Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you... Galatians 4:10, 11
A few years ago a certain Bible school girl was baby sitting for a Jewish couple. She and the man got into a discussion about her beliefs, and at one point he asked, "Why do you observe Christmas? By what authority do you keep this day?" or words to that effect. Needless to say, she was at a loss for an answer because they both knew that there is no Biblical command for it. As I recall, he pointed out the great inconsistency in claiming that the Bible is the foundation of her faith while making such a great thing out of the observance of a day about which the Bible is silent.
Surely no one would deny that the Bible nowhere commands Christians to celebrate Jesus' birthday. Although one may give many reasons for doing it, it can never be said to be scriptural. The Jews have scriptural commands for all of their holy days and feasts, but absolutely none are commanded for the Christian. On the other hand, this should not be surprising since the Jewish religion is a religion of outward observations and the Christian religion is a religion of inward righteousness.
After reading the clear and specific commands in the law of the Old Testament concerning the observance of holy days and feasts, can one seriously believe that God would have been silent on this question if He had wanted Christians to observe Christ's birthday? He spelled out in great detail all of the observations under the law, such as, when to observe the Passover and how to observe it. Would He have done less for the honor of His own Son if He had intended this day to be observed?
Nevertheless, we are given no such command and no such directions. On the contrary, He has made it impossible to observe Jesus' birthday because no one knows when it was. Just as God hid Moses' body so that the Israelites could not worship it, in His infinite wisdom He has hidden this glorious day from us so that we cannot observe it. Whatever else December 25th is, it would only be an accident if it were Jesus' birthday.
There are several reasons for believing that Jesus was born in the summer instead of the winter. For one thing the shepherds would not have been out in the hills with the sheep in the winter. Another potent argument against winter is that this taxing or census would never have been commanded in the winter months because the hardships of travel in those days were far too imposing. In this day of superhighways, cars, and airplanes it is difficult for us to grasp just how arduous travel in those days really was. We must remember that it was so hard that Paul always wintered somewhere, that is, he stopped traveling during that season. How much more difficult would it be with women and children?
If the Bible says nothing about the date of His birth and if the scholars have never found any way to determine it and if, in addition, we have other reasons to strongly suspect that this event occurred in the summer or fall, how was the 25th of December chosen as the date of that inexpressibly great event? How did this tradition arise? The answer is very simple and is to be found in any encyclopedia. We got it from the pagans! That is correct. This day that almost the whole world observes in one way or the other is of pagan origin.
This is what the American Peoples Encyclopedia sold by Sears, Roebuck, and Company has to say:
"Christmas, originally Cristes Masse, the mass or church feast of Christ, the English name for the season in which the birth of Christ is commemorated. It is apparent, however, that a festival was celebrated at this season long before it was held sacred as the birthday of Jesus of Nazareth. The Saturnalia of the Romans and the winter festival of the heathen Britons were both celebrated about
December 25; and later, the Roman festival in honor of the sun-god Mithra (instituted AD 273). From the latter this day came to be known as the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun; and after its adoption by the Christian Church in the fourth century as the anniversary of Christ's birth, this name was given a symbolic interpretation."
From the above it is clear that after Constantine the Roman emperor supposedly converted in 325 AD, the offense of the cross of Christ was removed and the persecutions ceased. Christianity became the state religion. Heathen joined the church in droves without converting, and as with all pagans in all ages they must have rites and ceremonies and festivals. To worship in spirit and in truth they could not bear. Thus, the apostate church adopted the birthday of Mithra as the birthday of their new God with the continuation of the usual festivals, and the lives of the people changed practically not at all.
It is also clear that the apostolic and primitive church did not celebrate Christ's birth. Not only is the Bible completely silent about this day but so also are the writings of the early church fathers. It is a historical fact that they observed no day as the birthday of Jesus of Nazareth. It was not until the apostasy of the church in the fourth century that it began to observe this festival.
Let us look again at the encyclopedia, "The decoration of churches with mistletoe and holly is also a pagan survival, while the sending of gifts may be traced back to the Yule gifts of northern Europe and ancient Rome." And what can be said for the Christmas tree. According to the encyclopedia its origin is not certain, but some think it has roots in the ancient Druid religion. For my part I think that we can find its origin in the Bible. "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." Jeremiah 10:3-4. Is this not a description of the Christmas tree? And in this place Jeremiah was lamenting the idolatrous practices of the Jews.
As much as it may grieve many people to think about it, it must be admitted that the day called Christmas is, from beginning to end, unscriptural and pagan. Isn't it marvelous how so-called Christians will cling to and perpetuate these pagan customs in the name of Him who abhorred such customs? But they not only perpetuate them, they vigorously defend them. They will not hesitate to brand as a heretic any man who scruples the practice of these pagan, unchristian customs. What strange beings we mortals be.
Is this Christianity? Is it possible that Jesus can be pleased by this kind of religion? Is Jesus glorified by these pagan traditions even though His name has been attached to them? Is sacrifice better than obedience? May He not properly ask, "Who hath required this at thy hand?" Is it not foolish to think that Jesus is pleased if we celebrate His birthday on the birthday of a pagan god? Let us consider that point. Suppose that a man's wife had had another lover before he met her and married her. And let us suppose that when she was attached to this other man she always observed his birthday with certain festivities and celebrations. Would this man be pleased if his wife insisted on observing his birthday on the same day as that of her former lover and with the same festivities and celebrations? Would he not rather be offended by her to the highest degree and question her faithfulness and devotion to him? Any rational and honest person knows the answer to the above questions. However, most people are so puffed up with pride that they think that they are doing God a favor by giving Him any recognition whatsoever. They think that He will gratefully accept anything that they condescend to throw His way. But how contrary is this opinion to the Truth! All through the Bible we see that He rejects the worship of man as idolatrous when not offered in accordance with His precepts.
One can't truly worship God without obedience to God. The worship of a sinner is an abomination to God. It is as though a member of the Mafia would claim to be a good citizen. God commanded the Israelites to offer their sacrifices at the Temple and, therefore, when they offered their sacrifices to Him in the high places, it was an abomination to Him. Why? Because worship without obedience is folly. Oh, why can't man see this? What good is the Bible to us if we won't learn from it? How foolish is the man who glorifies the Bible and exalts the Scriptures if he won't learn the lessons it holds for us. From the Scriptures it is clear that God hates that worship that is inspired by the fleshly, worldly nature of man. Only that which comes from His own pure and eternal Spirit is acceptable to Him.
I remember one time hearing from the pulpit something like this, "Some people think we shouldn't have Christmas trees and lights. But I love them. I'm glad that the world does these things because every time they light a tree or sing a carol or say Merry Christmas, they are acknowledging that Jesus really is the Christ." Without looking closely at it, this certainly sounds reasonable. But is it? Does not almost every deviation from God's pure and holy way seem very reasonable to the carnal mind? The serpent's arguments sounded very reasonable to Eve. But were they right? Was it well that she followed his suggestions?
If we look just a little below the surface, the whole picture begins to change. Is a criminal showing that he believes in this country merely by saluting the flag? No, a proof that a man loves his country is that he obeys its laws and is faithful to its constitution. When sinners light Christmas trees, are they acknowledging that Jesus is the Christ? Of course not! They just like the festivities of Christmas. If they really were to acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ of God, they would fear and tremble and repent. If there were no festivities whatsoever, very few people would observe Christmas. True Christians observe Christmas every day of their lives. They don't need trees; they don't need lights; they don't need festivities. Jesus Christ abides in their hearts and the true Christmas spirit is there always.
Let us look just a little deeper into this question. Does God need and want the testimony of the wicked? The Bible plainly teaches that He does not. Jesus always rebuked the demons when they confessed that He was indeed the Christ, the Son of God. See, for example, Luke 4:41. And let us consider Acts 16:17. Paul and Silas were in Philippi in Macedonia. We read, "A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us,..., the same followed Paul and us, saying, 'These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.' And this she did many days." Now according to the reasoning used by the preacher that I mentioned, Paul should have been very pleased by this, especially since everyone in Philippi believed in the sayings of this damsel. Well let us see what that great apostle thought about it, "But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, 'I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her'"
The above mentioned preacher would never understand this. Wasn't the girl telling the truth? Wasn't she directing the people to Paul so that they might find salvation? Surely, this couldn't be bad. Well, no matter what our reasoning may be, it grieved the chief of the apostles. It appears certain that God does not want the testimony of the wicked.
The fact is that the Christmas spirit is not the Spirit of Christ, and this I well know by experience. For I partook of that spirit and loved that spirit, not only as a sinful and wicked Roman Catholic, but even as an agnostic. The world loves the Christmas spirit, and the world always loves its own. The world never has and never will love the Spirit of Christ because the Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of holiness, a thing that the world has always hated. The spirit of Christmas is the spirit of the world all dressed up in Christian garb, like a wolf in sheep's clothing. Otherwise, how is it possible that the world would love Christmas so much, seeing that the Scriptures tell us that the whole world lies in wickedness?
This should be a thing that is self-evident. However, I am sure that it is not, or there would not be so many so-called Bible believing people partaking of this wickedness. If the professors of Christ could once come to see that the things of God are highly distasteful to the worldling, then they would have to confess that Christmas is not and can not be of God. The world is at enmity with God and hates everything pertaining to godliness. Yet, the world loves Christmas. Christmas is of the world and is permeated with the gay, light, worldly spirit. This spirit never leads to true godliness or devotion to God. On the contrary, it destroys sobriety and gravity and the fear of the Lord, and it leads into lightness, foolishness, partying, carousing, etc. There is no time of the year that is so filled with so much wickedness as the time called Christmas.
A few years ago one of my spiritual brothers was sued for divorce by his wife because he had become a true Christian. One of her witnesses while on the stand brought these charges against him to prove that he was an unfit husband: he would no longer smoke, get drunk, smoke marijuana, go to parties, go to movies, watch TV, celebrate Christmas, etc" but now he only wanted to go to church, pray, and live a holy life. It is obvious that the religious and the irreligious join hands on this issue in order to persecute the just.
Dear reader, is it a small thing to you that God has chosen to hide that glorious day from us? Is it a small thing to you that the apostolic and primitive church did not observe it? Is it a small thing to you that it is filled with paganism and was part of pagan worship? Is it a small thing to you that it was never celebrated by the Christian church until after it apostatized? Is it a small thing to you that the world loves it and that it fosters drinking and other sensualities? If so, then by all means continue in the custom. But as for us, the Friends of Jesus Christ, we shall serve the Lord.