The answer.

The Bible does not give the date of Jesus’ birth, nor does it say that we should celebrate his birthday. As McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia states: “"The observance of Christmas is not of divine appointment, nor is it of NT [New Testament] origin."”

Instead, an examination of the history of Christmas exposes its roots in pagan religious rites. The Bible shows that we offend God if we try to worship him in a way that he does not approve of.—Exodus 32:5-7.

History of Christmas customs

1. Celebrating Jesus’ birthday: “"The early Christians did not celebrate [Jesus’] birth because they considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom."”—The World Book Encyclopedia.

2. December 25: There is no proof that Jesus was born on that date. Church leaders likely chose this date to coincide with pagan festivals held on or around the winter solstice.

3. Gift-giving, feasting, partying: The Encyclopedia Americana says: “"Saturnalia, a Roman feast celebrated in mid-December, provided the model for many of the merry-making customs of Christmas. From this celebration, for example, were derived the elaborate feasting, the giving of gifts, and the burning of candles."” The Encyclopædia Britannica notes that “"all work and business were suspended"” during Saturnalia.

4. Christmas lights: According to The Encyclopedia of Religion, Europeans decorated their homes “"with lights and evergreens of all kinds"” to celebrate the winter solstice and to combat evil spirits.

5. Mistletoe, holly: “"The Druids ascribed magical properties to the mistletoe in particular. The evergreen holly was worshiped as a promise of the sun’s return."”—The Encyclopedia Americana.

6. Christmas tree: “"Tree worship, common among the pagan Europeans, survived after their conversion to Christianity."” One of the ways in which tree worship survived is in the custom of “"placing a Yule tree at an entrance or inside the house in the midwinter holidays."”—Encyclopædia Britannica.

Yes, it's Christ's mass.

Op
I thought you're a Jehovah defender not a christian?

Must evreything be in the bible... So many of the practices that you guys do that is not stated in the bible, you don't complain about them. Why not just hold your believe and leave others to theirs...

The logic for choosing 25th December as Christmas day!

Enjoy and happy CHRISTMAS IN ADVANCE TO ALL

http://www.mgr.org/ChristmasDate2.html


The M+G+R Foundation
December 25th is a


JUDEO CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS DAY Of NOTE

Thus...

The Logical Day to Celebrate the Birth of the Messiah




PURPOSE

The purpose of this brief document is to explore the Divine Logic which moved the early Christian leaders to fix the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25th.


BACKGROUND

Although we have had this matter in the inkwell for years, the "Go Ahead" from Heaven came in the form of the following communication received in the year 2005 from one of our friends:


Why do we continue with the 25th as part of some old pagan celebration of light coinciding with the shortest day of the year? Why not make the Easter celebrations the focal point for Christian celebrations?


Keeping very clear in mind that Jesus is a Jew, born under the Mosaic Law and from a Jewish Mother and is indeed the promised Messiah, we should then seek the logic used by His Father in moving men to celebrate the date of His birth on December 25th. Notice, we say "celebrate" and are not stating that His birth indeed took place on that date, although it could have very well been.


DETAILS

History has it that it was not until A.D. 350, that December 25 was declared the official date for celebrating Christmas by Pope Julius I. When the fathers of the church decided to settle upon a date to celebrate the event, they chose the day of the winter solstice (as it was on the then-current Julian calendar), since it coincided with some rival religions' celebrations and the rebirth of the sun, symbolized by bon-fires and yule logs.

December 25 was a festival long before the conversion of the Germanic peoples to Christianity, so it seemed fitting to them that the time of their winter festival would also be the time to celebrate the birth of Christ. The darkness of paganism that had frightened and threatened to defeat the spirit of the ancient people, was forever defeated by the coming of Christ.

Well, that was man's logic. They felt they needed to tie-in to a Pagan rite so that the celebration of the Birth of the Messiah - the true Savior of the World - would become popular. Their own lack of Faith (1) prevented them from believing that God, the Father, by His Own Divine Right, would see that the celebration of the birth of His Son would take hold on its own without resorting to the "bait-and-switch" technique frequently used by the Church Administration in an effort to "create" faith.

Result: The date was set on the right day and month, for all the wrong reasons (2).

Why God chose that particular day? Well, as we have consistently reminded the Faithful, Jesus was a Jew. (3) Thus, scrolling back to the time of the destruction of Jerusalem and the great captivity of the Jews by Nabuchodonosor, the mighty King of Babylon, around the year 586 BC, we find Jehoiachin (Jechonias), King of Judea, amongst the captives. Then, right after the ascension of Evil-merodach to the Throne of Babylon, something marvelous happens as related by dear Jeremiah [52:31-34]:


And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison; And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon, and changed his prison garments. And Jehoiachin did eat bread before him continually all the days of his life: and for his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him by the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.


Lo and behold! A key link in the genealogy of Jesus [Matthew 1:2-16] is saved and restored to his throne on the five and twentieth day of the twelfth month by his own captors.

Well, there you have it, the five and twentieth day of the twelfth month : December 25th.

Refreshing the mind of the Faithful regarding the genealogy of Jesus we read in Matthew 1:17 the following:


So all the generations from Abraham unto David are fourteen generations; and from David unto the carrying away to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon unto the Christ fourteen generations.


Thus, David was a key link between the first and second sets of fourteen generations in the Genealogy of Jesus and Jehoiachin was the other key link, this time, between the second and third sets of generations which led to the birth of Christ.

"Hold it!", some will say, while quickly adding "There is a calendar problem! The twelfth month for Jews is not like our twelfth month, December."

As if God would not have thought of that too!

The names of the twelve months are of Babylonian origin. Israel adopted all twelve months of the Babylonian calendar as their civil calendar. Therefore, the twelfth month in our current civil calendar (Gregorian) is December. That is, when we read in Jeremiah about the "twelfth month", it is the twelfth month of the civil calendar and not of the Jewish religious calendar.

But that is not all. God likes to "cover all bases", as the saying goes.

Around (4) the date we celebrate Christmas, the Jews celebrate the Festival of Lights (Chanukah). This Jewish holiday commemorates the victory of the Jews over the Hellenistic Syrians back in 165 BC. After their victory, the Maccabees went in to clean and dedicate the Holy Temple in Jerusalem that the Syrians had defiled.

The Judean heroes could find little undefiled lamp oil. Miraculously, the tiny amount they did find kept the lamps going eight days, until new oil could be had. Thus, the miracle is celebrated with the lighting of the Chanukah candles over eight days.

And just exactly on what day did that such festival started originally? In 1 Macabees 4: 52 we read exactly when:


And they arose before morning on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month (which is the month of Tevet)....


...and that would have been exactly our December 25th of today! But that is not all.

Ninth month? That is the exact period of Mary's gestation of Jesus which started on March 25th, which, Lo and Behold! is the first month of the Jewish Religious Calendar. We would not doubt it at all if upon accurate calculations, on the year Jesus was born (5 B.C.), the Annunciation did take place exactly on the first day of the Jewish Religious Year.

By the way, in the year 2005 the Feast of Purim occurred on March 25th, Feast of the Annunciation.

The reader may ask: So? What is celebrated on the Feast of Purim? The Feast of Purim celebrates how the Jews of Persia narrowly escaped annihilation thanks to the bravery of Queen Esther. (5)

And thanks to the bravery of Mary, humanity escaped annihilation thorough its Redemption brought to it through Mary by Jesus Christ. Amazing, isn't it?

The eight days of Chanukah celebration?..... The Octave of Christmas which counts the days from December 25th until Jesus is circumcised, something that is not a fabrication of the Church leaders. It was the Jewish custom.

It seems that we could go on indefinitely "connecting dots" since, in spite of man, everything from God is coherent and harmonious.


CONCLUSION

As always, and thanks be to Him!, God had the last word. The celebration of His Son's Birth could not have been set on a better date - regardless of what flawed human reasoning was used to set it on December 25th.

Now perhaps the Faithful may understand why it seems that miguel de Portugal keeps denouncing some (some, not all!) of the Roman Church Administrators while upholding the foundations of the Catholic Faith to the last word (6).... As you have been reminded through the above example, even satan has to serve God, and even if the motives of the leaders of Christianity were totally wrong, God's Will was done!

Amen!



NOTES


(1) True Faith, as the reader can see, was lost by the Church "fathers" a long time ago.
(2) As we have said before, God is quite capable of doing what He Wills and does not need man to lie or "make do" to establish His Kingdom - He only needs the obedience of man - something He seldom has.
(3) He would have also been sent into exile, together with all the other Jews, by the "Oh-so-holy" Queen Isabella of Spain., also known as "Isabella the Catholic"
(4) It is a date that appears to change, yet the dates of Jewish holidays do not change from year to year. It just seems that way to us because feast dates fall on different days on the commonly used Gregorian calendar.
(5) We highly recommend the Book of Esther (Old Testament). In said Book we can see God in King Ahasuerus, the fallen Archangel Lucifer in Haman, Mary in Esther; the true children of God - us - in Mordecai. It is an extremely Prophetic Book.
(6) The position of miguel de Portugal regarding the pristine Catholic Faith.

heretic

If a christian chooses to celebrate christmas, then his christianity has sanctified the occasion regardless of it's pagan origins. For the earth is the Lord's and all that is in it...

okeyxyz: If a christian chooses to celebrate christmas, then his christianity has sanctified the occasion regardless of it's pagan origins. For the earth is the Lord's and all that is in it...

Nice one. The blood of Jesus covered all. We have been given authority,the day has been sanctified.
Christains IMO are not celebrating christmas instead we are celebrating Jesus.
The day He was born does not matter,infact i celebrate Jesus everyday as long as i have the understanding of who and why I am celebrating Him.

.

its funny how some people reason,christ-like indeed. During his 33 years stay on earth, where is it recorded in the bible that Jesus celebrated his birthday? As christians,shoud'nt the bible be our guide book towards gaining salvation?

Udeme288: its funny how some people reason,christ-like indeed. During his 33 years stay on earth, where is it recorded in the bible that Jesus celebrated his birthday? As christians,shoud'nt the bible be our guide book towards gaining salvation?

Many are profess christians not true christians. Let them follow pagans so that "light" and darkness can share. its their choice. the goodnews has been shared. any one wey get ear, make e hear.

Mintayo:
Nice one. The blood of Jesus covered all. We have been given authority,the day has been sanctified.

yeah! That ^.

All i do as a christian has been sactified by the blood, the authority i have is over all sins.

Even if i commit funication, nothing will happen, the funication has been sactified by the powerful in the blood of him.

Even if i steal money and another persons wife, she will be clean in his name and his blood.

I cannot commite a sin as a christ. His grace covers all.......

All i do have been clean by the blood of that one that has all power.

If you dont know the power in the blood, it is only then you can denied what i have seen and said in the spirit.











yes, in the blood of that one, do you doubt it ?

Rubbish!!!

truthislight:

yeah! That ^.

All i do as a christian has been sactified by the blood, the authority i have is over all sins.

Even if i commit funication, nothing will happen, the funication has been sactified by the powerful in the blood of him.

Even if i steal money and another persons wife, she will be clean in his name and his blood.

I cannot commite a sin as a christ. His grace covers all.......

All i do have been clean by the blood of that one that has all power.

If you dont know the power in the blood, it is only then you can denied what i have seen and said in the spirit.


yes, in the blood of that one, do you doubt it ?

Despite the sarcasm & ridicule, the content of your text still remains valid truth.

Let him who has wisdom read and Understand:

25As He says also in Hosea,
“I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, ‘MY PEOPLE,’
AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, ‘BELOVED.’”

26“AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, ‘YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,’
THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD(Romans 9:25-26).”

In other words; In the things where you used to feel guilty and sinful for doing what comes naturally to you, hence you shall glorify God for doing the same things. GBAM!!!

truthislight: Rubbish!!!

Bad belle! you don't like igbaladun and you don't want others to celebrate you see ya self

The reason for the season is more important than the date or financial benefit of the season.

The bible never told us to celebrate the birth of Christ, albeit I don't think there is anything wrong acknowledging that he was born. But, if we must celebrate any day as regards Jesus, it should be Easter. His death and resurrection remains the one important reason we are Christians today.

Come to think of it, the Christmas symbols are just so confusing. They bring the tree, signifying the cross. They put the light signifying Christ on the tree, yet they place gifts at the base of the tree like the three wise men did at the birth of Jesus. Whoever initiated the concept of Christmas.

truthislight:

yeah! That ^.

All i do as a christian has been sactified by the blood, the authority i have is over all sins.

Even if i commit funication, nothing will happen, the funication has been sactified by the powerful in the blood of him.

Even if i steal money and another persons wife, she will be clean in his name and his blood.

I cannot commite a sin as a christ. His grace covers all.......

All i do have been clean by the blood of that one that has all power.

If you dont know the power in the blood, it is only then you can denied what i have seen and said in the spirit.











yes, in the blood of that one, do you doubt it ?

You got it all wrong brother,you got it all wrong.

hope all will read this and get understanding but all in union with Christ are not to observe the following or they revert back to being pagans. (gentiles).

Gal 4:6-11
In the past, when you did not know God, you served as slaves beings which in reality are non-gods. But now you do know God, and, more than that, you are known by God. So how is it that you turn back again to those weak and miserable elemental spirits? Do you want to enslave yourselves to them once more? You observe special days, months, seasons and years! I fear for you that my work among you has been wasted!
------------------------
Gal 3:15-29
Brothers, let me make an analogy from everyday life: when someone swears an oath, no one else can set it aside or add to it. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his seed. It doesn't say, "and to seeds," as if to many; on the contrary, it speaks of one — "and to your seed" — and this "one" is Christ.

Here is what I am saying: the legal part of the Law, which came into being 430 years later, does not nullify an oath sworn by God, so as to abolish the promise. For if the inheritance comes from the legal part of the Law, it no longer comes from a promise. But God gave it to Abraham through a promise. So then, why the legal part of the Law? It was added in order to create transgressions, until the coming of the seed about whom the promise had been made. Moreover, it was handed down through angels and a mediator.

Now a mediator implies more than one, but God is one.

Does this mean that the legal part of the Law stands in opposition to God's promises? Heaven forbid! For if the legal part of the Law which God gave had had in itself the power to give life, then righteousness really would have come by legalistically following such a Law. But instead, the Hebrew Scriptures shuts up everything under sin; so that what had been promised might be given, on the basis of Jesus Christ's trusting faithfulness, to those who continue to be trustingly faithful.


Now before the time for this trusting faithfulness came, we were imprisoned in subjection to the system which results from perverting the Law into legalism, kept under guard until this yet-to-come trusting faithfulness would be revealed.

Accordingly, the Law functioned as a custodian until Christ came, so that we might be declared righteous on the ground of trusting and being faithful. But now that the time for this trusting faithfulness has come, we are no longer under a custodian. For in union with Christ, you are all children of God through this trusting faithfulness; because as many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ, in whom there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor freeman, neither male nor female; for in union with Christ Jesus, you are all one. Also, if you belong to Christ, you are seed of Abraham and heirs according to the promise.
-----------

Gal 4:1-31

What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a minor he is no different from a slave, even though he is the legal owner of the estate; rather, he is subject to guardians and caretakers until the time previously set by his father. So it is with us — when we were "children" we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe; but when the appointed time arrived, God sent forth his Son. He was born from a woman, born into a culture in which legalistic perversion of the Law was the norm, so that he might redeem those in subjection to this legalism and thus enable us to be made God's sons.

Now because you are sons, God has sent forth into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, the Spirit who cries out, "Abba!" (that is, "Dear Father!". So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son you are also an heir.

In the past, when you did not know God, you served as slaves beings which in reality are non-gods. But now you do know God, and, more than that, you are known by God. So how is it that you turn back again to those weak and miserable elemental spirits? Do you want to enslave yourselves to them once more? You observe special days, months, seasons and years! I fear for you that my work among you has been wasted!

Brothers, I beg of you: put yourselves in my place — after all, I put myself in your place. It isn't that you have done me any wrong — you know that it was because I was ill that I proclaimed the Good News to you at first; and even though my physical condition must have tempted you to treat me with scorn, you did not display any sign of disdain or disgust. No, you welcomed me as if I had been an angel of God, as if I had been Christ Jesus himself!

So what has become of the joy you felt? For I bear you witness that had it been possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

True, these teachers are zealous for you, but their motives are not good. They want to separate you from us so that you will become zealous for them. To be zealous is good, provided always that the cause is good. Indeed, whether I am present with you or not, my dear children, I am suffering the pains of giving birth to you all over again — and this will go on until Christ takes shape in you.

I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone of voice. I don't know what to do with you. Tell me, you who want to be in subjection to the system that results from perverting the Law into legalism, don't you hear what the Law itself says?

It says that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman.
The one by the slave woman was born according to the limited capabilities of human beings, but the one by the free woman was born through the miracle-working power of God fulfilling his promise.

Now, to make an allegory on these things: the two women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children for slavery — this is Hagar. Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she serves as a slave along with her children.

But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother; for the Hebrew Sceiptures says, "Rejoice, you barren woman who does not bear children! Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor! For the deserted wife will have more children than the one whose husband is with her!"

You, brothers, like Isaac, are children referred to in a promise of God. But just as then the one born according to limited human capability persecuted the one born through the Spirit's supernatural power, so it is now. Nevertheless, what does the Hebrew Scriptures say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for by no means will the son of the slave woman inherit along with the son of the free woman!" So, brothers, we are children not of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
----------------

1Th 4:1-5 Therefore, brothers, just as you learned from us how you had to live in order to please God, and just as you are living this way now, we ask you — indeed, united with the Lord Jesus, we urge you — to keep doing so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you on the authority of the Lord Jesus. What God wants is that you be holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality, that each of you know how to manage his sexual impulses in a holy and honorable manner, without giving in to lustful desires, like the pagans who don't know God.

Royll:
hope all will read this and get understanding but all in union with Christ are not to observe the following or they revert back to being pagans. (gentiles).

Galatians 4 you quoted have nothing to do with paganism. it refers to Jewish rites/celebrations under the law.

okeyxyz:



Despite the sarcasm & ridicule, the content of your text still remains valid truth.

Let him who has wisdom read and Understand:

25As He says also in Hosea,
“I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, ‘MY PEOPLE,’
AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, ‘BELOVED.’”

26“AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, ‘YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,’
THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD(Romans 9:25-26).”

In other words; In the things where you used to feel guilty and sinful for doing what comes naturally to you, hence you shall glorify God for doing the same things. GBAM!!!

The quoted scripture is a reference to gentiles being brought into the new covenant i think.

You wish what i said was true, smh.

Zikkyy:

Bad belle! you don't like igbaladun and you don't want others to celebrate you see ya self

Bros good time, how far ?

i know i cant stop you from your jollyment.

Smh for good time things.

*Editted*

truthislight:

Bros good time, how far ?

i know i cant stop you from your jollyment.

Smh for good time things.

where did you get jollyment from in my post?

christmas is a time to reflect on Jesus sacrifice, not just to have jollyment.


he died for our sins, have you accepted him into your life?

tpia@:


where did you get jollyment from in my post?

christmas is a time to reflect on Jesus sacrifice, not just to have jollyment.


he died for our sins, have you accepted him into your life?

Ooops! sorry, ment to quote Zikkyy.

my question still stands though.

truthislight:

The quoted scripture is a reference to gentiles being brought into the new covenant i think.

You wish what i said was true, smh.

This is the problem with people who identify as christians. They follow strict literal interpretations instead of the principle of the gospel. They read the law and prophets and apply it's message to the strict context and timeline as at when it was first preached instead of the timeless, universal application of the principle therein. Get wisdom bro.

tpia@:


where did you get jollyment from in my post?

christmas is a time to reflect on Jesus sacrifice, not just to have jollyment.


he died for our sins, have you accepted him into your life?

Christmas has nothing to do with Christ's sacrifice for our sins. You confuse Christmas with the clear biblical command to celebrate Christ's death:

Luke 22:19 - "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me".

After Christ was resurrected, his Apostles continued the remembrance of his death using bread and wine, as Christ instructed. Hear Paul:

1Cor 11:1, 23-25 - "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ". "For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.""

Jesus instituted the remembrance of his death on the night he was later killed - biblical date of Nisan 14 (usually falls around March, April time frame).

Christmas is a different, extra-biblical celebration - has no semblance to the biblical instructions to remember Christ.

i've been meaning to discuss this as a bible study topic, let me just discuss some of it here.


the birth of Christ [known as christmas] WAS celebrated by angels, as well as some humans [eg the magi and shepherds]. They all came to worship him.

however, at the same time, the resulting danger from this event, made it necessary for Jesus' parents to flee with him to Egypt, away from Isreal.

from trogunn

Christmas has nothing to do with Christ's sacrifice for our sins

luke 2

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

note the word Saviour?

tpia@:
i've been meaning to discuss this as a bible study topic, let me just discuss some of it here.


the birth of Christ [known as christmas] WAS celebrated by angels, as well as some humans [eg the magi and shepherds]. They all came to worship him.

however, at the same time, the resulting danger from this event, made it necessary for Jesus' parents to flee with him to Egypt, away from Isreal.

When a child is born, it comes with happiness. This is done either for the Messiah or other infants. this however, is not Christmas. You can never produce where Jesus celebrated it. It is the next occurrence of celebration which matches the date of that one's birth that birthday celebration is recognized. And this has to be with the intention of celebrating the birth. Please dont resort to eisegesis just to satisfy yourself.

The facts as we know them are:


Humans and angels both celebrated Jesus birth.

As per if this was binding on christians in general, is a matter of debate.

Not celebrating christmas is a matter of choice, if your religious beliefs occlude it, there is nothing wrong with that. However, instead of condemning people who do celebrate it, why not reach out to them with the gospel instead.