USTED PUEDE CAMBIAR SU FUTURO

“No os conforméis a este siglo, sino transformaos por medio de la renovación de vuestro entendimiento, para que comprobéis cuál sea la buena voluntad de Dios, agradable y perfecta.” (Romanos 12:2)

Es importante que tomemos tiempo para re-enfocar nuestras vidas y estar dispuestos para hacer cambios. Nuestra vista de metas personales y compromisos es enturbiada por las interacciones de la vida y la inseguridad del futuro. Necesitamos momentos cuando podemos dar un paso atrás y después de un momento de descanso y reflexión, somos capaces otra vez de vivir la vida con propósito, con un foco más claro en el plan y objetivo de Dios para nuestra vida.

Con el principio de un Año Nuevo, a menudo hacemos resoluciones para el Año Nuevo. Lo que estamos diciendo es que vemos una necesidad de cambio y puede ser una cosa buena sólo mientras que Dios está detrás del cambio. Somos malos en comenzando y no terminando las resoluciones del Año Nuevo, pero cuando la necesidad del cambio nace de Dios Él nos ayudará hasta que sea cumplido. Déjeme sugerir tres motivos por qué usted debería pensar en hacer algunas resoluciones de Año Nuevo.

Primero, todos necesitamos cambios. Algunos cambios encontramos que son muy difíciles admitirlo a nosotros mismos. Pero hay una gran potencia en la confesión a nosotros mismos, a Dios, y a otros. Enfrentando nuestros fracasos es el primer paso doloroso en el camino a algo mejor.

Segundo, cuando cambiamos calendarios es también un tiempo bueno para la revaloración. ¿Cómo fue el año pasado? ¿Qué quiero hacer diferentemente este año? Esta vez del año siempre me recuerda de un paso de la escritura, “Arad campo para vosotros, y no sembréis entre espino” (Jeremías 4:3). Tiene sentido. Entre más tierra que usted pone en la producción, más próspero usted será. Pero algunos de nosotros son bastante estúpidos para tratar de sembrar semillas en la tierra invadida por hierba sin arar la tierra y tener cuidado de arrancar las hierbas cuando salen. Llámelo pereza o Llámelo estupidez. Déjeme hacerle una pregunta seria. ¿Qué porcentaje de su vida esta produciendo algo de valor? ¿Cuánto terreno “sin arar” tiene usted que necesita ser arado en 2015, y hecho útil? El principio de un año nuevo es un tiempo bueno para la revaloración.

Tercero, el Año Nuevo es un tiempo excelente para correcciones de medio curso. Seguramente podríamos fallar en lo que intentamos hacer, pero si dejamos de planear, como dice el viejo refrán, entonces planeamos fallar. Si usted es tan temeroso del fracaso que usted nunca pone metas, usted muy probablemente no hará mucho. El fracaso no es el final. Para la persona que se determina aprender de ello, el fracaso es un amigo. Si usted quiere hablar del fracaso considera al Apóstol Pablo. En toda su vida él estuvo opuesto, perseguido, naufragado, apedreado y dejado por muerto, abandonado por compañeros confiados de trabajo, difamados, y desdeñó. A veces pareció que los proyectos a los cuales él había dedicado años se volvían polvo antes de sus ojos. Pero él no estaba dispuesto a darse por vencido: “Hermanos, yo mismo no pretendo haberlo ya alcanzado; pero una cosa hago: olvidando ciertamente lo que queda atrás, y extendiéndome a lo que está delante, prosigo a la meta, al premio del supremo llamamiento de Dios en Cristo Jesús” (Filipenses 3:13-14).No me extraña, que él dejo una marca en su mundo. Él dejó de mirar hacia atrás, y puso su vista en lo que estaba adelante. Él no dejó que el miedo del fracaso lo detuviera de intentar otra vez.

No tenga miedo de cambiar. ¡Usted puede cambiar su futuro sólo mientras que usted no resista el cambio! La razón principal por qué la gente resiste el cambio es el miedo; miedo del fracaso, miedo del rechazo, miedo de pérdida y miedo de lo desconocido: “Porque no nos ha dado Dios espíritu de temor, sino de poder, de amor y de dominio propio” (II Timoteo 1:7). La gente resiste el cambio porque están contentos y satisfechos como están las cosas. La mayoría de nosotros queremos quedarnos en la cumbre de la montaña de la victoria de ayer en vez de continuar y crecer. Usted nunca crece en la cumbre de la montaña, pero sólo en pasar por el valle de cambio: “Atravesando el valle de lágrimas lo cambian en fuente, Cuando la lluvia llena los estanques. Irán de poder en poder…” (Salmos 84:6-7).

Algunas personas resisten el cambio porque no entienden lo que Dios quiere hacer en sus vidas. Ellos no pueden ver ninguna necesidad personal del cambio o no ven ninguna ventaja para el cambio. Los hábitos y las tradiciones dificultarán el cambio. El fracaso de dejar nuestra zona de comodidad minimizará cambios y transformaciones en nuestras vidas. Nadie lo ha hecho de esta manera es una queja común de la gente que rechaza cambiar debido a tradición o hábito.

Cuando entramos en el Año Nuevo, ay que hacernos unas preguntas difíciles y enfocar en el propósito de nuestras vidas y ser receptivos a cambios. Recobre su foco en el propósito y plan en su vida. Con la ayuda de Dios usted puede cambiar su futuro.

YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR FUTURE

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

It is important to take time to re-focus our lives and be open to change. Our view of personal goals and commitments is blurred by life's interactions and the uncertainty of the future. We need moments when we can take a step back and after a time of rest and reflection, we are able once again to live life with purpose, with a clearer focus on God's plan and purpose for our life.

With the beginning of a New Year we often make New Year’s resolutions. What we are saying is that we see a need for change and that can be a good thing just so long as God is behind the change. We are notorious for starting and not finishing New Year’s resolutions but when the need for change is born of God He will help us until it’s completed. Let me suggest three reasons why you should consider making some New Year’s resolutions.

First, we all need changes. Some changes we find very hard to admit to ourselves. But there is a great power in confession to ourselves, to God, and to others. Facing up to our failures is the first painful step on the road to something better.

Second, when we change calendars it is also a good time for reassessment. How did last year go? What do I want to do differently this year? This time of year always reminds me of a passage of scripture, “Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns” (Jeremiah 4:3). It makes sense. The more land you put into production, the more prosperous you'll be. But some of us are stupid enough to try to sow seeds in land overrun by weeds without breaking up the soil and taking care to root out the weeds as they come up. Call it laziness or Call it stupidity. Let me ask you a serious question. What percentage of your life is producing something of value? How much "unplowed ground" do you have that needs to be broken up in 2015 and made useful? The beginning of a new year is a good time for reassessment.

Third, New Year's is an excellent time for mid-course corrections. Sure, we might fail in what we set out to do, but if we fail to plan, as the old saying goes, then we plan to fail. If you're so fearful of failure that you never set goals, you're not very likely to do very much. Failure is not the end. For the person who determines to learn from it, failure is a friend. You want to talk about failure look at the Apostle Paul. Throughout his life he was opposed, persecuted, shipwrecked, stoned and left for dead, deserted by trusted co-workers, slandered, and scorned. Sometimes it seemed that projects to which he had devoted years were turning to dust right before his eyes. But he was unwilling to quit: “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). No wonder he made a mark on his world. He stopped looking back, and looked forward instead. He didn't let the fear of failure keep him from trying again.

Don’t be afraid to change. You can change your future just so long as you don’t resist change! The main reason why people resist change is fear; fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of loss and fear of the unknown: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (II Tim. 1:7). People resist change because they are content and satisfied with the way things are. Most of us want to stay on the mountain top of yesterday’s victory instead of going on and growing up. You never grow up on the mountain top but only in passing through the valley of change: “When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings. They will continue to grow stronger…” (Psalms 84:6-7).

Some people resist change because they don’t understand what God wants to do in their lives. They can see no personal need for change or they don’t see any benefit for change. Habits and traditions will hinder change. Failure to leave our comfort zone will minimize changes and transformations in our lives. No one has ever done it this way before is a common complaint of people who refuse to change because of tradition or habit.

As we move into the New Year let’s ask ourselves the hard questions and focus on the purpose of our lives and be open to change. Regain your focus on the purpose and plan in your life. With God’s help you can change your future.

LO QUE PASAMOS POR ALTO EN LA NAVIDAD

“Pero también digo: Entre tanto que el heredero es niño, en nada difiere del esclavo, aunque es señor de todo; sino que está bajo tutores y curadores hasta el tiempo señalado por el padre. Así también nosotros, cuando éramos niños, estábamos en esclavitud bajo los rudimentos del mundo. Pero cuando vino el cumplimiento del tiempo, Dios envió a su Hijo, nacido de mujer y nacido bajo la ley, para que redimiese a los que estaban bajo la ley, a fin de que recibiésemos la adopción de hijos. Y por cuanto sois hijos, Dios envió a vuestros corazones el Espíritu de su Hijo, el cual clama: !!Abba, Padre!” (Gálatas 4:1-6)

La Navidad no se trata de nosotros extendiendo la mano ha si a Dios. La Navidad se trata de Dios extendiendo hace abajo Su mano a nosotros. La historia de Navidad se ha hecho demasiado familiar. ¡Que lastima! Cuando la encarnación de Dios como el bebé Jesús se hace tan repetitivo como sobras de pavo, perdemos la vista del significado del acto increíble de Dios.

En el calor cómodo de la escena del pesebre, nos olvidamos por qué Dios decidió hacerse humano. Un hombre despertó y encontró que dos pájaros habían entrado en su casa. Él abrió puertas y ventanas para ellos, pero ellos no podían encontrar su salida. Él trató de echarlos fuera, pero ellos sólo se espantaban más. En su frustración, él pensó: “ellos no pueden entender que trato de ayudarles. Si solo podría hacerme uno de ellos, yo podría mostrarles la salida". Después de un rato él se detuvo y realizó que eso era lo que Dios había hecho. A través del Antiguo Testamento, Dios trató de decirle a la gente cómo liberarse del pecado. Como él no podía, Dios decidió mostrarnos. Por eso, “aquel Verbo fue hecho carne, y habitó entre nosotros” (Juan 1:14)

  

Hay una diferencia entre hacerse humano, que es lo que pasó en Jesús, y simplemente asumir un disfraz humano. Dios podría haber tomado la forma de un adulto inmediato, evitando treinta años de dolores del crecimiento. Pero entonces Dios realmente no habría sido uno de nosotros. La decisión de Dios fue de compartir la experiencia humana total del nacimiento a la muerte.

 En la historia navideña Dios envió un mensaje a la humanidad. ¿Cuál fue el mensaje? Habla de un regalo que Él tenía para nosotros. La historia nos dice que Dios es el donante del regalo. La capacidad del donante por lo general calibra el valor del regalo. Esperaríamos que Dios diera lo último en regalos, y así fue. La Biblia dice: “el que no escatimo ni a su propio Hijo, sino que lo entregó por todos nosotros” (Romanos 8:32).

El motivo del regalo de Dios fue el amor. “Porque de tal manera  amó Dios.” La Navidad nos dice que Dios nos ama. Jesús le dijo a la mujer Samaritana, “Si conocieras el don de Dios, y quien es el que te dice... (Juan 4:10). Todo mundo es el recipiente del regalo de Dios. “Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo…” la mayor parte de regalos son etiquetados para cierto individuo, pero Dios no tiene favoritos: “Dios no hace acepción de personas".  El regalo de Dios es para todos.

  

La historia Navideña habla del valor del regalo que Él dio. Los regalos de sacrificio son la expresión del amor genuino. Dios generosamente, tiernamente, y de sacrificio dio a Su único hijo como expiación para nuestros pecados. La Biblia nos dice en Romanos 5:8:“Mas Dios muestra su amor para con nosotros, en que siendo aún pecadores, Cristo murió por nosotros”, de esto es lo que se trata la Navidad. La Palabra de Dios nos dice que un alma vale más que todo el mundo entero. Es imposible estimar el valor del regalo que Dios dio.

Cuando Dios dio Su regalo Él lo hizo personal, a usted y mí. Estoy convencido que Cristo hubiera dado su vida en la cruz si yo hubiera sido el único pecador en el mundo. Pensamos en términos de comunicación en masa y fabricación en masa, pero Dios trata por la escala de los individuos. En Juan 3:16 usted puede escribir su nombre en donde dice: 'todo aquel', esto significa usted. ¡Qué pensamiento tan glorioso en la Navidad, que Dios nos ama como individuos! Él está interesado en usted como un individuo. En esta edad con todo su soledad, angustia, culpa, sufrimiento, y pérdida, esto es una cosa emocionante de saber que Dios está preocupado por cada persona en todo lugar.

Un regalo, no es un regalo a menos que sea aceptado. Derecho de propiedad es condicional sobre la aceptación. Por eso la Palabra de Dios dice: “Todo aquel que en él cree, no se pierda”. Dios no fuerza Su regalo en nosotros, pero nos pide que recabamos por fe Su regalo.

WHAT WE OVERLOOK AT CHRISTMAS

“Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father”. (Galatians 4:1-6)

  

Christmas is not our reaching out or up to God. Christmas is God reaching down to us. The Christmas story has become too familiar. That’s a pity. When the incarnation of God as the baby Jesus becomes as repetitious as turkey leftovers, we lose sight of the significance of God’s incredible act.

In the comfortable warmth of the manger scene, we forget why God chose to become human. A man woke up to find that two birds had somehow flown into his house. He opened doors and windows for them, but they couldn’t find their way out. He tried to show them out, but they only became more panic stricken. In his frustration, he thought: “they can’t understand that I’m trying to help them. But if I could become one of them, I could show them the way out.” After awhile he stopped and suddenly realized that that was what God had done. All through the Old Testament, God tried to tell humans how to free themselves from sin. Because he wouldn’t or couldn’t, God decided to show us. So, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).

There’s a difference between becoming human, which is what happened in Jesus, and merely assuming a human disguise. God could have taken the form of an instant adult, bypassing thirty years of growing pains. But then God would not really have been one of us. God’s choice was to share the full human experience from birth to death.

In the Christmas story God sends mankind a message. What is that message? It speaks of a gift that He had for us. The story tells us that God is the giver of the gift. The capability of the giver usually gauges the value of the gift. We would expect God to give the ultimate in gifts, and He did. The Bible says: “He spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all” (Romans 8:32).

The motive of God’s gift was love. “God so loved.” Christmas tells us that God loves us. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee…” (John 3:10). The whole world is the receiver of God’s gift. “God so loved the world that He gave…” Most gifts are labeled for a certain individual, but God plays no favorites: “God is no respecter of persons.” God’s gift is for everyone.

The Christmas story speaks of the value of the gift that He gave. Sacrificial gifts are the expression of genuine love. God generously, lovingly, and sacrificially gave His only begotten son as the atonement for our sins. The Bible tells us in Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”, this is what Christmas is all about. The Word of God tells us that one soul is worth more than the whole world. It is impossible for us to estimate the value of the gift that God gave.

When God gave His gift He made it personal, to you and me. I am convinced that Christ would have died on the cross if I had been the only sinner on the earth. We think in terms of mass communication and mass production, but God deals on the scale of the individual. In John 3:16 you can write your name over the “whosoever”, for that means you. What a glorious thought at Christmas, that God loves us as individuals! He is interested in you as an individual. In this age with all its emptiness, loneliness, anguish, guilt, suffering, and bereavement, it is a thrilling thing to know that God is concerned for every person everywhere.

A gift is not a gift unless it is accepted. Ownership is conditional upon acceptance. That is why the Word of God says: “that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish.” God does not force His gift on us, but He asks us to receive by faith His gift.        

TODO LO QUE ESTOY HACIENDO ES VOLVER A CRISTO A LA NAVIDAD

¡Ay de los que a lo malo dicen bueno, y a lo bueno malo; que hacen de la luz tinieblas, y de las tinieblas luz; que ponen lo amargo por dulce, y lo dulce por amargo! (Isaías 5:20)

Él grito moderno conservador de poner a Cristo de nuevo en la Navidad es absurdo. Jesucristo nunca estuvo en la Navidad. Es una mentira decir que El fue. Él no tiene parte en una mentira. Cuando alguien toma la verdad y la mezcla con una mentira, ya no tienen la verdad. Ellos han cambiado la verdad por la mentira. Tampoco es posible tomar una mentira y mezclarla con la verdad lo suficiente como para cambiar la mentira a la verdad. Usted todavía salir con una mentira. Usted puede decir: "Bueno, yo sé que no es la verdad, pero voy a poner a Cristo de nuevo en la Navidad y glorificar a Dios en él entonces." No, no lo harás. Cristo nunca estuvo en la Navidad. No se puede cambiar una mentira a una verdad. Debería en realidad ser llamado Misa de Baal, Misa de Nimrod, Mesa de Tammuz, Misa de Mitra, o Misa de María. Misa de Cristo es una mentira (Christmas).

ALL I'M DOING IS PUTTING CHRIST BACK INTO CHRISTMAS

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20)

The modern conservative cry to put Christ back into Christmas is absurd. Jesus Christ was never in Christmas. It's a lie to say He was. He has no part in a lie. When anyone takes the truth and mixes it with a lie, they no longer have the truth. They have changed the truth into a lie. Neither is it possible to take a lie and mix it with enough truth to change the lie into the truth. You still come out with a lie. You may say, "Well, I know it's not the truth, but I'll put Christ back in Christmas and glorify God in it then." No, you won't. Christ never was in Christmas. You cannot change a lie into the truth. It should in reality be called Baal-mass, Nimrod-mass, Tammuz-mass, Mithras-mass, or Mary-mass. Christ-mass is a lie.

COSTUMBRES NAVIDEÑAS

Así dijo Jehová: No aprendáis el camino de las naciones;… Porque las costumbres de los pueblos son vanidad.” (Jeremías 10:2-3)

“Guárdate que no tropieces yendo en pos de ellas, después que sean destruidas de ti; no preguntes acerca de sus dioses, diciendo: De la manera que servían aquellas naciones a sus dioses, yo también les serviré. No harás así a Jehová tu Dios; porque toda cosa abominable que Jehová aborrece, hicieron ellos a sus dioses…” (Deuteronomio 12:30-31)

Muchos de las costumbres que ahora se practican durante los días Navideños son de origen pagano. Muchos de ellos tuvieron su principio durante la fiesta Romana Satumales que se celebraba cada año desde el día 17 de Diciembre hasta el día 24. El dios que se adoraba, se llamaba Saturno. Durante esos días se suspendía todo trabajo y negocio. A los esclavos, durante esos días se les daba su libertad y se les permitía hacer lo que ellos deseaban. Las restricciones morales se ponían a un lado. Las calles estaban llenas de un gentío tremendo. Se escogía un rey ficticio. Había un saludo especial durante esos días: io-saturnilias. Se daban obsequies los unos a los otros, muy especialmente velas y muñecas.

¿DEBERÍA UN CRISTIANO CELEBRAR LA NAVIDAD?

No hay ninguna autorización bíblica, precedente, ni precepto para el recuerdo del día del nacimiento de Cristo como un día de celebración religiosa especial. ¡Esto no quiere decir que no debamos recordar el nacimiento de Cristo y de su significado, pero para conmemoraciones religiosas o celebraciones, debemos tener mandato bíblico o precedente! El hecho del asunto es este, la iglesia primitiva no celebraba el nacimiento de Cristo, pero tal celebración entró en la iglesia con la "cristianización" de los ritos paganos cuando el catolicismo se hizo la religión oficial por Constantino en el siglo IV D.C. Puesto que la Palabra de Dios no respalda la tradición de la Navidad, la iglesia no debe y no se debe celebrar la Navidad.

La celebración de la Navidad tal y como la conocemos hoy en día es claramente de origen pagano, tiene las huellas de Satanás por todas partes. Cuando se hace una investigación se puede ver claramente que no es una fiesta cristiana. Muchos predicadores saben lo que es y siguen haciendo nada al respecto. Están de pie en el púlpito año tras año y no le dicen a la iglesia, que es uno de los días más sagrados de los paganos. ¿Por qué es esto? ¿No saben esto los predicadores? ¡La razón es que la iglesia no lo aceptaría y correría el predicador de la iglesia! Se dejará que la iglesia se ahoga en el pecado al riesgo de perder su cheque de pago y posición. ¡Esto es a lo que se reduce! Es hora de que el pueblo de Dios si levántate y predica la verdad sobre la Navidad. Hay que hacer algo o Dios lo hará.

NOCHEBUENA

"Navidad" es una palabra caldea que significa "infantil". ¡Mucho antes de la llegada del cristianismo, los paganos anglo-sajones llamaban  el 25 de diciembre "Día de Navidad", en otras palabras, "día infantil" o "día del niño" el día en que celebramos el nacimiento del falso "mesías"! La noche antes del "día de navidad" se llamaba " La Noche de Madre". Hoy se llama "Nochebuena". Y no fue llamada "La Noche de Madre"  en honor María, la madre de nuestro Señor. "La Noche de Madre" se observó siglos antes de que Jesús naciera. ¡Semiramis (la esposa de Nimrod) fue la inspiración para "La Noche de Madre" y "Día del Niño" era el supuesto cumpleaños de su hijo (Tamuz), el dios del sol!

BELENES

Casi todas las formas de adoración pagana descienden de los misterios babilónicos, que centrará su atención en la "diosa madre" y el nacimiento de su hijo. Esta es una adaptación de adoración de "María-Jesús, que luego se acomoda fácilmente a la multitud de paganos "convertido" al cristianismo en la iglesia católica romana de Constantino. Si un cristiano erigirá estatuas (por ejemplo, imágenes) de María y José, se les acusa de idolatría. ¡Pero en la época de Navidad, una imagen de un pequeño bebé se coloca con las imágenes de María y de José, y lo que se llama un "belén". ¡De alguna manera, el bebé-ídolo "santifica" la escena, y ya no se considera idolatría! (Éxodo 20:04-5a; 32:1-5a; 9-10a).

CORONAS DE NAVIDAD

En la mitología pagana, siempre verde significa vida eterna y una vida que nunca muere. Hecho de hoja perenne, guirnaldas de Navidad siempre eran redondas, que simbolizaba el sol (así como los halos en el arte religioso). Por lo tanto, la Ronda de guirnaldas de Navidad representa un eterno sol, un sol que nunca muere o auto-renovación. Debido a estas asociaciones paganas, la iglesia cristiana fue inicialmente hostil hacia el uso de coronas de flores y otros derivados de hoja perenne. Pero de la misma manera que otras tradiciones paganas cristianizadas, la iglesia pronto encontró la manera de conferir sus propios significados simbólicos. Por ejemplo, las hojas afiladas puntas del acebo "macho" vinieron a representar la corona de espinas de Cristo y  las cerezas rojas Su sangre, mientras que la hiedra "hembra" simbolizaba la inmortalidad (Sulgrave Manor, "A Christmas Tudor", pág. 6).  Las cerezas rojas de acebo eran considerados sagrados para el dios-sol. Guirnaldas de Navidad fueron utilizadas por los paganos para adornar edificios y lugares de culto en la fiesta que tuvo lugar al mismo tiempo, como la Navidad. Estas coronas ahora no sólo adornan iglesias en Navidad, pero también están apareciendo durante el tiempo de Pascua igualmente pagana.

MUÉRDAGO

El uso del muérdago se remonta a los antiguos druidas. Representaba lo falso "mesías", considerado por los druidas como una rama divina que había caído del cielo, y creció en un árbol en la tierra. Se trata de una corrupción evidente de la Palabra profética de Dios con respecto a Cristo, "el Hombre de la Rama", que viene del cielo. El muérdago se utilizó en el festival del solsticio de invierno, ya que era considerado sagrado al sol, debido a su supuesta poder de curación milagrosa supuesta. Besos bajo el muérdago se convirtió en una costumbre desde que un beso era un símbolo bien conocido de la reconciliación. Ambos fueron símbolos de la reconciliación. La costumbre pagana de besarse debajo del muérdago era los principios de una noche de banquetes estrepitosos y borracheras que celebraban la muerte del "sol viejo" y el nacimiento del nuevo en el solsticio de invierno.

EL LEÑO NAVIDEÑO

El Leño Navideño era considerado por los antiguos celtas un leño sagrado para ser utilizado en sus fiestas religiosas durante el solsticio de invierno, el fuego siempre provea promesas de buena suerte y larga vida. Cada ano el leño navideño tenía que ser seleccionado en el bosque en la víspera de Navidad por la familia que lo iba usar y no podía ser comprado, o las supersticiones asociadas con ella no sería aplicable. En el paganismo babilónico, el leño colocado en la chimenea representaba el Nimrod muerto, y el árbol que aparece a la mañana siguiente (lo que hoy se conoce como el "Árbol de Navidad") era Nimrod vuelto a la vida (reencarnado) en su nuevo hijo (el sol), Tammuz . ¡(Todavía hoy, en algunos lugares, el leño de Navidad se coloca en la chimenea en la Nochebuena, ya la mañana siguiente hay un Árbol de Navidad!)

La tradición de hoy del Leño Navideño nos viene de Escandinavia, donde el dios pagano de sexo y de la fertilidad, Jule, fue homenajeado en la celebración de doce días en Diciembre. Un leño grande se mantenía con un fuego durante doce días, y cada día durante doce días diferentes sacrificios se ofrecían. El período que ahora cuentan como los doce días entre Navidad y Epifanía era originalmente los doce días de sacrificios diarios ofrecidos al Leño Navideño. (Entonces, ¿qué estamos haciendo realmente cuando enviamos saludos "navideño? ¿Estamos realmente honrando a Cristo mediante el envío de saludos en el nombre de un dios escandinavo de fertilidad? ¡Estas son las mismas costumbres que se practican hoy en día como en el antiguo paganismo! Sólo los nombres han cambiado.)

El Leño Navideño era considerado la rama muerta de Nimrod (o Tammuz, dependiendo de la nación específica involucrado), deificado como el dios sol, pero abatido por sus enemigos, y el Árbol de Navidad es Nimrod revivido, el dios muerto vuelto a la vida. Sin embargo los cristianos hablan de la sagrada temporada navideña.

VELAS

Las velas fueron encendidas por los antiguos babilonios en honor de su dios, y sus altares había velas en ellas. Y como es bien sabido, las velas son también una parte importante de la ritualidad del catolicismo romano, que adoptó la costumbre del paganismo. Las velas se acercaron al Lleno Navideño en importancia ritual. Al igual que el Leño Navideño, que tenía que ser un regalo, nunca una compra, y se encendía y se apagaba sólo por el jefe del hogar. Estas velas estaban ardiendo constantemente en el centro de la mesa,  no ser movidas o apagadas, no sea que la muerte siga. La vela de Navidad, envuelto en el verde, era quemar a través de la noche de Navidad hasta que salió el sol o el servicio de Navidad comenzaba (Sulgrave Manor, "A Christmas Tudor", pág. 9). Obviamente, las velas no deben tener parte en el culto cristiano, pues en ninguna parte del Nuevo Testamento es su uso autorizado.

SANTA CLAUS (Santo Nicolás)

Aun el nombre "Santa Claus" es una corrupción del nombre "Santo Nicolás" un obispo Católico Romano que vivió en el siglo quinto. Este santo se honraba en el 6 de Diciembre y subsecuentemente fue cambiado al 25 de Diciembre. Fue canonizado "santo" o sea patrón de los niños por la Iglesia Católica.

El porqué se pone dulces, fruta y obsequios o dinero en calcetines durante los días de Navidad, originó con Santo Nicolás. Se cuenta que sus padres eran muy ricos y al morir ellos le quedo todo el dinero a él y se dedicó a dar el dinero a personas necesitadas.

Dándose cuenta que había un señor que tenía tres hijas que las cuales él iba a entregar a una vida de mala fama por no tener dinero para que ellas se casaran, entonces él de noche fue a la casa de ellas y por la chimenea deja caer una bolsa con dinero. Por tres noches él eso esto, pero a la tercer vez, el padre se dio cuenta quien era la persona que estaba haciendo esto, y Santo Nicolás le suplico que no le dijera a nadie de esto. Aquí es donde principió la costumbre de llenar los calcetines de los niños en la noche cuando ellos están dormidos y se les dice que fue Santa Claus. Por eso hay la asociación de Navidad con Santa Claus.

EL ÁRBOL NAVIDEÑO  (Jeremías 10:1-15)

El árbol de Navidad es, hoy en día, un símbolo del nacimiento de Cristo; y es un adorno que engalana muchos hogares durante el invierno. Sin embargo, la historia nos cuenta su origen totalmente pagano y como a través del tiempo la gente, aun considerándose Cristiana, se ha involucrado en ese culto que resulta completamente ajeno a Cristo, creyendo erróneamente que forma parte de la celebración de Su nacimiento, cuando en realidad es una abominación para El (Ezequiel 8:14-15).

La historia se remonta a Babilonia (Isa. 13:19-20; Apo. 14:8, 17:5), cuya primera reina, Semiramis, propagó la noticia de que un tronco seco había reverdecido en la tumba de su amado hijo Tammuz, cuyo cumpleaños se celebraba el 25 de Diciembre. Desde entonces, comenzaron a adornar el árbol y a dejar regalos junto a él. Así, los árboles siempre-verde comenzaron a ser símbolos de buena suerte y de vida eterna; tanto, que les rendían culto y de sus ramas hacían coronas para premiar en competencias a los ganadores. Las costumbres de esta cultura babilónica pasaron a ser parte de Siria, Fenicia, Egipto, Oriente, Grecia, Roma y de ahí llegó a nosotros.

El diccionario de la Biblia Católica de Mons. Dr. Juan Staubinger, dice en la página 24:Árbol - "Y no es extraño que entre algunos de los paganos semitas, los árboles fuesen objeto de culto" Del libro "La Rama Dorada" de Frazer (edición Castellana de 1944, páginas 142 - 175): Se describen diversos ritos, incluyendo sacrificios humanos, en cultos al árbol y a bosques completos; ellos entre lituanos, celtas, otros Europeos, Africanos, Orientales, etc. Y se ve la acogida que cada pueblo hacía a su manera, de tales costumbres.

En por lo menos diez referencias Bíblicas, se asocia el árbol “verde” con idolatría y adoración falso, por supuesto todo árboles son verde a una vez u otro; al parecer entonces, las referencias al árbol verde se refieren a un árbol que se nota sobre todo por ser verde todo el tiempo, el “Siempre viva”.

En Jeremías 10 2-6; tenemos una descripción perfecta del árbol de navidad, llamado por Dios como “el proceder de los paganos.” Él nos dice que no debemos aprender ese camino o seguirlo. El verso cinco dice que estos árboles “no hablan; son llevados, porque no pueden andar.” “No tengáis temor de ellos (el árbol), porque ni pueden hacer mal, ni para hacer bien tienen poder.” Muchos leen mal este verso para hacerlo decir que no hay ningún daño en tener un árbol de Navidad, pero eso no es lo que dice el verso.

Los cristianos no deben tener árboles de navidad, siendo que es algo que fue adorado en forma de ídolo por los paganos. Así como nos deshicimos de los ídolos de hueso, madera, etc. de igual manera debemos de desistir de usar este ídolo.

¿EN VERDAD HONRA A CRISTO LA NAVIDAD?

Un argumento que es usado a menudo para justificar la observancia de la Navidad es “así, aunque la Navidad era una costumbre pagana, honrando al dios falso del sol, nosotros no lo hacemos para honrar al dios falso; lo observamos para honrad a Cristo.”

¡Que dice la Biblia! En Deuteronomio 12:30-31, Dios claramente dice que El no aceptara ese tipo de adoración, aunque es para Su honor. El dice que es tomar lo abominable para Él, y por consiguiente no le honra a El sino a dioses falsos paganos. “Dios es Espíritu; y los que le adoran, en espíritu y en verdad es necesario que adoren” (Juan 4:24).

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen…  For the customs of the people are vain…” (Jeremiah 10:2-3)

“And after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, “How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.” You must not worship the LORD your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates.” (Deuteronomy 12:30-31)

Many of the customs that now are practiced during the Christmas season are of pagan origin. Many of them had their origin during the roman festival of Saturnalia that was celebrated every year from the 17^th of December until the 24^th. The god that was worshiped was called Saturn. During those days all work and business were suspended. During those days the slaves were given their freedom and they were allowed to do what they wanted. The moral restrictions were put aside. The streets were filled with tremendous crowds. A fictitious king was chosen. There was a special greeting during those days of festivity: io-saturnilias. They would exchange gifts among themselves, especially candles and dolls.

  

SHOULD A CHRISTIAN CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS?

There is no Biblical warrant, precedent, nor precept for remembrance of the day of Christ's birth as a day of special religious celebration. This is not to say that we shouldn't remember Christ's birth and its significance, but for religious commemorations or celebrations, we must have Biblical command or precedent! The fact of the matter is this, the early church did not celebrate Christ's birth, but such celebration only came into the church with the "Christianization" of pagan rites as Catholicism was made the state religion by Constantine in the fourth century A.D. Since the Word of God does not support the tradition of Christmas, the church should not and must not celebrate Christmas.

 The Christmas celebration as we know it today is clearly pagan in origin, it has Satan's prints all over it. When researching it anyone can see it is clearly not a Christian holiday. Many preachers know what it is and still do nothing about it. They stand in the pulpit year after year and do not tell the church, that it is one of the pagans most sacred days. Why is this? Do these preachers not know about it? The reason is the church would not accept it and would run the preacher off! They will let the church drown in sin at risk of losing their pay check and position. This is what it boils down to!  It’s time for Gods people to stand up and preach the truth about Christmas. We best do something or God will. 

  

CHRISTMAS EVE

  

"Yule" is a Chaldean word meaning "infant." Long before the coming of Christianity, the heathen Anglo-Saxons called the 25th of December "Yule day", in other words, "infant day" or "child's day" the day they celebrated the birth of the false "messiah"! The night before "Yule day" was called "Mother night." Today it is called "Christmas Eve." And it wasn't called "Mother night" after Mary, the mother of our Lord. "Mother night" was observed centuries before Jesus was born. Semiramis (Nimrod's wife) was the inspiration for "Mother night," and "Child's day" was the supposed birthday of her son (Tammuz), the sun-god!

  

NATIVITY SCENES

Nearly every form of pagan worship descended from the Babylonian mysteries, which focus attention on the "mother-goddess" and the birth of her child. This was adapted to "Mary-Jesus" worship, which then easily accommodated the multitude of pagans "converted" to Christianity inside Constantine's Roman Catholic Church. If a Christian was to erect statues (i.e., images) of Mary and Joseph, they would be accused of idolatry. But at Christmas time, an image of a little baby is placed with the images of Mary and Joseph, and it's called a "nativity scene." Somehow, the baby-idol "sanctifies" the scene, and it is no longer considered idolatry! (cf. Exo. 20:4-5a; 32:1-5a; 9-10a).

CHRISTMAS WREATHS

In pagan mythology, evergreen means eternal life and a never-dying existence. Made from evergreens, Christmas wreaths were most frequently round, which symbolized the sun (just as do halos in most religious art). Hence, the round Christmas wreaths stand for an eternal sun, a never-dying or self-renewing sun. Because of these pagan associations, the Christian church was initially hostile towards the use of wreaths and other evergreen derivatives. But in the same way it Christianized other pagan traditions, the church soon found a way to confer its own symbolic meanings. For example, the sharp pointed leaves of the "male" holly came to represent Christ's crown of thorns and the red berries His blood, while the "female" ivy symbolized immortality (Sulgrave Manor, "A Tudor Christmas," p. 6). Holly berries were considered sacred to the sun-god. Wreaths were used by pagans to decorate buildings and places of worship at the feast which took place at the same time as Christmas. Such wreaths now not only adorn churches at Christmas time, but are also appearing during the equally pagan Easter season.

MISTLETOE

The use of the mistletoe can be traced back to the ancient Druids. It represented the false "messiah," considered by the Druids to be a divine branch that had dropped from heaven and grew upon a tree on earth. This is an obvious corruption of God's prophetic Word concerning Christ, "the Man the Branch," coming from heaven. The mistletoe was used at the festival of the winter solstice because it was considered sacred to the sun, because of its supposed miraculous healing power. Kissing under the mistletoe became a custom since a kiss was a well known symbol of reconciliation. Both were tokens of reconciliation. The pagan custom of kissing under the mistletoe was an early step in the night of revelry and drunken debauchery celebrating the death of the “old sun” and the birth of the new at the winter solstice.

YULE LOG

The Yule log was considered by the ancient Celts a sacred log to be used in their religious festivals during the winter solstice; the fire provided promises of good luck and long life. Each year's Yule log had to be selected in the forest on Christmas Eve by the family using it, and could not be bought, or the superstitions associated with it would not apply. In Babylonian paganism, the log placed in the fireplace represented the dead Nimrod, and the tree which appeared the next morning (which today is called the "Christmas tree") was Nimrod alive again (reincarnated) in his new son (sun), Tammuz. (Still today in some places, the Yule log is placed in the fireplace on Christmas Eve, and the next morning there is a Christmas tree!)

Today's Yule log tradition comes to us from Scandinavia, where the pagan sex-and-fertility god, Jule, was honored in a twelve-day celebration in December. A large, single log was kept with a fire against it for twelve days, and each day for twelve days a different sacrifice was offered. The period now counted as the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany was originally the twelve days of daily sacrifices offered to the Yule log. (What, then, are we really doing when we send "Yuletide greetings"? Are we really honoring Christ by sending greetings in the name of a Scandinavian fertility god? These are the same customs being practiced today as in ancient paganism! Only the names have changed.)

The Yule log was considered the dead stock of Nimrod (or Tammuz, depending on the specific nation involved), deified as the sun god, but cut down by his enemies; the Christmas tree is Nimrod revived, the slain god come to life again. Yet today professing Christians speak of the “sacred Yule-tide season”!

CANDLES

Even the lighting of fires and candles as a Christian ceremony is merely a continuation of the pagan custom, encouraging the waning sun-god as he reaches the lowest place in the southern skies! Candles were lit by the ancient Babylonians in honor of their god, and his altars had candles on them. And as is well known, candles are also a major part of the ritualism of Roman Catholicism, which adopted the custom from heathenism. Candles approached the Yule log in ritual importance. Like the Yule log, they had to be a gift, never a purchase, and were lighted and extinguished only by the head of the household. Such candles stood burning steadily in the middle of the table, never to be moved or snuffed, lest death follow. The Yule candle, wreathed in greenery, was to burn through Christmas night until the sun rose or the Christmas service began (Sulgrave Manor, "A Tudor Christmas," p. 9). Obviously, candles should have no part in Christian worship, for nowhere in the New Testament is their use sanctioned.

SANTA CLAUS (Saint Nicolas)

The name “Santa Claus” is a corruption of the name “Saint Nicholas” a Roman Catholic bishop who lived in the 5^th century. This saint was honored on the 6^th of December, subsequently transferred to Christmas day. He was canonized as the “Patron Saint” of the children by the Catholic Church.

  

The putting of candy, fruit and gifts or money in socks during the Christmas season, originated with Saint Nicolas. It is said that his parents were very rich and upon their death he was left with all their money. He then dedicated himself to give the money to needy people.

Upon hearing that there was a man who had three daughters which he was going to give to a life of shame because he did not have any money so they could get married, he then went by night to their house and from the chimney let fall a bag of money. For three nights he did this, but on the third time, the father found out who was doing this, and Saint Nicolas begged him that he not tell anyone what he had done. This is where we got the custom of filling the children’s stockings at night while they sleep and then tell them that it was Santa Claus. That's why, the association of Christmas with Santa Claus.

THE CHRISTMAS TREE (Jeremiah 10:1-15)

The Christmas tree is, today a symbol of the birth of Christ; and it is a decoration that decorates many homes during the Christmas season. However, the Bible and history tells us that its origin is totally pagan and that through the years people, even considering themselves Christians, have involved themselves in this worship that is completely pagan, erroneously believing that it is part of the celebration of His birth, when in fact it is an abomination to Him (Ezekiel 8:14-15).

History goes back to Babylon (Isa. 13:19-20; Rev. 14:8, 17:5), whose first queen, Semiramis, propagated the story how a green tree had blossomed from a dry trunk on the tomb of her beloved son Tammuz, whose birthday took place on December 25^th. From there on, they began to worship the green tree and leave gifts next to it. And so, the evergreen trees began to be symbols of good luck and of eternal life; so much, that they worshiped them and from its branches made crowns in order to reward the winners of competitions. The customs of this Babylonian culture became part of the Syrian, Phoenician, Egyptian, Grecian and Roman customs and from there it came to us.

The dictionary of the Catholic Bible of Mons. Dr. John Staubinger, says in page 24: Tree: “It is not strange that between some of the pagan, the trees are objects of worship.” From the book “The Gold Branch” of Frazer (Castilian edition of 1944, page 1142-175): diverse rites, including human sacrifices, in the worship of the tree and the complete forests; among them Lithuanian, Celtic, other Europeans, African, Orientals, etc. And it is seen how each nation made this custom their own.   

In at least ten Biblical references, the “green” tree is associated with idolatry and false worship, of course all trees are green at one time or another; apparently then, the references to the “green” tree refers to a tree that is especially noted for being green, all the time, the evergreen tree.

In Jeremiah 10:2-6 we have a perfect description of the Christmas tree, termed by God as“the way of the heathen.” We are told not to learn that way or follow it! The fifth verse shows that these trees “cannot speak, cannot walk, and must be carried.” “Be not afraid of them; for they (the tree) cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do god.” Many misread this to make it say there is no harm in having a Christmas tree, but that is not what it says.

The Christians should not have Christmas trees in their homes, being that it is something that was, and is used by pagans as an idol. Just as we got rid of the idols of bone, wood, stone, etc. in the same way we should stop using this idol.

DOES CHRISTMAS REALLY HONOR CHRIST?

An argument often used to justify Christmas observance is “Even so, even though Christmas was a pagan custom, honoring the false sun-god, we don’t observe it to honor the false god; we observe it to honor Christ.”

What does the Bible say! In Deuteronomy 12:30-31, God says plainly that He will not accept that kind of worship, even though intended in His honor. He says it is taking what is abominable to Him, and therefore it honors, not Him, but false pagan gods. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

THE ORIGIN OF CHRIST-MASS

"You shall not plant for yourself any tree, as a wooden image, near the altar which you build for yourself to the Lord {your heart} your God. You shall not set up a sacred pillar, which the Lord your God hates." (Deuteronomy 16:21-22)

"Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen." (Jeremiah 10:2) 

It is generally believed by many that Christmas, according to the Bible officially commemorates the birth of Jesus. Did the apostles, who knew Jesus personally and were taught by him, celebrate His birthday on December 25? Did they celebrate it at all? If Christmas is the chief of the Christian holidays, why do so many non-Christians observe it?

The word “Christmas” means “Mass of Christ,” or, as it came to be shortened, “Christ-Mass.” It came to non-Christians and Protestants from the Roman Catholic Church. And where did they get it? Not from the Bible or the apostles of Jesus, but was adopted by the Roman Catholic Church in the fourth century from paganism.

Since the celebration of Christmas has come to the world from the Roman Church, and has no authority but that of the Catholic church, let's examine the Catholic Encyclopedia, 1911 edition, published by that church.“Christ-mass was not among the earliest festivals of the Church… the first evidence of the feast is from Egypt.” “Pagan customs centering around the January calends gravitated to Christmas.” The Catholic Encyclopedia (vol. III p. 724) declares that Irenaeus and Tertullian do not make mention of this festival and they lived during the second century. It also states that by the time of Jerome and Augustine, the fourth century, the christmas festival was already established.      

The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1946 edition, “Christmas (i.e., the Mass of Christ)… Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church…”

The Encyclopedia Americana, 1944 edition, “Christmas… it was, according to many authorities, not celebrated in the first Centuries of the Christian church, as the Christian usage in general was to celebrate the death of remarkable persons rather than their birth. (The “communion,” which is instituted by New Testament Bible authority, is a memorial of the death of Christ.)… A feast was established in memory of this event (Christ’s birth) in the fourth century. In the fifth century the Western Church ordered it to be celebrated forever on the day of the old Roman feast of the birth of Sol, as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ’s birth existed.”

These recognized historical authorities show Christmas was not observed by Christians for the first two or three hundred years. It got into the Western or Roman Church by the fourth century A.D.  It was not until the fifth century that the Catholic Church ordered it to be celebrated as an official Christian festival!

We do not know the exact date as to when Christmas began to be celebrated on December 25^th. Before this date, the Church did not celebrate the birth of Christ. The writings of the New Testament indicate that Jesus was not born in that time of the year; the Historical data appear to indicate that He was born in the fall. We do not know the exact date because the Word of God does not declare it, neither does it make mention that the Primitive Apostolic Church celebrated the birth of Christ.

Jesus was not born in the winter season! When Jesus was born, the bible says there were shepherds in the field, watching over their sheep (Luke 2:8). This could have never occurred in Judea in the month of December. The shepherds always brought their flocks from the mountainsides and fields and corralled them no later than October 15^th, to protect them from the cold, rainy season that followed that date (Song of Solomon 2:11; Ezra 10:9, 13) winter time is a rainy and cold season it does not permit shepherds to abide in open fields at nigh. (Adam Clarke Commentary, vol. 5 p.370: N.Y. ed.)  

“It was an ancient custom among Jews of those days to send out their sheep to the fields and deserts about the Passover (early spring), and bring them home at commencement of the first rain. During the time they were out, the shepherds watched them night and day. As… the first rain began early in the month of Marchesvan, which answers to part of our October and November (begins sometime in October), we find that sheep were kept out in the open country during the whole summer. And, as there shepherds had not yet brought home their flocks, it is a presumptive argument that October had not yet commenced, and that, consequently, our Lord was not born on the 25^th of December, when no flocks were out in the fields; nor could He have been born later than September, as the flocks were still in the fields by night. On these very grounds, the nativity in December should be given up. The feeding of the flocks by night in the fields is a chronological fact… See the quotations from the Talmudists in Lightfoot.”

The exact date of Jesus’ birth is entirely unknown. If Jesus had wished us to observe and celebrate His birthday, He would not have hidden completely the exact date.

The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge explains it clearly, in its article on Christmas:“How much the date of the festival depended upon the pagan Brumalia (Dec. 25^th) following the Saturnalia (Dec. 17^th – 24^th), and celebrating the shortest day of the year and the “new sun”… cannot be accurately determined. The pagan Saturnalia and Brumalia were too deeply entrenched in popular custom to be set aside by Christian influence… The pagan festival with its riot and merrymaking was so popular that Christians were glad of an excuse to continue its celebration with little change in spiritual and in manner. Christian preachers of the West and the Near East protested against the unseemly frivolity with which Christ’s birthday was celebrated, while Christians of Mesopotamia accused their Western brethren of idolatry and sun worship for adopting as Christian this pagan festival.”

The Roman world had been pagan. Prior to the fourth century, Christians were few in number, though increasing, and were persecuted by the government and by pagans. But, with the advent of Constantine as emperor, who made his profession of Christianity in the fourth century, placing Christianity on an equal footing with paganism, people of the Roman world began to accept this now popular Christianity.

These people had grown up in pagan customs, chief of which was this idolatrous festival of December 25^th. It was a festival of merrymaking, with its special spirit. They enjoyed it! They didn’t want to give it up! This is how “Christmas” became fastened on our Western World! We may call it by another name, but it’s the same old sun-worshipping festival still!

The Encyclopedia Britannica: “Certain Latin’s, as early as 354, may have transferred the birthday from January 6^th to December 25^th, which was then a Mithraic feast… or birthday of the unconquered Sun… The Syrians and Armenians, who clung to January 6^th, accused the Romans of sun worship and idolatry, contending… that the feast of December 25^th had been invented by disciples of Cerinthus…”  

THE REAL ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS

If we got Christmas from the Roman Catholics, and they got it from paganism, where did the pagans get it? Where, when and what was its real origin? It is a chief custom of the corrupt system denounced all through Bible prophecies and teachings under the name of Babylon, and it started and originated in the original Babylon of ancient Nimrod! It stems from roots whose beginning was shortly this side of the Flood!

Nimrod, grandson of Ham, son of Noah, was the real founder of the Babylonish system that has gripped the world ever since. Nimrod built the tower of Babel, the original Babylon, ancient Nineveh and many other cities. The name Nimrod, in Hebrew, is derived from “Marad,” meaning “he rebelled.”

From many ancient writings, much is learned of this man. Nimrod was an evil man; he married his own mother, Semiramis. After Nimrod’s untimely death, his mother-wife propagated the evil doctrine of the survival of Nimrod as a spirit being. She claimed a full grown evergreen tree sprang overnight from a dead tree stump, which symbolized the springing forth unto new life of the dead Nimrod. On each anniversary of his birth, she claimed, Nimrod would visit the evergreen tree and leave gifts under it. December 25^th was the birthday of Nimrod. This is the real origin of the Christmas tree.

Some countries that celebrated festivals on the 25^th of December centuries before the birth of Christ were England, Syria and Babylon. The Roman Empire (Christianized) adopted this day, the 25^th of December like a Christian festival in the year 354 A.D. by pope Liberius 357 years after the birth of Christ. Until that year only the Roman pagans celebrated festivals on that day.

For more than 250 years after the birth of Christ the Romans worshiped many gods, the main deity being Jupiter. His festival was celebrated in September. In the year 273 A.D. Jupiter was dethroned and another deity was put in his place, who was the supreme god of Rome, it was the god of the sun,

Bel or Baal. The Roman Emperor who was responsible for this change was Aurelia’s. He declared the Babylonian Baal the supreme god of the Roman Empire under the name of the Invictus sun “Invisible God”.

What was it that caused the Emperor Aurelia’s to change gods? It was that during his life he had become interested in the religions of Persia and Babylon and at the same time there was many Romans who considered that Jupiter was out of style and theydidn't serve him with much dedication and this is also what influence the Emperor to look for a more attractive religion for the Roman populace. Another thing that influenced in this was that through the years, many people had migrated to the oriental countries and the majority of them worshiped the deities, that represented the sun and also Romans that had returned from those countries brought the doctrines of that religion that adored the sun with them.

Why did the pagan Romans worship the sun on the 25^th of December? According to the Julian calendar it was accepted that the 25^th day of December was the birth of the sun, for it was when the sun began to expand and it increased its power or force, it turned on its axis. It was a time for festivals, great idolatry joy, and ended in a general drunkenness with sensual pleasures. During that time the Persians also introduced the Roman soldiers to their system of worshiping the sun. Their Festival was in honor of Mitra the god of the sun. The participants would enter some special chapels and at midnight they would come out shouting in high voice “The virgin has conceived!” “The light is shining!”

The Egyptians represented the birth of the sun with the image of a child and on the 25^th of December they would present the image of the child to the people. It was believed that the virgin that conceived that child (the sun) on that day was the oriental goddess whom the Semites called the celestial virgin or the celestial goddess. (Golden Rough page 358 abr.) Notice that the pagans observed a festival on December 25^th many years before Jesus was born. They also worshiped a “mother and child.” The difference was that for them the mother was the queen of the heaven and the child was the god of the reincarnated sun.

Why was this day chosen (Dec. 25) by the Christians to celebrate the birth of Christ? About half a century after the worship of the sun god Baal was introduced to the Romans, Constantine was converted. The church encouraged him to discard all the pagan festivals and the one on December 25^th was one of them, but there were no results, because the pagans didn’t want to leave their festivals. Consulting with the Emperor the leaders of the church influenced the Emperor to sign a decree that all those prisoners that would get baptized would be given their freedom. It was believed that by doing this it would encourage those who were baptized to stop worshiping the sun god. It resulted contrary to their belief, because the pagans that got baptized continued every year worshiping the god of the sun on the 25^th of December.

The church was in a dilemma but Constantine had the answer and told the leaders of the church that they arrive at a compromise with the baptized pagans and that they allow them to retain their festivals. The advice of Constantine was this “Don’t make it more difficult so that the pagans are converted without making it easier,” and the church accepted his advice. The historians of those centuries wrote that the church was very willing to arrive at a compromise with the pagans and permit them to retain their festivals which they were accustomed to celebrating and give them a “Christian dress” or giving them a “Christian meaning”. (The Bible for Learners vol. III – page 67).

Not being able to abolish the customs of the pagans the church tried to “purify” these festivals and customs that the pagans loved so much. The church tried to distract the attention of the Christians from the pagan festivals with celebrating festivals on the same day. So that the pagans should no longer worship the god of the sun, Baal, on the 25^th of December, but rather now they should worship the Son of God on that day, but still using some customs and pagan methods.

December 25^th is not the birthday of Jesus! The apostles and early Apostolic Church never celebrated Christ’s birthday at any time. There is no command or instruction to celebrate it in the Bible. However, we are commanded to observe, not celebrate, the date of His death (I Cor.11:24-26; John 13:14-17).