Why Some Christians Don't Celebrate Christmas

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Why Some Christians Don't Celebrate Christmas

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One day, years ago, someone asked me why I kept Christmas. "The Bible says to keep it," I responded. "Somewhere in the Gospel of Luke, it speaks of the nativity scene. An angel told some shepherds that were keeping their sheep in the fields at night that the baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem. I think they went to see Jesus at that time.

"That was the first Christmas! And that's why I keep Christmas, because the Bible supports Christmas, the birthday of Jesus Christ."

"That's not true and here's why," my friend replied.

I soon learned that the Bible didn't teach Christmas. I also found that its origins have nothing to do with the Bible. It was an important lesson about things I'd long assumed to be true.

Just because some 2 billion people—roughly 1 billion Catholics and another billion in Protestant faiths—observe Christmas, does that make it right? Does it really matter one way or the other?

Why do so many people observe it?

If you were asked, "Why do you celebrate Christmas?" how would you respond? Many would say Christmas honors the birthday of Jesus. Others feel that Christmas is a good Christian family get-together. Many do it simply because they've always done it.

Christmas can appear tantalizing to the eye and ear. People appear happy, generous, full of good cheer. Twinkling lights decorate many houses. Santa Claus and his reindeer are pictured as poised to lift off from snow-covered front yards or rooftops, although in the southern hemisphere and tropics there is no December snow. The colorful, peaceful-appearing Christmas scene can be intoxicating, addicting.

Shoppers pack stores, browsing for gifts they hope to buy at bargain-basement prices. Soaring strains of "White Christmas," "Silent Night" or "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" resonate everywhere.

The December weather of the northern hemisphere might be frightful outside, but the feeling and warmth inside is delightful. Christmas trees with twinkling lights and bright, sparkling ornaments create a mystical and glowing environment. Entire families want to experience the special mystery that only comes with the Christmas season. There is no religious holiday quite like it for the millions everywhere who observe it.

Was Jesus really born on Dec. 25?

But stop and ask yourself: Was Christ really born on Christmas Day? After all, the Bible nowhere tells us the day of His birth.

In fact, most credible secular historical writings tell us that Christmas, more than 200 years after Jesus' death, was considered sinful: "As late as A.D. 245 [the early Catholic theologian] Origen . . . repudiates as sinful the very idea of keeping the birthday of Christ" (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition, 1910, Vol. 6, p. 293, "Christmas").

In A.D. 354, a Latin chronographer mentioned Christmas, but even then he did not write about it as an observed festival (ibid.).

There is no biblical evidence that Dec. 25 was Jesus' birth date. In fact, the Bible record strongly shows that Jesus couldn't have been born then.

For example, Luke tells us that the shepherds were keeping their sheep in the fields at night when Jesus was born. "And she [Mary] brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night" (Luke 2:7-8, emphasis added throughout).

But late December is Judea's cold and rainy season. Would shepherds actually keep their fragile flocks out in the open fields on a cold late-December night near Bethlehem?

No responsible shepherd would subject his sheep to the elements at that time of year when cold rains, and occasional snow, are common in that region.

"The climate of Palestine is not so severe as the climate of this country [England]; but even there, though the heat of the day be considerable, the cold of the night, from December to February, is very piercing, and it was not the custom for the shepherds of Judea to watch their flocks in the open fields later than about the end of October" (Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons, 1959, p. 91).

Luke also tells us that Jesus was born at the time of a census ordered by the Roman emperor (Luke 2:1-3). The Romans were brilliant administrators; they certainly would not have ordered people to journey to be registered at a time of year when roads would have been wet and muddy and traveling conditions miserable. Such a move would have been self-defeating on its face.

The belief that Jesus was born on or around Dec. 25 simply has no basis in fact, even if 2 billion people have accepted it without question. As the famous playwright George Bernard Shaw said, "If 50 million people believe a foolish thing, it's still a foolish thing."

Does Christmas really honor Christ?

If the Christmas holiday is an important celebration to honor the birth of Jesus Christ, why is it nowhere mentioned in the Bible? Why didn't Christ instruct His closest followers, His 12 chosen apostles, to keep Christmas? Why didn't they institute or teach it to the early Church?

Before you answer, consider that Jesus gave great authority to His 12 apostles, assuring them that they will hold positions of great importance and responsibility in His Kingdom (Matthew 18:18; Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:29-30). But since Jesus never taught His apostles to keep Christmas, nor did they ever teach it to the Church though they had years of opportunity to do so, shouldn't that make us question whether Christmas is something Jesus really wants or appreciates?

So how did Christmas become such a widespread practice if the Bible doesn't sanction it, if Christ didn't observe it and if He never taught His disciples and the early Church to celebrate it?

True origins of Christmas

Most people never stop to ask themselves what the major symbols of Christmas—Santa Claus, reindeer, decorated trees, holly, mistletoe and the like—have to do with the birth of the Savior of mankind. In the southern hemisphere summer climate of December, few people question why they observe a Christmas with northern hemisphere winter scenery!

The fact is, and you can verify this in any number of books and encyclopedias, that all these trappings came from ancient pagan festivals. 

Even the date, Dec. 25, came from a festival celebrating the birthday of the ancient sun god Mithras. (If you'd like to learn more about the origins of the many customs and symbols associated with Christmas, request our free booklet Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Keep?)

Jesus never told His followers to celebrate Christmas, but He did warn us not to adhere to false, man-made religious doctrines: "And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Mark 7:7). The truth is, Christmas and other non-biblical religious holidays constitute vain or empty worship of Christ.

The Catholic Encyclopedia indicates that the Christmas season came from an ancient midwinter festival that occurred at the time of the winter solstice. Interestingly, the previously noted Origen, despite the early period in which he lived (ca. 182-251), never even mentioned it (The New Catholic Encyclopedia, 1967, Vol. 3, 1967, and "Christmas and Its Cycle," The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913, Vol. 3, "Christmas").

Tertullian, another Catholic theologian who lived at about the same time (ca. 155-230), referred to compromising Christians then beginning to join in the pagan midwinter festival celebrated in the Roman Empire, which eventually evolved into what is now Christmas:

"The Saturnalia, the feasts of January, the Brumalia, and Matronalia are now frequented; gifts are carried to and fro, new year's day presents are made with din, and banquets are celebrated with uproar; oh, how much more faithful are the heathen to their religion, who take special care to adopt no solemnity from the Christians" (Tertullian in De Idolatria, quoted by Hislop, p. 93).

In time Catholic religious leaders added solemnity to this pre-Christian holiday by adding to it the Mass of Christ, from which it eventually came to be known by its common name of "Christmas."

A matter of whether, not what

The purpose of The Good News magazine is to share with you the living truth of Jesus Christ. A true Christian cannot decide what he will obey, only whether he will obey God's truth.

We strive to publish God's pristine truth; people who read that truth have to decide what to do about it and whether they will honor it. Our commission from Jesus Christ is to teach the truth of God and to welcome as disciples and fellow workers those few who hear and obey the truth. We hope the truth about Christmas starts you on the road to true happiness and God's purpose for you.

History shows that Christmas does not represent Christ. It misrepresents sound biblical teaching and is in opposition to God's truth. God wants us to worship Him in truth (John 4:23-24), not fable.

In Deuteronomy 12:28-32, God told His people to worship only in the ways He commanded, telling them "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it." He explicitly ordered them not to copy or adopt the religious practices of the pagans, calling such practices "abomination[s] . . . which He hates."

Yet hundreds of millions of men, women and children unwittingly observe Christmas, not knowing or caring from where it came. They assume that 2 billion Christians can't be wrong or that it doesn't matter how we worship God so long as our intentions are good. But why should we think we honor God or please Him when we worship contrary to His commands?

Crucial questions only you can answer

The crucial question is, do we worry more about what others think or about what God requires? Also, can other human beings give us salvation? If honoring God's truth determines our salvation, then why honor men over God?

Jesus Christ said to those who appeared religious but denied the power of His true teaching, "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46; compare Matthew 7:21). Since Christ is opposed to Christmas, why would any thoughtful Christian observe it?

Walking in Jesus' footsteps in a world that doesn't is never easy. But it is much better and eminently more rewarding than following the empty ways of the world.

God tells us in 1 John 2:15-17: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." 

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Comments

  • bryannaidoo

    It is just a pity that there are some that do not celebrate Christmas or any other special days.
    It is true Christ was not born on the 25th .....but the Christ was born.....irrespective which day he was born .....the fact is that he was born.......if a day as 25th has been set aside as a day...let us use it to share and teach his birth.

    Instead of arguing about dates and time. We are placed in time not the holy scriptures or God....it has a shame when people make the Bible a religious book by what we must do and what we must not.....the Bible is gods story nots mans .....

  • joaquinelias

    Example: Exodus 34:13 (KJV)
    13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:

    Deuteronomy 12:1-3 (KJV)
    1 These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.
    2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
    3 And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.
    Judges 3:6-7 (KJV)
    6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
    7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.
    THIS IS A TRADITION OF MEN. CAUSE YOUR GRANDFATHER DID IT, SO WILL YOUR DAD DO IT, AND YOU WILL PASS IT ON TO YOUR CHILDREN.

  • joaquinelias

    I remember we used to celebrate Xmas in my youth, and my Mother told us kids we were not going to celebrate it no more. We were not disappointed as kids. Our parents was telling us the TRUTH, while others were being told a LIE. Xmas has had its Orgins from the days of old.
    EXAMPLE: Joshua 24:15-19 (KJV)
    15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
    16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;
    17 For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:

    Even before this time the were celebrating the trees in the groves. Joshua was telling them to clean up your act, and Serve the God of Heaven.

    Continue............................

  • fkouadio

    Jesus said John 16:12-15
    so brothers and sisters the best thing i encourage of is that ask God to reveled you is Christmas should be celebrated as Jesus birth or not .Because the person who hold the truth is the holy spirit .jesus said you shall know the truth and it shall set you free.so go and pray that the power God has giving the church.do not speek form your human tradition but ask God to give you the truth. Jerem33:3. God bless all but trust me if it's of God it will prosper .because Jesus said math 16:18 i built my church and the gate of hades will not overcome it

  • fkouadio

    Jesus said John 16:12-15
    so brothers and sisters the best thing i encourage of is that ask God to reveled you is Christmas should be celebrated as Jesus birth or not .Because the person who hold the truth is the holy spirit .jesus said you shall know the truth and it shall set you free.so go and pray that the power God has giving the church.do not speek form your human tradition but ask God to give you the truth. Jerem33:3. God bless all but trust me if it's of God it will prosper .because Jesus said math 16:18 i built my church and the gate of hades will not overcome it

  • blesstemi

    this every simple to me pagan is differ from Christmas.
    if you believe Christmas is of the devil because it was not written in bible
    so be it for your faith. but note Sunday, Monday to Saturday is not written in the Bible but God as give us power to name everything in world. to me we don't need any to us to appreciate or praise the day world savior days due no one really knows they date because nothing like Sunday, Monday to Saturday then Bible say "don't forsake the gathering of believers" Hebrews 10:25. Note there is only 2 ways God or devil if any holiday was given for any occasion either you us it to praise God or to praise devil you can't be neutral like valentine's day we happy as family in my church we make use of that day to praise God. devil will never be happy seen christian celebrating birth of Jesus been written in Bible or not. If you truly believe in Jesus should celebrate the day he was born than yours birthday even due you don't know that day Hebrews 10:25. celebration is not just about eating is about worshipping. but many place in the bible where idol worshipping gather to worshipping the children of God also gather themselves and worship God.

  • Princeton University

    Christians who celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25th, and do so with the intent of worship of Jesus of Nazareth are not engaging in revering a pagan God. The use of symbolism, whether it be the allegory of the fig tree or the representation of eternal life by the symbol of the “ever-green” tree, is not inherently sinful. God know our hearts. To worship pagan gods is sinful. To use symbolism to aid in the understanding of the Lord’s purpose is not contrary to the Lord’s teaching. As written in Romans 14:1-6 "As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.One person believes he may eat anything,while the weak person eats only vegetables.Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats,for God has welcomed him.Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another?It is before his own master that he stands or falls.And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.One person esteems one day as better than another;another esteems all days alike.Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord."

  • Sabrina Peabody

    When it comes down to it, we do not get to decide how God wants to be worshipped. What we can do is read the Bible and see what He tells us and do what pleases Him. For instance, we can keep the days He told us to keep that show His Plan of Salvation - the Holy Days, as He calls them, "My feasts." He says to not learn the way of the heathen and unfortunately, most Christmas customs come from pagan origins.

  • Malachi 3_16-18
    Hi James, The word “judge” in Mt 7:1 can also be translated “condemn”. I think this is the more accurate meaning here. We can’t see the heart, as God does (1 Sam 16:7), but we can see – and judge, or discern – actions. For example, God tells us to avoid angry people (Prov 22:24), so it can be up to us to judge by a person’s behavior whether he is angry or not. And Christians should be able to judge, or discern, between good and evil (Heb 5:14). Regarding one of the reasons you judged as reasons people keep Christmas: apparently, some keep it “out of love.” But love for our Savior involves more than warm feelings for Him. It includes the keeping of His commandments (Jn 14:15). And God specifically tells His people not to decide for themselves how to worship Him (Deut 12:29-32; Mk 7:6-9). In the sense of obeying God, it is certainly not meaningless - in other words, it does matter to Him - whether we celebrate Christmas or not. By the way, Veteran’s Day isn’t a religious holiday, and there are no un-Christian trappings associated with it (e.g. the evergreen tree, mistletoe, Santa Claus). Most people work on Nov. 11 unless their business or school closes that day.
  • James in Christ
    I wanted to comment on this. We all have choices in our lives some celebrate Christmas and some don't. One could ask the question why don't we celebrate Veterans Day. Well some do and some don't. When you celebrate something its a labor of love and everyone should know love covers a multitude of sins. Christmas Time is a time to remember what it mean's to some. Yes, Jesus is the Reason for the Season and should be each day. Its also a time of love. Do not forget the bible verse in John 3:16. So people are setting aside one day to remember and who wouldn't celebrate the birth of Christ. All this foolish babbling about Christmas and if one should celebrate it or not is meaning less.. I'm sure if we can do remembrance to Christ death we can also remember his life and that he came into the world to save us all that believe in him. We are also suppose to Trust him.... God wishes that no one should parishes so we have hope and his blessed assurance for all those that believe. Weather some celebrate Christ Birth or his coming into this world and we call it Christmas is up to them. Judge not that ye be judged.
  • Angelfire

    James
    I believe you do not understand the truth about Christmas. It is a pagan holiday. The roman Catholic church incorporated Christmas. It is not really about Christ. Do some research. It's rooted in paganism. As for " judge not lest you be judged", you're taking the verse out of context.

  • veronique
    Hello, im a teen and i have recently discovered this site and now i see what i have done wrong through my life concerning God. This includes Christmas and Easter. The trouble I am having is the fact that the rest of my family do not see these pagan holidays as pagan. This Christmas i told my mum I did not want to go to a Christmas party because it would not please God.She then got angry at me and called me stupid and told me that I am not christian I honestly don't know what to do about this since I have no power to do anything. The only thing I did was refuse to be given presents and such. So i really don't know what to do and it really upsets me.
  • redalertzone55

    at least you believe in god. i have a son who is 32 and keeps telling me that is no god. i feel very sorry for him when he dies. sad.....

  • redalertzone55

    I used to celebrate all holidays until I found out some people were against celebrating xmas and I had to find out why. Then I did a search on google etc and found out that god specifically says NOT to celebrate pagan holidays and it says right in the bible NOT to decorate trees (xmas) and that jesus was NOT born on xmas. In fact no one even knows what day he was born or when. Now I dont celebrate any holidays at all except maybe my birthday . I dont judge other people who wish to, that is up to them. Sometimes it makes me feel sad and lonely around nov and dec but i would rather try to please god than not. I am now trying to figure out how to celebrate gods holidays and holy days.

  • Darlanne

    Hello Veronica. I know you posted this comment almost a year ago but I felt compelled to reply and tell you I hope you have stood solid in your very wise choice to follow God and not man's traditions. I know how hard it is. It would be very easy to give in and celebrate something the Lord makes fairly clear, we should not. It is rare to find a Godly wisdom as yours at such a young age. Be blessed and keep following Him.

  • Sunshana
    Very good comments. If we are truly dedicated to God, we will seek His will and then follow it. To do anything else is a lack of dedication. There will come a day when our Lord will say "Depart from me, I never knew you." Quite a sobering thought. We need to sincerely ask God to show us the truth and what His will is. We must study His word and not listen to the lies so many church leaders are teaching. And then we must act. If that means turning our backs on pagan festivals and false teachings in order to obey God, then a true Christian will do this because he/she knows this is the will of our Creator. Yeshua did not instruct us to celebrate His birthday. If he wanted us to, don't you think He would have given us the date and told us how? Yet God clearly told us the holy days He did want us to keep, and the exact dates to keep them and how to keep them. God also told us not to worship Him as the pagans worshipped their "gods". We are not to practise pagan traditions. Period. I don't think it can be more clear. Same goes for the Sabbath. God never changed it. So the question is: Are you willing to obey God?
  • Malachi 3_16-18
    Hi andrekish, For those who refuse to compromise on what God says, it is indeed a special challenge to obey Him when friends or other family members are observing Christmas all around us. I know some who have trusted in God, stood up for their beliefs, and avoided keeping it. Sometimes their family members are very unhappy with them, but in many cases, the quiet and unobtrusive example of obedience to God eventually helps to lead those family members to God (1 Peter 3:1-2). That is the true kind of light that God is looking for (Mt 5:14-16). At any rate, if there is a conflict between what God says and what the world or even family members are pressuring us to do, we need to obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29). By all means, let’s point others toward God’s Kingdom if we have the opportunity to do so. Our quiet but consistent example of keeping God’s Festivals and Holy Days, without trying to force others to do so, can speak volumes (1 Peter 2:12). What are these days observed by Jesus Christ and His followers? They are the weekly Sabbath and seven annual Festivals (Leviticus 23, Lk 4:16, Lk 2:41-42, Acts 18:4, 1 Cor 5:6-8, Acts 2:1, Jn 7:37, Acts 20:16).
  • KARS
    When we grow in the word of God (The Bible), we learn in the Book of Isaiah (beginning in Chp. 44:6- you decided when to stop)that the LORD has most of mankind's minds unopened to the truth. So the foreign gods are worshipped with thier days and practices. After reading the Bible I began a study of ancient history which mentions the names of the foreign gods worshipped and found them mentioned in the Old Testament. Mankind still keeps a lot of these ancient foreign gods/pagan practices to this day. When we truly with our whole heart and mind want to follow the true living God, then we will start to understand. Until then, we just go with the flow without really questioning it. Whether it's right or wrong. Sure, we want to have fun, but at what cost? When God our Father begins to open up our minds to the truth; stop running away (like Jonah)and answer the call. True happiness comes with the worship of God our Father; the right way and it has the greatest reward.
  • andrekish
    Hiya All. Don't worry overly about this 'coz some live in homes where Christmas is unavoidable. Then you simply have to get on with it and re-arrange your brains on how to handle it. I use it as a pointer to the future. I love lights and stuff. When they get put up I'm not fussed. I remind myself of how bright life will be for anyone who gets to live in God's Kingdom. I bet they light up their homes then so decorations don't intimidate me. There will be peace on earth among men of goodwill. I'm glad anyone will get to be there. That's exciting. If I live to see that then I will be a happy chappy as will all there. My favourite music are Christmas Carols because the music to me heralds the Christ's Return, I imagine that and listen. I think of what follows - every day will be as children see Christmas, before Satan grabs their heads and we price it. So if you can't avoid it don't panic. If you turn what others are doing to an opportunity to teach them that Christ commanded humans to 'Do to others as you would have them do to you.' and point them to God's Kingdom rather than Satan's Grotto it would be hard to be condemned for it and silly to condemn one's self. Happy days.
  • Malachi 3_16-18
    Hi Rockdove, Jesus asked us to remember His death, not birth. And it was on Passover night, not Easter, that He said to do so (Mt 26:1-2, 26-28). “Easter” appears only once in the Bible - Acts 12:4 - and is a mistranslation, caused by translator bias (for Easter observance didn’t even creep into Christianity until long after the original apostles). Yes, we must be lights to the world, but we can’t choose how to be those lights. We should follow Jesus, the true Light of the world (Jn 8:12). And He asks us to commemorate His death and resurrection by observing the New Testament Passover symbols – the bread and the wine – at the time He has appointed (Lev 23:5, 1 Cor 5:7-8). God tells us we can’t serve Him by borrowing something of non-Christian origins and trying to “Christianize” it (Deut 12:29-32). We must worship Him in spirit & truth (Jn 4:24). Absolutely we must love Him, but we express that love by keeping His commands (Jn 14:15, 23). For a fuller understanding of Passover vs. Easter, and God’s Holy Days vs. Christmas and Easter, please check out UCG’s booklet on these topics: http://www.ucg.org/booklet/holidays-or-holy-days-does-it-matter-which-days-we-observe/
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