Does Christmas
Have God's Approval ?
Does Christmas
Have God's Approval ?
"On judgment day many will tell me,
`Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name...
and performed many miracles in your name.'
But I will reply, `I never knew you. Go away;
the things you did were unauthorized.' "
(Matthew 7:22,23)(NLT)-BibleGateway
"...I will punish those who....
introduce pagan....practices;
And I'll punish all who import
pagan superstitions...."
(Zephaniah 1:7)(MSG)-BibleGateway
"Using Christmas as an excuse...
They have combined pagan ideas,
beliefs and practices with Christianity
without examining whether God approves."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001
Twas a Night in December
‘Twas a night in December
and all through the house
Not a creature was praying,
not even my spouse.
Our Bibles were strewn
on the shelf without care
Behind the new stereo
speakers up there.
`
The children were ready
to crawl into bed,
Not once ever kneeling
or bowing a head.
And Mom in her rocker
with babe on her lap
Was watching the Late Show
while I took a nap.
When out of the east
there arose such a clamor,
Like someone was hitting
brass pans with a hammer
Away to the window
I flew like a flash
Tore open the curtains
and threw up the sash!
When what to my wondering
eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming
that Jesus was here.
A light in the sky
like the sun sent a ray
And I knew in a moment
this must be THE DAY!
The sight of His face
made me cover my head
It was Jesus returning
now just like He said
And I was complacent
with sureness and wealth,
But cried when I saw him
in spite of myself.
He opened with purpose
the Book in his hand
It had all the names of
every saved man.
He spoke not a word
as he searched for my name;
When he said, "It's not here."
my head hung in shame.
He stared at my tree
with the presents beneath
He said "That is pagan,
and so is your wreath;
A tribute to Nimrod
is this shiny fir tree
Don’t try to bow down
and devote it to me!
`
It isn’t my birthday,
not now in December
And I don’t get presents,
but you do - remember?
`
You celebrate Christmas
to honor my name
My followers warned you …
You know, it’s a shame-
`
That you didn’t listen
when they came around…
He turned to leave quickly
and continue his round
I fell to my knees,
but it was too late;
I ignored them too long
and thus sealed my fate.
My minister led me
astray now I know,
To the cold jaws of death
is the place I will go.
`
Jehovah, our Father
sent ministers out
With truths and fine knowledge
to share on their route.
I stood and I cried
as he rode out of sight;
Oh, if only I had been true
to him and his light.
In the words of this poem
the meaning is clear;
The coming of Jesus
is soon drawing near.
There's only one path
when he comes to call,
I found that Jehovah’s
was true after all!
Jehovah is Watching us
"NOT" Santa !!!
The God of Jesus Christ -
is watching us
"The eyes of Jehovah
are toward the righteous,
And his ears are open unto their cry.
The face of Jehovah is against
them that do evil, To cut off the
remembrance of them from the earth."
(Psalm 34:15,16)(ASV)-BibleGateway
"For the ways of man
are before the eyes of Jehovah..."
(Proverbs 5:21)(ASV)-BibleGateway
"For the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro
throughout the whole earth, to show himself
strong in the behalf of them whose heart is
perfect toward him."
(2Chronicles 16:9)(ASV)-BibleGateway
"The LORD sees everything,
and he watches us closely."
(Proverbs 5:21)(CEV)-BibleGateway
"Don't say, "I didn't know it!"
God can read your mind.
He watches each of us
and knows our thoughts.
And God will pay us back
for what we do."
(Proverbs 24:12)(CEV)-BibleGateway
"The Lord watches over everyone who obeys him,
and he listens to their prayers.
But he opposes everyone who does evil."
(1Peter 3:12)(CEV)-BibleGateway
"I, Jehovah, search the mind,
I try the heart,
even to give every man
according to his ways,
according to the fruit of his doings."
(Jeremiah 17:10)(ASV)-BibleGateway
"...Ye shall not be unpunished;
for I will call for a sword
upon all the inhabitants of the earth,
saith Jehovah of hosts..."
(Jeremiah 25:29) (ASV) -BibleGateway
"God will give to each person
according to what he has done."
(Romans 2:6) (NIV) -BibleGateway
".... each will receive his own reward
according to his own labor. "
(1Corinthians 3:8) (NASB) -BibleGateway
"For God carefully watches
the way that people live;
he sees everything they do.
No darkness is thick enough
to hide the wicked from his eyes.
For it is not up to mortals to decide
when to come before God in judgment.
He will openly strike them down
for their wickedness. For they turned
aside from following him. They have no
respect for any of his ways."
(Job 34:21-23)(NLT)-BibleGateway
"From heaven the LORD looks down
and sees all mankind;
from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth-"
(Psalm 33:13,14)(NIV)-BibleGateway
"The LORD looks at the world
from his throne in heaven,
and he watches us all.
The LORD gave us each a mind,
and nothing we do can be hidden from him."
(Psalm 33:13-15)(CEV)-BibleGateway
"Don't say, "I didn't know it!"
God can read your mind.
He watches each of us
and knows our thoughts.
And God will pay us back
for what we do."
(Proverbs 24:12)(CEV)-BibleGateway
"...I will punish those who....
introduce pagan....practices;
And I'll punish all who import
pagan superstitions...."
(Zephaniah 1:7)(MSG)-BibleGateway
"Using Christmas as an excuse...
They have combined pagan ideas,
beliefs and practices with Christianity
without examining whether God approves."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001
Jehovah - is The GOD
of Jesus Christ
The Reason God's Name is Missing
From Many Bibles (click-here)
"so that with one heart and mouth
you may glorify THE GOD.....
OF our Lord Jesus Christ."
(Romans 15:6)(NIV)-BibleGateway
"Then all of you together can thank
THE GOD.....OF our Lord Jesus Christ."
(Romans 16:6)(NLV)-BibleGateway
"Praise be to THE GOD....
OF our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion
and the God of all comfort."
(2Corinthians 1:3)(NIV)-BibleGateway
"THE GOD....OF our Lord Jesus Christ
is to be honored and thanked forever..."
(2Corinthians 11:31)(NLV)-BibleGateway
"Praise THE GOD.....
OF our Lord Jesus Christ..."
(Ephesians 1:3)(CEV)-BibleGateway
"I keep asking that THE GOD OF
our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,
may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation,
so that you may know him better...That power is
like the working of his mighty strength,
which he exerted in Christ when he raised him
from the dead and seated him at his right hand
in the heavenly realms."
(Ephesians 1:17,19,20)(NIV)-BibleGateway
"Let us thank THE GOD....
OF our Lord Jesus Christ..."
(1Peter 1:3)(NLV)-BibleGateway
What Must Jesus Think ?
What Must Jesus Think ?
What must Jesus Christ think
about the feel-good,
commercially driven season
based on pagan gods -
that supposedly honors Him?
Even Comedians can see the ridiculousness
of Trying to Honor Christ with a Pagan Holiday.
"...I will punish those who....
introduce pagan....practices;
And I'll punish all who import
pagan superstitions...."
(Zephaniah 1:7)(MSG)-BibleGateway
"It's just crazy [the way] we celebrate holidays
in the United States. I found out just recently
there are so many religious holidays we celebrate
here in this country that have nothing to do with the Bible at all.
Real famous holidays, like Christmas.
Christmas has nothing to do with the Bible...
It's a pagan holiday that the Romans invented that we just do."
- popular American comedian and actor, Drew Carey.
At a White House correspondents' dinner on May 5, 2002.
December 25th -
The Birth of Many Pagan gods
"December 25th - not only was Mithra, the sun-god of
Mithraism, said to be born at this time of the year,
but Osiris, Horus, Hercules, Bacchus, Adonis, Jupiter,
Tammuz, and other sun-gods were also supposedly born
at what is today called the "Christmas" season, the winter solstice!
- Doane, p.474;
- "The Two Babylons; Alexander Hislop, p.93.
"The "winter solstice (December) was the time at which all the
sun-gods from Osiris to Jupiter and Mithra had celebrated
their (birthdays) - the celebration being adorned with
the pine tree of Adonis, the holly of Saturn, and the
mistletoe (of the pagan Druids).....tapers(candles) represented
the kindling of the newborn sun-god's fire..."
-Man and His Gods, p.201.
A COMPROMISE WITH PAGANISM
"The important fact then which I have asked you to get
clearly into your head is that the fixing of the date
as December 25th was a compromise with paganism."
- The Evolution of Christmas; Published in 1909
"Apostatizing and corrupted Christianity
jumped in bed with paganism!"
-The Surprising Origin of CHRISTMAS!
William F. Dankenbring and John D. Keyser
"The wicked apostate Church fornicated spiritually
with the heathen, pagan religions of the world,
and "ADOPTED" the date of December 25th
as the "birth-day" of Jesus the Messiah,
who was born NOWHERE NEAR that time of year!"
-The Surprising Origin of CHRISTMAS!
William F. Dankenbring and John D. Keyser
"Christmas and Easter - These spurious, counterfeit
holydays represent a COMPROMISE with paganism,
an attempt on the part of the church to convert
the heathen by meeting them halfway. But the
Scriptures clearly teach that there must be
NO Compromise with the evil one on any point.
Paul gives the warning: "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; speaking lies
in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with
a hot iron." 1 Timothy 4:1, 2."
-HEATHEN CUSTOMS
In the Christian Church;
By Murl Vance
"Don't team up with those who are unbelievers.
How can goodness be a partner with wickedness?
How can light live with darkness?
What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil?
How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?
And what union can there be between God's temple and idols?
Therefore, come out from them
and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.
Don't touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you."
(2Corinthians 6:14-17)(NLT)-BibleGateway
"They moved him to jealousy with strange gods;
With abominations provoked they him to anger.
They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God;
They have provoked me to anger with their vanities."
(Deteronomy 32:16,32)(ASV)-BibleGateway
"...I will punish those who....
introduce pagan....practices;
And I'll punish all who import
pagan superstitions...."
(Zephaniah 1:7)(MSG)-BibleGateway
Christmas Honors many false gods -
But NOT the God of the Bible
Christmas is A Lie !
"Christmas is a well-laid trap. In celebrating it,
the people of the land honor, worship, and glorify
a god, but not the God of the Bible. It is appealing
and attractive with all the ornamentation and catchy
music. There is also an appealing baby, born to be
the King of kings, and his lovely mother radiant in
her motherhood. In addition, what could be better
than giving gifts? Certainly giving is Christian.
And what about decorating evergreen trees, hanging
mistletoe and holly boughs, caroling, stuffing stockings,
and burning Yule logs? Everything just seems to go so
well together. Nevertheless, it is a trap because it is
not true."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001
"It was in the fifth century
that the Roman Catholic Church
commanded that the birth of Christ
be observed forever on December 25th,
the day of the old Pagan Roman feast
of the birth of Sol, one of the names
of their pagan sun-god ! "
- Encyclopedia Americana, Vol.6, p.623.
"...I will punish those who....
introduce pagan....practices;
And I'll punish all who import
pagan superstitions...."
(Zephaniah 1:7)(MSG)-BibleGateway
Neither God -- Nor Christ
Will Tolerate Compromise
with Paganism
Neither God -- Nor Christ
Will Tolerate Compromise
with Paganism
"In all sincerity, men and women have gone to great
Lengths to try to please God. Without seeking His
permission, they presume to add things to the worship
of God because they are attractive and have a vague
attachment to the One whom they look upon as their Savior.
They think their sincerity in worship is more important
than the truth."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001
But God thinks differently:
"Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it;
you shall not add to it nor take away from it"
-(Deuteronomy 12:32).
"Christmas is a festival that has been added.
It is syncretism, blending a practice from paganism
into the stream of Christianity. Only the revelation
of God shows how He will be worshipped, and He will
NOT be served in imitation of other gods.
God's way can NOT be "improved" by human sincerity."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001
"Subtly...the old gods had entered their churches...
And they live still in the festivals of Christianity."
-(Testament: The Bible and History,
Romer, 1988, pp. 230-31)
"Deuteronomy 13 defines the law regarding apostasy.
Those who led others to worship other gods or adopt
the practices of the nations around them were to be
stoned! God considers tampering with His truth
to be evil that must be eradicated!"
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001
"Another suicidal trap is that of following
unbiblical tradition. Pagan traditions such as
Christmas and Easter, can be just such a deadly trap
laid by the deceiver to cause our religion
to become in vain."
-Robert Harris
The Midnight Cry: Chapter 17
A Prophetic Witness to the Church Today
"...For I testify to everyone who hears the words
of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these
things, God will add to him the plagues that are written
in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words
of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his
part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and
from the things which are written in this book."
- (Revelation 22:12-19)
"We have to apply the same kind of judgment to
modern Christianity and its use of Christmas.
God nowhere speaks of making Christmas a part of
Christianity, nor does He say to celebrate His Son's
birth. He does tell us, though, not to add to His
worship anything that is a tradition of the heathen."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001
"When the so-called Christians added Christmas
to Christianity, it had nothing to do with true
Christianity at all. It was a ploy to win converts
from paganism. It was a deliberate grab for power.
From the beginning, Christmas, rather than promoting
the true God and His way of life, has only led people
away from the truth."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001
"...I will punish those who....
introduce pagan....practices;
And I'll punish all who import
pagan superstitions...."
(Zephaniah 1:7)(MSG)-BibleGateway
Stand Apart from Paganism
Remain Clean -
Untouched by the World
"obey his commands with all purity.
Then no one can find fault with you
from now until our Lord Jesus Christ returns."
(1Timothy 6:14)(NLT)-BibleGateway
"so that you will prove yourselves to be
blameless and innocent, children of God
above reproach in the midst of a crooked
and perverse generation, among whom you
appear as lights in the world."
(Philippians 2:15)(NASB)-BibleGateway
"Pure and undefiled religion in the sight
of our God and Father is...to keep oneself
unstained by the world."
(James 1:27)(NASB)-BibleGateway
"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,'
and do NOT do what I say ?"
(Luke 6:46)(NIV)-BibleGateway
"On judgment day many will tell me,
`Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name...
and performed many miracles in your name.'
But I will reply, `I never knew you. Go away;
the things you did were unauthorized.' "
(Matthew 7:22,23)(NLT)-BibleGateway
"Look, I am coming soon !
....... "No, DON'T worship me.
I am a servant of God, just like you
and your brothers the prophets.....
INSTEAD - Worship GOD !
See, I am coming soon,
and my reward is with me,
to repay all according to their deeds. "
(Revelation 22:7,9,12)(NLT)-BibleGateway
"In the past God overlooked such ignorance,
but now he commands
all people everywhere to repent.
For he has set a day
when he will judge the world with justice
by the man he has appointed.
He has given proof of this to all men
by raising him from the dead."
(Acts 17:30,31)(NIV)-BibleGateway
"...I will punish those who....
introduce pagan....practices;
And I'll punish all who import
pagan superstitions...."
(Zephaniah 1:7)(MSG)-BibleGateway
