The date of Jesus’ birth has never been revealed to us. The celebration of His birthday is no where commanded for Christians to practice. Why is there so much fuss about a holiday which came to us through pagan Brumalia [The December 25 celebration], celebrating the shortest day of the year and the ‘new sun’? Its origin is in idolatory, paganism and Sun-worship, and was celebrated with riot and merrymaking long before Jesus came to earth as a babe in Bethlehem.
How did Christmas get into the Christian church?
This pagan holiday later crept into the churches, in the first five centuries, in spite of the protests of some godly pastors. It was considered idolatory to do this, since it was nothing more than a heathen day of worship. In addition, this day was selected in honour of Mithra, the Sun-god. December 25 was dedicated to the keeping of his birthday. The sun had reached its lowest angle in the sky on December 21 (the winter solstice), and the 25th was the first observable day in which it began rising in the noon sky. So, December 25 had for centuries, been celebrated as the ‘birth of the Sun-god.”
Is December 25, the Birthday of Christ?
It is well known among Bible scholars that December 25 could not have been the date of Jesus’ birth, because in Luke 2:8, we are told that the shepherds were keeping their flock by night out in the field:
Luk 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Now, considering the geographical position of the area, shepherds always brought their sheep in from the mountains and fields and sheltered them not later than October 15, to protect them from the cold rainy season that followed. (Songs 2:11; Ezra 10:9,13.) No shepherd in his right mind would be found outside tending his sheep by night on December 25:
Song of Solomon 2:11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
Ezr 10:9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
Ezr 10:13 But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.
What is “Christmas”?
The word “Christmas” and its tradition came down to us from the Roman Catholic Church, a term for “Mass of Christ” or “Christ-Mass”, which came to them not from the Bible, but paganism, where pagan calendars gravitated to Christmas. This December 25 “mass” must be attended by the faithful, under the penalty of mortal sin for not doing so. At this mass – as at every other, – Christ is offered by the priest in a wafer. The people are to worship this wafer as the true body, mind, and soul of Jesus Christ!
What about Santa Claus?
Old Saint Nick, one of Santa’s names, is a name for Satan. See “Old Nick” in the dictionary (Rev 17:15.):
And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
The name “Santa Claus” is a corruption of the Dutch “Sant Nikolaas” (Sant-Ni-Klaus), and “Kriss Kringle” is from German “Christ Kindl” or “Christ Child.” So we have here a counterfeit Christ called, “Santa”, when unscrambled is Satan! He comes at night as a thief (2 Pet, 3:10; 1 Thess. 5:2):
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
At midnight (EW:285), dressed in white and red (Rev 19:13-14, Isa. 63:1-3):
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine vat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
Bringing gifts and rewards (Rev. 22:12):
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Knows if you’ve been good or not (Rev. 2:23):
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Santa has white, wooly hair (Rev. 1:14):
Rev 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
Sits and talks with children (Matt. 19:14):
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Travels with reindeer on a sleigh (Rev. 19:11,14, Isa 66:15):
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
Lives in the North Pole (Ps. 48:2):
Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
Children tell him what they want, prayers (Matt.7:7):
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Santa Claus is not real, and we should not lie to our children! (Rev. 22:14-15.):
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Is there any wonder why later they question the existence of God? Teach them about Jesus Christ, their best Friend, their only Saviour, and the only one who can really bring them the gifts they need. Teach them the truth! Tell them that they do not need to wait till Christmas to receive His gifts; – they can and do have them every day: The gifts of love, salvation, protection, food, water, air, shelter, sunshine, rain, wind. The gifts of nature, scenery, animals and loved ones. To enjoy good health, and to have eyes to see them all, what more could they want, what precious gifts.
What about Christmas trees?
Green trees were cut down, mounted, and then decked with offerings of food and precious gifts to Mithra. “The Christmas tree is from Egypt, and its origin dates from a period long anterior to the Christian era.” –Frederick J Haskins, Answers to Questions. Even the Bible speaks about this pagan custom, see Jer 10:2-6:
Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
How about the Mistletoe?
Among the ancients, mistletoe was considered sacred to the sun, and was used in December, winter solstice festivities, when the sun was lowest in the sky. Kissing under the mistletoe was thought to be an act of pagan solar worship. Very licentious and temple prostitution was performed during the eight-day Roman Saturnalia which immediately preceded December 25 sun-birth celebration.
What about Wreaths and Holly?
Circular wreaths of evergreen branches (especially holly) were a featured part of the festival. These were formed in the shape of the sun, and represented life which could not exist without sunlight, placing them on the inside and outside walls during these celebrations. At the time of initiation into the Dionysian mysteries, these were worn by the initiates as fertility symbols. They represented the perpetuity of existence through on-going cycles of life, death, and rebirth. The wreath with a candle in the middle has a sexual representation, as do most pagan symbols, that we will not even discuss here, but suffice to say that it has the same connotation as the obelisk in St. Peter’s square in the Vatican. Holly berries were also considered sacred to the Sun-god.
CHRISTMAS PAGAN ORIGINS
Should Christians Celebrate Christmas?
Should faithful Christians after learning the truth about Christmas and its pagan origin, still continue to celebrate it? Definitely not! The early Christians dared not accept pagan practices or pagan holidays. Those heathen customs could not be found in the Bible, so they ought to be shunned by conscientious Christians. What is more, no birth-day of any person need be celebrated:
In the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his [Christ's birthday]. It is sinners [like haraoh or Herod] who make great rejoicings over the day in which they were born into this world.” –Catholic Encyclopedia, 11th ed., art: “Natal day.”
It would be more appropriate to observe the 7th day Sabbath rest day in honour of the finished Creation (Gen.2:1-3):
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
The weekly Sabbath, most Christians wish to forget to observe, although there is an explicit command in God’s Word, the Bible, to do so, and even though the command begins with the words “Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy…” (Exodus 20:8-11):
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 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.
Most have chosen to substitute it with another day. How is it with you my friend, will you please God, or men? That is the question!
The most common objections to separating oneself from the Christmas festival will now be answered.
The objections that will be answered are:
1. Shouldn’t we convey the “true” meaning of Christmas during this time of the year?
2. If our heart-attitude is right then what does the origin of Christmas matter?
3. Did not Paul say not to judge one another in regards to holy days and religious festivals?
4. If we stubbornly abstain from the festivities of Christmas, how shall we ever win our families and friends to Jesus (for they will surely call us fanatics)?
5. The Kingdom of God is not a matter of such trivial things so why waste our time in our concern over it?
6. I know that Christmas is pagan, but where do I draw the line in regards to abstinence from certain things?
I. Shouldn’t we convey the true meaning of Christmas to everyone?
The above discussion establishes the true meaning of Christmas. Any meaning other than this meaning could not be called Christmas. Furthermore, to give any other meaning to the origin and meaning of Christmas other than the historical one would be deception. Also worth noting is that the early church had no record of celebrating the birth of Christ and there is no authority in scripture given to believers which allows them to celebrate His birth in this manner.
II. If our heart attitude is right, what does it matter if the origin is bad?
The scriptures such as II Corinthians 6:14-17 ,7:1; I Corinthians 10:18-22:
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
Thus this displays evidence that we should not be involved in a mixture of anything that involves the mixture of truth with error. We are so quick to judge the cults for mixing truth with error, yet we allow ourselves to do the same thing. II Corinthians 6 exhorts us to keep away from that which is unclean and to separate ourselves from all forms of idolatry. The word of God demands purity in both our attitudes and actions, to walk in Spirit and in TRUTH. So you see that our heart attitude has got to be based upon truth or else it is the wrong attitude no matter how ‘innocent’ or ‘good’ it may feel to us.
III. Didn’t the apostle Paul say not to judge one another in regards to holy days and religious festivals?
Yes, Paul did say this in the 2nd chapter of Colossians. In the context of this chapter, however, Paul was dealing with Jewish holidays and festivals, not pagan or idolatrous festivals. We have seen that Paul has much to say about idolatry and the believer’s abstinence from it in all forms; therefore, in this context we see that this passage of scripture does not apply to our discussion. Paul does, of course, talk about eating meat sacrificed to idols, and says that an idol is nothing and that we should not raise questions of conscience about the eating of such meat. The logic of comparing ‘meat sacrificed to idols’ to ‘Christmas festivities’ is faulty and cannot be done honestly. In 1 Corinthians chapter 10, starting at verse 20 Paul writes: “But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would notthat ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than her So you see, that the sacrifices that unbelievers make during the Christmas season are offered to demons, not to God. Paul exhorts us to not partake in such things.
IV. If we stubbornly abstain from the festivities of Christmas, how shall we ever win our families and friends to Jesus (they will call us fanatics)?
Whatever people may call us, fanatics, etc. you will be known as Christians, and in the secret consciences of men you will be acknowledged as such. How was it with the early Christians? They lived so separate from the world and it made such an impression that even pagan writers say of them, “These men win the hearts of the mass of people, because they give themselves up to deeds of charity, and pour contempt on the world.” If Christians would live like this today, the world would quickly be converted. To put the feelings of unbelieving relatives (they may be offended if we don’t celebrate Christmas) before obedience and sincerity before God is putting them in a higher place of importance than God. And Jesus has said, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me…” (Matt.10:37):
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
V. The kingdom of God is not a matter of such trivial things as these, so why waste our time discussing them?
A Christian who fears the Lord will pursue the subject until he is either cut off from conforming to the world or cut off from God. It is not only Christmas, as such, but it is conformity to the world in general that is the great stumbling block in the way of sinners. How can the world be converted, while professing Christians are conformed to the world? The unbelievers may just as well ask, “What profit will it be to become Christians, when those who are Christians are pursuing the world with all the vigor that we are?’ “Born again” Christians are the laughing stock of many cults and secularists because of their ignorance in matters such as these. Separation from the world is not a trivial matter. It is essential for engaging in powerful prayer, which will bring forth the power and blessing of the Holy Spirit to convert the world. So you see, this subject is not trivial.
VI. I know that Christmas is pagan, but where does one draw the line regarding abstinence from certain things?
This final objection is the hardest one to answer, but here some jeneral guidelines that should be followed: The spirit of Christmas is a counterfeit spirit. It is a spirit of ‘false’ love and ‘false’ joy that the world enjoys during Christmas. This spirit is not the HOLY Spirit of God! For it does not lead the world to conviction of sin and repentance and it does not confess Jesus as Lord. It is a false spirit, a spirit :hat leads many to commit suicide during this season. Statistics show that the suicide rate is higher during the Christmas season than at any other time of the year. This is the spirit of the world, the spirit of the antichrist, who wishes death upon all men. The scripture refers to the devil as an angel of light and as the deceiver and counterfeiter. This spirit is prevalent in most evangelical churches during the Christmas season. It takes the form of Christmas parties, candlelight services, Christmas cantatas and the like. To be separate from this spirit is important.
FINAL COMMENTS
The facts that have been discussed should cause every true believer to doubt the godliness of the Christmas celebration. The scripture says: “for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23):
And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Many things associated with Christmas require abstinence but the Spirit of God will lead as one asks for His guidance and His light. Why not try to help those who are being led into suicide by lying spirits during this season, to trust the Holy Spirit to lead you to such hurting people as these and to others who may be ripe for harvest. He will guide as one walks in the truth on this matter. Before ignoring this call of God to be separate from the world, heed His word to us… (James 4:4-5):
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
“Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church … the first evidence of the feast is from Egypt.” (Catholic encyclopaedia 1911 edition) “There is no authoritative tradition as to the day or month of Christ’s birth … The winter solstice was regarded as the birthday of the sun and at Rome a pagan festival of the nativity of “sol invictus” was introduced by the Emperor Aurelian on the 25th December 274. The church unable to stamp out this popular festival, spiritualised it as the Feast of the Nativity of the Sun of Righteousness. When Christianity spread northwards it encountered a similar pagan festival also held at the winter solstice – the great Yule feast of the Norsemen. Once again Christians absorbed heathen customs. From the various sources came the Yule Log, the Christmas tree introduced into England from Germany and first mentioned in 1978.” (Chambers encyclopaedia 1970 edition page 530)
“Indeed it is admitted by the most learned and candid of writers of all parties that the day of our Lord’s birth cannot be determined and that within the Christian church no festival as Christmas was ever heard of till the 3rd century, and that not till the 4th century was far advanced did it gain much observance.”
How then did the Romish church fix on December 25th as Christmas day? Why thus:
“Long before the fourth century and long before the Christian era itself, a festival was celebrated among the heathen at the precise time of the year in honour of the Son of Babylonian Queen of Heaven: and it may fairly be assumed that in order to conciliate the heathen, and to swell the number of the nominal adherents of Christianity, the same festival was adopted by the Roman Church giving it only the name of Christ. This tendency on part of the Christians to meet Paganism half-way was very early adopted … upright men strove to stem the tide, but in spite of all their efforts the apostasy went on, ’till the church, with the exemption of a small remnant, was submerged under Pagan superstition.
That Christmas was originally a pagan festival is beyond all doubt. The time of the year and the ceremonies with which it is still celebrated proves its origin. In Egypt the Son of Isis, the Egyptian title for the Queen of Heaven, was born at this very time, about the time of the winter solstice.” (The Two Babylons by Alexander Hyslop, pages 92 and 93).
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