PROVE IT!

PROVE IT!

This is what I have to say...

Someone please prove to me the Tetragrammaton is original Paleo-Hebrew and was in the original OT written BEFORE the Jews were banished to Babylon and took on the Aramaic language.  Prove it, I dare you.  God did not give a name for Himself.  Why do you think so many kept asking for His name, because He did NOT give one...not in the OT.  The revelation of His name was coming, they just had to wait, yet, they could not wait. They wanted a "holy name" for God, they wanted a God they made and not a God that made them, hence they make up this name from something inserted into the Scriptures by scribes after they are banished to Babylon.  Honest Jewish scholars admit there is no pronunciation for the Tetragrammaton, yet there are over 72 guess names which have come from it.  You probably know Jehovah and Yahweh best.

Now, someone please prove to me that Yahweh or Jehovah were in the original manuscripts of the bible...PROVE IT! You can't and here's why:

Jehovah

1530, Tyndale's erroneous transliteration of Hebrew Tetragramaton YHWH using vowel points of Adhonai "my lord" (see Yahweh). Used for YHWH (the full name being too sacred for utterance) in four places in the Old Testament in the KJV where the usual translation lord would have been inconvenient; taken as the principal and personal name of God. The vowel substitution was originally made by the Masoretes as a direction to substitute Adhonai for "the ineffable name." European students of Hebrew took this literally, which yielded L. JeHoVa (first attested in writings of Galatinus, confessor to Leo X, 1516). Jehovah's Witnesses "member of Watchtower Bible and Tract Society" first attested 1933; the organization founded c.1879 by Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916); the name from Isa. xliii:10.¹

Yahweh 1869, hypothetical reconstruction of the tetragrammaton YHWH (see Jehovah), based on the assumption that the tetragrammaton is the imperfective of Hebrew verb hawah, earlier form of hayah "was," in the sense of "the one who is, the existing."²

JEHOVAH (Yahweh), in the Bible, the God of Israel. "Jehovah" is a modern mispronunciation of the Hebrew name, resulting from combining the consonants of that name, Jhvh, with the vowels of the word ădōnāy, "Lord," which the Jews substituted for the proper name in reading the scriptures. In such cases of substitution the vowels of the word which is to be read are written in the Hebrew text with the consonants of the word which is not to be read. The consonants of the word to be substituted are ordinarily written in the margin; but inasmuch as "Adonay" was regularly read instead of the ineffable name Jhvh, it was deemed unnecessary to note the fact at every occurrence. When Christian scholars began to study the Old Testament in Hebrew, if they were ignorant of this general rule or regarded the substitution as a piece of Jewish superstition, reading what actually stood in the text, they would inevitably pronounce the name Jěhōvāh. It is an unprofitable inquiry who first made this blunder; probably many fell into it independently.³

 These words did not exist at the time of the writing of the OT, and that’s a fact.  In fact, the Tetragrammaton is a fallacy and if you know anything about the Talmud and it’s real religion, you’d be shocked about what the Jews think of you.  No, I am not racist, I am against antichrist people, of all races.  Why did I bring the Talmud up, read this:

 Tetragrammaton (τέτταρα, four; γράμμα, letter), a Greek compound, found in Philo and Josephus, which designates the divine name composed of the four Hebrew letters J H V H (יהוה). The derivation and pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton is still doubtful. The form Jehovah (q.v.) used in some of the English Versions is an error which arose in the 16th century. It is now generally assumed that the word is the causative form (hiph'il) and should be pronounced Yahveh or Yahweh (accent on second syllable). The Jews quite early ceased to pronounce the tetragrammaton, substituting (as the Books of Chronicles and the LXX translation already indicate) the word Lord ('Adonai). The priests continued to use the name in the Benediction of the People (Numbers vi. 222 7), and on the Day of Atonement the High Priest pronounced it (Leviticus xvi. 30) amidst the prostrations of the assembled multitude. It is recorded in the Talmud that Rabbis communicated the true pronunciation to their disciples once in seven years (Qiddushin, 71a). The Jews called the tetragrammaton by a Hebrew denomination, Shem Hammephorash (שם ה..רש) i.e. the distinctive excellent name. It was considered an act of blasphemy for a layman to pronounce the tetragrammaton. This avoidance of the original name was due on the one hand to reverence and on the other to fear lest the name be desecrated by heathens. Partly in consequence of this mystery and partly in accord with widespread superstitions, the tetragrammaton figures in magical formulae from the time of the Gnostics, and on amulets. Many a medieval miracle-worker was supposed to derive his competence from his knowledge of the secret of the Name.⁴  (These are only a few examples, there are many, many more which show truth)

John 8:19

Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father:if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

John 8:44

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Jesus speaking to the “religious” leaders of the day…calling them liars.  They did not know God, they lied about His name (the Tetragrammaton) and everything else.  If God were their Father they would have known the truth and known Jesus as well. They knew neither.

God revealed His name…Jesus said:

John 17:6
I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world:…

What name did Jesus manifest?  What name did Peter say was the only name for remission of sin?  What name did Paul say was above ALL other names and what name did Peter say was the ONLY name whereby we MUST be saved?  Was it the Tetragrammaton…?  I see only Jesus! 

This is the first in a long series on the false names of God…the Tetragrammaton and the Pentagrammaton (supposedly Jesus’ real name).  I will be putting links on here as well to others who have studied this out and know the truth.  May Jesus save us all from this heinous blasphemy.

http://thejewishjesus.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/jehovah-yahweh-yah-jah-et-al.html By Bishop (Dr.) G Reckart

http://thetruenameofjesus.com/?p=176  By Brother David Harp

¹ Online Etymology Dictionary

² Online Etymology Dictionary

³ 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Jehovah

⁴ 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Tetragrammaton

The Answer Does Not Change

Trinitarians love to try and show three gods in one, or three persons in one, yet the Scriptures are clear and the basic foundation is there is but one God, one “person” in the Godhead.  From the beginning Jesus was clear, there is but one God, none were formed (created) before or after Him and there are no gods beside Him.  I don’t think it could be more clear, but I think it’s muddled to Trinitarians.  Along the road of “Christianity” philosophers, mystics and Gnostics twisted and manipulated the word of God and it came to a head in Nicaea, where we all know Constantine, who wasn’t a Christian, used this to expand his empire and the RCC and the EOGC now had a new religion; one they couldn’t agree upon, but yet they were both “right” (orthodox in their eyes). 

Yet, I’m not here to examine their church history, what I’m going to show you, if you’re a Trinitarian, should open your eyes to truth.  If you explain it away as anything other than what the Scriptures say to meet your vision of God, I feel sorry for you, because this is not my interpretation, it’s not mans, it’s Gods.

First Scripture I’d like to look at is very simple.  Duet 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our GOD is one LORD:” One, I don’t see two, or three, one.  Can it be state simpler? Now let’s throw you off, if you’re a Trinitarian and make you think…

Zechariah 12:10, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”

Ok, think about that Scripture for a moment…read it, comprehend it…we’ll get back to it.

Revelation 22:16, “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.”

Ok, think about that Scripture for a moment…read it, comprehend it…we’ll get back to it.

Job 13:6-10

6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips. 
7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?
10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.

Ok, think about that Scripture for a moment…read it, comprehend it…we’ll get back to it.

Ok, back to Zech 12:10.  Who is the one pierced, yet who is the one mourned for?  “They shall look upon me (God)whom they have pierced…”, “and they shall mourn for him (Jesus)…” now read John 19:36-37.  How could God be pierced?  The simple answer, Jesus was God in the flesh (see I Tim 3:16). 

Back to Revelation 22:16, how could Jesus be the root of David, yet be his offspring?  The answer doesn’t change, Jesus is God, who manifest Himself in the flesh (again, I Tim 3:16).

Now, I hope you really are paying attention, because Job 13:6-10 in the KJV is the only bible you will find it worded properly, all other bibles have twisted the wording to fit the doctrine of the “trinity”, this is evidenced by the actual Hebrew in which these Scriptures were written, and not the reinterpretation of men.  Reread it below:

Job 13:6-10

6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.  (Listen up…hear my arguments and my pleas…)
7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him? (Will you lie about God and speak deceitfully for him?)
8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God? (Will you accept the one God [person, singular], will you fight for Him?)
9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him? (Would it turn out well if he examined you?  Could you deceive Him as you might deceive a human being?)
10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons. (He [God] will admonish you if you accept Him as more than one person, if in secret…now you do so in public, what will God do?) 

When anyone refers to God as “triune”, a “trinity”, “three in one”, “three gods”, “three persons”, etc., one is mocking God, and God will not be mocked.  The Oneness of the Godhead is the basic and fundamental doctrine found in the Bible.  Colossians 2:9, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”  The Godhead, all of it, the deity, the attributes, the specific word used by Paul here actually stresses Jesus being the perfect God, is in Jesus…the answer does not change!  God manifest in the flesh, I Tim 3:16.

When confronted with the idea God put on human flesh, I understand it’s hard to comprehend.  They unity of God and man IS the mystery, God is not a mystery, godliness is the mystery, again, how the unity occurred.  Jesus was 100% man and 100% God. 

Lastly, God says in the OT He is the first and the last, the Almighty; Isaiah 44:6, “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.” Genesis 35:11, “And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;” Yet Jesus says He is the first and the last, the Almighty; Revelation 1:8, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”  Can there be two almighty gods?

This is but a short study to show truth, there is but one great God and Saviour, Jesus.  If you would like more information about the lies men have been teaching for millennia, and to learn about the truth, you can contact me at minister_greg@jesusmessiahisgod.com.  May the Spirit of Truth bring truth to us all!!!

In His Service,

Minister of the New Covenant

Ex-RCC Eh?

You think you have "escaped" the RCC? If you're a "Trinitarian", all your beliefs and traditions come directly from the RCC/EOGC. The Lutherans still recite the "Apostles' Creed", which in one part states, "I believe in the holy catholic church...". The creed itself has nothing do to with the Apostles as it wasn't created until at least the 2nd Century...maybe as late as the 9th. You are all daughters of the RCC, forever connected.  

Sure, you've dropped the pope thing, do you even know why? You don't call clergy "Father" well, that's good. You don't pray to saints, that's nice...you don't venerate Mary anymore, cool. You believe divorce is ok? At least the RCC has that right. Women clergy? By the way, where is the word clergy in the Scriptures? First known use wasn't until the 13th Century. Men taught by men taught by men taught by men who have twisted the Scriptures for millennia. How many different versions of the "Trinity" are out there? The RCC and the EOGC broke fellowship because they couldn't agree on the "Filioque", or how the "trinity" came to be, even then, when this whole scam was invented, Trinitarians couldn't make up their minds on this false doctrine of "three gods in one" or "three persons in one". Christmas (Christ's Mass), Easter (Oester), Halloween (All Saint's Day), Valentine's Day...all brought in to the RCC because they wanted their new members to keep their individual identity yet still be "Christian", yet Paul tells us we are to be of one mind, likeminded, no, not robots, but certainly not so lost we allow other faiths to influence the truth in such a way we go directly against the word of God.

Do you know who Arius and Athanasius were, do you know why Constantine, who wasn't even a Christian (yet has been sainted...?) accepted the philosophical (Platonic), Gnostic, mystical reinterpretation of God? Had true men of God stood up against him this false doctrine wouldn't be here, yet men will be men. Mankind has twisted the Scriptures for millennia and are still doing it today.

It's up to you, no one else, to find out who God truly is, but I will say this...there is but one God, Jesus. Yes, Jesus. God manifest Himself in the flesh (I Tim 3:16), a blatant statement by Paul to let us know Jesus was 100% MAN AND 100% God, there is no mystery to God, godliness is the mystery, how the hypostasis of God and man happened. All we have to know is the truth though. Jesus is God, our great God and Saviour. We must be holy or we will not see Him (Heb 12:14), we must repent, be baptized in Jesus' name and receive the Holy Ghost (Luke 24:45-49, Acts 2:38), and we must endure until the end (Matt 24:13, Mark 13:13).

What I say and write I do so in love, not the guise of love,  but true love for all mankind. Being born again is not just accepting Jesus as your personal Saviour, we must obey the Gospel of Jesus Messieh (what happens to those who do not obey the Gospel? Read it here --> II Thessalonians 1:8-10). You think you're born again? Think again...Jesus put it clear for all to see, yet so many do not understand; a man (i.e. adult) must be born again of water AND spirit (John 3:5)...a baby or young child cannot understand the ramifications of sin, or what repentance and remission of sins mean. We came into this world a sinner, we have to born again into His kingdom, it's that simple.

You want to know the true, living God? Get rid of all your preconceived ideas you have learned from men, seek Him, truly, asking Him to reveal Himself unto you. As long as you keep your eyes closed and ears shut, He has no obligation to show you anything. May you all be blessed and find our great God and Saviour, Jesus Messieh.

There are more movies out there now; part 2 and 3 of Hallelujah and the Tetragrammaton are up.  You can check all my movies out here (more to come) Minister of Jesus.  This false name of God and false praise of God is exposed for what it really is; a lie.

Now, as I have been off the Blog for a while, I thought I'd share something I learned recently.  I don't claim to be a scholar, or even well learned, and there are some things I have never heard of.  I'm going to mention a few here and clarify one thing; Jesus Messieh was 100% Man (flesh, human) and 100% God.  Now I have said it, let me explain why I have said it.

I was told by a good friend and brother that there was someone I knew who was a Docetist.  At the time I didn't know what the word Docetism was, nor had I ever heard of the "Celestial Flesh" doctrine.  I had not heard of Monophystism and the two sects which grew out of this; Eutychianism and Appoliniarianism, as well. 

Well, at first I just didn’t understand what my friend and brother was saying; until I directly asked this person, “Do you believe Jesus came in the flesh?”  To which I received a very slick and deceiving answer, which fooled me into believing this person did believe Jesus was 100% man and 100% God.  This person’s answer was, “I believe The WORD (Which was God) became flesh and dwelt among us, just as the apostles preached.”  That wording sounds ok, doesn’t it?  IT’S A SLICK LIE!  After I discussed this with my pastor, who clarified things for me, I understood and it was all clear; this person was a Monophyst of the Appoloinarian sect.  To make it simple, if you don’t know, Appolinarianism holds that Christ had a human body and human "living principle" but that the “Divine Logos” had taken the place of the nous, or "thinking principle", similar but not identical to what we call the mind today.  When I learned this it hit me, this person was a Monophyst, an Appoliniarian.  When I asked the direct question “Do you believe Jesus was 100% man and 100% God?”,  I never received a reply.

I made yet another discovery today that one of my “friends” was a Docetist – believes the flesh of Jesus was not man, no DNA, not human, but was of God and therefore “celestial flesh”.  This again, is a heretical and antichrist doctrine.  John made it very clear Jesus was the Son of Man and the Son of God.  II John 1:7, "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."  Flesh here is rendered;

Sarx:

1) flesh (the soft substance of the living body, which covers the bones and is permeated with blood) of both man and beasts
2) the body
    a) the body of a man
    b) used of natural or physical origin, generation or relationship
       1) born of natural generation
    c) the sensuous nature of man, "the animal nature"
       1) without any suggestion of depravity
       2) the animal nature with cravings which incite to sin
        3) the physical nature of man as subject to suffering
3) a living creature (because possessed of a body of flesh) whether man or beast
4) the flesh, denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God

There is no denying; Jesus Messieh was truly man and God, both human and divine.  Anyone who denies this simple basic doctrine of the Scriptures is a liar and an antichrist; not just my words, the very words of the apostle John.  Many deceivers have come into the world, test the spirits, for men would take you away from truth and have you believe a lie.

In love and in His Service,

Minister of the New Covenant.

From Blogs to Movies

Greetings everyone.

I have been working hard on learning to make movies, and uploading them to YouTube. My first attempt was ok, but I’m getting better as I go. The first movie is here and titled Jesus Is God. The second one is here  Not Ashamed. I just finished part 1 of a two part movie entitled Hallelujah and the Tetragrammaton: Part I. As it takes a while to make these, you will see a drop in blogs (not that I have been active lately - new twins and all). I will probably be presenting more movies than writing blogs now. At least there is music you can listen to while reading. I may still post a blog or two here and there, or just post here letting people know a new "movie" is out.

In love and in His service,

Minister of the New Covenant

Christmas - Part II

I Corinthians 10:14, "Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry"


Idolatry: The worship of a physical object as a god: immoderate (exceeding just, usual, or suitable bounds) attachment or devotion to something. - Merriam Webster

Idolatry: The worship of idols; extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone:

Origin - Middle English: from Old French idolatrie, based on Greek eidōlolatreia, from eidōlon (see idol) + -latreia 'worship' – Oxford Dictionary

Eidōlolatria - 1) the worship of false gods, idolatry

a) of the formal sacrificial feats held in honour of false gods

b) of avarice, as a worship of Mammon

2) in the plural, the vices springing from idolatry and peculiar to it

Strong’s G1495

Eidōlolatria or ( -eia)(corresponds with Strong’s G1495). Whence Eng., “idolatry” (from eidolon, and Latreia, “service”), is found in I Cor 10:14; Gal 5:20, Col 3:5; and in the plural, in I Peter 4:3. Heathen sacrifices were sacrificed to demons, I Cor 10:19; there was a dire reality in the cup and table of demons and in the involved communion with demons. In Rom 1”22-25, “idolatry” the sin of the mind against God (Eph 2:3) and immorality, sins of the flesh, are associate, and are traced to lack of the acknowledgement of God and of gratitude to Him. An “idolater” is a slave to the depraved ideas his idols represent, Gal 4:8-9; and thereby, to divers lusts, Titus 3:3. – Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vine, Unger, White).

Why all this? I want to point out a few things. Idolatry is not just simply worshipping someone or something other than God, i.e., avarice (greed, materialism, etc.) is considered idolatry (can’t have two masters…). Now, I’m going to take you back to pagan “holy days”, and since Christmas is just around the corner, readdress this “holy day”; yet this would also apply to Easter and Halloween (All Saint’s Day) just as well.

What is interesting is we find that idolatry isn’t, again, just worship, it’s also “the vices springing from idolatry and peculiar to it,” and “An idolater is a slave to the depraved ideas his idol represents.” What does this mean? Christmas, when you celebrate it, is doing that exact thing, you are using pagan “holy days”, pagan ritualistic items, vices that spring from the idolatrous “holy days” and are peculiar to those “holy days”. People have become “salves” to these “holy days” and the icons which represent them. The Christmas tree – pagan, Holly – pagan, Yule – pagan, Mistletoe – pagan, all pagan in origin, not one iota of Christmas has anything to do with Jesus, EXCEPT, the RCC brought in this pagan “holy day”, called it a “mass” (Christ’s Mass, which is actually the celebration of death, not life) and now we see what it has become. The running theme with Christians who celebrate Christmas (or Halloween and Easter) is, “we don’t worship those things which the pagans do, we make it what we want it to be.” Sorry folks, it is what it is. I’m revisiting this because I am now seeing Apostolics posting about the “holidays” and using pictures of Santa or some other pagan item as their profile picture.

Tell me you don’t worship the tree, Santa Clause, you don’t use mistletoe, Yule or holly as the pagans did, yet does it matter? No, because you are using the items which the pagans used in their idolatrous “holy days”, things peculiar to paganism, and not of God. Is this pleasing to God? There is more than enough Scripture to show we should not indulge in these pagan “holy days”; these are traditions of men and not of God (Colossians 2:8). We are not to be judged by our celebrations of “holy days”, meaning we do not observe them and it doesn’t matter what men say (Colossians 2:16). We are not to be idolatrous in any way (I Cor 10:14, Gal 5:20).

I pray this again helps people realize why Christians have no place celebrating pagan “holy days” made “Christian” by the RCC and now snaked its way into the church. This is not pleasing to God. Don’t believe me, look up the origins of Christmas, Easter, Halloween.  Read you bible.

All we do we are to do in the name of Jesus. Jesus, the apostles, the church did not celebrate these holidays. The only holiday we find mention of and Paul does tell us to keep is the Passover, and not the Passover of Judaism, the Passover which Jesus and the apostles celebrated (the last supper and the washing of feet), Messianic Judaism! Biblically you cannot find any Christian celebrating these holidays. Historically these are pagan holy days and idolatrous.

To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Be encouraged,
Minister of the New Covenant

Christmas - Part I

Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

The "holidays" are just around the corner and as I feel strongly about not celebrating manmade "holy days", I thought I would post a couple of thoughts about this and other "holy days".

First I would like to look at when was Christ Born. Luke gives a time line which if you follow you can see Jesus was born in the late summer, but there is an even easier way to surmise His birth. Most historians agree Jesus was born sometime, in accordance with our modern day calendar, in September, approximately six months after Passover. To further this proof, it was a tradition among the Jews to send their sheep out to the fields about the Passover, and bring them home at the first rain. As Passover occurred in the spring, and the first rain began early in the month of Marchesvan, which coincides with our modern day calendar months of October and November, we realize the sheep were kept out during the whole of the summer, and a part of Autumn (Fall). Since the shepherds had not yet brought their flocks in, we can only draw the one conclusion, Jesus was born in mid to late summer, no later than September.

Christmas falls under idolatry. The customs came from worship of idols. They were mixed into the birth of the story of Jesus. Jesus is then mixed with idolatries. We already have commandment that there is to be no other God. And we also have commandment not to be yoked with idols (II Corinthians 6:16, I John 5:21). We believe in the birth of Jesus our God. His birth records no celebrations of idols. The following will prove this.

Historical facts along with Biblical facts all point to “Christmas” being in existence for a long time, pre-dating Christ (no it wasn’t called Christmas – yet). From the prophetic writings of Jeremiah; Jeremiah 10:3-4, “For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.” Notice the word “customs”, synonymous with traditions, of people (men), to which I point again back to what Paul says in Colossians 2:8. So we see there was a pagan tradition already in existence for hundreds of years prior to the birth of Jesus Messiah where they decorated trees just as people do today for “Christmas.”

The date of 25 December is a man-made date (in as much as it being Jesus Messiah’s birth date). Here is a short list of other celebrations on and around 25 December, either before Jesus Messiah, or before some people even knew of Him. In Rome, the Winter Solstice was celebrated many years before the birth of Jesus. In ancient Babylon, the feast of the Son of Isis (Goddess of Nature) was celebrated on December 25. Raucous partying, gluttonous eating and drinking, and gift-giving were traditions of this feast. In Roman, they called their winter holiday Saturnalia, honoring Saturn, the God of Agriculture. In January, they observed the Kalends of January, which represented the triumph of life over death. This whole season was called Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun. The festival season was marked by much merrymaking. In northern Europe, many other traditions that we now consider part of Christian worship were begun long before the participants had ever heard of Christ. The pagans of northern Europe celebrated their own winter solstice, known as Yule. Yule was symbolic of the pagan Sun God, Mithras, being born, and was observed on the shortest day of the year (Dec 21st). As the Sun God grew and matured, the days became longer and warmer. It was customary to light a candle to encourage Mithras, and the sun, to reappear next year. Huge Yule logs were burned in honor of the sun. The word Yule itself means “wheel,” the wheel being a pagan symbol for the sun. Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual. Hollyberries were thought to be a food of the gods.

The tree is the one symbol that unites almost all the northern European winter solstices. Live evergreen trees were often brought into homes during the harsh winters as a reminder to inhabitants that soon their crops would grow again. Evergreen boughs were sometimes carried as totems of good luck and were often present at weddings, representing fertility. The Druids (witchcraft) used the tree as a religious symbol, holding their sacred ceremonies while surrounding and worshipping huge trees.

In 350, Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25. There is little doubt that he was trying to make it as painless as possible for pagan Romans (who remained a majority at that time) to convert to Christianity. The new religion went down a bit easier, knowing that their feasts would not be taken away from them.

Christmas (Christ’s Mass) as we know it today, most historians agree, began in Germany. The earliest record of an evergreen being decorated in a Christian celebration was in 1521 in the Alsace region of Germany. A prominent Lutheran minister of the day cried blasphemy: “Better that they should look to the true tree of life, Christ.” At least he had some truth!

So This then is a man-made tradition which Paul clearly warns us against again in Colossians 2:8. Now, the actual Christmas which is celebrated in England and the US (and now mostly the world over) has only been around since the 1800s. In England, and hence the US, and other countries following suit, borrowed the tradition from Germany (which we read about earlier being the first to celebrate Christ’s Mass. Queen Victoria’s family, of England, was the first to bring a Christmas tree into her palace; prior to this, no one West of Germany had a tree or celebrated Christmas as it is now. Queen Victoria, when she became Queen, popularized Christmas in England, possibly because she was married a German Prince, who probably brought the German tradition with him and talked his wife into celebrating it. Gifts were not really exchanged at first, only for the children, and then as time went on, people were buying gifts for each other and now it’s the huge money making holiday. What is Christmas really about now, in this present age? Now it’s all about the money. As well, as endearing as he may seem, who is this Santa Clause, Father Christmas, Chris Cringle, etc., but a legend, a myth. Do we partake in mythology and legends? No, we do not. Perpetuating a being that has supposedly been in existence for who knows how long, who doesn’t die (is immortal), and whom children idolize and worship, is this not wrong? We only worship God, is this mythical figure worthy of praise and worship?

I find the main theme of Christmas today though, is how much can I, the consumer, spend, what am "I" going to get and how much can I, the retailer, make (avarice!). People go into thousands of dollars in debt for this holiday, and companies make billions of dollars off people. The root of all evil is the love of money, is it not? I Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

One can rationalize all they want about anything. I could rationalize Christmas and make it for me a time to especially thank God for coming in the flesh…but wait, is that not what we are to do daily (Psalm 72:15)? Christmas isn’t anything more than another day. It’s not holy, it’s not sacred, Jesus nor the apostles ordained or celebrated it. It’s manmade, it’s the tradition of men, and not of God. We find nothing in the Scriptures to support the celebrating of any holidays such as Christmas, not one apostle speaks of this, nor does any Scripture. I pray, again, this has helped you understand why we should not celebrate pagan holidays such as Christmas.
Be encouraged!
Minister of the New Covenant