Why As A Christian I Don’t Celebrate Christmas

 

• Anatomy of the word - The word Christmas when broken down is Christ Mass. Who performs mass on a weekly basis? The Catholic religion (who are not born-again Christians). The mass is a ritual of sacrificing Jesus every week and is believed that by eating the wafer and drinking the wine you are eating the literal body and drinking the literal blood of Jesus Christ. This belief is called transubstantiation, which is rejected by the Christian faith and is not supported by the Bible. Catholicism teaches that you must partake of this and do good works in order to get to Heaven. This implies that what Jesus did on the cross was not enough and we have to do the rest of the work in order to get to Heaven. This is blasphemy and is clearly NOT what the Bible teaches. When a person says “Merry Christmas” he/she is saying he/she is happy Christ is dead (not that He was born or even risen from the dead). The word Christmas has nothing to do with His birth at all, but rather His death.

   

• A Brief History – The history of Christmas dates back to ancient Babylon, hundreds of years before Christ was even born. Ancient Babylon celebrated a festival known as the “Time of Yule”. This festival included drunkenness, sexual immortality, and riotous living among other things. This festival was celebrating the birth of Tammuz which was December 25th (sound familiar?). You may have heard of the “Yule Log”. This comes from ancient Babylon when during this celebration they would gather a very large log, carve it into a male phallic symbol and give sacrifices on it and burn it for 12 days. This is where we get “The 12 Days of Christmas” from. When the Romans came into power they changed the name of the festival to “Saturnalia” to celebrate the birth of their god, Saturn, who was also believed to be born on December 25th. That’s two pagan gods that were supposed to be born on December 25th, but was Jesus really born that day? No. We can tell by Scripture Christ was not born in the winter months. It would have been too cold and rainy (as winter is the rainy season in that part of the world) for the shepherds to be out in the fields with their sheep at night. His birth most likely took place in the early spring or late fall, but Scripture does not tell us when. Could it be God did not reveal the date to us because He does not want us celebrating His birth at all? So if Jesus wasn’t born on December 25th why do we recognize this date and celebrate as if it were? Once again, it goes back to Catholic tradition. While ancient Rome changed “Time of Yule” to “Saturnalia”, once the Catholic Church came into power they wanted to adopt the holiday as well. The Catholic Church “Christianized” this pagan holiday and called it “Christmas”.

   

• Birthdays In The Bible – Christmas is supposed to be a celebration of Christ’s humanly birth. I’ve heard comments about how it seems there was a celebration happening in Luke 2 for Christ’s birth. Well let’s look at what just happened. It had been 400 years since God had spoken to the Hebrew people (known as the 400 years of silence). Now after 400 hundred years someone has heard from God once again and prophecy that dates back all the way to Genesis 3 has been fulfilled! The Messiah, Savior of the world, has been born! That’s definitely something to be excited about! As a side note, any time a new baby is born there is celebrating as God has brought forth new life. However is an annual celebration of birthdays Scriptural? What does the Bible say about celebrating birthdays? There is no Scripture telling us to celebrate the birth of Christ or to “keep the Holy day (or Holiday) of Christmas”. In fact, the Bible only references two people who celebrated their birthdays. Both were pagans.

 

• “And it came to pass the third day, , that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. And he restored unto the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand: But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them” Genesis 40:20-22

• "But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger. And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at mear, he commanded it to be given her. And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison." Matthew 14:6-10

 

 These are the only two reference to birthdays in the Bible. Both celebrated by pagans and in both accounts a man was killed. In pagan/occult world, one's birthday is conidered the highest holy day of the year. Pagans and Satanists celebrate thier birthday because it is all about oneself and they consider themselves gods, worthy to be glorified. In contrast in the Bible Job and Jeremiah cursed the day were born.

• "A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth." Ecclesiastes 7:1

 

Gift Giving – Gift giving is a well-known tradition during the “Christmas season”. There is nothing wrong with gift giving in of itself, but most Christians and non-Christians alike have the history behind this tradition wrong. Most believe the tradition is based off of the gifts that were given to the Christ child at His birth by the wise men. Does Scripture really teach this.

• " And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh." Matthew 2:11 

 

• “Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.” Matthew 2:16

 

In the first portion of Scripture, please notice where the wise men came. It does not say come into the stable. They wise men went to their house after His birth. In the second portion of Scripture we can gather that Jesus was somewhere between one and two years old when the wise men found Him. This explains why Herod had all the children from two years old and under killed because that was the time frame since they had been searching for the Christ child. All the nativity scenes we see today that include three wise men are Biblically inaccurate. The wise men were not present the night Christ was born, nor does the Bible say how many wise men there were. Three is the popular number because of the three gifts, but the Bible gives no number. The reason the wise men brought the Christ child gifts was not because of His birth at all, but because it was custom in those days to bring gifts when visiting a prophet or a king and Jesus Christ holds both of those titles.

 

• Santa Claus or Satan Claus? – The myth of Santa Claus should be an obvious lie and distraction, and therefore sin, for every Christian to see. Because of the obvious nature of this lie I am choosing to omit the long history behind the myth of Santa Claus. If this topic interests you, it is very easy to find the origins online. However, I would like to take a close look at the characteristics of Santa Claus and compare them to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

   

   

Myth Of Santa Claus - Complete knowledge of your goings and doings. “He knows when you’ve been bad or good” Ability to travel the world in one night (Can be everywhere almost instantaneously). Has a white beard and white hair.

 

Truth of Jesus Christ - Omniscient (All knowing) “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3 Omnipresent (Everywhere all at once all the time). The Bible describes Jesus “His head and His hair were white like wool, like snow, and His eyes were like a flame of fire.” Revelation 1:14

 

Sounds like a counterfeit of our Savior on the outside. Sadly, many Christians see these parallels and try to use them to justify propagating this myth. They claim Santa is a picture of Jesus. This is blasphemy and couldn’t be farther from the truth. If we look a little closer we will see the real person behind Santa Claus. We already mentioned Santa is known for traveling the earth back and forth visiting all the children in one night. There is another who travels the earth to and fro.

 

• “And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.” Job 1:7

   

  Satan can and does walk around and throughout the earth. He also likes to copy God and try to be like God. This myth of a magical God-like person is none other than Satan himself posing as a harmless old man that loves children. In order to propagate this myth parents must deliberately lie to their children about where the gifts come from and how they must be good in order to get these gifts. Who does the Bible call the father of lies? Satan. Parents, even Christian parents purposefully sin by lying to their children about Santa Claus. The Bible says…

             

• “Lie not one to another, seeing the ye have put off the old man with his deeds;” Colossians 3:9

   

  Santa is an idol, not any different from Buddha or any other false god. An idol does not have to be a statue or god, but rather can be ANYTHING we choose to esteem before God. This is strictly forbidden in the Bible.

   

• “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3

   

• Christmas Trees – For centuries now (even prior to the modern day Christmas) pagan’s have been worshipping trees by either bowing down to them or by giving them gift offerings underneath the tree. This is where we get the practice of putting presents under the Christmas tree today. Pagans would cut down a tree, bring it into their house and decorate it. (Sound familiar?) They believed the tree would bless their house and give special fertile powers. The Bible has much to say about this practice. The first portion of Scripture clearly describes what we know today as a Christmas tree. The other verses are proof texts which show how tree worship was a common practice and how God feels about it.

   

  “Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of the 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 is 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.” Jeremiah 10:2-5

   

  “Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:” Deuteronomy 12:2

 

• “For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.” 1 Kings 14:23

 

• “And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.” 2 Kings 16:4

 

• “And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:” 2 Kings 17:10

 

• “For of old time I have broken thy yoke, burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.” Jeremiah 2:20

 

• “The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.” Jeremiah 3:6

 

• “Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.” Jeremiah 3:13

 

• “Then shall ye know that I am the LORD, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols.” Ezekiel 6:13

   

  These many Scriptures show us that Israel was being influenced by their pagan neighbors to do in like manner of what they did, worshipping trees by bowing to them or putting gift offerings and sacrifices under them. Although the traditions and practices have changed slightly there is clearly a connection. Many will argue that as Christians we do not mean it that way. We are not worshipping the tree. But it is obviously closely related and even if we do not mean it that way should Christians partake in anything that has pagan origins? Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what we think or how we perceive it, but only what God thinks of it and how God perceives it. Scripture is clear He does not think well of this practice.

   

• Final Comments – We have gone over the anatomy of the word Christmas. How it really means “Christ’s Mass” along with a brief history of the celebration. We have looked at what the Bible has to say about birthdays and the Biblical account of Christ’s birth. We touched on the origins of gift giving, Christmas trees, and the lie of Santa Claus. I have used the Bible to put Christmas on trial. Is it Christian or Pagan? The Biblical and historical evidence shows it is clearly pagan! If we are to be silent where God is silent then Christians shouldn’t be celebrating Christmas because it is a man-made holiday. This holiday is a tradition of man. The reason I don’t want Christ in Christmas is because He doesn’t belong there! It’s even blasphemous! If we are willing to say the Catholic Mass is wrong and profane then we should be willing to say that “Christ’s Mass” is also profane and we should not want our precious Savior’s name all over it. We are not to mix the Holy with the profane. My heart is not to upset Christians or to be mean or to even be against having fun. Anyone who knows me, knows I love to have good clean fun, but I will not put having a good time or following the traditions of men before serving my Lord and Savior. For the last two years the Lord has allowed me to study this topic out and has lead me to write this letter to expose the lies and proclaim the truth! I pray you will consider the facts and Scripture and will see this holiday in a different light. Let’s follow the Bible instead of blindly following the traditions of men. I would like to leave you with one final verse and two quotes from Charles Spurgeon. Thank you for reading. God Bless.

   

   

  “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Colossians 2:8

   

  "We have no superstitious regard for times and seasons. Certainly we do not believe in the present ecclesiastical arrangement called Christmas: first, because we do not believe in the mass at all, but abhor it, whether it be said or sung in Latin or in English; and, secondly, because we find no Scriptural warrant whatever for observing any day as the birthday of the Savior; and, consequently, its observance is a superstition, because not of divine authority."

• Charles Spurgeon (Sermon December 24th 1871)

   

  “When it can be proved that the observance of Christmas, Whitsuntide, and other Popish festivals was ever instituted by a divine statute, we also will attend to them, but not till then. It is as much our duty to reject the traditions of men, as to observe the ordinances of the Lord. We ask concerning every rite and rubric, "Is this a law of the God of Jacob?" and if it be not clearly so, it is of no authority with us, who walk in Christian liberty.”

• Charles Spurgeon’s on Psalm 81:4