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 night. (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). 

UNA PERSPECTIVA ADECUADA PARA EL DÍA DE ACCIÓN DE GRACIAS

Este jueves es el día de Acción de Gracias. Un día en el cual como esos primeros peregrinos nos gusta reservar un tiempo en nuestras ocupadas agendas para dar gracias a Dios. Ahora, no hay nada malo en ello, pero la Palabra de Dios nos dice que esta actitud debe ser continua y diaria.

Efe. 5:19-20 dice a los cristianos que "hablando entre vosotros con salmos, himnos y cánticos espirituales Canten y alaben en su corazón al Señor, dando siempre gracias a Dios el Padre por todo, en el nombre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo. " I Tes. 5: 16-18 dice: "Estén siempre alegres, oren sin cesar, den gracias en todo, porque esta es la voluntad de Dios para con vosotros en Cristo Jesús."

Tema principal de Pablo aquí es la alabanza, acción de gracias. Note las otras palabras importantes en estos pasajes; siempre, continuo, y en todas las circunstancias. Suena como si Pablo está hablando de un servicio de la iglesia aquí, especialmente en Efesios. "Hablando entre vosotros con salmos, himnos y cánticos espirituales. Canten y alaben en tu corazón..." Pero no es así. Él está hablando de una actitud continua para los cristianos, una actitud del corazón. Como debemos ser entre el uno al otro. ¿Pero cómo, usted puede preguntarse, ¿podemos tener esta actitud continuamente, sobre todo "en todas las circunstancias?" Creo que la respuesta está en nuestra perspectiva de acción de gracias. Necesitamos la perspectiva adecuada.

Para estar agradecidos en todas las circunstancias, necesitamos una perspectiva adecuada de nuestras circunstancias y de Dios. Sólo entonces seremos capaces de dar gracias al Señor siempre.

Hay tres actitudes que roban nuestra gratitud. Tres cosas que nos impiden de ser agradecidos.

1. Uno es nuestro orgullo. Esta es la actitud que dice: "Nadie nunca me ha dado nada, he trabajado duro por todo lo que tengo." Durante años has estudiado duro y ahora por fin está dando sus frutos. Con este tipo de actitud, sentimos que no tenemos a nadie para agradecer sino a nosotros mismos.

2. Otra actitud que nos impide ser agradecido es un espíritu crítico o quejas constantes. En vez de estar agradecido, esta persona siempre encontrará algo de qué quejarse.

3. Una tercera actitud que nos impide ser agradecido es el descuido. Alguien dijo una vez que si las estrellas sólo salieron una vez al año, nos quedaríamos fuera toda la noche para verlas. Pero ahí están todas las noches y nos hemos acostumbrado a ellos.

Los israelitas se quejaron porque no tenían comida así que Dios envió milagrosamente el maná para alimentarlos. Luego comenzaron a quejarse porque era lo mismo todos los días. Tenían un milagro directamente de Dios cada día, pero ya no estaban satisfechos. Debido al orgullo, un descuido o un espíritu crítico nunca seremos verdaderamente agradecidos por todo lo que Dios nos ha dado.

Gracias es una palabra que se apenas se escucha y muy pocas veces hablada y olvida con demasiada frecuencia. Si todos nos adoptar una actitud de acción de gracias en nuestras vidas, nuestras vidas serían cambiados. Saborearíamos cada día.

Si alguna nación debe ser agradecida con Dios y agradecido por su bondad, debería ser Los Estados Unidos de América. Si alguna gente en América debe ser agradecida con Dios y agradecido por su bondad, debe ser los cristianos.

LA ACCIÓN DE GRACIAS DEBE SER EXPRESADA

En Lucas 17, leemos de unos diez hombres que fueron sanados por Jesús de su lepra. De esos diez hombres sólo uno regresó a dar gracias y Jesús dijo: "¿Dónde están los otros nueve?" Él era el único dispuesto a tomar tiempo para regresar y decir "gracias". Debido a esto Jesús le dijo: "Levántate y vete; tu fe te ha salvado."

¿Te has preguntado por qué Jesús dijo eso? Como los demás, el hombre ya estaba sanado de su lepra desde el momento en que iban a mostrarse al sacerdote. Pero cuando Jesús dice a este hombre: "Tu fe te ha sanado", no sólo estaba hablando de una sanidad física, El estaba hablando de una sanidad espiritual, una mental. Fue hecho completo.

Nosotros también somos sanados por nuestra acción de gracias. Los psicólogos nos dicen hoy  que sincera gratitud, acción de gracias, es la más saludable de todas las emociones humanas. La gratitud produce energía emocional más positiva que cualquier otra actitud en la vida. Y un corazón agradecido gana otros a nosotros y nosotros a los demás. Como puede ver acción de gracias no sólo es bueno para el donante, pero también es bueno para el receptor.

Dios valora nuestra acción de gracias. Esto lo exalta y lo glorifica. Y la acción de gracias nos hace quererlo más. Nos atrae más cerca. Si no somos agradecidos, si no expresamos nuestra acción de gracias, entonces puede tener el efecto contrario.

SE ESPERA NUESTRA ACCIÓN DE GRACIAS

Pablo dice que debemos "dar gracias en todo porque esta es la voluntad de Dios para con vosotros en Cristo Jesús." Esta es la voluntad de Dios para nosotros. Y él sabe que, si lo hacemos, que nuestras vidas serán cambiadas.

1. Esta es la marca de un cristiano en crecimiento

Por ejemplo, un bebé es ingrato. Usted puede tomar un pequeño bebé cuando tiene cólico y caminar por el piso con él durante horas y cuando se pone ese bebé hacia abajo no dicen, "Gracias." Más que probablemente, gritara un poco más fuerte. Un niño tiene que ser enseñado a ser agradecidos. Simplemente no es algo natural. A veces tienes que casi obligarlos a decir gracias. Cuando nos damos cuenta de lo bendecidos que somos por otros y por Dios y lo expresamos, estamos creciendo.

2. Nuestra acción de gracias es también la señal de un cristiano que Da

Cuando nos damos cuenta de lo mucho que Dios ha hecho por nosotros y lo mucho que lo sigue haciendo, deberíamos estar más que feliz de devolver algo a ÉL. Esto viene a través de dar nuestro tiempo y también nuestro dar financiero. Alguien ha dicho que para que el día de Acción de Gracias sea en verdad día de Acción de Gracias, tiene que haber "Gracias" y debemos "dar".

Cuando vamos a un restaurante, estamos más que felices de darle a una buena mesera una propina del 15%, pero por alguna razón, muchos de tienen un problema con darle a Dios el 10% de todas las cosas buenas que nos ha dado. Tenemos que preguntarnos si estamos verdaderamente agradecidos. Recuerde que Dios ama al dador alegre... Acción de Gracias es una marca de un cristiano en crecimiento, un cristiano que da.

Si usted está agradecido con Dios, entonces usted no será constantemente crítico y pesimista, pero eternamente agradecido. Aunque los tiempos difíciles son sólo eso - que no te rompan.

Pablo dice en II Cor. 4:8, "Somos presionados por todos lados, pero no aplastados; perplejos, pero no desesperados; perseguidos, pero no abandonados; hirió, pero no destruidos... Porque esta leve tribulación momentánea produce en nosotros una gloria eterna que es mucho mayor que todos ellos. Así que no nos fijamos en lo que no se ve, pero que no se ven. "

Sí, el salmista tenía razón: "Es una buena cosa para dar gracias al Señor." ¿Ha estado pasando por momentos difíciles? ¿Has orado pero siguen? ¿Te has dicho a ti mismo sega adelante y se desaparecer algún día? -, pero se puso más profunda. ¿Entonces por qué no probar dar acción de gracias?

A PROPER PERSPECTIVE ON THANKSGIVING

This Thursday is Thanksgiving. One day in which we like those early Pilgrims set aside time in our busy schedules to give thanks to God. Now, there is nothing wrong with that but the word of God tells us that this should be a continual, daily, attitude.

Eph. 5:19, 20 tells Christians to "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." I Thes. 5:16-18 says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

Paul’s main subject here is praise, thanksgiving. Notice the other important words in these passages; always, continually, and in all circumstances. It sounds as if Paul is talking about a church service here, especially in Ephesians. "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart..." But he isn’t. He is talking about a continual attitude for Christians, an attitude of the heart. How we are to be to each other. But how, you may wonder, can we have this attitude continually, especially "in all circumstances?" I believe the answer lies in our perspective of thanksgiving. We need the proper perspective.

To be thankful in all circumstances, we need a proper perspective of our circumstances and of God. Only then, we will be able to give thanks to the Lord always.

There are three attitudes that steal away our gratitude. Three things that keep us from being thankful.

1. One is our pride. This is the attitude that says, "Nobody ever gave me anything, I worked hard for everything I have." For years, you studied hard and now it is finally paying off. With this kind of attitude, we feel that we have no one to thank but ourselves.

2. Another attitude that keeps us from being thankful is a critical spirit or constant complaining. Instead of being grateful, this person will always find something to complain about.

3. A third attitude that keeps us from being grateful is carelessness. Someone once said that if the stars only came out once a year, we would stay out all night to watch them. But they are there every night and we have grown accustomed to them. 

The Israelites grumbled because they had no food so God miraculously sent manna to feed them. Then they started to grumble because it was the same thing every day. They had a miracle straight from God every day but were no longer satisfied. Because of pride, carelessness or a critical spirit, we will never be truly thankful for all that, God has given us.

Thanks, is one word that is too seldom heard and too rarely spoken and too often forgotten. If we would all adopt an attitude of thanksgiving into our lives, our lives would be changed. We would savor each day.

If any nation ought to be thankful to God and grateful for his goodness, it ought to be the United States of America. If any people in America ought to be thankful to God and grateful for his goodness, it ought to be Christians. 

THANKSGIVING SHOULD BE EXPRESSED

In Luke 17 we read about ten men who were healed by Jesus of their leprosy. Out of those ten men, only one came back to give thanks and Jesus said, "Where are the other nine?" He was the only one willing to take time to go back and say "thank you." Because of that, Jesus said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

Have you ever wondered why Jesus said that? I mean like the others, the man was already healed of his leprosy from the time they went to show themselves to the priest. But when Jesus says to this one man, "Your faith has made you well," he wasn’t just talking about a physical healing, he was talking about a spiritual one, a mental one. He was made whole.

We too are made whole by our thanksgiving. Psychologists today tell us that sincere gratitude, thanksgiving, is the healthiest of all human emotions. Gratitude produces more positive emotional energy than any other attitude in life. Moreover, a thankful heart will endear others to us and us to others. For you see thanksgiving is not only good for the giver but also good for the receiver.

God appreciates our thanksgiving. It exalts Him up and it glorifies Him. In addition, thanksgiving endears him to us. It draws us closer. If we are not grateful, if we do not express our thanksgiving, then it can have the opposite effect.

OUR THANKSGIVING IS EXPECTED

Paul says we are to "give thanks in all circumstances because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." This is God’s will for us and He knows, if we will do it, that our lives will be changed.

1. This is the mark of a Growing Christian

For example, a baby is ungrateful. You can take a little baby when it has colic and walk the floor with them for hours and when you put that baby down they don’t say, "thank you." More than likely, they will just yell a little louder. A child has to be taught to be thankful. It just doesn’t come naturally. Sometimes you have to almost force them to say thank you. When we realize how blessed we are by others and by God and express that, we are growing.

2. Our thanksgiving is also the mark of a Giving Christian

When we realize how much God has done for us and how much he continues to do, we should be more than happy to give something back to him. This comes through our time and also our financial giving. Someone has said that for Thanksgiving to be real Thanksgiving, there must be "Thanks" and there must be "Giving."

When we go to a restaurant, we are more than happy to give a good waitress a 15% tip, but for some reason, many have a problem with giving God 10% of all the good gifts he has given us. We need to ask ourselves if we are truly thankful. Remember God loves a cheerful giver... Thanksgiving is a mark of a growing Christian, a giving Christian.

If you are thankful to God then you will not be constantly critical and pessimistic but eternally Thankful. Though the difficult times are just that - they will not break you.

Paul says in II Cor. 4:8, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed...For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen."

Yes the Psalmist was right, ’It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord."  Have you been going through some difficult times? Have you prayed but they’re still there? Have you told yourself to keep on going and it would someday disappear - but it got deeper? Then why not try thanksgiving?

EL AMOR DE DIOS

“Para que habite Cristo por la fe en vuestros corazones, a fin de que, arraigados y cimentados en amor, seáis plenamente capaces de comprender con todos los santos cuál sea la anchura, la longitud, la profundidad y la altura, y de conocer el amor de Cristo, que excede a todo conocimiento, para que seáis llenos de toda la plenitud de Dios” (Efesios 3:17-19).

Una de las fuerzas más poderosas en la tierra para traernos a una vida como la de Cristo es un concepto apropiado de Dios, ¡como en verdad lo vemos, y lo que pensamos como Él es verdaderamente! Nuestra habilidad para amarlo como Él desea que le amemos depende de un concepto apropiado de Él.

Los que nunca han experimentado mucho del amor humano frecuentemente tienen un punto de vista muy trastornado de Dios. La Biblia nos dice que fuimos creados en la imagen de Dios, ¡pero desafortunadamente, algunos, en sus imaginaciones, han estado ocupados tratando de crear un Dios en su imagen, con todas sus limitaciones!

Algunos, cuando eran niños, frecuentemente oyen tales declaraciones como, “Si haces eso, Dios no te va amar.” “Dios te va castigar.” Con una imagen en sus mentes de un Dios quien está listo en cada oportunidad para derramar Su ira sobre la humanidad, ¿no es de sorprenderse que cuando estos crezcan rechazan a Dios? ¡Sus padres los han introducido a un Dios que ellos no pueden armar! 

Algunas personas como estas, por razón de miedo, si se entregan a Cristo, ¡pero ese tipo de relación raramente dura! El miedo es una ligadura frágil de unión, una base débil de religión. La persona quien sirve por miedo, sin la comprensión del amor, tratará de negociar con Dios. El hará cosas para Dios, dará ofrendas, hará oraciones, etc., para malversar un lugar en el cielo de su Dios. La vida y la religión serán un juego de ajedrez, no un asunto de amor.

¡La visión limitada y trastornada que algunos tienen de Dios no es el Dios que se nos revela en la Biblia, y manifestado a nosotros mediante la vida, ministerio y muerte de Jesucristo! La Biblia nos declara la naturaleza de Dios:

1. Dios es santo (Levíticas 19:2)

2. Dios es luz (I Juan 1:5)

3. Dios es Amor (I Juan 4:8,16)

Estas no son atributos o características de Dios. ¡Esto es lo qué Dios es! Él no tiene santidad, ¡Él es santo! Él no tiene amor, ¡Él es Amor!

COMPRENDIENDO LA GRANDEZA DE SU AMOR

Pablo nos dice que si vamos a ser llenos de la plenitud de Dios, necesitamos ser capaces de comprender o entender la grandeza (la anchura, la longitud, la profundidad y la altura) del Amor de Dios. Entonces después de hacer tal declaración, concluye que “...el amor Cristo...excede a todo conocimiento.” Es más ancho que el este del oeste. Es más alto que los cielos, y más profundo que el mar. ¡No conoce lindes o limitaciones!

Literalmente se han escrito millares de libros, tratando de algún modo habilitarnos para comprender este amor hermoso, pero cuando están todos compilados juntos, todavía hacen poca justicia a este tema inagotable.

Y así continua la tarea insuperable de tratar de entender, no solo describir, la grandeza del amor de Dios. Quizás es imposible que nosotros totalmente comprendamos y definamos Su Amor, pero es importante para nosotros que de algún modo, en lo profundo de nuestro corazón conozcamos este Amor y seamos persuadidos por Él. ¡Si tenemos un discernimiento y conocimiento de la inmensa belleza de Él, mejorar mucho nuestra relación con Él., y nos ayudara para amarle como Él merece ser amado!

LAS CARACTERISTICAS DEL AMOR DE DIOS

Hemos estado hablando de la naturaleza de Dios y las dimensiones de Su Amor, ahora miraremos las características de ese Amor. Cuando hacemos esto, nuevamente somos hecho conscientes de que un inmenso golfo existe entre nuestro frágil amor humano, y ese que es ofrecido por Dios.

Mas de cualquier otro escritor del Antiguo Testamento, el Salmista David parece haber tenido una comprensión buena concerniente al Amor de Dios. Él no usó mucho la palabra “amor”, pero eligió más bien escribir sobre las características de ese Amor.

DIOS ES FIEL

Unas de los temas favoritos de David era la fidelidad de Dios: “Jehová, hasta los cielos llega tu misericordia, y tu fidelidad alcanza hasta las nubes” (Salmos 36:5). “De generación en generación es tu fidelidad...” (Salmos 119:90).

El uso de la palabra “verdad” en el Antiguo Testamento, viene de la palabra Hebrea “emeth,” y significa: estabilidad, lealtad, verdad, certeza y fidelidad. En este mundo inestable donde muy frecuentemente parece difícil saber en quien podemos confiar, ¡cuán maravilloso es saber que Dios es fiel! “Porque grande es hasta los cielos tu misericordia, y hasta las nubes tu verdad” (estabilidad, lealtad, fidelidad, etc.) (Salmos 57:10). “...la verdad (estabilidad, lealtad, fidelidad, etc.) de Jehová es para siempre” (Salmos 117:2). 

LA MISERICORDIA DE DIOS

Otro tema favorito en los cantos de David era la misericordia de Dios: “¡Cuán preciosa, oh Dios, es tu misericordia! Por eso los hijos de los hombres se amparan bajo la sombra de tus alas” (Salmos 36:7). “Porque mejor es tu misericordia que la vida; Mis labios te alabarán” (Salmos 63:3).

Note cuan elocuente David es cuando escribe sobre las cualidades hermosas que son parte del Amor de Dios: “hasta las nubes,” “hasta los cielos,” “es para siempre,” “mejor que la vida”. Pero David en ninguna parte es más expresivo que cuando escribe acercas de las misericordias del Señor.

EL HIMNO FAVORITO DE DAVID

El tema favorito de David era “las misericordias del Señor.” Probablemente su salmo favorito era el Salmo 136, un salmo respondiente. El líder cantaba una línea, “Alabad al Dios de los dioses,” y la gente contestaba “porque para siempre es su misericordia.” Entonces el líder cantaba, “Alabad al Señor de los señores,” Y la gente cantaba nuevamente, “porque para siempre es su misericordia.” Veintiséis veces la gente repetía estas palabras cuando cantaban este salmo.

El coro de este salmo era el favorito de David, que el uso en otros salmos y en muchas ocasiones: “Alabad a Jehová, porque él es bueno, Porque para siempre es su misericordia.” Los salmos 106 y 107 comienzan con el mismo coro, mientras el Salmo 118 comienza y termina con ello. Por si alguien se quejara en oír estas palabras repetidamente, David parece casi advertir, “Las misericordias de Jehová cantaré perpetuamente” (Salmo 89:1). Cuando se trajo el Arca a Jerusalén de la casa de Obededom, los cantantes estaban cantando el himno favorito de David (I Crónicas 16:34). La Escrituras tienen cuidado de anotar que esto había sido ordenado por David: “y con ellos a Hermán, a Jedutún y a los otros escogidos declarados por sus nombres, para glorificar a Jehová, porque es eterna su misericordia” (I Crónicas 16:41). En la dedicación del templo de Salomón muchos años después, ¿qué canto se supone que la gente estaba cantando cuando la casa del Señor se llenó de la gloria de Dios? El himno favorito de David (II Crónica 5:13). Cinco generaciones después, su popularidad no había disminuido. Los cantantes que se nombraron para salir enfrente del ejército de Josafat no podían cantar cualquier himno. Tenía que ser el himno favorito de David (II Crónicas 20:21).

EL AMOR DE DIOS ES INCONDICIONAL

¿Porque estaba David tan fascinado con las “las misericordias del Señor”? ¿En verdad, por qué, apreciamos este aspecto del Amor de Dios tanto? ¿Será porque nos damos cuenta de nuestra propia debilidad y fragilidad? Todos le hemos fallado muchas veces, de muchas maneras. Y, aún Él extiende Su misericordia hacia nosotros. Cuando hace así, somos hecho conscientes nuevamente que el Amor de Dios es más grande que cualquier otro que se nos ha ofrecido por otros. ¡Es incondicional!

Todos sabemos que somos imperfectos. Queremos mejorarnos, y la mayoría de nosotros nos estamos esforzando para mejorarnos. No obstante, es el gozo en saber que Dios nos ama “así como estamos” nos habilita levantarnos de nuestros fracasos, sacudirnos del polvo de la derrota, y continuar caminando con Dios. Entre mas y mas, experimentamos el Amor de Dios, y llegamos a comprender sus características y sus dimensiones, nuestra relación de amor con Él crece, de manera que podemos decir como el Apóstol Pablo: “...Estoy seguro de que ni la muerte, ni la vida, ni ángeles, ni principados, ni potestades, ni lo presente, ni lo por venir, ni lo alto, ni lo profundo, ni ninguna otra cosa creada nos podrá separar del amor de Dios, que es en Cristo Jesús Señor nuestro (Romanos 8:38-39).

THE LOVE OF GOD

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God" (Ephesians 3:17-19).

One of the most powerful forces on earth to bring us to a Christ-like life is a proper concept of God, how we truly see Him, and what we think He is really like! Our ability to love God, as He desires us to love Him hinges on a proper concept of Him.

Those who have never experienced much human love often have a distorted view of God. The Bible tells us that we were created in the image of God, but unfortunately, some in their imaginations, have been busy trying to create a God in their image, with all its limitations!

As children grow up, they often hear such statements as, "If you do that, God won't love you." "God's gonna get you!" With a picture in their minds of a God who is ready at every opportunity to mete out His wrath upon humanity, is it any wonder that as they grow older they reject God? Their parents have introduced them to a God they cannot love!

Some people, like these, come to God out of fear, but that kind of relationship seldom lasts! Fear is a fragile bond of union, a brittle basis of religion. The person who serves out of fear, without the realization of love, will try to bargain with God. He will do little things for God, make little offerings, say little prayers, etc., to embezzle a place in the heaven of his God. Life and religion will be a chess game, hardly an affair of love.

The distorted and limited vision most people have of God is not at all the God revealed to us in the Bible, and manifested to us through the life, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ!

The Bible declares to us the very nature of God:

1. God is holy (Leviticus 19:2)

2. God is light (I John 1:5)

3. God is love (I John 4:8, 16)

These are not attributes or characteristics of God. They are what God is! He does not have holiness, He is holy. He does not have love, He is love!

UNDERSTANDING THE GREATNESS OF HIS LOVE

Paul tells us that if we are to be filled with all the fullness of God, we need to be able to comprehend or understand the greatness (the breadth, length, depth, and heighth) of God's love. Then after making such a statement, he concludes that ". . . the love of Christ . . . passeth knowledge . . .” It is broader than the east is from the west. It is higher than the heavens and deeper than the ocean. It knows no boundaries or limitations!

Literally, thousands of books have been written, trying to somehow enable us to understand this beautiful love, but when they are all compiled together, they still do little justice to this inexhaustible theme.

And so continues the insurmountable task of trying to understand, let alone describe, the greatness of the love of God. Perhaps it is impossible for us to fully comprehend and define His love, but it is important for us to somehow deep inside of us know it, and be persuaded of it. If we have an insight and knowledge of His vast beauty, it will greatly enhance our relationship with Him, and help us to love Him as He deserves to be loved!

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD'S LOVE

We have been talking about the nature of God and the dimensions of His love; we will now look at the characteristics of that love. As we do so, we are again made aware that a vast gulf exists between our frail human love, and that which is offered to us by God.

More than any other Old Testament writer, the Psalmist David seemed to have a good understanding concerning God's love. He did not use the word "love" so much but chose rather to write about the characteristics of that love.

GOD IS FAITHFUL

One of David's favorite themes was the faithfulness of God: ". . . thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds"(Psalm 36:5). "Thy faithfulness is unto all generations . . ." (Psalm 119:90).

The word "truth" as used in most Old Testament scriptures, comes from the Hebrew word "emeth," and means: stability, trustworthiness, truth, certainty, and faithfulness. In this unstable world when it often seems difficult to know whom we can trust, how wonderful to know that God is faithful!

"For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth (stability, trustworthiness, faithfulness, etc.) unto the clouds" (Psalm 57:10). ". . . the truth (stability, trustworthiness, faithfulness, etc.) of the Lord endureth for ever" (Psalm 117:2)

GOD'S LOVING KINDNESS

Another favorite subject for David's songs was the loving kindness of God: "How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings" (Psalm 36:7). "Because thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee" (Psalm 63:3).

Notice how eloquent David gets when he writes about the beautiful qualities that are a part of God's love: "unto the clouds," "unto the heavens," "endureth forever," "better than life." But nowhere does David get more expressive than when he writes concerning the mercies of the Lord.

DAVID'S FAVORITE HYMN

David's favorite theme was "the mercies of the LORD." Probably his favorite psalm was Psalm 136, a responsive psalm. The leader would sing a line, "O give thanks unto the God of gods," and the people would answer, "For his mercy endureth forever." Then the leader would sing, "O give thanks unto the LORD of lords," and the people would sing again, "For his mercy endureth forever." Twenty-six times the people repeated these words during the singing of that psalm.

The chorus of this psalm was David's favorite, which he used in other psalms and on many occasions: "O give thanks unto the Lord: for he is good, For his mercy endureth forever." Psalms 106 and 107 starts with the same chorus, while Psalm 118 starts and finishes with it. Lest anyone complain upon hearing these words repeated over and over, David seems almost to warn, "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever" (Psalm 89:1). When the ark was brought up to Jerusalem from the house of Obededom, the singers were singing David's favorite hymn (I Chronicles 16:34). The Scriptures are careful to note that this had been ordered by David: "And with them (the Levites) Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed (designated) by name, to give thanks to the Lord, because his mercy endureth forever" (I Chronicles 16:41). At the dedication of Solomon's temple many years later, what song do you suppose the people were singing when the house of the Lord was filled with the glory of God? David's favorite hymn (II Chronicles 5:13). Five generations later, its popularity had not diminished. The singers that were appointed to go out before Jehoshaphat's army could not just sing any song. It had to be David’s favorite hymn (II Chronicles 20:21).

GOD'S LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL

Why was David so "caught up" with "the mercies of the Lord"? Indeed, why do we appreciate this aspect of God's love so much? Is it not because we realize our own weakness and fragility? We have all failed Him many times, in many ways. Yet He extends His mercy towards us. As He does so, we are made aware again that God's love is so much greater than any that has ever been offered to us by others. It is unconditional!

We all know that we are imperfect. We want to do better, and most of us are striving to improve ourselves. Nevertheless, it is the joy of knowing that God loves us "just the way we are" that enables us to rise from our failures, brush off the dust of defeat, and continue to walk with God. More and more, as we experience God's love, and come to comprehend its characteristics and dimensions, our love relationship with Him will grow, so that we are able to say like the Apostle Paul: ". . . I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).

HIPOCRITICO SOBRE HALLOWEEN

“Guárdate que no tropieces yendo en pos de ellas, después que sean destruidas delante 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; pues aun a sus hijos y a sus hijas quemaban en el fuego a sus dioses. (Deuteronomio 12: 30-31)

Mientras que el mundo y muchos de los que dicen ser el Cuerpo de Cristo están "jugando maldad" esta semana, lo real está sucediendo. Recuerda a quien dices que sirves. Su nombre es Jesús. Si estás celebrando Halloween, estás allí mismo en la fiesta con el mismo Satanás. No importa si lo ves como real, él sabe que lo es.

Mientras las personas se ponen disfraces, tallan calabazas y supuestamente se divierten, los niños que han nacido con el propósito de sacrificar son asesinados. Sangre será derramada y no es sangre falsa. Mientras tu estas buscando dulces casa por casa un niño será sacrificado.

Mientras la gente se divierte, la fiesta irá un poco lejos y algunos beberán demasiado, todo en nombre de la diversión, por supuesto, y se tomarán vidas inocentes, atropelladas por alguien que se divirtió demasiado.

Mientras tú participas de dulce o travesura, negarás a Jesús, porque esa pequeña voz aún desprecia el mal, y Él te lo dirá, pero tú harás una excusa para no escuchar.

Y mientras estás teniendo toda esta diversión inocente, el Reino de la Oscuridad está avanzando, y tú lo estás ayudando. Saludos a Satanás, dice el mundo. Y la mayor parte de lo que se supone que es la iglesia levanta el vaso también. Hay una palabra para esto, hipocresía. (Josué 24:15)