Are we allowed to partake in Christmas?

[llopez88]

Hello, this is my first December season after having read the Bible and I am unsure about celebrating Christmas. Isn't it a pagan tradition? I remember reading Jeremiah 10:3-4 and thinking about this issue.

Personally at this moment, I feel christmas has nothing to do with Jesus and according to Jer 10, a christmas tree is a pagan practice that gentiles practice.

What are your thoughts on Christians celebrating this day?

 

[Andrewofthetribe]

Hello, this is my first December season after having read the Bible and I am unsure about celebrating Christmas. Isn't it a pagan tradition? I remember reading Jeremiah 10 and thinking about this issue.

Personally at this moment, I feel christmas has nothing to do with Jesus and according to Jer 10, a christmas tree is a pagan practice that gentiles practice.

What are your thoughts on Christians celebrating this day?

Do you love Santa Clause? I do because he is a message from Christians past that there is still hope, and even among the unbelievers the Christian message is one of hope even if it is just for a present? How much greater will that hope be if it come from Christ!

 

[llopez88]

Do you love Santa Clause? I do because he is a message from Christians past that there is still hope, and even among the unbelievers the Christian message is one of hope even if it is just for a present? How much greater will that hope be if it come from Christ!

No...I do not love Santa Clause because he is not real or has anything to do with my salvation. My hope lies in Jesus only - which is why I have conflicting emotions regarding celebrating this day.

 

[Poppyseed78]

Jesus knows what is in your heart. To me, Christmas represents the hope and salvation the newborn savior brought to a fallen world. Christmas is about family, love, togetherness, and generosity. Each year I donate to local charities and food pantries, in whatever way I can, to try to share the blessings that Christ has given me.

I am not very familiar with the pagan traditions associated with Christmas. I see the holiday as a reminder to express gratitude and show love and kindness to other people. These are things we should be doing every day. It's disappointing that Christmas has turned into a circus of greed, commercialism, and materialism, when it should be the opposite.

 

[CodyFaith]

Hello, this is my first December season after having read the Bible and I am unsure about celebrating Christmas. Isn't it a pagan tradition? I remember reading Jeremiah 10:3-4 and thinking about this issue.

Personally at this moment, I feel christmas has nothing to do with Jesus and according to Jer 10, a christmas tree is a pagan practice that gentiles practice.

What are your thoughts on Christians celebrating this day?

That verse appears to be talking about the Gentiles making an idol out of the tree.

It comes down to faith imo. You either have faith the holiday is completely Pagan in origin and still Pagan and not to be celebrated, or you believe the day itself is not the right day Jesus was born but it's still a blessed day from God, or you believe that it's both Jesus's actual birthday and a holy day.

I choose to believe it's Jesus actual day of birth, and that it's a holy day. I base this on experiences of my past in Christmas, and other's experiences as well. All the theories I see that discredit it don't hold enough weight imo.

Be convinced yourself one way or another, and stay true to your conscience. We aren't to judge fellow believers on days they hold sacred.

 

[Goodbook]

You dont have to put up a christmas tree if you dont want to its not compulsory.
Also if you cant afford it or dont have children you dont need to give presents.
We have freedom in Christ to celebrate Jesus birth whenever. That some people choose dec 25 is a mystery, but what other people do is their affair.

I like the carol singing and feasting, but Jesus isnt concerned over it. Just keep it simple. His actual birthday is calculated around mid spetember from the jewish calendar, and was around the feast of the tabernacles. Then the calendars got changed, so now everyone is confused and the whole of december to january is crazy.

Athiests celebrate christmas, and so do agnostics, but I reckon if you have the day off may as well make it special.

 

[Rubiks]

Just because something comes from paganism, doesn't make it wrong. Christmas trees are just decorations. They aren't worshiped. Neither are pagan deities worshiped. I see no issue with Christmas trees are long as we keep the "Christ" in Christmas.

 

[1John2:4]

Hello, this is my first December season after having read the Bible and I am unsure about celebrating Christmas. Isn't it a pagan tradition? I remember reading Jeremiah 10:3-4 and thinking about this issue.

Personally at this moment, I feel christmas has nothing to do with Jesus and according to Jer 10, a christmas tree is a pagan practice that gentiles practice.

What are your thoughts on Christians celebrating this day?

Yep I'm hear what you are saying the whole thing is kinda balogna.
Santa - lie
Elves - lie
Dec 25 - lie
Reindeer - lie
Why would we celebrate a lie? Doesn't He want us to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

I wish you well with this quest. It is not an easy one pretty much the whole world celebrates Christmas, but you don't have to celebrate Jesus in that way. I encourage you to look into the Biblical feasts Moedim in Leviticus 23. These shadows point to all things Christ and we will be keeping Sukkot in the Kingdom

Deuteronomy 12:30-32New King James Version (NKJV)
30 take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ 31 You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

 

[Paidiske]

I think if you're not sure, keep it to what's unambiguously Christian. Go to church that day. Reflect on the Scriptures and take communion. Come home renewed in your commitment to love and serve the Lord.

The rest is not so important.

 

[mina]

It can be what you make it. Put the focus on Christ and do what you are comfortable with doing.

 

[All4Christ]

I think if you're not sure, keep it to what's unambiguously Christian. Go to church that day. Reflect on the Scriptures and take communion. Come home renewed in your commitment to love and serve the Lord.

The rest is not so important.

Amen!

 

[All4Christ]

If you don't feel like it is right to celebrate Christmas in the secular sense...don't! If you don't want to consider that to be the day we celebrate Jesus' birth, then consider going to church, taking communion, and thanking God for his plan of salvation, Jesus becoming incarnate here on earth, dying on the cross, resurrecting and trampling down death by death. We should do this always, but it never hurts to have some extra time set aside to worship God. That said, it is not unbiblical to set some time aside to be thankful for our Savior's birth and incarnation.

 

[LoricaLady]

Well, since you ask. I see you already know the Bible verse about the decorated trees. I don't think, personally, that anyone will go to hell for celebrating Christmas and certainly many do it in a reverent spirit. However, I don't think it is what you call "best practices". I personally don't celebrate Christmas anymore. It is, indeed, from pagan traditions. I actually celebrate Hanukkah, the Feast of Dedication, because we see that the Savior celebrated it, in the Bible. At this season I give Hanukkah presents. No one is really bothered by that. A present is a present!
As long as we aren't holier than thou in not celebrating Christmas, I think others will usually just let us go our own way.

You may wonder how to celebrate Hanukkah. Actually there are no guidelines. You can slip into a Synagogue on that day or meet with Messianic for memorial meal. That's about it. The Menorah lighting is fine, but it is a lovely tradition, not in the Bible.

 

[Kit Sigmon]

Celebrating Christ(mas), the Lord's birth isn't a pagan tradition.
I don't believe Christ was born in December though, but that's another thread topic.

I would like to know....In which old pagan religion practice do you find cutting down a tree, putting decorations on it and it being worshiped/prayed to?

Jeremiah 10: 1-5...is about making an idol to bow down to and worship. Idol worship is forbidden by God...Israel was taken to task on this several times in the Bible.
None of those times is it mention in the bible that Israel or any other people cut down a tree and put decorations on it...then bowed down to worship/an or to pray to it...make it they god. I have heard people who try to make Jeremiah 10:1-5 about it being a christmas tree...you can twist things but the context clears that up if any body wants to do a further reading/study of scriptures/verses in the Bible.

The unsaved/pagans/worldly christians do have their own form of celebrating Christmas, it's the material/worldly version, that caters to pleasing the eye and the flesh instead of honoring the Lord.
Greed and Santa be honored an lifted up, instead of the Lord.

 

[Stephen Douglas]

I think that you are able to observe other national holidays (which are not holy days) without being in sin. Obviously, the Christmas holiday is celebrated for all sorts of reasons that have nothing to do with Christ. And if an believer wants to actually celebrate the birth of Christ during this time he is free to do so even if the roots of this celebration is found in paganism. Remember "you meant it for evil but God meant it for good".

Decorations, trees, lights, candles, gifts to each other, they have all come to represent something that is not Christ centered but each believer has a choice to joyfully decorate his humble abode knowing that it is only because of Christ that we have freedom from the bondage to sin. I am free to celebrate that each and every day of my life and I see no conflict in doing so during this festive end of each year.

Doug

 

[Ebb56]

Hello, this is my first December season after having read the Bible and I am unsure about celebrating Christmas. Isn't it a pagan tradition? I remember reading Jeremiah 10:3-4 and thinking about this issue.

Personally at this moment, I feel christmas has nothing to do with Jesus and according to Jer 10, a christmas tree is a pagan practice that gentiles practice.

What are your thoughts on Christians celebrating this day?

Hello, this is my first December season after having read the Bible and I am unsure about celebrating Christmas. Isn't it a pagan tradition? I remember reading Jeremiah 10:3-4 and thinking about this issue.

Personally at this moment, I feel christmas has nothing to do with Jesus and according to Jer 10, a christmas tree is a pagan practice that gentiles practice.

What are your thoughts on Christians celebrating this day?

I'd like to add here. A few years ago I wondered the same thing but for different reasons. I prayed and asked the Lord how I could observe the day in a way that honors Him. Then I found out what the day is about. It comes from the pagan worship of Saturnalia. The Roman Catholic Church made this a "Christian" holiday so that the pagans could "convert" but still keep their days. So no, we should not celebrate this day. When the pilgrims first came to America, celebrating the day was outlawed. Gradually, it came back into practice.

The Lord tells us not to learn the way of the heathen/pagan. But our country is in a state of declension and backsliding from the Lord, just as ancient Israel was. Yes, God DOES care about these things. The Lord does not take kindly to us bringing pagan symbols into our home, and it's not about "what's in our heart." The Old Testament gives very specific details about how the Lord is to be worshipped. Nadab and Abihu were killed for offering "strange fire." Our God is merciful, but He has not changed. I believe there are many who are ignorant about this day and its roots. But once you know, I believe there is a choice to be made - the world, with its pagan and worldly celebrations and customs, or Christ and worshipping Him rightly.

I had to tell my family I wasn't celebrating a few days before Christmas a few years ago. They thought it was weird. But they are respectful now. But mostly, I want to be pleasing to the Lord. I fail miserably everyday because of sin, sadly, but I am hoping in His grace.

Hope that helps.

The True Origin of Christmas

 

[lroe50f]

I personally made a decision not to celebrate Christmas coz the Bible tells us to only partake in Gods appointed feasts!! it is a personal choice but if we want to please God and have His Blessings on and in our lives we need to honour Him in everything. If people took the time to look into the origin of all things "christmas" they might not be so ready to celebrate it!! Do your homework, pray and fast about it then wait for God to answer you - and go with that!!!

 

[DawnStar]

Celebrate it or do not celebrate it. God will not strike you dead if you do and he will not be upset with you if you do not. I sometimes wonder how anyone can get any enjoyment out of life if they walk around constantly worried about if they are sinning are not or if they should celebrate this or that holiday. The very basis of Christianity is that Christ died for this reason. Forgiveness of sins. Past, present, and future. Accept this gift and move forward with your life in the knowledge that any sin you may commit has been forgiven.

 

[Avril S]

Hello, this is my first December season after having read the Bible and I am unsure about celebrating Christmas. Isn't it a pagan tradition? I remember reading Jeremiah 10:3-4 and thinking about this issue.

Personally at this moment, I feel christmas has nothing to do with Jesus and according to Jer 10, a christmas tree is a pagan practice that gentiles practice.

What are your thoughts on Christians celebrating this day?

Absolutely who other than his followers will celebrate.Dont worry about the tinsel! Let's raise his name high wherever and whenever we can at all times and in all. Places!!

 

[SteveCaruso]

Christmas trees are just decorations. They aren't worshiped.

It's even a step further. The Christmas tree as a Christian tradition evolved out of an act of charity. Originally all of the ornaments were edible alms for the poor.