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The
Personal Message Of Christmas
by Charles Spurgeon
- "We have no superstitious regard
for times and seasons. Certainly we do not believe in the
present ecclesiastical arrangement called Christmas. First,
because we do not believe in any mass at all, but abhor it
whether it be sung in Latin or in English. Secondly, because we
find no Scriptural warrant whatever for observing any day as the
birthday of the Saviour; and consequently, it's observance is a
superstition, because not of divine authority. Superstition has
fixed most positively the day of our Saviour's birth, although
there is no possibility of discovering when it occurred. It was
not till the middle of the third century that any part of the
Church celebrated the birth of our Lord; and it was not till
long after the western Church had set the example, that the
eastern adopted it. Because the day is not known, probably the
fact is that the "holy" days were arranged to fit in with the
heathen festivals. We venture to assert that if there be any day
in the year of which we may be pretty sure that it was not the
day on which our Saviour was born, it is the 25th of December.
Regarding not the day, let us
give God thanks for the gift of His dear Son.
How absurd to think we could do it in the spirit of the
world, with a Jack Frost clown, a deceptive worldly Santa Claus, and a mixed
program of sacred truth with fun, deception and fiction. If it be possible
to honor Christ in the giving of gifts, I cannot see how while the gift,
giver, and recipient are all in the spirit of the world. The Catholics and
high Church Episcopalians may have their Christmas one day in 365, but we
have a Christ gift the entire year." (Dec. 24, 1871)
"Upright men strove to stem the tide, but in spite of all
their efforts, the apostasy went on, till the Church, with the exception of
a small remnant, was submerged under pagan superstition. that Christmas is a
pagan festival, is beyond all doubt. The time of the year, and the
ceremonies with which it is celebrated, prove its origin."
"Those who follow the custom of observing
Christmas, follow not the Bible but pagan ceremonies."
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Why
the celebration of Christmas is a violation of the commandments of
God and is therefore sinful...
The Puritan/Presbyterian wing of
the Reformation accomplished a purity in worship not seen since the
apostolic church. This purity was attained by making the Scriptures
of the Old and New Testaments the only infallible standard and
authority in determining worship ordinances. Any ordinances solely
based on church tradition or man's authority were discarded.
However, this purity attained by our spiritual forefathers has, with
the passage of time, been cast aside. Pragmatism, tradition and
human opinion are [nowadays] exalted in determining how God's people
are to worship Him. The attitude among many in church leadership
positions is to give the people what they want, rather than to
submit to God's divine revelation.
God does not leave it up to man
to make up his own rules regarding worship. Christians are to learn
and submit to what God says in this area.
- Brian Schwertley
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Links to related articles on
Christmas holiday origins:
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