#1.THE ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS

#1.1 WHERE DOES THE NAME "CHRISTMAS" COME FROM?

The name "Christmas" comes from the old English for "Christ's Mass", which is "the Mass of Christ", but what does it mean? In the Roman Catholic Church they celebrate what is called "the mass", where they partake of wine and a wafer called the Eucharist, just as some Christians partake of wine and unleavened bread during "The Lord's Supper". Most Christians believe that the bread and the wine are symbolic of the body and blood of Jesus, but the Roman Catholic Church believes that the Eucharist actually becomes the body of Jesus when it is consecrated by the priest, and that the wine becomes the actual blood of Jesus when it is consecrated. This is the doctrine of TRANSUBSTANTIATION, and according to the pronouncement of the Council of Trent, transubstantiation is defined as, "the changing of the whole substance of the bread into the body, and the whole substance of the wine into the blood of Jesus Christ, the appearance of bread and wine alone remaining." (ENCYCLOPAEDIA AMERICANA Volume 27, p27).

"In his encyclical "Mysterium fidei" in 1965, Pope Paul VI called for a retention of the dogma of transubstantiation together with the terminology in which it has been expressed." (BRITANICA MACROPAEDIA Ready reference Volume 11, p901).

Is it reasonable to take the words of Jesus literally when he said, "this is my body, which is broken for you," (1 Corinthians 11:24), or "This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many." (Mark 14:24)? His body had not been broken at that time, and his blood had not been shed either, so surely he must have spoken symbolically. Three times after the bread had been blessed the apostle Paul referred to eating it as, "eating bread" (1 Corinthians 11:26-28), and after the ordinance with the wine Jesus referred to having drunk "the fruit of the vine":

(Matthew 26:27-29) "And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, All of you drink of it;
For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
But I say to you, I will not drink from now on of this fruit of the vine , until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."

So Jesus evidently considered it still to be wine after it was blessed.
There is much symbolic language concerning Jesus in the bible. When John the Baptist said, "Behold, the lamb of God," (John 1:29), should we take what John said literally, or assume that he spoke symbolically of the way Jesus would be sacrificed (Acts 8:32)? When Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd," (John 10:14), was this not symbolic of the way that Jesus would lead his people, who were symbolically like sheep (John 10:4)? When Jesus said, "I am the door;" (John 10:9), should we take this literally? Does it not rather symbolically mean that no one can become one of his sheep except through him? that he is the only mediator between man and God (1 Timothy 2:5), and that no one can get to the Father except through him (John 14:6)? When he is referred to as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah," (Revelation 5:5), do we take this to be a literal lion? or symbolic of his boldness and kingship? So what if we do take the bread to be literally his body, and the wine to be literally his blood; what difference does it make? It makes a lot of difference for these reasons. Firstly, Jesus made one sacrifice of himself that is sufficient to save all men:

(Hebrews 7:27) "Who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's; for this he (Jesus) did once, when he offered up himself."
(Hebrews 9:28) "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many;"
(Hebrews 10:10) "we are sanctified by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
(1 Peter 3:18) "For Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God,"

The mass is a sacrifice:

"There can be no doubt that the mass is a sacrifice."
(NEW CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPAEDIA Volume 9, p415. McGraw Hill.)

The repeated sacrifice of Jesus every mass, denies that the one sacrifice that Jesus made was sufficient to save us, otherwise it would not be required.
Secondly, eating of the dead body of Jesus and the drinking of his blood denies his resurrection, at least at some point during the proceedings, for how can his body be literally eaten when he was resurrected in the same body, evidenced by the nail prints in his hands, and the wound in his side (John 20:22). If we deny his resurrection we cannot be saved:

(Romans 10:9) "If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved."
(1 Corinthians 15:14) "And if Christ is not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain."
(1 Corinthians 15:17-18) "And if Christ is not raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins. Then those also who are fallen asleep in Christ are perished."
(Romans 4:25) "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."

Thirdly there is an element of idolatry in the proceedings:

"St. Gertrude taught that looking upon the sacred Host is a meritorious act. To satisfy the desire of the people to see the Host and to prevent material idolatry, Odo of Paris (d. 1208) or his successor, Peter of Nemours, decreed that his priests were to conceal the Host until it was consecrated and then to raise it up for adoration. The practice spread rapidly through France, England, and Germany, ... The 16th century councils prescribed bowing of the head or prostration during the elevation, a practice that continued in vogue until Pius X revived the practice of looking at the Host."
(NEW CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA Vol 5, p616.)

Christians are expected to abstain from all forms of idolatry:

(1 Corinthians 6:9-10) "Do not be deceived; neither ... idolaters, ... shall inherit the kingdom of God."
(1 Corinthians 10:7) "Neither be idolaters,"
(1 Corinthians 10:14) "my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry."
(Revelation 21:8) "idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

Christians should not commit idolatry, or deny the resurrection of the Lord Jesus by partaking in this sacrament. Even those who do not believe in transubstantiation, will be partaking with those who do:

(1 Timothy 5:22) "neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep yourself pure."
(Revelation 18:4) "Come out of her, my people, that you are not partakers of her sins, and that you do not receive of her plagues."

Why then should any Christian want to celebrate "Christ's Mass", or even have anything to do with it? The name "Christmas" is not in the scriptures, and God has commanded us not to add to his words:

(Deuteronomy 4:2) "you shall not add to the word which I command you ... that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you."
(Deuteronomy 12:32) "Whatever thing I command you, observe to do it: you shall not add to it, nor diminish from it."
(Proverbs 30:5-6) "Every word of God is pure ... Add you not to his words, lest he reproves you, and you are found a liar."

So why then do Christians celebrate Christmas? Why do they have their "Christ's mass" parties? and hold their "Christ's mass" services? and celebrate "Christ's mass" day? Perhaps they do not know the implications of "Christ's mass", or perhaps they have fallen for the lie of the devil, that Christmas is the birthday of Jesus. Satan will tell us any lie that he can, if it will get us commit idolatry, or partake in something which denies the resurrection of Jesus. Christmas is a tradition that was brought into the church when it was in apostasy, but Jesus had something to say about church traditions that are not based on scripture:

(Matthew 15:3) "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?"
(Matthew 15:6-9) "Thus have you made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
You hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
This people draws near to me with their mouth, and honours me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

#1.2 WHEN WAS JESUS BORN?

Most Christians who have anything to do with Christmas probably do so believing that it was the birthday of Jesus. Nobody knows the birth date of Jesus, but God knows when Jesus was born, and chose not to reveal it to us through his word. All attempts to pinpoint the date of Jesus' birth are mere speculation, and such things should be avoided by Christians:

(1 Timothy 1:4) "Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith; so do."
(Titus 3:9) "But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain."

Moses told the children of Israel:

(Deuteronomy 29:29) "The secret things belong to the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."

No doubt God has good reasons to keep Jesus' birth date from us:

(1) It will not help us to be obedient to God (Deuteronomy 29:29),
(2) It is unprofitable (Titus 3:9),
(3) It ministers questions rather than godly edifying (1 Timothy 1:4), such as, "How should we celebrate Jesus' birthday?"

Jesus was born according to the Jewish calendar, and even if his birth date were known accurately, the date would vary from year to year on the Roman calendar which we observe in the west. For example, the Jews celebrate "the Passover" on the 14th Abib every year, but look how it falls according to the Roman calendar:

Jesus' birth date would vary in a similar manner, but Christmas doesn't!

#1.3 WHY CELEBRATE JESUS" BIRTH ON THE 25th DECEMBER?

On the 25th of December each year, the Roman Catholic Church celebrates its "Christmas" day by having three masses, after all, that's what Christmas means, "Christ's mass". It does not mean his birthday. It is well known that Christmas corresponds with the pagan festivals, in particular the Roman Saturnalia, which is a sun worshippers celebration of the rebirth of the sun, and occurs on that day. (This can be found in almost any encyclopaedia.)
The idea of choosing a date for any Christian festival which corresponds to pagan celebrations is contrary to the teaching of the scripture:

(2 Corinthians 6:14-18) "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has light with darkness?
And what concord has Christ with Belial? or what part has he who believes with an unbeliever?
And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? for you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Therefore come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord, and do not touch the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
And will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
(Ephesians 5:11) "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."
(1 Thessalonians 5:22) "Abstain from all appearance of evil."

Christmas is not the birthday of Jesus. If we think it is, we are deceived, and if we pretend that it is when we know that it isn't, we are hypocrites. We are not told to celebrate it, observe it, or have anything to do with it, and if we do observe it, we are adding to God's word, and following a man made tradition, which is ultimately inspired by Satan.

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