Update 122

On Saturday, December 20, 2003, Robb Harris will be presenting the sermon, titled, “Who Do You Trust.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at the appropriate time, just click on “Connect to Live Stream.”

(Español: Por qué no la Navidad)

It’s Christmas time again. During the coldest and darkest season of the year, beautiful, colorful Christmas lights surround us. Some houses are decorated with breath-taking splendor, and one can hardly help oneself but to admire the display of electric lights in the midst of the cold and gloomy wintertime. Our children are introduced to the Christmas season as the time of peace and good will — as an important time of family unity and togetherness. In Washington, following an 80-year old tradition, national Christmas tree-lighting ceremonies are publicly held, and speeches are given talking about how Christmas celebrates the fact that Christ was born to bring peace to this world. When entering grocery stores, we hear famous and melodious Christmas songs, ranging from “Silent Night, Holy Night” to “O Christmas Tree,” or other well-known tunes. One sentence in a popular Christmas song may be especially telling, loudly proclaiming, “And man will live forevermore because of Christmas Day.”

Then, there are the Christmas presents. Especially children can hardly wait until Christmas Eve to see their presents displayed under the beautifully decorated Christmas tree. I still remember when my brother and I, as young children in Germany, were asked by my parents to go on an errand on Christmas Eve. When we returned, we were told that the little “Christ Child” had arrived at our home and had left behind a brand-new electric toy train, as well as other nice presents. Of course, in Germany and in certain other countries, children receive a double portion of presents, as they are being given a “foretaste” on St. Nicholas Day on December 6: An adult with a white beard, dressed in a red suit, appears to remind the children of their conduct throughout the year. He speaks of their good deeds, as well as, especially, their bad ones. Upon their promise “never to do it again,” the red-clothed Santa Claus puts his rod away and opens his big bag to present nice gifts. When St. Nicholas or Santa Claus appeared to us, we did not realize, at first, that our mother always “happened” to be away — and that she returned shortly after Santa Claus’ departure.

This sounds all so innocent, so well meaning, and it warms the heart of adults and brings back emotion-filled memories of years long gone by. But, could there be anything wrong with those celebrations?

Many, who support Christmas festivities, recognize their dark side. They point out that Christmas has become totally commercialized. The sale of Christmas merchandise begins right after Thanksgiving, in order to give all potential customers enough time to buy multiple presents for all their loved ones, their family and their friends. They also “need” to buy presents for those whom they are somehow “indebted to,” or from whom they hope to receive certain favors in return. People buy gifts, which they can’t afford, incurring credit card debts that they can never repay, only to fulfill their expected “obligations” to give presents to others. We also know that especially during Christmas season, more crimes are committed than at any other time of the year, and alcoholism runs rampant.

Religious people realize, too, that Christmas celebrations have become less and less focused on Christ, the alleged “cause” and “reason” for the holiday. And so, as we read in WorldNetDaily.com, “Every December, a call goes out from the nation’s pulpits to ‘put Christ back into Christmas.'”

But there is a problem with that call, as there is a problem with the entire Christmas festivities. The above-mentioned article continues, “… growing numbers of Americans — including fundamental Christians — are claiming Jesus Christ had nothing to do with the holiday.”

This brings us to the crux of the matter. What, if anything, does Christ have to do with Christmas? Was He born on December 25? Did He command, in the Bible, to keep Christmas holy? Where do all the different Christmas customs come from? Are they Biblical?

The fact that Christmas lights and candles look pretty is not the answer. If we can establish that Christmas celebrations are not commanded in Scripture — yes, that they are, in fact, prohibited and a counterfeit to true godly worship, then it is irrelevant how “nice” certain customs may look. Remember, we are told in 2 Corinthians 4:4 that there is a “god of this world” — Satan the devil — who has “blinded” the minds of those who don’t believe the gospel, “lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ… should shine on them.” If wrong, then Christmas lights would be a pitiful substitute for the true light of the gospel. Also, we are being told in 2 Corinthians 11:14, that “Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” What he offers does look nice and good and bright. In fact, sin has “passing pleasures” (Hebrews 11:25).

When researching the origin of Christmas and its customs, it becomes very soon abundantly clear that Christmas has absolutely nothing to do with the birth of Christ and the purpose for His First Coming. We discover that virtually every custom celebrated at Christmas time is of pagan origin, which had been used to worship pagan gods. Many of those who have studied the origin of Christmas have decided not to keep it any longer. Still, they are bombarded with Christmas customs, wherever they go. They may catch themselves, if they are not careful, humming or singing along with the Christmas tunes played in a supermarket. On the other hand, even professing Christians who strongly support Christmas celebrations are forced to admit the pagan origin of Christmas. They argue, however, that it does not matter. One article states:

“The true Origin of Christmas is filled with controversy and compromise. A quick study will reveal a number of disturbing roots… in short, the Christmas holiday we celebrate today is indicative of Christianity’s willingness to absorb the world’s customs and traditions, and forget its simple roots in the historical reality of Jesus Christ. Christmas should be nothing more than a simple, yet wonderful reminder of Christ’s humble beginning as a human child in this world… Whether it’s December 25th, sometime late in September, or any other day of the year, we should use each and every opportunity to reflect on Jesus Christ and His message of hope for all of us.”

But is this true? Should we use every opportunity, even if this means, embracing pagan customs? Is that the teaching of the Bible?

In this special Update on Christmas, we are addressing these important questions. Please be sure to carefully study the material, and read or re-read the booklet mentioned in this publication. Whether to celebrate Christmas or not, is man’s choice. However, to decree whether it is right or wrong to do so, is God’s prerogative.

To Tell a Lie…

We have published a comprehensive booklet, titled, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” in which we explain, in detail, why Christmas celebrations are wrong and prohibited in Scripture. This booklet includes many quotes from historical records, proving that Christmas celebrations took place long before the birth of Christ. They were kept to honor pagan deities, such as the Persian sun god Mithras, who was born on December 25. By contrast, as our booklet proves on pages 23-25, Christ was not, and could not have been, born on December 25, or anywhere near that date.

Note the following quote regarding Mithras from pages 13 and 14 of our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” citing excerpts from an article of a popular magazine:

“Mithras is the name of that transcendent being from whom they expect salvation. And each year in the winter they celebrate his birthday: in the night of December 25 with a sort of service, which we could call today midnight mass… The birthday of Jesus was declared [by Emperor Constantine and the Council of Nice in 325AD] to be on the same day on which Mithras was supposedly born… Until then, Christians had not celebrated Christmas.”

In fact, early Christians refused to celebrate Christmas, as they considered it to be a pagan feast. Quoting from page 3 of our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas”: “Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart, Vol. 3, concurs: ‘The celebration of Christmas on December 25 in the church begins only in the middle of the 4th century. Until then, the opposition against it was in some cases very severe…, since it was considered a pagan custom to celebrate with festivities the birthdays of kings.'”

Our booklet presents historical evidence that Christmas carols, Christmas gifts, Christmas candles and Christmas cakes, as well as the Christmas tree, are all of pagan origin, and had been used to worship pagan gods and goddesses. In regard to the Christmas tree, note this quote from page 22 of our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas”:

“Let’s also notice Jer. 10:2-5: ‘Thus says the Lord: ‘Do not learn the way [Note in the Lamsa Bible: ‘Religion’] of the Gentiles; do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the Gentiles are dismayed at them. For the customs of the peoples are futile; for one cuts a tree from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it will not topple. They are upright, like a palm tree, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, because they cannot go themselves. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, nor can they do any good.’

“Here we find a description of the Christmas tree. Some have said, however, that Jer. 10 only talks about a wooden idol that was carved out of a tree, but that it does not refer to decorating a Christmas tree per se. Remember, though, that the pagans believed that their gods — Attis, Osiris, Dinosus — lived as tree spirits in pine trees. They believed that their gods actually changed into those trees, and they carried these sacred trees to a certain place of worship, decorated them, and adored them as deities.

“Jer. 10 condemns any kind of religious worship that includes the decoration of a pine tree or a ‘green tree’ (1 Kings 14:23), as well as the religious doctrines associated with such customs. Lamsa continues Jer. 10:8 as follows: ‘But altogether the vain doctrines of wooden image worship shall be utterly destroyed and consumed.'”

Our booklet also explains how gradually the Roman Catholic Church “adapted” those pagan customs to make the Christian faith more attractive to Gentiles. Quoting from Earl W. Count, 4000 Years of Christmas, it is stated on page 12 of our booklet: “‘The [Roman Catholic] Church finally succeeded in taking the merriment, the greenery, the lights, and the gifts from Saturn [a Roman sun god patterned after the Persian sun god Mithras] and giving them to the Babe of Bethlehem.'”

The age-old question is, however, why is it so important to know that Christmas and its customs were a pagan invention? What is wrong with “Christianizing” those pagan customs? We might not be able to bring Christ BACK into those customs (as He was never part of them in the first place), but why can’t we bring those customs to Christ and use them to worship Him in that way?

Simply, because the Bible prohibits us to do so. The concept of adding pagan practices to godly worship, known as “syncretism,” is condemned throughout Scripture. Again, we encourage our members, subscribers and friends to read or re-read our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” for a more comprehensive analysis of this important question.

In short, we read in Deuteronomy 12:29-32, that God commanded Israel that “you do not inquire after their [pagan] gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way…”

What could be clearer? God commands us NOT to worship Him in the way that the Gentiles did. Christmas was a pagan festival in honor of pagan gods. God FORBIDS us to worship Him in that way. We read in Matthew 15:7-9 that we worship Christ IN VAIN when we teach “as doctrines the commandments of men” or pagans. The Ryrie Study Bible comments regarding the passage in Deuteronomy 12:30: “The Israelites were not even to inquire about the worship of the Canaanites, lest they be tempted to INCORPORATE ASPECTS OF IT INTO THEIR WORSHIP OF GOD.”

That is, exactly, what the Roman Catholic Church did. That is exactly what God PROHIBITS His people from doing!

Throughout the Bible, God tells us NOT to ADD to God’s Word (Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Proverbs 30:5-6). This prohibition includes adding customs to our worship of God, which God did not prescribe, but which were used to honor pagan gods. Note this final quote from page 26 of our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas”:

“So if we contend that Christmas is a festival that honors God, then we add to God’s Word, which has nothing to say about the celebration of Christmas… Let’s also note how the apostle Paul approached the Christians in Corinth… he tells them in 1 Cor. 4:6: ‘… Do not go beyond what is written’ (NIV). A similar reminder is recorded in the second letter of John. He states in verse 9: ‘For if you wander beyond the teaching of Christ, you will leave God behind; while if you are loyal to Christ’s teachings, you will have God too’ (Living Bible). Those who do celebrate Christmas ‘go beyond what is written,’ and ‘wander beyond the teaching of Christ,’ thereby leaving ‘God behind.'”

We have published a comprehensive booklet, titled, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” in which we explain, in detail, why Christmas celebrations are wrong and prohibited in Scripture. This booklet includes many quotes from historical records, proving that Christmas celebrations took place long before the birth of Christ. They were kept to honor pagan deities, such as the Persian sun god Mithras, who was born on December 25. By contrast, as our booklet proves on pages 23-25, Christ was not, and could not have been, born on December 25, or anywhere near that date.

Note the following quote regarding Mithras from pages 13 and 14 of our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” citing excerpts from an article of a popular magazine:

“Mithras is the name of that transcendent being from whom they expect salvation. And each year in the winter they celebrate his birthday: in the night of December 25 with a sort of service, which we could call today midnight mass… The birthday of Jesus was declared [by Emperor Constantine and the Council of Nice in 325AD] to be on the same day on which Mithras was supposedly born… Until then, Christians had not celebrated Christmas.”

In fact, early Christians refused to celebrate Christmas, as they considered it to be a pagan feast. Quoting from page 3 of our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas”: “Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart, Vol. 3, concurs: ‘The celebration of Christmas on December 25 in the church begins only in the middle of the 4th century. Until then, the opposition against it was in some cases very severe…, since it was considered a pagan custom to celebrate with festivities the birthdays of kings.'”

Our booklet presents historical evidence that Christmas carols, Christmas gifts, Christmas candles and Christmas cakes, as well as the Christmas tree, are all of pagan origin, and had been used to worship pagan gods and goddesses. In regard to the Christmas tree, note this quote from page 22 of our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas”:

“Let’s also notice Jer. 10:2-5: ‘Thus says the Lord: ‘Do not learn the way [Note in the Lamsa Bible: ‘Religion’] of the Gentiles; do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the Gentiles are dismayed at them. For the customs of the peoples are futile; for one cuts a tree from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it will not topple. They are upright, like a palm tree, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, because they cannot go themselves. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, nor can they do any good.’

“Here we find a description of the Christmas tree. Some have said, however, that Jer. 10 only talks about a wooden idol that was carved out of a tree, but that it does not refer to decorating a Christmas tree per se. Remember, though, that the pagans believed that their gods — Attis, Osiris, Dinosus — lived as tree spirits in pine trees. They believed that their gods actually changed into those trees, and they carried these sacred trees to a certain place of worship, decorated them, and adored them as deities.

“Jer. 10 condemns any kind of religious worship that includes the decoration of a pine tree or a ‘green tree’ (1 Kings 14:23), as well as the religious doctrines associated with such customs. Lamsa continues Jer. 10:8 as follows: ‘But altogether the vain doctrines of wooden image worship shall be utterly destroyed and consumed.'”

Our booklet also explains how gradually the Roman Catholic Church “adapted” those pagan customs to make the Christian faith more attractive to Gentiles. Quoting from Earl W. Count, 4000 Years of Christmas, it is stated on page 12 of our booklet: “‘The [Roman Catholic] Church finally succeeded in taking the merriment, the greenery, the lights, and the gifts from Saturn [a Roman sun god patterned after the Persian sun god Mithras] and giving them to the Babe of Bethlehem.'”

The age-old question is, however, why is it so important to know that Christmas and its customs were a pagan invention? What is wrong with “Christianizing” those pagan customs? We might not be able to bring Christ BACK into those customs (as He was never part of them in the first place), but why can’t we bring those customs to Christ and use them to worship Him in that way?

Simply, because the Bible prohibits us to do so. The concept of adding pagan practices to godly worship, known as “syncretism,” is condemned throughout Scripture. Again, we encourage our members, subscribers and friends to read or re-read our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” for a more comprehensive analysis of this important question.

In short, we read in Deuteronomy 12:29-32, that God commanded Israel that “you do not inquire after their [pagan] gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way…”

What could be clearer? God commands us NOT to worship Him in the way that the Gentiles did. Christmas was a pagan festival in honor of pagan gods. God FORBIDS us to worship Him in that way. We read in Matthew 15:7-9 that we worship Christ IN VAIN when we teach “as doctrines the commandments of men” or pagans. The Ryrie Study Bible comments regarding the passage in Deuteronomy 12:30: “The Israelites were not even to inquire about the worship of the Canaanites, lest they be tempted to INCORPORATE ASPECTS OF IT INTO THEIR WORSHIP OF GOD.”

That is, exactly, what the Roman Catholic Church did. That is exactly what God PROHIBITS His people from doing!

Throughout the Bible, God tells us NOT to ADD to God’s Word (Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Proverbs 30:5-6). This prohibition includes adding customs to our worship of God, which God did not prescribe, but which were used to honor pagan gods. Note this final quote from page 26 of our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas”:

“So if we contend that Christmas is a festival that honors God, then we add to God’s Word, which has nothing to say about the celebration of Christmas… Let’s also note how the apostle Paul approached the Christians in Corinth… he tells them in 1 Cor. 4:6: ‘… Do not go beyond what is written’ (NIV). A similar reminder is recorded in the second letter of John. He states in verse 9: ‘For if you wander beyond the teaching of Christ, you will leave God behind; while if you are loyal to Christ’s teachings, you will have God too’ (Living Bible). Those who do celebrate Christmas ‘go beyond what is written,’ and ‘wander beyond the teaching of Christ,’ thereby leaving ‘God behind.'”

Our new booklet, titled, “Are You Already Born Again?”, is finished and will be on its way to everyone on the mailing list shortly. If you would like to preview it, you can do so on our Website at: http://www.eternalgod.org/lit/booklets/bornagain.htm

In addition to several new German articles, two German booklets, titled, “Evolution — ein Märchen für Erwachsene,” and, “Deutschland in der Prophezeiung,” and a French booklet, titled, “Dieu est une Famille,” have been placed on our Website.