What a Christian can do on December 25th that is pleasing to God.

God led me through the reading of His word to ask, is mixing worldly elements with scriptures that do not command a particular celebration in order to create a specific celebration that both believers and non-believers celebrate and with pagan elements included justifiable according to scriptures?

We are told in God's Word to "Prove all things" and to "hold fast that which is good". For most of my life I really was not doing this.

Personally, I used to love to celebrate Christmas but now I love God's word much more. I now no longer make selfish excuses to justify my compromising on this day.

Proof texts that warn against compromising in in things such as celebrating Christmas:

A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Galatians 5:9

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? [15] And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? [16] 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. [17] Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing ; and I will receive you, 2 Corinthians 6:14-17

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. Jeremiah 10:2

Please note that I purposely left off the verses following Jeremiah 10:2 because people tend to vehemently insist that the tree mentioned there was not a Christmas tree, but I would submit that anything can be used as an idol if it is not fully centered on God.

The Christmas tree is very much an idol for many today as it covers all of their selfish presents. One would be hard pressed to deny this. Ask most any child what the tree means to them and more often than not they will say it is where 👉THEIR 👈 presents are. I was one of those selfish children and I carried that selfishness into my adulthood as well. Many professing Christians do so as well today but that selfishness does not just include getting presents but it also includes the satisfaction of emotional and physical desires in preparing and celebrating the day. While the claim is that it is all about Jesus' birth, it really isn't. The tree, stockings, yule log, mistletoe and receiving presents on what is supposed to be Jesus' birthday all have nothing to do with the scriptural account unless one twists the truth.

Keep in mind also that one will have to literally bow on their knees under the tree to receive these presents. The symbolism there alone should say something but in case you just don't see it, just keep reading.

The reason just verse 2 of Jeremiah 10 is used here is to emphasize what all of scriptures state and that is to not do as the heathen do. Paul and James also warned the same warning.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. [2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2

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. James 4:4

Jesus' birth did not save us from our sins. His blood through His death is the only thing that saves us from our sins.

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; Romans 3:25

Christian liberty is what most people claim at this point to continue to justify their desires but Christian liberty does not give us the right to do things contrary to God's will especially if they are an abomination (unclean) to God. Our liberty is in Christ and we “GET TO” serve Him through serving others.

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. Galatians 5:13

I have said this before but will say it again. God told us that just because we want to say something is clean or acceptable to God does not mean that it is. Only God can cleanse the unclean in this sense. In other words, we cannot take what is unclean to God and just say it is clean because we want to do it.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean. Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean. Haggai 2:11-14

One thing that has really convicted me is the amazing compromise that began around Constantine's time in incorporating the celebration of Jesus' birthday around the very vile pagan celebrations that are associated with the winter solstice such as Mithra's birthday. Most biblical scholars agree that Jesus' birthday was not during this season yet so many still insist on celebrating His birth in a season where there is so much compromise including an open door for heathens to celebrate alongside believers in churches across the world. I believe God is grieved when we do these sorts of things. I imagine if our birthdays were forced to be celebrated on days other than our birthdays in order to accommodate some pagan elements, some of us may take issue with this and rightfully so.

One last thing to bring up here is that a lot of people demand that we should keep “Christ” in Christmas, but they are being disingenuous by not giving the “mas” part of the word the same level of insistence. What about keeping the Catholic “mas(s)” in Christmas as well? Knowing the influence that Constantine had on this celebration of compromise it makes perfect sense that the Catholic church later would create this word and that the professing church to this day would not just borrow it, but they would indulge in it. All of this is part of the compromise that has been mentioned already. Christians admit the importance of words and what they mean especially regarding words in the Bible but they tend to refuse to give the same level of scholarly attention to the word “Christmas”. Well they should be honest and investigate this as all Christians, are called to do this and that is we are supposed to “prove all things”.

With all this said, my family will remember Jesus' death on December 25 through eating the bread and drinking the cup. WE WERE COMMANDED TO DO THIS. 👉This should be the real focus and celebration on every day including December 25👈.

In conclusion, Jesus was born for the sole purpose of dying so that His blood would be poured out for the forgiveness of our sins, so that we could be reconciled back to God. It was His death and not His birth that saves us. Praise the Lord that Jesus was born but I do not want to profane His birth through the compromise that is Christmas.

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: [24] And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. [25] After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. [26] For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

#Chiristmas