Is Christmas Christian or PAGAN ?
by Maurice M Johnson
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." 1st
Thess. 5:21.
The world again holds high carnival at this "Xmas" season. And again there is "no room in the inn" for the "Man of Sorrows." Shall we who have "been washed from our sins in His Own Blood" join the mixed multitude in their willful and selfish celebration of an utterly unscriptural "Christes Masse" ? Shall we thus make it easier for them to forget that Heaven's loving offer of "Peace on earth, good will toward men" was scornfully met by a fiendish sword, soon reeking with the life's blood of hundreds of Jewish boy babies — earth's mad effort to kill Bethlehem's Baby Boy?
We will search our Bibles in vain for any hint of "Christmas." Absolutely nothing is said as to the exact date of Christ's birth, not even the month being given!! Nor can we find any suggestion concerning our "celebration" of His birth and there is no hint that any of the early church ever did such a thing.
Just before going to the accursed tree to bear the world's load of sin, Christ said to His disciples: "The world hated me — they hated me without a cause." Should we cooperate in chanting "Christmas" carols with those who crucify Christ? Have we forgotten that the world's last treatment of our Lord caused Him to cry "Reproach hath broken my heart . . . I looked for some to take pity, but there was none." Psalms 69:20.
Only the impudent and blasphemous will profess to celebrate His birthday while making no effort to find out what will please Him. "Without faith it is impossible to please Him." And "faith cometh by hearing and hearing, by the word of God." Heb. 11:6; Rom. 10:17. On your birthday, who gets the gifts? Is your birthday deliberately changed so as to coincide with Hirohito's and Hitler's in order to favorably attract your bitter and cruel enemies ? To all believers with tender consciences, the Holy Spirit's words are sufficient: "What agreement bath the temple of God with idols . . . wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord." We can no longer innocently observe this imitation of the pagan Sun-Worshippers' winter festival to the Sun and its supposed "mother." Their annual feasts of Saturnalia and Maternalia were characterized by unspeakably filthy sexual practices. Surely none but those who are "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God" will stubbornly disobey our Lord's clear command to "Touch not the unclean thing." 2nd Cor. 6:14 — 7:2.
However, both Commercial Babylon and Religious Babylon are built upon the satanic supposition that "gain is godliness," therefore they will thank no loyal and intelligent Christian who seeks to expose their wicked and adulterous mixture — their impudent and profane thrusting the holy name of Christ into this popish-pagan fraud that was consistently condemned by all spiritual Christians up to about ninety years ago. (Read the encyclopedias and history on this subject.)
Since God's Word tells us nothing about any "birthday celebrations" for Christ, and since it does say that "whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23), the humble child of God will step out of the pagan procession to please the One whose birthday is mockingly being celebrated by the very crowd and satanic system that murdered Him.
Let us remember that the "Root out of dry ground," though ruthlessly crushed to earth, rose again and is to appear on this old earth, not as "a tender plant" but as "the Plant of Renown." His first coming was as the Lamb of God to die for our sins according to the Scriptures. His second (may it be soon) will be as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah" to reign.
Please read: Jer. 10:1-4; 2nd Cor. 5:15-17; Col. 3:1-3; Phil. 3:3.
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When a broken-hearted sinner calls on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness and salvation, that penitent believer is instantly born again. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." — Romans 6:23; 10:13. And that gracious miracle or new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17) makes him a living member of the one, true, spiritual church. "For in (by) one Spirit are we ALL baptized into ONE body . . ." — 1 Cor. 12:13. See also Eph. 1:22-23.