The Top 10 Reasons Why I Don't Celebrate Christmas

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Christmas is a hugely popular holiday celebrated by some 2 billion people worldwide. It's become such an ingrained part of modern culture that even people in nations with little or no Christian history or tradition are celebrating it in increasing numbers.

Christmas is so big that it plays a key role in the economies of many nations. In the U.S. retail industry, the day after the Thanksgiving holiday is commonly known as "Black Friday"—not because it's bad, but because this marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season and stores that have been "in the red"—operating at a loss all year—suddenly see their sales shoot up so fast that they are now operating in the black (at a profit) the rest of the year. "Black Friday" is the biggest shopping day of the year due to its Christmas sales.

Christmas is big—very big. Schools and colleges commonly take a week or longer break at this time, some businesses shut down to give their employees time off, many families plan trips and get-togethers, and some people darken the door of a church for perhaps the first time all year.

So it's not surprising that I get some pretty shocked looks when I tell people I don't celebrate Christmas. That's pretty unusual for anyone, much less someone who's been an ordained minister for 15 years and edits a Christian magazine.

So what's up with this? Why would anyone not want to celebrate Christmas like nearly everybody else? Are there valid reasons for not participating in all the holiday hoopla?

American Late Show television program host David Letterman is famous for his "top 10" lists in which he offers pointed commentary about popular culture and current events. So here I offer my top 10 reasons for not celebrating Christmas!

1. Christmas is driven by commercialism.

It's not that difficult to recognize what really drives the holiday in our age. Cal Thomas, an American syndicated columnist who often writes from a Christian perspective, acknowledged uncomfortable truths about Christmas in a December 2003 column.

"I'm not sure it's worth keeping Christmas anymore," he began, lamenting that the holiday has become a "road show of reindeer, winter scenes, elves and the God substitute, Santa Claus, who serves as a front for merchants seeking to play on the guilt some parents bear for ignoring their kids the rest of the year."

He asks a great question: "Why participate any longer in this charade where the focal point of worship has shifted from a babe in a manger to a babe in the Victoria's Secret window? . . . No room in the inn has been replaced by no room in the mall parking lot."

But perhaps his most insightful statement is this: "It's instructive how just one season away from lusting after material things can break the habit. It's something like liberation from an addiction or lifestyle choice. Being away from it can cause one to realize the behavior is neither missed nor needed for fulfillment and enjoyment."

Having said good-bye to the Christmas habit several decades ago, I couldn't have said it better myself!

2. Christmas is nowhere mentioned in the Bible.

This is rather obvious, but most people never give it a second thought. The books of the New Testament cover 30+ years of Jesus Christ's life, then another 30+ years of the early Church following His death and resurrection, but nowhere do we find any hint of a Christmas celebration or anything remotely like it.

Yes, the Bible does give us quite a few details of His birth—the angelic appearance to Mary and then Joseph, the conditions surrounding His birth in Bethlehem, the heavenly choir's performance for the shepherds in the fields outside the town. But nowhere in the Bible is there any record of anyone observing Christmas or any hint that God the Father or Jesus Christ expects us to do so.

3. Jesus wasn't born on or near December 25.

Surprising but true! Remember those shepherds who were "living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night"? (Luke 2:8). December weather around Bethlehem is often miserably cold, wet and rainy. No shepherd in his right mind would have kept his flocks outside at night at that time of year!

The Interpreter's One-Volume Commentary says this passage argues "against the birth [of Christ] occurring on Dec. 25 since the weather would not have permitted" shepherds to be out in the fields with their flocks then.

And Celebrations: The Complete Book of American Holidays tells us that Luke's account of Christ's birth "suggests that Jesus may have been born in summer or early fall. Since December is cold and rainy in Judea, it is likely the shepherds would have sought shelter for their flocks at night" (p. 309) rather than keeping them outdoors.

Also, Luke 2:1-4 tells us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem because his parents came to that town to register in a Roman census. The Romans were well known as highly efficient administrators. It would have made no sense to have conducted a census in the dead of winter, when temperatures often dropped below freezing and traveling was difficult due to poor road conditions. Taking a census under such conditions would have been self-defeating!

4. The Christmas holiday is largely a recycled pagan celebration.

Again, surprising but true! Read it for yourself in just about any encyclopedia.

Consider the customs associated with Christmas. What do decorated evergreen trees, holly, mistletoe, yule logs, a jolly plump man in a fur-lined red suit, sleighs and flying reindeer have to do with the birth of Jesus Christ?

None of these things have anything to do with Him, but they have a lot to do with ancient pagan festivals. (Read the eye-opening details in our free booklet Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Keep?)

And what about the date of Dec. 25? How did it come to be assigned as the supposed date of Jesus Christ's birth? Historians Gerard and Patricia Del Re explain:

"The tradition of celebrating December 25 as Christ's birthday came to the Romans from Persia. Mithra, the Persian god of light and sacred contracts, was born out of a rock on December 25. Rome was famous for its flirtations with strange gods and cults, and in the third century the unchristian emperor Aurelian established the festival of Dies Invicti Solis, the Day of the Invincible Sun, on December 25.

"Mithra was an embodiment of the sun, so this period of its rebirth was a major day in Mithraism, which had become Rome's latest official religion . . . It is believed that the emperor Constantine adhered to Mithraism up to the time of his conversion to Christianity. He was probably instrumental in seeing that the major feast of his old religion was carried over to his new faith" (The Christmas Almanac, 1979, p. 17).

It's difficult to determine the first time anyone celebrated Dec. 25 as Christmas, but historians generally agree that it was sometime during the fourth century—some 300 years after Christ's death. And then a contrived date was chosen because it was already a popular pagan holiday celebrating the birth of the sun god!

Similarly, virtually all of the customs associated with Christmas are recycled from ancient pagan festivals honoring other gods.

5. God condemns using pagan customs to worship Him.

Since Christmas is supposedly a day to worship and celebrate God the Father and Jesus Christ, wouldn't it be a good idea to look into the Bible to see what it says about how we should worship God?

The answer is quite clear. God gives specific instruction about using pagan practices to worship Him—the exact thing Christmas does! Notice what He says in Deuteronomy 12:30-32: ". . . Do not inquire after their 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 . . . Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it" (emphasis added throughout).

And lest some think this is simply an Old Testament command that no longer applies, the apostle Paul makes the same point in 2 Corinthians 6, where he addresses whether unbiblical religious customs and practices have any place in the worship of God's people:

"What fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial [the devil and/or demons]? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God . . .

"Therefore 'Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.' 'I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.' Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 2 Corinthians 7:1).

Rather than relabeling pagan customs as Christian, or allowing members of the Church to continue their old pagan practices, the apostle Paul told them in no uncertain terms to leave behind all these forms of worship and worship God in true holiness as He commands. Jesus likewise says His true followers "must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24)—not revel in recycled pagan customs and symbolism.

6. Christmas is worshipping God in vain.

Since Christmas is a jumble of ancient pagan customs invented by men, and a holiday found nowhere in the Bible, does God honor or accept such worship?

Jesus provides the answer in His stern rebuke of the religious teachers of His day, men who had substituted human traditions and teachings for God's divine truths and commands: "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites . . . 'in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' . . . All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition" (Mark 7:6-9).

In the 17th century Christmas was actually outlawed in England and some parts of the American colonies because of its unbiblical and pagan origins. They knew something most people today have forgotten or have never known!

7. You can't put Christ back into something He was never in.

Some people admit the many problems with Christmas. But rather than face up to those problems, some assert that we should "put Christ back in Christmas."

However, it's impossible to "put Christ back in Christmas" since He never was in Christmas in the first place! He never so much as heard the word "Christmas" during His lifetime on earth, nor did His apostles after Him. You can search the Bible cover to cover but you won't find the words "Christmas," "Christmas tree," "mistletoe," "holly," "Santa Claus" or "flying reindeer."

Putting Christ back in Christmas may sound like a nice sentiment, but it's really only a misguided effort to try to justify a long-standing human tradition rather than what the Bible tells us we should do.

8. The Bible nowhere tells us to observe a holiday celebrating Jesus Christ's birth—but it clearly does tell us to commemorate His death.

As noted earlier, the Bible nowhere mentions Christmas or tells us to celebrate Christ's birth.

This is not to say that the Bible doesn't tell us to commemorate a highly significant event in Jesus Christ's life on earth. It does—but that event is His death, not His birth.

Notice what the apostle Paul, conveying the instructions of Jesus Himself, tells Christians: "For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.'

"In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes . . . Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup" (1 Corinthians 11:23-28).

And yes, many believers do what they consider a form of this today in taking communion or "the Lord's supper." They fail to realize, however, the full significance of these acts, or that what Paul is actually describing here is the Passover — which is what Jesus Himself called this observance (Matthew 26:18-19; Mark 14:14-16; Luke 22:8-13, 15).

And many have no idea of the real date of Christ's death and the annual Passover observance, but that's an issue for another time. (Hint: It isn't "Good Friday" prior to Easter as so many mistakenly believe.) The point is: Jesus clearly expects His true followers to commemorate His death—not His birth—by observing the Passover.

9. Christmas obscures God's plan for mankind.

Passover, mentioned above, has enormous significance in God's plan for humanity. The Old Testament Passover, described in Exodus 12, was symbolic of Jesus Christ's future role and sacrifice. As the blood of the slain Passover lambs on the Israelites' houses spared them while the firstborn of the Egyptians were slain, so does Jesus Christ's sacrificial death on our behalf spare us from death— eternal death.

Paul alluded to this great truth when he wrote in 1 Corinthians 5:7 that "Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us." Similarly John the Baptist, speaking under divine inspiration, said of Jesus, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).

Peter wrote that we are redeemed "with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:19)—a clear reference to the Passover lambs (Exodus 12:5).

A central key to God's plan for humanity is Jesus Christ's sacrificial death on our behalf. He is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8)—meaning His death for our sins was planned before the first human beings were ever created (1 Peter 1:18-20). Only through His death to pay the penalty for our sins can human beings receive God's gift of eternal life (John 3:14-17; Acts 4:12; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22).

Christmas, in contrast, teaches us none of this. Regrettably, because it is a hodgepodge of unbiblical customs and beliefs thrown together with a few elements of biblical truth, it only obscures the incredible purpose of Jesus Christ's coming—as well as why He must return to earth a second time! (For more details, request our free booklets Jesus Christ: The Real Story and The Gospel of the Kingdom.)

10. I'd rather celebrate the Holy Days Jesus Christ and the apostles observed.

God in His Word sets out many choices for us. Will we do things His way or our own? Will we worship Him as He tells us to, or expect Him to honor whatever religious practices we choose regardless of what His Word says?

It's always good to ask the question, What would Jesus do? The answer, from the Scriptures, is quite clear as to what Jesus did. Jesus didn't allow His followers the option of adopting pagan practices in their worship. He and the apostles plainly kept God's Holy Days and festivals that we find recorded in Leviticus 23.

As noted above, they kept the Passover (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Scripture shows they also observed the Days of Unleavened Bread (Acts 20:6; 1 Corinthians 5:7-8). The New Testament Church itself was founded on the Feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:1), another biblical festival they clearly observed (Acts 20:16). They likewise kept the Day of Atonement (called "the Fast" in Acts 27:9) and the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2; John 7:10).

Christmas, meanwhile, is totally missing from the biblical record.

Most people don't know that the Bible includes a whole list of festivals that God commanded, that Jesus Himself observed and that the apostles and early Church were still keeping decades after Christ's death and resurrection. And unlike Christmas, these reveal a great deal about Jesus Christ's role and mission.

Each one teaches us a vital lesson in what Jesus has done, is doing and will yet do in carrying out God's great plan for humankind. The differences between these and the tired old paganism and crass commercialism of Christmas is truly like the difference between day and night. Why not look into them for yourself?

I've given you my top 10 reasons for not celebrating Christmas. What do you suppose God thinks of your reasons for continuing to observe it?

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Comments

  • dpjgen

    Whenever someone says that something isn't found in scripture, I ask if they believe in the doctrine of the Trinity - God in Three Person; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They say yes, and I ask them to point out where in scripture the Trinity is found. They can't. Just b/c it isn't mentioned in scripture, doesn't mean it's wrong, or not done. Scripture, tradition and reason. The three legged stool.

  • Scott Ashley

    Interesting comment: “Scripture, tradition and reason. The three legged stool.”
    What does God say about these three?

    Tradition:
    “He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition” Mark 7:9).
    “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossian 2:8).

    Reason:
    “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
    “Each one follows the dictates of his own evil heart, so that no one listens to Me” (Jeremiah 16:12).
    “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool” (Proverbs 28:26).

    Scripture:
    “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you” (Deuteronomy 4:2).
    “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it” (Deuteronomy 12:32).
    “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God” (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4).

    In light of these, I think I’ll stick to Scripture and ignore tradition and reason.

  • CANDICE CHRISTMAS

    I was born into 'Worldwide Church Of God'. I was later a member of 'Church Of God The Eternal'. I am no longer an official member of any religious organization. I do celebrate Christmas to a certain extent. Not for religious reasons, or Christ. I do not run up debt, do not excessively decorate. I have a little tree, a few indoor lights and a small gift for each of the three people in my household. A card sent to my brother, nephews and niece, some warm food and watch 'A Christmas Carol' aka 'Scrooge'. As for Jeremiah 10: 3 , I feel that is referring to any graven image. I don' t worship a tree or think it's Christ's birthday. Chrismas is pagan, yes. So are wedding rings, names of our days, months, etc.

  • BryanJMcLaughlin1

    Keep the Holy Days as it is commanded! That said, I don’t see the harm in celebrating certain holidays as long as you don’t celebrate them for religious reasons. Like the 4th of July or Thanksgiving, (although that holiday’s original reason for being created and kept has been successfully driven out by atheists and the like. I mean com on, pilgrims & Indians & turkey? It took place more than 100 years prior to the USA becoming a country. The average American doesn’t even know that the whole reason for the pilgrims trip was to find a place that they’d have religious freedom. They don’t know that a woman tried to get four different presidents to declare a day of thanks to God and that Abraham Lincoln finally relented after the horrific battle of Antietam because he thought that the country could use a day of thanks to God after that tragedy). However, I don’t think that keeping a gift giving holiday minus any religious references is against God’s laws (although I don’t put up a tree because the Bible expressly forbids decorating trees with silver and gold. And yes, I left out bible book names and chapter/verse references in the hopes that you look into these things 4 yourself.

  • word66

    Pagan customers and false religion get one nowhere but in vain do they worship Yeshua (Jesus Christ)

  • Lords Prophet

    I do not celebrate Christmas and haven't for many years. For that matter I do not celebrate Easter, Halloween, etc. The Lord Jesus Christ said in Rev. 3, 14. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write these things saith the Amen; the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou wert cold nor hot. So then because thou art lukewarm , and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
    All that think they can worship God and Mammon will take their place in the everlasting fire. They did the same thing against God when Moses came down from the Mountain with the ten commandments by celebrating a golden calf. Golden calfs, Christmas trees, Easter rabbits etc. Whats the difference? Nothing, except losing your place in the Lambs book of life.

  • word66

    Interesting Article. Well written. There are other reasons. Just as it is written in the end times people would not adhere to sound doctrine. But have itchy ears.
    Exodus 19:1-20:17New International Version
    20: 3 “You shall have no other gods before[d] me.
    There are many more reasons not to celebrate it and it is spiritual adultery. In vain do they worship me keeping their own traditions and making to NULL EFFECT the word of GOD.
    I once thought it was okay because I was deceived. True follower of Yeshua (The Christ) worship him in spirit & truth and he knows his sheep. He also send strong delusion as in scripture to those who take pleasure false teachings. Broad is the way that leads the soul to destruction and narrow is the way to life. You can gain the whole world and follow it and do that which God says is an abomination or follow the world and disregard the true teachings of the bible (k.J.B) and remember there is only one mediator between God and Man and that's Christ.

  • marvinlzinn1

    The only valid holidays are what God ordered in honor of his authority. I am not a Jew, but respect them as more accurate than most "Christians" claim to be. Christmas was a complete lie to make money from deceived people. (I Timothy 6:10 Love of money is the root of all evil.)
    My father knew more than 100 years ago that Christmas was never related to Jesus Christ, so I never celebrated that or any other "holiday" during my entire 72 years. It is all a waste of time and money. I spend my time answering calls (most from college students and older people) to help what they really need (NOT what they want).

  • vi

    The old testament and the New Testament, predict Christ's birth and record it in many books as it is occurring so it must be important to garner that attention and space in the scriptures. Celebrating it at solstice in Dec along with the sun god is of course wrong, but when believers know his birth was in September, it should be a source of joy and remembrance and thankfulness that God keeps his promises and how all the prophecies where fulfilled. Instead the Christmas holiday in December has caused people to sneer at Christs birth and reenactments and say that God doesn't want us to remember it or celebrate it because he never told us to. Christs birth is a miracle and all that information about the details of his birth would not be there for us to discover if God had not wanted us to know and be grateful. I celebrate a remembrance of Christs birth according to the Bible. I read it every year in September and feel so alone doing it at times but I do it for God not man. Every year I glean more about the meaning of his birth, how satan tried to destroy the child, how God took them into hiding in Egypt. How Jesus was raised as a carpenter but was as learned as a scribe.

  • Achilles

    Again with all due respect. I do not believe that you will allow this view to be posted. You really cannot have it posted so that others can read it. It is sad to see this because you say you are searching for truth, but you really are not. I am still waiting to see my earlier comment but alas, you will never post it. You will never approve; I sincerely hope to be wrong but we both know that I am right about this. Oh well, have a nice day.

  • Parbrie

    Those deceived do not know they are deceived. This word is true and should be heeded by all Churches claiming to be of biblical faith. Others are simply enemies of the cross.

  • Skip Miller

    Hello again Achilles
    I read your post so others must be reading also. Don't be in such a hurry! "Searching for the truth" is an excellent goal! I also like the quote, "Buy the truth, and do not sell it." (Prov 23: 23) This says to me that truth is precious But can be undervalued? or perhaps traded away? I think I have been allowed to see and understand a large chunk of the Truth! Therefore I am not about to easily give up what I have learned. But do I have ALL Truth? I don't think so. When Jesus returns He will gather up those that are His and change them into Spirit creatures that are a good deal more discerning than any human now existing on earth. I hope to be one of those who is changed. If you sincerely continue to seek THE Truth, I see no reason why The Father and His Son Jesus will not help you on that quest.

  • Achilles

    With all due respect. Does God condemn the practice of giving pagan ideas and concepts Christian orientation? Malachi 4:2 calls Almighty God the Sun. The psalmist in Psalm 84:11 also calls God [the] Sun. The sun is an ancient pagan universal symbol for god. So, is this an error on the part of 2 biblical writers? Are they not inspired by God?
    In the New Testament, Jesus the Word of God is called by a pagan concept and idea: Logos. To many ancient pagan Gnostics and philosophers, the Greek word Logos is a god.
    The Apostle Paul in Acts 17 on Mars' Hill quoted from pagan poets and preached Jesus and God to them and used their god Zeus and his offspring and gave them Christian orientation by preaching: God and His children to the Athenian philosophers. Was this wrong?
    The pagans never celebrated Christ; they did not know He was and they never celebrated Christ's Mass. Furthermore, and finally, to say that "in vain do you worship Me teaching the commandments of men" is taught of out its intended context. Jesus was not speaking to the Pharisees about Christmas; He was speaking to them about Judaism (their man made religion).

  • Yahushua

    The question would be does one worship or honor creation or Creator?
    There is a holy perspective of this...
    The "image" of God? So to one is the sun,to another the tree, to another a "picture", to another their child, to another a statue...etc
    The point is to focus on thee Creator thee Almighty Father...in the human condition it is shown throughout time that the human condition seems to weaken in "looks" of things or what something HE created is able to do by His Power in the order of things to live in harmony with one another or the earth with respect to His Will for such...the holy perspective and balance never losing sight of Thee One which Created the things enjoyed by and in the land..sky..oceans for our purpose to live in harmony of His Will for and such...
    Spiritual vs temporal/human condition thinking is needed for and in all things while "in this world" but not of it.
    Religion does not = God...religion is an outward action of ones faith in a belief "system" or interpretation of such...there are truths in probably every religion but most hold to many lies as well and so goes that ole duality thing and soon all will have to make a clear choice......

  • Skip Miller

    Hello Achilles,
    That is correct! Many pagans did not know Christ so they were/are not (yet) held accountable. But what about you and me? You seem to understand quite a bit! This is really about us. I was a Roman Catholic for 20 or so years. In that time I never read the Bible. When I did read it, a little at a time and thought deeply about what it said, I was amazed. The Apostle Paul spoke about what he knew to whomever he addressed, in a way that they could, at least initially, understand. God has a plan and God can convey the essentials of that plan however God chooses. But I for one cannot see how anyone reading God's Word can neglect the Holy Days listed in Leviticus 23 and substitute Christmas and Easter in their place. Can you?

  • cassey01

    I posted a comment but do not see it. I have a question. If people are saying that Christmas and Easter are both pagan, I certainly hope they don't attend a church with a steeple (that's pagan) or speak the days of the week or go to church on Sunday or sing hymnals or have home decor like figurines in their houses. If we are not supposed to throw everything out "pagan," a lot of things are going to have to go. My point is.....where is God's grace in all of this? He looks on the heart. Stop arguing about this nonsense. Yes, I have looked into these things and have stressed myself out over it because I thought I was going to burn in hell for celebrating. THAT'S NOT TRUE! I have a relationship with my Lord and Savior, and that's the most important thing. When we, as Christians, start bashing about holidays, we better make sure we have crossed every T and dotted every I. I'm not kidding. It literally overwhelmed me when I read comments from different places saying that people who celebrate will go to hell. Nonsense. Again, if you have home decor better get rid of it. Oh, and don't bake your kids a birthday cake, either!

  • RiaDia

    Hello There- So happy you are Christian. All I can say is that this time of year is tricky. I think God speaks to each and every heart this time of year. May the love of Jesus Christ guide you always!

  • Lena VanAusdle

    Hi Tiffany!
    You are correct about some things... not so much on others. First, we should be following what the Bible says fully and to the best of our ability. That means we should attend church on God's 7th day Sabbath; it means we shouldn't eat unclean meat; it means that we should be following all ten commandments; and we should be observing all of God's Holy Days. If you notice, that is exactly what United Church of God advocates, following God and the Bible, and that includes following God's laws, and not meeting in churches with steeples.
    Several things ways I don't agree is home decor and birthdays. You can have decorations in your home, as long as they aren't used in relation to your worship of God. It's not wrong to have pictures, as long as they aren't idols. And birthdays, there is no specific prohibition of birthdays in the Bible.
    When it comes following God, we should do so because we love Him and want to please Him. We are His children, and there is love and grace, but (as with all good parents), grace is not extended to willful disobedience. Hell is not the ever burning place that some Christians believe it to be, it is the grave. Punishment is death.

  • cassey01

    1 Timothy 4:1-5

    4 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

    2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

    3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

    4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

    5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

    JESUS IS LORD

  • curlyqzr1

    Tiffany
    You have taken these verses out of context. They are speaking of those that wanted to remain in the laws of the old covenant. Not marrying and not eating meat was of the Priesthood of the old covenant. The new and better covenant of faith and grace had replaced the old way of the law. The people were no longer bound by the old that lead to death. Theses verses has nothing to do with pagan holidays and worshipping Jesus based on fabrications. John was born during Passover at the end of March and Jesus was born six months later during the Feast of Tabernacles. God will only accept worship based on Spirit and Truth. Even the Nativity in Christmas celebrations is on the wrong timeline and is explained and acted out falsely. The wise men came to Jesus as a toddler, not a new born. Christmas is not of Jesus Christ and His truth and man cannot twist the scriptures for their own desires.

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