Pagan Revelry

[Sue J Love]

Tuesday, December 04, 2012, 8:09 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with this song:

Blessed Are You / An Original Work / August 29, 2012

Based off Luke 6:20-49 NIV 1984

“Blessed are you;
Blessed are you who are poor
For God’s kingdom is yours.
Blessed are you;
Blessed are you who are hungry,
You’ll be satisfied.
Blessed are you;
Blessed are you who weep now,
For you will laugh with joy.
Blessed are you;
Blessed are you when men hate
And reject you because of Christ.”

The subject of the celebration of Christmas came up this morning before I read my passage of scripture for the day. I am reading in the Psalms, and today’s passage was Psalm 12. So, as I went into my time of reading this morning, I asked the Lord what my response should be to people who ask about the celebration of Christmas. I prayed, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Then I read Psalm 12. When I got to verse 8, this is what stood out to me:

The wicked freely strut about
when what is vile is honored among men.​

The word “vile” stood out to me, and then the Lord immediately put this phrase in my mind, “pagan revelry.” I believe God sees, and has always seen in the history of mankind, “pagan revelry” as “vile.”

Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.” ~ 1 Co. 10:7​

I wanted to understand what this all meant, and how it related to my inquiry about what my response should be to the subject of the celebration of Christmas, so I looked up some of these terms in the dictionary (www.thefreedictionary.com). Vile means “loathsome, disgusting, objectionable, offensive, wicked, shameful or evil.” A pagan is a supporter (sticking or holding to) polytheistic (more than one god) religion, “especially when viewed in contrast to an adherent (supporter) of a monotheistic (only one god) religion.” And, revelry is “boisterous, noisy or unrestrained merrymaking; pleasure and good times, with connotations of carousing and self-indulgence.”

The Christmas Connection

So, what does this all have to do with the celebration of Christmas? Well, let’s look at what all the celebration of Christmas entails. For those of you who celebrate Christmas, what do you spend most of your time, thoughts and energies on in this celebration? What is Christmas to you? What is the main focus of Christmas in our society? And, what does the word of God have to say about celebrating Christ’s birth?

Christmas, in our society, is primarily about Santa Claus, Christmas trees, lights, decorations, Santa’s stockings, greed, commercialism, and presents, etc. So, who is Santa? He is an aberration. He is made up. Yet, he sees all, knows all, and he can be all over the world at everyone’s homes all in one night. Who does this sound like? Yes, you are right: God Almighty. He is the only one who is all knowing, all powerful, and has the ability to be everywhere at all times.

So, who is the great imitator of God who wanted to be God? Satan. He parades himself as an “angel of light” to deceive minds and hearts. Ever notice the similarity between the names “Santa” and “Satan”? Santa is of Satan and Satan’s goal is to be God in the hearts and minds of all people, but especially in the hearts and minds of professing followers of Jesus Christ. He wants nothing more than to steal the hearts and minds of naïve people, especially young children, away from God and to another god.

Is He the Reason?

Christmas is often marketed as the celebration of Christ’s birth, i.e. that “He is the reason for the season.” Is he really? Let’s look at that. How do we celebrate Jesus’ birth? Some people will tell you it is with the giving of presents to one another, just like the wise men gave gifts to Jesus or just like God gave us the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ. Well, for one, the wise men did not visit Jesus when he was born. He was probably a child of two years old when they visited him, and they were not coming to celebrate his birthday, per se, but to give honor to the King of kings and Lord of lords, the promised Messiah of the people of God. They were giving honor to the Savior of mankind, and they honored him with these costly gifts. Also, the giving of God’s Son is the giving of salvation to mankind (Jn. 3:16).

So, when we give each other gifts, is this truly giving honor to God/Jesus as the King of kings and Lord of lords and as the Savior of mankind? If it is, in your thinking, then how do you believe this is accomplished? Do you think God is truly pleased with this gift giving of ours on this holiday? And, how is this similar in nature to what God did for us in giving us Jesus? If we want to respond in like manner, then instead of giving each other gifts, most of which we don’t really need, then we should be sharing the gospel of Jesus with the unsaved. That is why Jesus came! And, that is why he died on the cross. The greatest gift we can give, then, is the gift of God’s Son to those who have not yet believed in Jesus as Savior.

Should we celebrate Christ’s birth?

How did Jesus say we should remember him and honor him? He said we should honor him and remember him through the remembrance of his death, not his birth. And, the way in which we remember his death is through the taking of communion, not just the taking of it in the sense of taking a sacrament in a ritualistic sense, but as Paul described in 1 Co. 11:27-29:

Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.​

There is a sense, thus, in which this participation in the Lord’s Supper is not merely the sharing in the drinking of the vine and the eating of the bread, but it is a participation in the meaning of these symbols in reality in how we live our lives. For Jesus, the juice of the vine and the bread represented his blood and body which were given for us on the cross of Christ for our sins, so that we could be set free from the penalty of sin (eternal damnation), and so we could be set free from slavery to sin (day-to-day).

So, when we come to the Lord’s Table in remembrance of him, we are not merely recalling his death, but we are choosing to partake (drink and eat) with him in his death, which communion symbolizes, and in his resurrection, in death to our sins and in resurrection to new lives in Christ. This is why it is critical that we examine our hearts, not just in communion services, but all the time, to make sure that we have forsaken our lives of sin, and we are walking in obedience to Christ in all ways all the time. This is the kind of worship and honor of Jesus that he desires:

Jesus said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” ~ Luke 9:23-26

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. ~ Romans 12:1-2​

Who gets Top Billing?

This (the above scriptures) is the kind of “gift giving” that God approves. It is not that he is against us giving each other gifts, I don’t believe, but I don’t believe the way we do gifts and the way we celebrate Christmas in our culture is what he desires, and in fact, I believe he sees it as “vile” and as “pagan revelry,” because it is a blend of the worship of Santa, greed, and a pagan holiday with the celebration of Jesus, only Jesus does not get top billing in this celebration. Think with me about that for a moment.

Look at your decorations for Christmas. Do you have a tree beautifully decorated with all kinds of trimmings? Are there lots of gifts underneath the tree? Who are these gifts for? What do they represent? Do you have Santa stockings hanging by your fireplace? Do you have images of Santa and his reindeer displayed in your house? And, where is Jesus in all of this? Do you buy a bunch of gifts you can’t afford for people who don’t really need them because tradition dictates that we should do this in celebration of Jesus? How does any of this give honor and praise to God/Jesus?

And, do you also have a manger scene displayed in your house along with Santa? Then, this is a celebration of a false god and the true God side-by-side, which is what God chided his children about all throughout history. And, how is Jesus pictured? He is pictured as a helpless baby in a lowly manger. Whose birthdays do we celebrate with images of what we looked like as babies? - Only Jesus.’ I believe this is purposeful. Why?

Children, in particular, will see Jesus as a helpless baby who does what for them? And, they will see Santa as all powerful, all knowing, and as one who can be all places at all times, and who brings them presents. What is wrong with this picture? Do you see the deception here? And, the two are celebrated together side-by-side. Even if you don’t do the Santa thing, you, perhaps, are still celebrating the birth of Jesus in a manner which has pagan roots, and which has nothing to do with Jesus Christ at all, and that minimizes who he truly is while on the same day an “all powerful, all knowing and omnipresent Santa” steals the hearts and minds of young children, because he brings them presents. How can you top that?

And, then we lie to our children and we tell them that Santa is real, even though they can’t really see him, so is that of God? And, we use terminology like “I believe in Santa.” And, then we tell our children to believe in Jesus, whom they also cannot see. Oh, what trickery Satan has concocted to get us to believe we are truly celebrating the life of Jesus when all we are doing is falling prey to a lie of Satan.

The Challenge

You don’t have to believe this, obviously, because I said it, but I pray that each person reading this today would prayerfully and honestly before God examine what has been shared here today in light of God’s word, and that you would inquire of God as to how he views our celebrations of Christmas. God gave us the gift of salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ shed on a cross for our sins. The best way we can celebrate the life of Jesus is to honor him with our lives, and to share the truth of his gospel with a world in need of the Savior. Will you pray and ask God if he is pleased with your celebration of him?

Sing Praises / An Original Work / November 30, 2012

Based off Psalms 6-9

Sing praises to the Lord!
Tell of His wond’rous works.
Afflicted, they cry out;
The Lord will not forget;
The needy, not desert.

The Lord’s our refuge now;
A stronghold when we fear.
The Lord will ne’er forsake
The ones, who Him pursue!

Sing praises to the Lord!
With all my heart I sing.
I will rejoice in Him;
Sing praises to His name;
Tell of His wond’rous works.

My shield is God Most High.
He saves those who believe
In Jesus Christ, God’s Son.
His grace has pardoned you!

The Lord accepts my prayer!
The Lord has heard my cries.
He is so merciful.
He heals my anguished soul.
The Lord has made me whole.

Give thanks unto the Lord.
Give praise unto His name.
Our Lord is righteousness.
Sing praises to the Lord!

Sing praises to the Lord!

Sing Praises: Originalworks.info

Blessed Are You: Originalworks.info

Note: All scripture references are taken from the NIV 1984.

 

[amadeus2]

@Sue J Love
Perhaps not many takers on this one because it hits too close to home with too many believers.

A long time ago when we had one toddler and a second on the way, my wife and I encountered a family that really lived for God. We, at the time, were at best, back slid Catholics. We drank very regularly and sometimes heavily and we celebrated Christmas to its pagan fullest. This family did not. Eventually [nearly 2 years] the witness of their living for God before us won us to God for real... but it much longer time before the problem of celebrating Christmas clarified enough to move away from it and toward God.

The first question I would ask a person who asked me about my lack of traditional Christmas observance would be, "What is your first love?"

"I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love." Rev 2:2-4

First things, first... right or?

"But seek ye first (1)the kingdom of God, and (2) his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt 6:33

If we are able to keep seeking His Kingdom and His righteousness FIRST then, of course, celebrating His birth would not be wrong. If we have any doubt about where we are on this, should we not ask the Lord to help us recheck our priorities?

According to the verse I quoted above [Matt 6:33] if we seek those 2 things first then God will add anything else He deems necessary to us... including our personal desires... but not in a way that they should or would interfere with the first things. Did God add Christmas celebration to us or did we add God to it?

What does it mean to repent? It means to be sorry for what we have done wrong and most importantly to change our ways to His Way.

We may not be able to do what is needed eventually now or alone, but if we are making sure that the two first things listed in that first are really always first, will He not add (or subtract) whatever is needed to get us to the end of the road?

 

[Sue J Love]

@Sue J Love
Perhaps not many takers on this one because it hits too close to home with too many believers.

A long time ago when we had one toddler and a second on the way, my wife and I encountered a family that really lived for God. We, at the time, were at best, back slid Catholics. We drank very regularly and sometimes heavily and we celebrated Christmas to its pagan fullest. This family did not. Eventually [nearly 2 years] the witness of their living for God before us won us to God for real... but it much longer time before the problem of celebrating Christmas clarified enough to move away from it and toward God.

The first question I would ask a person who asked me about my lack of traditional Christmas observance would be, "What is your first love?"

"I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love." Rev 2:2-4

First things, first... right or?

"But seek ye first (1)the kingdom of God, and (2) his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt 6:33

If we are able to keep seeking His Kingdom and His righteousness FIRST then, of course, celebrating His birth would not be wrong. If we have any doubt about where we are on this, should we not ask the Lord to help us recheck our priorities?

According to the verse I quoted above [Matt 6:33] if we seek those 2 things first then God will add anything else He deems necessary to us... including our personal desires... but not in a way that they should or would interfere with the first things. Did God add Christmas celebration to us or did we add God to it?

What does it mean to repent? It means to be sorry for what we have done wrong and most importantly to change our ways to His Way.

We may not be able to do what is needed eventually now or alone, but if we are making sure that the two first things listed in that first are really always first, will He not add (or subtract) whatever is needed to get us to the end of the road?

@amadeus2 - Thank you for sharing this beautiful testimony. I know there will not be many takers on this one, and I know that by taking this stance that there will be those who will reject and turn against me, or who will strongly disapprove. This hits a tender spot in many who have celebrated Christmas throughout the years, and it is difficult for many people to accept. Yet, I believe God wants me to get out the message, and I trust he will use it in people's hearts for his glory and for his purposes. It certainly was not an easy decision for my husband and I to make since we have 4+4 kids and 13 grandchildren. Many Christians will consider it unchristian to not celebrate Christmas, and will think you a heathen if you do not participate. It is not a popular stance in the Christian world, in other words. Yet, I think what you shared says it well, and it gives food for thought.

 

[B-A-C]

I see nothing wrong with celebrating the birth of Jesus. Did Christmas have beginnings in Paganism? I don't know. Possibly.
Who cares? As Paul said about meat sacrificed to idols. It's only a sin if it bother's your conscience. Whatever pagan gods may
have been worshiped in olden times are not stronger than my God. I'm not worshiping them, I'm not eating meat that was sacrificed to them.
As far as I'm concerned, "if" this WAS a pagan holiday, it is no longer. It has been taken from the enemy as a day to celebrate the Lord.

Are there atheists and non-Christians that celebrate Christmas? I'm sure there are, so what. It doesn't affect what I believe or the
reason I celebrate. We could all pick another day to celebrate, what date should we pick? It seems they are all taken. The date we've
had through the centuries suits me fine. No need to change it on account of some pagan god with no power over me.

 

[Sue J Love]

I see nothing wrong with celebrating the birth of Jesus. Did Christmas have beginnings in Paganism? I don't know. Possibly.
Who cares? As Paul said about meat sacrificed to idols. It's only a sin if it bother's your conscience. Whatever pagan gods may
have been worshiped in olden times are not stronger than my God. I'm not worshiping them, I'm not eating meat that was sacrificed to them.
As far as I'm concerned, "if" this WAS a pagan holiday, it is no longer. It has been taken from the enemy as a day to celebrate the Lord.

Are there atheists and non-Christians that celebrate Christmas? I'm sure there are, so what. It doesn't affect what I believe or the
reason I celebrate. We could all pick another day to celebrate, what date should we pick? It seems they are all taken. The date we've
had through the centuries suits me fine. No need to change it on account of some pagan god with no power over me.

@B-A-C - I believe you miss the point. Did you read the entire article? Yes, December 25th is a pagan holiday, but that is not the central focus of this writing, but it is rather how we, as Christians, choose to celebrate Jesus in a way in which he did not require, and on a day which gives honor to several false gods - Santa, greed, commercialism, etc. And, Santa gets top billing, not Jesus, and Santa is portrayed as an all powerful god, and as the one who gives gifts to the children, so the children will love Santa, but they will see Jesus as a helpless baby in a manger who does nothing for them at all. And, that is purposeful, I guarantee you! God spoke often and strongly to his children about mixing the worship of him with the worship of false gods, and that is what Christmas is really all about. Whose birthday do you celebrate with pictures of them as a baby and with giving gifts to everyone but the one whose birthday it is? Do you really believe that most Christians' celebration of Christmas gives honor and glory to God? Do you really believe that God is pleased with most Christians' celebration of Christmas? Remember how many times God chided his children for their "sacrifices" which he did not require, but how they didn't do what he did require. If we are going to celebrate Jesus, then I think it behooves us to ask our Lord how he wants to be remembered (celebrated). He already answered that question, though.

 

[Christ4Ever]

@Sue J Love @amadeus2

Dear Brother & Sister in Christ Jesus.

I do have issue with Christmas, both from its origin & how it is celebrated (Trappings). However, I don't place the fault on the unlearned, but on the real culprit which is the Church that is not only complicit in this, but actually the main reason for its continuance (status quo). This doesn't even include the secular world's promotion/distortion of what many Christians are attempting to communicate. Which is, the birth of our Lord Jesus the Christ.

Dear brother Amadeus are you trying to refocus the direction of the importance of what is being brought up by our sister Sue? Everything else should be subordinate to what you mentioned and I agree. Matthew 6:23. So even though you don't address the topic Sister Sue brought up positively or negatively, you are providing one with priorities on addressing issues. With God taking it from there while we concern ourselves with seeking the Kingdom & Righteousness. Would you say this is a correct understanding of what you have posted brother? I hope I didn't misconstrue your post.

Christmas: Pagan Origins / Should Christians Celebrate?

Now Chad posted the above thread 3 years ago, and though it truly only deals with the surface of Christians/Christmas. The closing statement which I'll quote below, though you might disagree with, pretty much encapsulates how those who celebrate it feel concerning it. Know that the below quote though posted by Brother Chad is not of his own origin, but comes from "gotquestions.org".

If you are fully convinced that you cannot, in good conscience, observe a particular Christmas tradition, do not observe it. If you are fully convinced that a particular tradition is too steeped in paganism to honor God in any way, by all means forsake that tradition. At the same time, if you are fully convinced that you can honor and worship God through a particular tradition, honor and worship God (Romans 14:5)! For Christians, Christmas traditions can be an important part of the celebration of the birth of our Savior, and they remind us of that momentous event that changed the world forever. More importantly, they bring to mind the miracle of new birth He created in us when He came into our hearts, saved us from our sins, and made us children of God by the shedding of His blood on the Cross (Colossians 1:20). It is this amazing truth that enables us to say with the angels, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).

So you dear sister I believe with sincere and righteous heart have brought here through the Holy Spirit a subject that has easily been one we like to excuse, (fill in the blank for excuse) but one that really touches on an even deeper topic than the Observance of Christmas. It would be Biblical/Non-Biblical Observances promoted by the church. I'm going to mention another Brother here @Jimmie in the hope that he might contribute his insight into what we would call the OT and how we might benefit with the inclusion of the NT writings as it pertains to Biblical Observances. I hope I phrased that right (sigh)....

I also hope that I haven't been too "all over the place on this", because my mind has been a bit scattered here lately. That there is much to grit your teeth on when you see folks gathering together with little knowledge of the who, what, when, or where of the traditions of church practices they participate in. Especially Christmas, goes without saying. An example I recall is of an associate pastor of the church I attend, who has since left to start another church. Who used to give a sermon on Christmas in which he used to disabuse beliefs concerning it. Yet, the church still celebrates it! go figure!!! Anyway....He would ask questions and seeing how many would raise their hands in agreement. Questions like "Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem on a Donkey or a Horse?" Donkey people first would raise their hands and the Horse people next. He would then tell them that in reality the bible doesn't say the mode of transportation they used. Most people after a time of being wrong on the questions he asked would stop raising their hands to respond at all. They were quite tired of being made to look like donkeys. I know I shouldn't make light of this, but it drives the point of how little we truly know about observances that are practiced in the churches that we attend. Hopefully, our Brother Jimmie and others more learned than I might be of some help here.

Dear Sister Sue. I am with you on this subject! Yet, like many things, it should never have been started those many years ago. So, entrenched has it become that few churches can be found that don't celebrate the day. Many deceptions are openly being given as truth, and truth being cast aside as ancient cultural mores which are no longer needed or to be ascribed to as handed down so need updating. This is something that needs to be addressed, but in this forum let us pray and come together with the Love of Christ Jesus in discussing it. If some turn against you as you have stated that you believe might happen. Which by the way I don't believe it will. Still, it will be there loss. You have been a blessing in your postings and I pray will continue to bless us here with the wisdom and love of not only the Lord, but God's Word as well.

With Love & Blessings Dear Sister Sue & Brother Amadeus.

YBIC

Nick

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[amadeus2]

We are judged or are to be judged based on where we are considering all that God has given us.

The so-called "good" thief on the cross had what in the way of knowledge of the things of God? Apparently very little, but what he did have and what he did with what he had pleased God. The key for us is to grow or to increase toward God so long as we are given time to do so. Ultimately only God can accurately measure our growth. Some people who love God may never grow to the point where they recognize a problem in celebrating Christmas in any of the traditional ways or at all. God does know where they are and what they have, each one of them, and He will never be unfair.

The point is not that everyone who celebrates Christmas in traditional way will be condemned. The point is that every person needs to continue to move closer to God whatever that takes during whatever time each person has.

Since I am not God, I do not know what God will require for each person. God alone qualifies to make the final judgment on any person because God alone has all of the facts and is always treats people accordingly, which is always fair as He sees fairness.

I might say that I cannot celebrate Christmas because of my God-given conviction, but if I had died naturally before I had that conviction would I definitely have been lost?

What @Sue J Love has done is present what God has given her to present. Is there ever any error present in her presentations or in mine or in those of other people on the forum? Only God can say for sure for only He has all of the facts. In spite of this we must speak when God requires us to speak. That there are differences between Christian believers means...!?!?

 

[Sue J Love]

@Christ4Ever and @amadeus2 - Thank you both for your comments. I appreciate them very much. You both made some very valid points that are certainly worth consideration and prayer. Yes, Nick, I agree that the church is culpable for this. The sad reality, too, is that I have seen Santa figures in the buildings where the church meets, and they have been used in Christmas plays and musicals at church gatherings, too, so the church is not only culpable for celebrating Christmas to begin with, but in celebrating it the way the world does, too, which puts Santa (a false god) not just on equal footing with Jesus, but over and above Jesus Christ.

 

[Bendito]

I see nothing wrong with celebrating the birth of Jesus. Did Christmas have beginnings in Paganism? I don't know. Possibly.
Who cares? As Paul said about meat sacrificed to idols. It's only a sin if it bother's your conscience. Whatever pagan gods may
have been worshiped in olden times are not stronger than my God. I'm not worshiping them, I'm not eating meat that was sacrificed to them.
As far as I'm concerned, "if" this WAS a pagan holiday, it is no longer. It has been taken from the enemy as a day to celebrate the Lord.

Are there atheists and non-Christians that celebrate Christmas? I'm sure there are, so what. It doesn't affect what I believe or the
reason I celebrate. We could all pick another day to celebrate, what date should we pick? It seems they are all taken. The date we've
had through the centuries suits me fine. No need to change it on account of some pagan god with no power over me.

To your post my friend let me say just one thing....How can one 'Christianize' blasphemy, or paganism in general? How can you graft Christianity into the roots of blasphemy? Can we serve God and Satan too? The roots of our Christianity are in Christ or they are not....

 

[B-A-C]

To your post my friend let me say just one thing....How can one 'Christianize' blasphemy, or paganism in general? How can you graft Christianity into the roots of blasphemy? Can we serve God and Satan too?

Hmmm... were you ever worldly? Unclean? Un-saved? I guess you're right, God doesn't have the power to change or clean anything up.

 

[Sue J Love]

Hmmm... were you ever worldly? Unclean? Un-saved? I guess you're right, God doesn't have the power to change or clean anything up.

B-A-C, perhaps you misunderstand Bendito's remarks. You know you and I just had a discussion about hypocrisy in the church, and how people profess one thing but live another. And, this bothers you greatly, doesn't it? I think that is all Bendito is saying, though I could be wrong. I think he is just saying we should live what we say we believe. We should follow the teachings of scripture regarding idolatry and false gods and the combining of the worship of God with paganry. And, when I say paganry, I don't mean the pagan roots of the Christmas celebration, though that is certainly part of it, but I mean the way in which it is celebrated side-by-side with Santa Claus, who is a false god made out to have all the same characteristics as the real and only God, so Santa is of Satan, and he is the one Christmas is really focused around. And, I mean how it is celebrated by showing Jesus as a weak, powerless baby who does nothing while Santa is celebrated as a powerful god in the sky who brings good gifts to children. I believe this is very purposeful. They are combined together into one celebration, and that is what Jesus chided his children about all the time. So, this isn't about God not having the power to change human lives. This is about obeying what we know God's word teaches us and living what we say we believe.

Have you ever thought about this? I was thinking the other day how God sees the end from the beginning. That means he knew about Santa Claus and Christmas and that deception all along. And, what directive did he then give us, his church, for remembering him? We need to remember his death - his body which was given for us and his blood shed on a cross for our sins, and we do this through the taking of communion, but not just in ritual only, but in heart and mind and action, for we are to examine our hearts, and we are not to take communion in an unworthy manner. So, this is about remembering what Jesus did for us by living the life he died to save. This is how he wants to be remembered, not as a helpless baby lying in a manger and on the same day a false god is celebrated and given honor and glory to as having all the divine characteristics of God himself. And, he wants us to celebrate him every day by how we live our lives for him and no longer for ourselves. Please pray about this before you respond.

 

[Bendito]

Hmmm... were you ever worldly? Unclean? Un-saved? I guess you're right, God doesn't have the power to change or clean anything up.

Who me? LOL Why I was always perfect....wasn't I?! The Mary Poppins syndrome.... Ok No I lived like hell for many years but I do not base my Christianity on that lifestyle...I had to give it up so I could have Jesus. After all, what concord does light have with darkness? Or what concord does Christ have with Belial?
You either have evil or you have good...They do not mix...