When I became a Christian it was brought to my attention that members of the church (the "church" being all of those who are saved) should not celebrate Christmas as a Christian holiday nor should we celebrate Christmas as the birthday of Jesus Christ. Obviously my response was one of surprise and confusion because my family had always celebrated Christmas in these ways. No doubt this was something I had to investigate. If Christmas is not a Christian holiday then exactly what is it and how did it originate?

Biblically there is absolutely no evidence that the early apostolic church celebrated Christmas; therefore we must turn to secular history to learn the origin of Christmas and its history. Our best evidence of celebrating this day originates from a pagan festival commemorating the SUN god, variously known as Saturn, Tammuz and Baal, among other names. This festival began long before the birth of Jesus. It was noted by the pre-Christian Romans and other pagans, that daylight began to increase after December 22nd, when they assumed that the sun god died. These ancients believed that the sun god rose from the dead three days later as the new-born and venerable sun. They thought this was the reason for increasing daylight. This event was cause for celebration and extremely wild excitement which I’ll not elaborate on any further due to its content. Many centuries later the Roman Catholic Church adopted this pagan festival, changing the name of the festival from Saturnalia, the birthday of the SUN god, to Christ Mass, the birthday of the SON of God, in an attempt to win over converts into the Christian faith. They have since used it to celebrate and honor the SON of God. The word "Mass" means death and was coined originally by the Roman Catholic Church, and belongs exclusively to the church of Rome. The ritual of the Mass involves the death of Christ, and the distribution of the "Host", a word taken from the Latin word "hostiall", meaning victim! In short, “Christmas” is strictly a Roman Catholic word. A simple study of the tactics of the Roman Church reveals that in every case, the church absorbed the customs, traditions and general paganism of every tribe, culture and nation in their efforts to increase the number of people under their control. In short, the Roman Church told all of these pagan cultures to bring their gods, goddesses, rituals and rites, and they would assign Christian sounding titles and names to them. Over the centuries the religious world has followed the traditions of men in celebrating this day. When Martin Luther started the reformation in the 1500’s and other reformers followed his lead, all of them took with them the paganism that was so firmly imbedded in Rome. These reformers left Christmas intact. In England, as the authorized Bible became available to the common people by the decree of King James the II in 1611, people began to discover the pagan roots of Christmas. The Puritans in England, and later in Massachusetts Colony, actually outlawed this holiday as witchcraft. Near the end of the nineteenth century, when other Bible versions began to appear, there was a revival of the celebration of Christmas. Traditions of men have carried it forward to this day.

The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1946 edition, says, "Christmas (i.e., the Mass of Christ)... was not among the earliest festivals of the church… it was not instituted by Christ or the apostles, or by Bible authority. It was picked up afterward from paganism.”

The Encyclopedia Americana, 1956 edition, adds, “Christmas… was not observed in the first centuries of the Christian church, since the Christian usage in general was to celebrate the death of remarkable persons rather than their birth… a feast was established in memory of this event [Christ's birth] in the fourth century. In the fifth century the Western Church ordered the feast to be celebrated forever on the day of the Mithraic rites of the birth of the sun and at the close of the Saturnalia, as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ's birth existed.”

Notice how these last two recognized secular historical authorities show Christmas was not observed by Christians for the first two or three hundred years... a period longer than the entire history of the United States as a nation! Christmas entered into the Roman Church by the fourth century A.D. and it was not until the fifth century that the Roman Church ordered it to be celebrated as an official Christian festival.

Now that we realize that Christmas is not actually scriptural, let’s consider when Christ was born and what the authority of the Scriptures say about celebrating Christ. As best we can determine from the Scriptures, Jesus Christ was more than likely born in the autumn of the year. There are a few passages that give us an idea of the time of year during the infancy of Jesus…

Luke 2:7-8 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

We further learn from Solomon 2:11 and Ezra 10:9, 13, that winter was a rainy season and it would be unlikely that the shepherds could tend their flock at night, as was the Jewish custom in that day. The shepherds would bring their flock into the stables in mid October to protect them from the cold and rainy season. This would indicate that Jesus was born prior to mid October since Luke writes that the shepherds were “keeping watch over their flock by night.” We could go even further into the study of the Hebrew calendar and Luke’s writings in chapter 2 on the pregnancies of Elizabeth and Mary to ultimately determine a closer date of September as the birth month of Jesus. However, the most important issue I believe we should consider is that there is no scriptural authority for celebrating Christmas as the birthday of Christ or as a Christian holiday. Let’s consider a few passages from the apostles Peter and Paul…

Peter wrote, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11) and Paul wrote, “…that in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written” (1 Corinthians 4:6)

Peter is explaining that whatever a person promotes within Christianity, it should be authorized by the Word of God, while Paul is explaining that whatever a person does in Christianity, it should also be authorized by the Scriptures. We know that infant baptisms, instrumental music, non-weekly communion, church raffles, religious observance of Christmas and Easter, among other things, are not authorized by the Word of God… they are not found in the Scriptures, thus they violate the principle of authority by failing to “speak as the oracles of God” and/or going “beyond the things which are written”. Therefore, Christmas cannot be celebrated as a Christian holiday or as the birthday of Christ… there is no authority for it. This does not mean that we cannot “celebrate” Christ and the fact He was born. We can most certainly rejoice in Christ, His birth and what He has done for us. As a matter of scriptural authority we are commanded by Christ himself to remember Him every Lord’s Day…

Luke 22:19-20 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.

Jesus Christ instituted the Lord's Supper… “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: 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. 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. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26 )

The Lord's Supper is Communion with Christ… “The cup of blessing that we bless is a sign of our sharing in the blood of Christ, isn't it? The bread that we break is a sign of our sharing in the body of Christ, isn't it? Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body, because all of us partake of the one loaf.” (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)

I cannot resist asking... If Jesus, the One who suffered so horrendously for us, the One who paid the penalty for our sins, asked that we partake of the Lord's Supper "in remembrance" of Him, why would we not want to show our gratitude by REMEMBERING HIM EVERY WEEK when we come together on the first day of each week (the Lord’s Day) for worship service???

Consider what Luke wrote in Acts 20:7, “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread...” During the days of the early church the people gathered together on the first day of each week and broke bread. What has changed this pattern of remembering Christ over the years? Men have changed it to be more convenient and less time consuming... however, God has not authorized any changes to this pattern of worship. Celebrating, remembering and rejoicing in Jesus is not something we only do annually at Christmas time when so many seem to come out of the closet, or semi-annually, or quarterly, or every fifth Sunday... it is something we should desire to do every day... and certainly by obeying His very command to partake of the Lord's Supper every Lord’s Day. Remember the very words of Jesus and let them dwell in your heart and on your mind… “DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME”.

Let us celebrate Christ together as we are authorized by the Word of God. Happy holidays to you and your family!

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In Christ,
brother Sonnie

That is definitely an AMEN! Well the Bible didn't give emphasis on the birth of Christ but rather than the DEATH of Christ. However, since Birth is a prerequisite to death, we cannot discount the fact that Jesus has been born from a virgin Mary (which happened to lose her virginity anymore after giving birth to Jesus' siblings). But, the Bible never ever teached to celebrate the feast of His birth on comparison to The Feast of the Passover etc. which were highlighted and pinpointed.

The idea of the Lord Supper every Sunday is the mere emphasis of the Lord's suffering, death, ressurection and the 2nd coming. This however has the greater emphasis than the Christmas that they are celebrating (which I used to celebrate also from my Year 1 to 5) =).

May our friends be enlightened by this Biblical truth.

I have struggled with this as well and the fact that many Christmas traditions are of pagan nature, however, I see nothing wrong with celebrating Christ's birth. Everything having to do with Christ is crucial including His birth. I think its wrong to make the holiday about gifts, family and traditions and forgetting the ONLY reason for the need to celebrate anything, but how can celebrating Christ (at any point of His life) be wrong???

I believe the point is well explained by Peter...

Peter wrote, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11) and Paul wrote, “…that in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written” (1 Corinthians 4:6)

Peter is explaining that whatever a person promotes within Christianity, it should be authorized by the Word of God, while Paul is explaining that whatever a person does in Christianity, it should also be authorized by the Scriptures. We know that infant baptisms, instrumental music, non-weekly communion, church raffles, religious observance of Christmas and Easter, among other things, are not authorized by the Word of God… they are not found in the Scriptures, thus they violate the principle of authority by failing to “speak as the oracles of God” and/or going “beyond the things which are written”. Therefore, Christmas cannot be celebrated as a Christian holiday or as the birthday of Christ… there is no authority for it. This does not mean that we cannot “celebrate” Christ and the fact He was born.

We should celebrate the birth of Christ daily, not just set aside one time per year for it. Doing so makes us no better than the pagans who originally created the holiday. We should not treat any one day more important than the other when it comes to the birth of Christ.

It's sad that the only time many people grace the doors of the church building are on holidays such as Christmas and Easter. As if this is somehow going to make them right with God. They forsake the assembling for months and months and show up for the pagan festival time. They ignore Hebrews 10:25-26.

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In Christ,
brother Sonnie

Amen! Christmas is a hard one for people to give up because in most cases it is filled with so many happy memories, which in turn we want our children to have. And it may seem harmless, but the rest of the world knows it began as a pagan holiday and partaking in it makes us look like hypocrites.

I might be wrong but the only "celebration" that has been mentioned in the NT is the observance of the Lord's Supper. It is the only thing that Christ asked that we observe in remembrance of Him, and it recalls the death of Christ each time it is observed. What more sums up the love, sacrifice and pure grace that was demonstrated on Calvary than the death of our Lord. He held nothing back from mankind...He gave it all.

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If we come to know only the Book but fail to come to know God through the Book, then we have failed....and God's purpose for the Book has been defeated.

The sad thing about it is, is that if you say you don't observe Christmas as Christ's birthday and don't approve of a manger scene you are automatically label as being against the Bible.
However, this does give us the opportunity to discuss the bible with denominational people. As a statement to get them thinking I ask them "Do we have to limit ourselves to just talking or thinking about Christ's birth once a year?"

Yes, and the denominational world tends to only observe the Lord's Supper once or twice a year. the rest of the time the only thing that they even remotely do is that is observed along with the Lord's Supper is contribution, but then again they have that confused with tithing.

My family does not celebrate Christmas as a celebration of Christ's birth. There is no command to do so, nor is there any approved example in the Bible. We do however think of it as a time to get together with family and friends and exchange gifts. It's a good holiday, but we treat it no different than say, Halloween. I know about the paganesque background of that day too, but that does not stop us from putting on face paint or a monster constume and pass out candy to neighbors. Harmless stuff, but a good time. However if this type of thing offends you conscience, then by all means avoid doing it.

ALL of men's days are subject to error. Think about Memorial Day...it was designed to recognize fallen soldiers in war and then expanded to remember anyone who is passed on (hence memorial), but now most of the time it is a time to go to the beach and have family gatherings and not even mention anyone who may have passed.

Thanksgiving has moved mainly from beng remembering the start of the nation and how the founders gave thanks for being helped by the natives to come together to eat...only to ise around 3am to go shopping the next morning!

July 4th, Labor Day, yes...even Christmas...are not what they were designed for.

THe only day as Christians that we are commanded to remember and recognize is the Lord's Day and that is every first day of the week (Acts 20:7). The daily thing comes from Acts 2 as the Christians met daily.

People are geting away from the truth and that is when they are led away by fables. I asked one guy about the manger scene and asked if that was what the Bible said and he said yes. So I took him to the Bible and showed how wrong it was in the way it is protrayed.

Let us take the time to first gets facts straight and then teach others about what we are to do as Christians and what not to do as Christians. SO we don't appear as the world does to the world and thereby causing some to stumble or be hindered by our actions.

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Romans 16:16 1 Thess. 5:17 1 Thess. 5:22 1 Tim. 6:12 2 Tim 2:15

Just something from my notes and a few sermons that I have preached...may it be help to someone.

What About “Christmas”??

Non-religious Observance of Christmas. Before considering the religious observance of Christmas, I wish to make a couple of observations regarding its non-religious observance. There is a huge difference between a national "holiday" and a religious "holy day!" Human authorities are divinely permitted to establish holidays to honor special people and events. No sin is committed when stores, factories and businesses close in honor of those holidays. National holidays actually establish some useful standards allowing families and friends to visit each other in such a way that they may not otherwise be allowed to do. According to Romans 14:5, Christians have the God-given right to "esteem one day above another," thus observing a holiday or holiday(s) of their choosing. No sin is committed by such action unless the Christian binds his views and practices upon others (Rom. 14:10,13). As with other national holidays, Christians may rightly use the December 25th holiday for the purpose of gathering with loved ones for whatever lawful reasons they may choose. This may even include the exchanging of gifts, which incidentally, may be done on any occasion. However, no human authority, whether church or state, has any right to establish religious holy days! This includes the establishment of December 25th as the "birthday of Christ" and using that day to commemorate the birth of Christ. Furthermore, no church has the scriptural right to incorporate the observance of Christmas as a religious and spiritual act. The New Testament authorizes no such practice. To presumptuously concoct and observe such manmade holy days is to sin against God.

The History of Christmas. The word "Christmas" comes from the Old English term Cristes maesse, meaning "Christ's mass." This expression was used to describe the worship service that was held on December 25 to commemorate Christ's birth. A Roman almanac shows Christmas first being observed on December 25th of 336 AD. This date was established in part, to compete with the pagan observance of "Saturnalia" which took place on December 17th. Also, an agreement was reached between the Western Catholic, Eastern Rite and Orthodox churches, which connected December 25th to January 6th ("Epiphany" - the appearing of Jesus), resulting in what is now known as "the twelve days of Christmas." This tradition of Christmas spread rapidly and is now recognized by most countries throughout the world.

Those who wholly associate Christmas with Christ are badly mistaken. Christmas is the result of a compilation of several different religious beliefs and cultural practices. For example, some may think gift giving has always been patterned after the practice of the wise men in Matthew 2:11. However, this is not true. Early Christians had no such custom. It was actually the Roman pagan celebration of Saturnalia that inspired this practice. Interestingly, these pagans also originated the custom of decorating houses with greenery and lights. Scandinavian and Teutonic peoples of Northern Europe decorated trees and barns in order to scare away demons.

Among other items, certain plants have become religiously associated with Christmas. Holly is used because its prickly leaves represent the crown of thorns worn by Jesus at the crucifixion, and its red berries are said to represent droplets of the Lord's blood. Poinsettia plants are based upon a Mexican legend of a child who wanted to bring a gift to the village's manger scene, but he was too poor to buy one. Legend has it that these plants first grew miraculously for him and their leaves were said to resemble the star of Bethlehem.

I observe these things, not to suggest that it is sinful to exchange gifts, string lights on your house, buy poinsettias or hang decorations on a cedar tree, but to point out that the observance of Christmas did not originate with God and is not taught in the Bible. This means that though one may celebrate Christmas day as he would Independence Day, or some other national holiday, he is not authorized to celebrate Christmas as a religious holy day.

Who Authorizes Religious Observance? No man, woman, pope, church, synod, convention or eldership has the right to establish religious holy days and authorize their special observance. This is solely the work of God. He alone is qualified to authorize certain things to be done on certain days (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-2). When first century Galatian Christians began to depart from divine legislation and institute their own "holy" days, they were met with the apostle's sharp reprimand. Galatians 4:10-11 says,

"You observe days and months and seasons and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain" (NKJV).

Why was Paul "afraid for" these Galatian saints? It was because they were making their appeal to an obsolete standard of religious authority. According to Hebrews 8:13, the arrival and ratification of the "New Covenant" rendered the Old Covenant "obsolete." Thus, New Testament Christians are not authorized to practice Old Testament law. Doing so would cause them to "fall from grace" (Galatians 5:4). The Old Law was a "tutor to bring [men] to Christ, that they might be justified by faith. But after faith is come, we are no longer under a tutor" (Galatians 3:24-25). The key word in this passage is Christ. He has all authority and He is our authority in all matters "that pertain to life and godliness" (Matt. 28:18; Col. 3:17; 2 Pet. 1:3). Salvation is in His name (Acts 4:12).

But it may be argued that men do not appeal to the Old Testament for authority for the religious observance of Christmas, so how do the above principles apply? Perhaps another passage will help us to properly categorize these practices. To the saints at Rome, Paul acknowledged the zeal of his Jewish brethren, yet he said this zeal was "not according to knowledge" (Romans 10:2). The next two verses explain their failure. Paul said, "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes" (Romans 10:3-4, NKJV).

Notice how the principle of Christ's universal authority extends itself in all directions and over all religious exercises. Christ's righteous standard is "revealed in the Gospel" (Rom. 1:16-17). By turning elsewhere for religious authority men reject this standard and are said to "establish their own righteousness." In effect, they establish their own religion in the process! They substitute their own standards and institutions in lieu of those established by Christ.

Christmas: A "Religious" Institution? We shall now make the application of the above principles. Where did either Christ, His chosen apostles, or His inspired spokesmen and writers ever instruct men to observe Christmas? Where in the Bible, can one read about the establishment of "Christmas?" Where can one read of early Christians commemorating and celebrating the birth of Christ? References to the birth of Jesus are certainly found, but where do we read of saints observing that day as a holy day? And in the absence of this scriptural authority, upon what basis do men arbitrarily establish a day of the year as the "birthday of Christ," then proceed to honor that day as such? Furthermore, if authority for the religious observance of Christmas were to be found, where is divine authority explaining and demonstrating how this day is to be commemorated and celebrated? So far, in my personal experiences in discussing this question with people, I have never heard any of these questions answered with scripture.

The Truth About Christ's Beginning. The Bible does not de-emphasize Christ's birth, but neither does it attach a deep religious significance to that day. Why is the Bible silent about when Jesus was born? After all, exact dates are given for many other things! Why does the Bible say nothing about the need for Christians to remember and honor the day of Christ's birth? Had God chosen to, He could have told us to remember Christ's birth just as easily as He told us to "remember" His death. I would propose two possible explanations for God not authorizing us to commemorate Christ's birth.

1. God wanted mankind to emphasize, commemorate and honor Christ's death, rather than His birth (Matt. 26:26-29; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:23-29). It was through His death that Jesus would "draw all men to Him" (Jn. 12:32). It was through His death that Jesus offered redemption (Rom. 3:24; Eph. 1:7). And it was His death that provided the avenue of man's reconciliation with God (Rom. 5:6,8,10; 2 Cor. 5:14-21).

2. Christ's physical birth did not mark His beginning. In the case of ordinary humans, God forms their spirit with the formation of their body (Zech. 12:1). This was not the case with Jesus. His spirit preexisted His body. He was "in the beginning with God" (Jn. 1:1-3). Though the baptizer was older than Christ in physical age, yet Jesus preexisted John, and was eternally older than John (Jn. 1:30). The same was true of Abraham. Though Abraham lived 2000 years before Christ, Jesus preexisted Abraham by eternity (Jn. 8:58).

There was a priest/king named Melchizedek who lived in days of Abraham. The Hebrew writer compared him to the Son of God by saying he "had neither beginning of days, nor yet end of years" (Heb. 7:3). You see friend, Jesus has always existed and is always the same (Heb. 13:8). His physical birth did not bring Him into existence; it merely provided shape to His preexistent and intrinsic form. That birth gave Jesus the likeness and appearance of a man (Phil. 2:6-8). Though the Bible does call it a "birth," yet that birth was so very different from normal human births that it stands in its own separate classification: the class of incarnation! God became enveloped in flesh (Jn. 1:14; Matt. 1:18-23). Birthdays celebrate one's beginning: Christ had no beginning. By focusing upon Christ's alleged "birthday," as religious Christmas observers do, they detract from Christ's deity and exalt His transient physical nature. They ignore what the Bible teaches about Christ's real purpose for coming to the earth.

Conclusion: Those who celebrate December 25th, as a religious holy day must admit that they have absolutely no biblical authority for doing so! Many will say, "Well, He had to be born on some day - we just pick December 25th as that day!" Beyond being admittedly presumptive, this claim really misses the point. We are not concerned over people believing that Jesus was born on some day: We are concerned that religious people have established that day as a religious holy day, and proceed to religiously celebrate that day without God's approval! This should raise some eyebrows, but I am afraid too many people have wandered too far from the scriptures to even be concerned about this at all. The important question is not what everyone else thinks and is doing, but what am I doing? What about you, dear reader? Are you participating in an unauthorized religious practice?

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Romans 16:16 1 Thess. 5:17 1 Thess. 5:22 1 Tim. 6:12 2 Tim 2:15

Sonnie started it!!

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Romans 16:16 1 Thess. 5:17 1 Thess. 5:22 1 Tim. 6:12 2 Tim 2:15