the world. Please, subscribe and hit the notification bell icon for future videos. Imagine if we taught kids to learn about the Holy Spirit instead of the Christmas spirit of the material … By Dr. Elias E. Hidalgo The Untold Story IS CHRISTMAS IN THE BIBLE ? It's the same funny mentality of those who confuse terminology with theology. It would make more since that they were with their lambs. Since the term “pagan” is not used as much today, it is important we understand its meaning. Then where did we get "Christmas"? Dec. 25 is the wrong day, and it’s celebrated for the wrong god. Why not keep the holy days found in the Bible—instead of holidays that human beings invented and assigned Christian meaning to hundreds of years after the Bible was written? As I was discipling a young believer, I asked her if she had ever said “the sinner’s … Although it could rain in the spring, it is less likely at the end of March/April and a lot warmer. The short answer is no. I have many God-honoring traditions in my life that are not commanded in the Bible. Christmas not mentioned in the Bible. [i] This is based on the fact that according to the Bible that Abijah was the eighth division of 24 (1 Chronicles 24:7-19). Four reasons Christmas is not a Christian holiday 1. And if a religious significance—real or imagined—can … To learn more about God’s true holy days, download our free booklet From Holidays to Holy Days: God’s Plan for You. Many people living in those days worshiped the sun, as they felt a … How Should a Christian Deal With the Coronavirus Pandemic? Furthermore, the Bible does not mention that Jesus or anyone else celebrated Christmas. Later, it became “Christemasse” until it took its modern form into Christmas. The word “CHRISTMAS” comes from the Old English term Cristes maesse, meaning “Christ’s mass.” This was the name for the festival service of worship held on December 25 to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash Teach Kids about Christ not Santa. It is just that the people CELEBRATING Christmas do not have the 2 WITNESSES WITHIN THEM: the WORD OF G-D (Yeshua) and the HOLY SPIRIT (the Spirit of Yeshua). Eddie Foster But the Bible does not teach their observance. As we have seen, there is no legitimate scriptural reason not to celebrate Christmas. Let’s answer this by asking four similar questions based on the points above: The answers to these questions point to the answer to the original question: No, Christmas is not Christian. Parents shouldn’t lie to their children. But you won’t find Christmas in the Bible! One of the most popular Christmas customs involves telling children that there is a jolly, potbellied man named Santa Claus who delivers Christmas gifts to all good children around the world. Is it Christian to worship Christ’s birth on the birthday of the ancient sun god? Eddie Foster was born in Ohio, and after living in several parts of the northeastern United States, he once again lives in the Buckeye State, most likely for good this time. Is Christmas in the Bible? Imagine if their focus was on giving rather than receiving. In such a case, truth does not matter; all that matters is that a person receives presents and has a good time. You might be surprised to learn that Christmas was not instituted by Jesus Christ nor was it celebrated by him or his first-century disciples. O YES ! It adds that to the Puritans, “Christmas was nothing but a pagan festival covered with a Christian veneer.”. Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, was a priest and according to the Luke passage there are only five possible times that someone in the Abijah division, as was Zechariah, could have been serving. However, it would be highly unlikely for shepherds to be outside on a cold and possibly wet winter night. To learn more about the deep Christian meaning of the biblical festivals, read “Festival Meaning: What Are the Meanings of Each of God’s Festivals?”. Christians should keep the holy days that Jesus kept, not holidays that originated in paganism. The sinner’s prayer. In fact, there is no record of a Christmas celebration until 300 years after Christ died. a little drummer boy did not travel to the manger to play his drum for the infant Jesus.. . They attend the Cincinnati/Dayton congregation of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association. the first state in our Bible-oriented country to make it a holiday was Alabama in 1836.. . Is Christmas really “Christian”? “I wanted to pretend I didn't read about the G. O who said 'Christmas' is not in the Bible and so shouldn't be celebrated. Is it Christian to ignore the festivals sanctioned in the Bible to keep holidays found nowhere in the Bible. Print subscriptions available in U.S., Canada and Europe. Nowhere in the Bible do we see Jesus born on 25 th December. Most Christmas traditions come from pagan religions, not the Bible.. The Bible teaches seven meaningful holy days, but not the major holidays celebrated today. In the chaos of the Christmas season, it's easy to forget what we're celebrating. Strange as it may seem, Christmas is not in the Bible, was not observed by most professing Christians until four centuries after Jesus' death, and would have been forbiddenin early New Testament times. Festival Meaning: What Are the Meanings of Each of God’s Festivals? John 10:22 tells us that Yeshua celebrated the aforementioned extra-biblical holiday of … Much has been made recently of the liberal “war against Christmas,” but it is not just those with a bias against anything associated with religion who reject Christmas and its trappings. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version (© 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.). There is no Santa Claus. Home Gist “Christmas Is Not In The Bible .. From Holidays to Holy Days: God’s Plan for You. The Bible is very clear that lying is a sin: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16). Printable Bible Verses "The magic of Christmas is not in the presents but in His presence." God’s festival calendar begins in mid-April of 2014. If I had to guess—and I’m no expert in this—Yeshua was born just before Passover. The real reason for the season gets lost in all the lists and shopping and entertaining. - CHRISTMAS IS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE !. The Story of Leah. Pagan worship often involves polytheism (worship of multiple gods) and often centers on worshipping elements of nature. In light of these facts, millions of Christians the world over have concluded that Christmas is not for them. Dec. 25 is the wrong day, and it’s celebrated for the wrong god. - Or "How do we celebrate Christmas?" (Jeremiah 10:1) What does the term 'CHRISTMAS' conjure up in your mind and heart, and what do you associate it with? The book The Battle for Christmas, says: “There is no biblical or historical reason to place the birth of Jesus on December 25.”. Mind What You Celebrate” - Warning To Christians by - Roiz on - Wednesday, December 02, 2020 . Mind What You Celebrate” - Warning To Christians “Christmas Is Not In The Bible .. Paganism refers to religious worship of gods other than the true God of the Bible. Someone confronted me a few day ago with a touching statement: He does not celebrate Christmas because Christmas is not in the bible. Here’s why in a nutshell. I am assuming that each half year grouping would begin on the first day of the first month and the first day of the second month. Angels Singing. Not from the New Testament—not from the Bible—not from the original apostles who were personally instructed from Christ—but it gravitated in the fourth century into the Roman Church from paganism. "HEAR YE THE WORD WHICH THE LORD SPEAKETH UNTO YOU." As we have seen, Christmas is a birthday celebration, and early Christians did not follow that pagan custom. All priests would serve during the three major feasts and then Zechariah’s grouping would come once in the spring and then again in the fall. Report: 268,000 Israeli Families Pushed to Poverty Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Unloved, But Overcoming! Imagine if at Christmas, we taught our kids about Jesus instead of Santa. As you share the dessert, remind children that the gifts exchanged on Christmas morning symbolize the most precious gift of all—God’s son. Sign up for the GOD TV newsletter and receive a free gift! Is Christmas in the Bible? Christmas is the mainholiday, not only of the professing Christian world, but also of many other non-Christian peoples. “With no Biblical directive to do so and no mention in the Gospels of the correct date, it wasn’t until the fourth century that church leaders in Rome embraced the holiday.” (click for source). The Bible gives us no date for the birth of Jesus Christ. So, getting back to our original question: Is Christmas Christian? 4. And he’s portrayed as always staying the same age (immortal). The Bible records that Jesus Christ kept these festivals (Luke 22:15-16; John 7:10). Used by permission. Dec. 25 is associated with many pagan birth... 2. We are never commanded to celebrate the birth of the Messiah. When the date of Christmas was set to fall in December, it was done at least in part … 1. One popular pagan god whose birthday was celebrated at the end of December was Mithra. For sure, one of these dates (the Feast of Tabernacles), assuming that Elizabeth conceived within a short period of time after Zechariah came home from the Temple, could lead to a winter birth. And neither is Hanukah for that matter and I love to celebrate it. And neither is Hanukah for that matter and I love to celebrate it. The Bible does not give the date of Jesus’ birth, nor does it say that we should celebrate his birthday. As the Roman empire became more Christian, the church imported … This year, instead of celebrating Christmas, why not study the true festivals that God reveals in the Bible and learn about their deep meanings. secular encyclopedias will gladly tell you that Christmas came from pagan sun worship.. . During one of the three feasts or the tenth week after the beginning of the year or nine weeks after Rosh Hashanah. Christmas literally means Christ’s mass or Christ’s dismissal. Most Christmas traditions come from pagan religions, not the Bible. IS CHRISTMAS IN THE BIBLE ? by It would make sense that Yeshua not only died as the lamb of God on Passover, but was born at the time that the Passover Lamb would have been. Spend Christmas Eve making a birthday cake for Jesus. Whatever Christians decide to do regarding Christmas, their views should not be used as a club with which to beat down or denigrate those with opposing views, … There is not one word in the New Testament, or anywhere in the Bible, telling us to observe Christmas. The love of God is revealed through Jesus who existed as God from infinity but laid aside His privileges and took on the form of a servant when He became a man. It is not Christian to perpetuate myths like Santa Claus—especially to innocent children. Why would a Christian—who strongly believes in God the Father and Jesus Christ—make a conscious decision to reject Christmas? All rights reserved. In the end, of course, whether or not to celebrate Christmas is a personal decision. Christmas continues because human nature deceives itself into practicing things that are not right because they are enjoyable. Many Christmas carols and oral stories of the Nativity mention that a host of angels … Christmas: Should Christians Celebrate It? So I decided to find out a little more from him wondering why things could so easily be considered as wrong because they have no mention in the bible. Clues are provided by what the star actually did. For one … Is it Christian to keep ancient pagan worship practices alive by calling them Christian? Consider the words of the Man that Christmas is supposed to celebrate: “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition” (Mark 7:9). Join us as media missionaries! For any serious Christian this alone should be sufficient to leave it completely alone, but for those who won't this is a bible study that gives scriptural reasons why a Christian should not celebrate Christmas. Dec. 25 is associated with many pagan birth myths—not Christ’s birth. Easter as a term is not in the Bible but we celebrate Easter because it's an event and a mystery recorded in Scripture. . 2. [ii] The Religions of Ancient Israel: A Synthesis of Parallactic Approaches, Dr. Ziony Zevit, pg. At the same time, there is no biblical mandate to celebrate it, either. John 10:22 tells us that Yeshua celebrated the aforementioned extra-biblical holiday of Hanukah. How can we exclude children from this commandment? We are never commanded to celebrate the birth of the Messiah. If you look to the bible for your answers you will not find them, because God has given no such instructions. The time of year chosen, starting a week before... 3. Recently, as I was praying for the church and the nations of the world, a great sorrow began to rise up inside of me. Though Dec. 25 is considered the birthday of Jesus by a large segment of Christendom, there is no evidence that this was actually the date He was born. The Christians of the first century, under the inspired teachings of Peter and Paul and the other apostles, never observed it. But regarding Christmas, it should be stated that for centuries it never occurred to the first believers that they should celebrate His birth, nor did they know when he was born. This was celebrated by drinking, sexual indulgence, and singing naked in the streets. However, it also does not have a specific text condemning the use of heroin or cocaine … Christmas: Christmas is even more of a stretch because it is not linked to the actually time of year Jesus was born. It is unlikely that Caesar Augustus would call for a census in the middle of the winter, when the rains could make for a cold, muddy trip. 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