Let me begin this article by hitting a direct shot across the bow of what is wrong, from the bible's perspective, with the idea of Christians celebrating Christmas as it has come to be known in America. In a word or two, it is Santa Claus, the great counterfeit of Satan.
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Luke 2:11-14 (KJV)
Here are a series of points based on Scripture, why Santa Claus is a satanic creation and something that no bible believer should have anything to do with. Please take a moment and read what is listed there. If you are a teachable believer whose heart and mind are open to follow what the Lord has declared to be true, then you will find it to be a timely and necessary eye-opener.
The modern-day Santa Claus is an American version of Saint Nicholas, a fourth century Roman Catholic bishop from Asia Minor who was noted for his good deeds and gift giving. This tradition first spread throughout Europe, and then found its way to America by the early Dutch settlers. Since God's word warns us to BEWARE of tradition (Col. 2:8), we shouldn't be surprised to find the Devil right in the middle of the world's most celebrated holiday. Lucifer's desire has always been to dethrone God and exalt himself (Isa. 14:12-15). He desires worship (Luke 4:7; II Ths. 2:3-4). Perhaps you've never thought of it, but please note how Satan robs the Lord Jesus Christ of His glory by spreading the Santa Claus tradition.
- SANTA IS ETERNAL: A child knows nothing of his beginning. To a child, Santa has just always existed.
- JESUS CHRIST IS ETERNAL: "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."Revelation 1:8 (KJV)
- SANTA LIVES IN THE NORTH: Tradition holds that Santa Claus lives at the North Pole, a place ABOVE the rest of us.
- JESUS CHRIST LIVES IN THE NORTH: "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King." Psalm 48:2 (KJV)
- SANTA WEARS RED CLOTHING: Santa wears a red furry suit.
- JESUS CHRIST WEARS RED CLOTHING: "And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God." Revelation 19:13 (KJV)
- SANTA HAS WHITE HAIR: Santa is always pictured as an old man with white hair like wool.
- JESUS CHRIST HAS WHITE HAIR: "His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;" Revelation 1:14 (KJV)
- SANTA FLIES AROUND GIVING GIFTS: Santa has the ability to defy the laws of gravity and fly around giving gifts to people.
- JESUS CHRIST ASCENDED AND GAVE GIFTS UNTO MEN: "But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men."Ephesians 4:7-8 (KJV)
- SANTA HAS SPIRIT HELPERS CALLED ELVES: Webster, 1828: "ELF...a spirit, the night-mar; a ghost, hag, witch"
- JESUS CHRIST HAS SPIRIT HELPERS CALLED ANGELS: "Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him." Matthew 4:11 (KJV)
The 2 most common objections to the celebration of Christmas
The Christmas tree: In Jeremiah 10, we read of something that sounds a lot like a modern-day Christmas tree. "Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 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. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good." Jeremiah 10:2-5 (KJV)
Analysis: This passage has to do with the creation of an idol to worship, something that you would bow down to, and give homage to. God is against idol worship in all forms. Having said that, I personally do not worship my Christmas tree. To me, it looks nice, fills the house with the sweet scent of pine, and I like the twinkling lights I put on it. Now, let every man be convinced in his own heart. If you are convicted of having a Christmas tree, then don't have one. But don't be a legalistic shrew and spoil someone else's pleasure in enjoying the beauty of a tree that God created. And if someone needs correcting on this matter, why don't you do us all a favor and let the Holy Spirit do the correcting? Amen.
The pagan roots of December 25th: How, then, did the Romish Church fix on December the 25th as Christmas-day? Why, thus: Long before the fourth century, and long before the Christian era itself, a festival was celebrated among the heathen, at that precise time of the year, in honour of the birth of the son of the Babylonian queen of heaven; and it may fairly be presumed that, in order to conciliate the heathen, and to swell the number of the nominal adherents of Christianity, the same festival was adopted by the Roman Church, giving it only the name of Christ. Alexander Hislop
Analysis: Yes, it is true that the pagan roots of a celebration on December go back all way to ancient Babylon. It is also true that the Catholic church took a pagan feast day, and renamed it as a celebration of the birth of Jesus. This is where our modern celebration of Christmas comes from. So the knee-jerk reaction would be to not celebrate the day, seeing as it has it's roots in paganism. But in doing so, a serious problem arises.
If your desire is to remove all connection between you and pagan holidays and symbols, then the first thing you need to do is to no longer use or have any connection with using the days of the week. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday...they all have strong pagan meanings and symbolism from Greek mythology attached to them. Can you imagine trying to function in this world and not use the days of the week as they currently exist? You couldn't do it. But there is no need to not use the pagan names for the days of the week, because you do not attach any pagan meaning to them. When you say you are going to do something on Thursday, you mean the day between Wednesday and Friday. You do not mean to give glory to the Greek god Thor, for whom the day is named. Right? And so is the same logic applied to Christmas on December 25th.
The bible does not same what day Jesus was born, though it was probably sometime in September or October. It is never wrong to celebrate the birth of our Saviour, on December 25th or on any other day you choose to celebrate. Again, it is the 'thoughts and intent of your heart' that is at issue, and not a particular day.
Conclusion: If you truly wish to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, then do it in spirit and in truth. Make Him the focus, and cut Santa Claus out of the picture. Santa doesn't figure anywhere in the true Christmas story.
Jesus came to this world as a babe in the manger, but He will never again be that little child. He and He alone bore YOUR SINS on the cross, and it is only His Shed Blood which can redeem you. So if you want to have a manger scene, why don't you put a bloody cross next to it? Because without that bloody cross, a baby in the manger is meaningless.
At Christmas time, we love to give gifts to our loved ones, but what about the greatest gift of all? Is the sweet child you are giving the 10-speed bike to also a child of the King? Are YOU a child of the King? HINT: If Christmas and Easter are the two times you attend church each year, then maybe you need to get saved.
Santa Claus, reindeer, elves and presents have nothing to do with any day that might be called Christmas.
If these elements are prominent in your celebration, then you are indeed celebrating something pagan in nature. If you bow down to anything other than the Holy God of the bible, then you are giving worship where it ought not go. If you are lying to your children, and making them believe that Santa is bringing them gifts, then that is a sin. And you should repent immediately. You should be telling them about the Gift that Jesus wants to give them.
It is all about Jesus Christ and Him alone. He will share His glory with no one, especially not with Santa Claus.
But if you from a pure heart want to celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25th, and your sins have been paid for, and you are eagerly looking forward to His soon return, then I only have one thing to say to you - Merry Christmas.
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