THE CHRISTMAS WONDER OF THE WORLD

“And all the earth followed the beast in wonder. And they worshipped the dragon because he gave authority to the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like to the beast, and who will be able to fight with it?”

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It’s Christmas time once again. The season of joyful celebrations has begun. In my country, the Philippines, thoughtful preparations and wonderful emotions begin to swallow up the mind and hearts of most Filipinos – young and old, rich and poor, weak and strong, the free and the bond – concerning this yearly event of Christmas that starts in September up to January.

But what is Christmas all about? It’s about everything and anything that everyone and anyone perceived and conceived by the timid deliberations of his limited human perceptive capabilities.

Generally speaking, Christmas is the offspring of human tradition involving rituals, ceremonies, beliefs and religious practices that were handed down from one generation to another with the passage of time. And as in all cases, tradition always suffer marked changes, be it for the better or for the worse, in the course of its oral transmission as in the parent to the children.

This bit of information is provided by Wikipedia via the internet, stating:

"Christmas or Christmas Day is a holiday observed generally on December 25 to commemorate the birth of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity. The date is not known to be the actual birthday of Jesus, and may have initially been chosen to correspond with either the day exactly nine months after some early Christians believed Jesus had been conceived, the date of the winter solstice on the ancient Roman calendar, or one of various ancient winter festivals. Christmas is central to the Christmas and holiday season, and in Christianity marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days.

"Although nominally a Christian holiday, Christmas is also widely celebrated by many non-Christians, and many of its popular celebratory customs have pre-Christian or secular themes and origins. Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, music, an exchange of greeting cards, church celebrations, a special meal, and the display of various decorations; including Christmas trees, lights, garlands, mistletoe, nativity scenes, and holly. In addition, several similar mythological figures, known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas and Santa Claus among other names, are associated with bringing gifts to children during the Christmas season.

"Because gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festival involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses. The economic impact of Christmas is a factor that has grown steadily over the past few centuries in many regions of the world.

"The Christmas tree is often explained as a Christianization of pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the Winter Solstice, which included the use of evergreen boughs, and an adaptation of pagan tree worship.”  

The Catholic theologians also explained:

“Christmas is the feast celebrating the Nativity, the birthday of our Lord. The name, which means ‘Christ’s Mass,’ is a relic of the old English usage of designating feast days by the Mass of the day (e.g., Michaelmas) or by reference to ceremonies connected with the Mass (e.g., Candlemas).

“The date of Christmas, now December 25, varied until the fourth century in the Western Church and until the fifth century in the Easter Church. Egypt and Greece formerly celebrated the birth of Christ on January 6, the Epiphany. Christmas is, in the West, the most beloved of all Christian feasts, and the one most praised in song and story.

“Each priest is privileged to say three Masses on Christmas and three different Masses are provided in the Missal: Midnight, Dawn, and on Christmas Day. The custom of saying three Masses arose in Rome. The original Mass was our Mass of Christmas Day then said after Terce (about 9 A.M.) in Saint Peter’s. The Dawn Mass was introduced about the year 400 for the convenience of those who had attended the night office and found it difficult to return for the nine-o’clock Mass. Pope John III (561-74) began celebrating the feast of St. Anastasia on this date with a Mass at the church of the Byzantine court in Rome. The proper for the saint was presently replaced by that of the Dawn Mass of Christmas, but the Christmas Mass continued to be said at her shrine and she is still commemorated in the second Mass. The Midnight Mass was instituted after 431 and was said originally at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, which was rebuilt and rededicated about that time. St. Mary Major likewise became the stational church for the Mass of Christmas Day, probably because of its association with Bethlehem, i.e., the veneration of the relic of the Crib in this church.

“The three Masses may also suggest the threefold birth of Christ; the birth according to the flesh (Luke 2:1-14); the spiritual birth in men’s hearts (Luke 2:15-21); the eternal birth of Christ from the Father (John 1:1-14). Nativity is the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, at Bethlehem. This event, the fulfillment of the promises made to the patriarchs, to David, and to the Chosen People, had been clearly prophesied as to its place (Micheas 5:2). It was as a result of a decree of Caesar Augustus that Mary and Joseph journeyed from Nazareth to David’s town. This was the dawn of the Messianic age, and a scene dear to Christian hearts, lived again each year on the feast of Christmas.” - The Catholic Dictionary.  

So, what knowledge did the Wikipedia encyclopedia and the Catholic dictionary provide about Christmas? Now, these are specific information about Christmas. And generally, there are a lot more from everywhere. All of this information provides knowledge of Christmas that are both wonderful, magnificent, breathtaking, amazing, great, astonishing, fantastic and brilliant. Wikipedia is just one of many websites providing information it sourced from many references by a lot of literary works, researches and continuing observations and conclusions concerning the many different manners that men conduct their way of life in this world. The Catholic dictionary, on the other hand, provides information of the manner the Catholic Church organization conducts her religious beliefs and practices. However, all the available information surrounding Christmas stands on vague and incredible foundations if only because of the fact that these had been and continue to be transmitted through tradition which is vulnerable to alterations in the process of its oral transmission. In short, Christmas then is no longer the same Christmas today and shall perhaps even be more different in the days ahead.

Christmas day is December 25 of every year. But that is not so some generations ago. There is one very significant change I noticed from the given information which says:

“The Christmas tree is often explained as a Christianization of pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the Winter Solstice, which included the use of evergreen boughs, and an adaptation of pagan tree worship.”

 Now, this information is a wonderful lie which true Christians must have to completely and immediately reject. For the truth is that the Christmas tree and everything it is there for is the paganism of Christianity whereby Christians and non-Christians alike have been misled and deceived to involve themselves in pagan tradition and rituals. 

Indeed, that part of humanity within the world of faith and religion had acknowledged, embraced and observed this wonderful knowledge and understanding of Christmas. Precisely, it means that generations of people, tribe, tongue and nations involve themselves in this Christmas celebrations with very little knowledge and understanding of what it is all about or none at all. And even that little that they have is erroneous. 

Everybody must have to admit that Christmas is all about Jesus Christ. Thus, all information about Christmas, if it must be true, correct and real, should come only from the revelations of Jesus Christ that is fully taken into account in the Holy Bible. We learn directly from the Biblical revelations that Jesus was conceived and brought forth from the virgin womb of a woman whose name is Mary. Jesus Christ’s coming into the world, from the time He was sent, he was conceived, He was born and grew up, walked on earth, was seen and conversed with men, suffered and died on the cross, resurrected, ascended into heaven and up to that time when He returns once more, are all prophesied and written down in the pages of the Holy Bible. But there is not one verse, one account that speaks of the specific day when He was born. Jesus Christ has no birthday to celebrate!!! And that is the fundamental and Biblical truth that all true Christians must hear, believe, and observe.

The chosen apostles of Jesus Christ who enjoyed the pleasure and blessing of His companionship never celebrated His birthday in whatever manner, whether impliedly or explicitly. Neither did they celebrate their own birthdays. There is only one specific Biblical account of that fateful night when Jesus was born; and it is written:

“And there were shepherds in the same district living in the fields and keeping their watch over their flocks by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them and the glory of God shone round about them; and they feared exceedingly. And the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be in all the people; for today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign to you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of goodwill.’

“And it came to pass, when the angels had departed from them into heaven that the shepherds were saying to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and they found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen, they understood what had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard marveled at the things told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept in mind all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken to them.” – Luke 2:8-20. 

The angel of the Lord brought the good news of great joy which shall be in all the people when he told the shepherds that a Savior was born in the town of David. His name is to be called Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins. Jesus is the Savior who is Christ the Lord. In that precise moment of His birth, the multitude of the heavenly hosts praised God and said, “Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.” Indeed, all glory and praise belonged to God for sending His only-begotten Son into the world in order that the world may be saved through Him. If there is indeed a cause for celebration for mankind, it should not be the day when the Savior was born, but for the greatest act of love of God for mankind – His singular act of salvation for the man that must die and perish due to his sins. The birth of Jesus Christ must therefore be seen and acknowledged as the commencement of His work of salvation. And birthday celebrations have no part at all in the divine and loving effort to save His people from their sins first and finally, from the eternal punishment and destruction in the fires of hell.

Eight days after the Savior was born, He was circumcised and His name was called Jesus. And then He was presented to the Lord as the Law of Moses prescribed. After fulfilling all things prescribed in the Law, they returned to Galilee into their town of Nazareth. And Jesus grew and became strong. He was full of wisdom and the grace of the God was upon Him. Still, there was not any kind of birthday celebration.  

When He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem to take part in annual Feast of the Passover. But Jesus chose to remain in Jerusalem, His parents unaware that He did. They thought He was with the caravan all along. It was only after a day’s journey that they came looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. And so they returned to Jerusalem. It was after three days that they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. They were astonished upon seeing Him.

“And His mother said to Him, ‘Son, why hast thou done so to us? Behold, in sorrow thy father and I have been seeking thee.’ And He said to them, ‘How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?’ And they did not understand the word that He spoke to them.

“And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them; and His mother kept all these things carefully in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and grace before God and men.” – Luke 2:48-52.  

At the age of twelve, Jesus was already doing His Father’s business which at that time was beyond human understanding. He had been in the temple for some time, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking questions. Still, there was no birthday celebration up to this point in time; not even when He began His work, when He was about thirty years old. In fact and in truth, Jesus and all of His apostles and followers had never taken any occasion to celebrate His birthday up until that day when He ascended into heaven. So, what are these big fuss and commotions and excitement and much ado with celebrating the birthday of Jesus Christ via this wonderful proposition that is Christmas? These are Biblically uncalled for, meaningless and unacceptable to God. Yet the greatest majority of people in the world of faith and religion observe Christmas insistently, frantically and persistently in great wonder. Indeed, it is not only through the Christmas tree but through the whole celebration and trappings of Christmas that Christianity had been so cleverly immersed in paganism.  

Man, in his human nature, is inherently mortal, corruptible, vain and sinful. He must inevitably die and perish as a matter of course unless he willingly undergoes a drastic change, a complete transformation and a refashioning of his earthly being by the almighty power and loving mercy of the only true God who created him. Since it is God’s divine will to save the perishing man, man, for his part must also be willing to be saved by God through faith and obedience in His Son, Jesus Christ.  

Faith in the name of the Son of God and obedience to His words is a willful human act of seeking the truth, seeing the truth, keeping the truth and rejecting everything that is false. For the Word of God that Christ alone speaks is the truth that sanctifies those who hear and abide it. On the other hand, falsities and lies are evil; and these condemn and finally destroy the man who loves and practices it, either willfully or otherwise. Truth is good and lies are evil. And man has acquired that knowledge of good and evil from the beginning, in willful transgression of God’s commandment. And thus do men always do both the good and the evil that they have come to know. The Scriptures speak in this regard, and it is written:

“Say not: ‘It was God’s doing that I fell away’; for what he hates he does not do. Say not: ‘It was he who set me astray’; for he has no need for wicked man. Abominable wickedness the Lord hates, he does not let it befall those who fear him. When God, in the beginning, created man, he made him subject to his own free choice. If you choose you can keep his commandments; it is loyalty to do his will. There are set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand. Before every man is life and death, whichever he chooses shall be given him. Immense is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power, and all-seeing. The eyes of God see all he has made; he understands man’s every deed. No man does he command to sin, to none does he give strength for lies.” - Ecclesiasticus 15:11-20.  

Man is inherently free in his will to choose to do either the good or the evil that he knows. However, in choosing between good and evil, man is confronted with the problem of determining what is true and what is false. For lies are always craftily presented as truths in order for it to be willfully accepted and observed by men. False and lying propositions complicate the simple things and simplify the complicated ones in order to confuse, mislead and deceive. But the truth is always clear, simple and frank. While truth may sometimes be profound, it remains within the perceptive capabilities of the human being to find, if he so wills to seek it in faith. And thus did the apostle John testify and wrote:

“God so loved the world that he gave his only- begotten Son, so that those who believe in him may not perish but may have life everlasting. For God did not send his Son into the world in order to judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him. He who believes in him is not judged; but he who does not believe is already judged, because he did not believe in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. Now this is the judgment: The light has come into the world, yet men have loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works are evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, that his deeds may not be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light that his deeds may be made manifest, for they have been performed in God.” - John 3:16-21.  

To come to the light is to choose and remain in the truth of God’s word that His only-begotten Son was sent and came for to speak and teach to every man who will believe in Him and in His name. It is by willfully and constantly doing the truth that a man receives the promised life everlasting.

So, the relevant and very important issue that must be finally resolved is the truth or fallacy of Christmas. Jesus Christ established the perfect manner of determining what is true and what is false.

“Enter by the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who enter that way. How narrow the gate that leads to life! And few there are who find it. Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of my Father in heaven shall enter the kingdom of heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in thy name, and cast out devils in thy name, and work many miracles in thy name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity!’” - Matthew 7:13-23.

The opposing difference between the good fruit and the bad fruit is exactly the same as that of the truth and the lie, the good and the evil. The Christmas proposition is the tree that suddenly grew up and stood tall and strong in the eyes of humanity. It has been bearing fruits during the month of December for many generations and people of all walks of life have been picking it and eating it without knowing what it is, whether it is good or bad for their spiritual health and well-being. They perceived the Christmas fruit as something that is good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for the knowledge it gives. Such are exactly the same considerations which the woman deliberated upon in her final choice to partake of the forbidden fruit, giving it to her husband who took it and also ate it. And so, humanity was convinced that the Christmas tree is really good because its fruit looked good in their mind and in their hearts. Was it not the information we gathered?

“The Christmas tree is often explained as a Christianization of pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the Winter Solstice, which included the use of evergreen boughs, and an adaptation of pagan tree worship.”

“The three Masses may also suggest the threefold birth of Christ; the birth according to the flesh (Luke 2:1-14); the spiritual birth in men’s hearts (Luke 2:15-21); the eternal birth of Christ from the Father (John 1:1-14). Nativity is the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, at Bethlehem. This event, the fulfillment of the promises made to the patriarchs, to David, and to the Chosen People, had been clearly prophesied as to its place (Micheas 5:2). It was as a result of a decree of Caesar Augustus that Mary and Joseph journeyed from Nazareth to David’s town. This was the dawn of the Messianic age, and a scene dear to Christian hearts, lived again each year on the feast of Christmas.”  

If we can finally establish this information as Biblical truth, then we can correctly conclude that both the Christmas tree and its fruits are really good. So what is the fruit that the Christmas tree has brought forth? Is it good or is it bad? Jesus spoke these His words, saying, “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?” The grapevine has no thorns and figs are not thistles. And it is always foolish to expect to find grapes from vines that have thorns; and neither can one find fig fruits from thistles which the fig tree is not. The truth therefore is that grapes come from grapevines and figs come from fig trees. And so is the truth which God alone not only speaks through His Christ but which He truly is and always will be: God is the Truth. On the other hand, the devil is the liar whom Jesus has made manifest in His words of truth. He said:

“If God were your Father, you would surely love me. For from God I came forth and have come; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me. Why do you not understand my speech? It is because you cannot listen to my word. The father from whom you are is the devil and the desires of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and had not stood in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his very nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth you do not believe me. Which of you can convict me of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe me? He who is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear is that you are not of God.” - John 8:42-27.  

God did not revealed the exact day of the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ, nor did He ever commanded any man or group of men to celebrate His birthday in whatever kind, form or manner: no festivities, no rituals, no solemnities either, no revelries and most especially and most definitely, no gift-giving whether in cash or in kind.

The gifts which the three wise men brought and offered to the child are symbolic: gold, frankincense and myrhh. There is not one Biblical account which commanded or even suggested that the birth of the Savior required the Christians to engage in gift-giving among themselves. But gold, frankincense and myrhh are indeed gifts that speak of truth more profound and divine which Christ the Lord truly deserved and whihc God expects every true Christian to offer to Him through His Son. Consider that these gifts have been presented with wisdom that was undoubtedly symbolized by three wise men.  

Now to reject this truth is to embrace the lie. That is the choice that man must finally and willfully decide upon and make. And every man must inevitably enjoy the good fruit of the right choice or suffer the evil consequences of the wrong choice that He made by His own free will. There is no room for compromise. It is only between the good or the bad, the truth or the lie he may choose from. The man who comes to the light cannot make wrong choices; but he who refuses the light shall remain in darkness and will always err in his choices.  

The Christmas proposition is of men and not of God. But men can either be children of God or children of the devil. When men, as children of the devil, propose whatever they thought of in their mind and hearts, we can be certain that the proposition is a lie. In contrast, the children of God do not propose. They just hear and abide the counsel of God who is their Lord. So how can the children err in their acts that God has chosen for them to do? And God never counseled anyone of His children to celebrate the birthday of His Son, Jesus Christ, at any time during the whole length of their earthly life. Christmas used to be the day. But it has now become a season much anticipated by many people in many nations. Slowly but very surely, Christmas has become a far cry from what it used to be: a simple and meaningful commemoration of the birth of the Savior that should keep the hopes of salvation alive and reassuring. It is supposed to fill the mind and hearts of men with the presence of a loving and forgiving God who will answer every one who calls upon His name. Like the multitude of the heavenly hosts, true Christians also praise and glorify God with gratitude for having sent to them the Savior who is Christ the Lord but not only in one day or season of His birth but in their every thought, word and deed. 

However, such simple and meaningful commemoration was inundated by traditional information handed down from one generation to another which all the more rendered the celebrations of Christmas more wonderful, devoid of purpose and full of vanities. Changes and substitutions have taken over completely. Materialism has taken over the spirituality of Christmas. The lies have overwhelmed the truth. Wise, prudent, and enterprising businessmen took the reins in their hands and led Christmas to that road of greed, exploitation and everything evil with money and temporal joy as its end. And today, Christmas will not come around without money that is necessary in order to buy and sell. Yes indeed, Christmas has been the perfect season for buying and selling. Moneyed people are burning with wanton desire to buy things they don’t need. They have planned to give it away beforehand. Of course, those who sell are just too happy on their way to the bank. So what is wrong or evil about that? But the apostle Paul has this to say:

“And godliness with contentment is indeed great gain. For we brought nothing into the world and certainly we can take nothing out; but having food and sufficient clothing - with these let us be content. But those who seek to become rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many useless and harmful desires, which plunge men into destruction and damnation. For covetousness is the root of all evils; and some in their eagerness to get rich have strayed from the faith and have involved themselves in many troubles.” – 1st Timothy 6:6-10.  

Is there covetousness that reign in the hearts of men during Christmas time? Statistics show over and over again that the crime rate swells up during the Christmas season. Often you will hear those who were caught robbing, stealing and snatching another’s possessions say that he did it because he needed money to spend for his loved ones for Christmas. People in government, mostly those elected officials, are confronted with this urgent need for money because friends and supporters are bound to hound them for gifts and presents in cash or in kind because it is Christmas. And so they are conveniently led to commit graft and corruption in the exercise of their government authorities. Almost all operators and owners of business must raise the prices of their merchandise not only to ensure bigger profit but in order to give bonuses and cash gifts to their expectant employees because the law provides it. Often, almost all business establishments are closed on Christmas day and most people do not earn even as they must spend. So, most people will say that that's the way Christmas is. And they find nothing wrong with that. Indeed, there's nothing wrong with the way that Christmas turned out to be, but that is if we do not make God and Christ a part of it. For the divinity of God and His Christ has no part at all in every vain and foolish behaviour of men. 

The Wikipedia encyclopedia published the following information about Christmas and its celebrations:  

Main article: Christmas Controversy  

“Throughout the holiday's history, Christmas has been the subject of both controversy and criticism from a wide variety of different sources. The first documented Christmas controversy was Christian-led, and began during the English Interregnum, when England was ruled by a Puritan Parliament. Puritans (including those who fled to America) sought to remove the remaining pagan elements of Christmas. During this period, the English Parliament banned the celebration of Christmas entirely, considering it ‘a popish festival with no biblical justification’, and a time of wasteful and immoral behavior.  

“Controversy and criticism continues in the present-day, where some Christian and non-Christians have claimed that an affront to Christmas (dubbed a 'war on Christmas' by some) is ongoing. In the United States there has been a tendency to replace the greeting Merry Christmas with Happy Holidays. Groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union have initiated court cases to bar the display of images and other material referring to Christmas from public property, including schools. Such groups argue that government-funded displays of Christmas imagery and traditions violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibits the establishment by Congress of a national religion. In 1984, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Lynch vs. Donnelly that a Christmas display (which included a Nativity scene) owned and displayed by the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island did not violate the First Amendment. In November 2009, the Federal appeals court in Philadelphia endorsed a school district's ban on the singing of Christmas carols.  

“In the private sphere also, it has been alleged that any specific mention of the term 'Christmas' or its religious aspects was being increasingly censored, avoided, or discouraged by a number of advertisers and retailers. In response, the American Family Association and other groups have organized boycotts of individual retailers. In the United Kingdom there have also been some controversies, one of the most famous being the temporary promotion of the Christmas period as Winterval by Birmingham City Council in 1998. There were also protests in November 2009 when the city of Dundee promoted its celebrations as the Winter Night Light festival, initially with no specific Christmas references.”

“One economist's analysis calculates that, despite increased overall spending, Christmas is a deadweight loss under orthodox microeconomic theory, because of the effect of gift-giving. This loss is calculated as the difference between what the gift giver spent on the item and what the gift receiver would have paid for the item. It is estimated that in 2001, Christmas resulted in a $4 billion deadweight loss in the U.S. alone. Because of complicating factors, this analysis is sometimes used to discuss possible flaws in current microeconomic theory. Other deadweight losses include the effects of Christmas on the environment and the fact that material gifts are often perceived as white elephants, imposing cost for upkeep and storage and contributing to clutter.”  

The world will surely be much better off without this Christmas celebrations. It is a big lie and falsity that all true Christian faithful must forsake, ignore and reject. For all the anticipation, conduct and observance of this pagan feast amounts to nothing before God. Jesus Christ has no part or will never take part in it. Christmas is nothing but the product of tradition which, in its whole purpose and being, has been nullified and voided by the commandment of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. He said:

“And why do you transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor thy father and thy mother’; and, ‘Let him who curses father or mother be put to death.’ But you say, ‘whoever shall say to his father or mother, “Any support thou mightest have had from me is dedicated to God,” does not have to honor his father or his mother.’ So you have made void the commandment of God by your tradition. Hypocrites, well did Isaias prophesy of you, saying, ‘This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; and in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine the precepts of men.’” - Matthew 15:3-9.  

The perfect knowledge and understanding of the divine truth surrounding the birth of the Savior must be firmly founded on the information transmitted by the Scriptures only and never by oral handing down of information from generation to generation which is called tradition. And thus did Jesus teach that those who seek God’s truth and fear Him with the doctrines and precepts of men transgress the commandments of God because of their tradition. The only conclusion is that men will never know and understand God in His truth by means of information obtained from and provided by traditional doctrines and practices. Yet the Catholic ruling and teaching authorities have officially claimed:  

“Scripture and tradition are related. The two are distinct when considered as two different means by which revelation comes to us, namely in the inspired books and in the official teaching of the apostles and their successors respectively. But in one way, tradition may be said to include Scripture because the Bible, as the Vatican Council states, has been entrusted by God to the Church, and the teaching authority of the Church is the sole infallible interpreter of the inspired books.” – The Catholic Dictionary  

The revelations of Scriptures are all truth. But revelations of tradition concerning the divine realities are false. Tradition may be said to include tradition by mere allegations but Scriptures have no need for tradition as its means of transmitting God’s revelations. For Scriptures are written words of God but tradition are spoken words of men. The Vatican claims before the whole world that the Bible has been entrusted by God to the Catholic Church and that the teaching authority of the Catholic Church establishes her as the sole infallible interpreter of the inspired books. Now, such claim is a patent allegation that cannot be proven true, simply because it is a great lie. Anybody can make such an allegation, but nobody can ever prove it true. The fact is that revelations by tradition are mere theological presumptions and twisted interpretations of the words of Scriptures.  

The Scriptures, in its entirety, as well as the teachings of the apostles of Jesus Christ are all inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. But the teachings of those who claim to be successors of the apostles are not inspired at all for the plain and simple reason that the apostles of Christ have no successors. All these lies in the Catholic doctrines and precepts have been loosely founded on traditional revelations. And their allegations are supported by more allegations which they know they themselves cannot prove to be Biblically true. One of the information mentioned in the Wikipedia report says,

“Puritans (including those who fled to America) sought to remove the remaining pagan elements of Christmas. During this period, the English Parliament banned the celebration of Christmas entirely, considering it ‘a popish festival with no biblical justification’, and a time of wasteful and immoral behavior.”  

The English Parliament hit it right on the head when they forcefully banned the celebration of Christmas on the firm ground that it is merely “a popish festival with no Biblical justification, a time of wasteful and immoral behavior.” It can be said though that this popish festival derives its vanities out of traditional allegations and presumptions. 

Tradition also substituted the truths surrounding the birth of Jesus in that little town of Bethlehem. A specific day and month of the year was appointed as the birthday of Jesus because the Scripture did not reveal it. And so, according to tradition, a day was set for the birthday of Jesus to coincide with the pagan celebration of their sun god with the purpose of uniting the Jews and the pagans in their opposing religious beliefs and practices. It did not take very long for these traditional commemorations and celebrations to turn from bad to worse. The reason is that everything about Christmas is founded on fallacies and distortions of the Scriptural revelations. The three wise men that followed the star which led them to Jesus were replaced by the three kings. Even the season when He was born, which could only be either spring or summer, was changed to winter. The shepherds are out in the field that night, tending their sheep; so that winter cannot possibly be the season when Jesus was born. There was no more room in the inn where Mary could give birth, so they were offered the manger because it was vacant at that time, the sheep being out in the field. 

It is very common to see this specific Christmas message weeks and days before and after the alleged birthday of Jesus which says,

“Glory to God in the highest; peace on earth, good will to men!” 

That message is also a counterfeit. For the real one says:  

“Glory to God in the highest; and on earth, peace among men of good will!”  

The falsified message has wonderfully led the world into false beliefs, vain efforts, and false expectations in searching and praying and working for peace on earth which is not and cannot be there. It is humanity that fills the earth. And the true message says that peace is only meant for men of goodwill. Who are men of goodwill except them who fear God and keep His commandments? And so, peace is only found in the heart, mind, and soul of every man in this world who keeps the commandment of God and holds fast the testimony Jesus. God has already spoken in this regard, and so did Jesus Christ. And these are written:

“Stand ye on the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, which is the good way, and walk in it; and you shall find refreshment for your souls. And they said: We will not walk. And I appointed watchmen over you, saying: Hearken ye to the sound of the trumpet. And they said: We will not hearken. Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what great things I will do to them. Hear, O earth: Behold I will bring evils upon this people, the fruits of their own thoughts: because they have not heard my words, and they have cast away my law. To what purpose do you bring me frankincense from Saba, and the sweet smelling cane from a far country? Your holocausts are not acceptable, or are your sacrifices pleasing to me. Therefore thus saith the Lord: Behold I will bring destruction upon this people, by which fathers and sons together shall fall, neighbor and kinsman shall perish.” - Jeremias 6:16-21. 

There is no peace that men can find in this world. The peace that God promised is for men of good will, men who have surrendered their free will to God to do His divine will and abide His whole counsel. Humanity does not need a lifetime to admit that there can never be peace in this world unto its end. And every human effort, both individually and collectively, to make this earth a peaceful place to live in shall certainly fail; and fail miserably. But the United Nations of the world just would not give up despite their continuing disappointments. For all of their leaders have been misled and deceived by tradition. Yes, it is the unseen but great authority of tradition which substitute and counterfeit the truth of the words of God with the lies of the words of men. 

The virgin, Mary, in whose womb was the Savior conceived and brought forth has been replaced by tradition with a very subtle counterfeit. The written words of Mary in Scriptures admit that she is the handmaid of the Lord. But now Mary has been introduced and identified as the Mother of God with intercessory power and authority that can facilitate the granting of man’s supplications to God. Consider these wanton and blasphemous public pronouncements of the Catholic hierarchs:

“Mariology is the name given to that part of theology which concerns the Blessed Virgin in her relation to God (Mother of God) and in relation to men (spiritual motherhood).

“The first principle of this science is the divine motherhood and on this depend Mary’s fullness of grace from the instant of her immaculate conception, her virginal purity of body and soul, and all her other privileges. Mary is the Mother of God, the Redeemer, not alone His mother in the physical order, but also His chosen companion in the work of the Redemption.

“Coredemptrix is the title given to the Blessed Virgin to show her special share in the work of redemption . . . How was Mary coredemptrix? First, she is the Mother of Christ; hers was the honor of giving birth to God-made-man, and of caring for the Child who had come to lay down His life as a victim for the sins of mankind. Secondly, Mary is the ‘associate of the Redeemer.’ As Eve was associated with Adam in the fall, so Mary, the ‘new Eve,’ is at the side of Christ, the ‘New Adam.’ Mary offered her Son on Golgotha to the eternal Father for all the children of Adam, sin-stained by his fall. At the cross, there was a common sharing of will and suffering between Christ and Mary. Joining in His intention, she offered her Son to appease God’s wrath. ‘Insofar as it was hers to do,’ Benedict XV wrote, ‘she immolated her Son to placate God’s justice, so that she herself may justly be said to have redeemed together with Christ the whole human race.’” - The Catholic Dictionary. 

These Catholic pronouncements are directly in contempt of the supreme and almighty power and authority of God and His Son, Jesus Christ. It is a devious and covert effort to bring exalted divine nature of God down the level of human beings. If Mary’s relation to men is a spiritual motherhood, then what is her motherhood in her being the Mother of God? If it is not a spiritual motherhood then it can only be a physical one. But God is the supreme and almighty Spirit Being!!! The only answer that can be made here is that Mariology is yet another theological falsity and wonderful lie. 

And now, Mary is given the title of Coredemptrix to show her share in the work of Redemption. Of course this is just an allegation. And to prove it true, allegations are proposed, one after another as proof. Jesus Christ is the only Redeemer that God has chosen and appointed. He alone is to fulfill that work and does need the help or support of anybody. He said it:

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. But the hireling, who is not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf snatches and scatters the sheep; but the hireling flees because he is a hireling, and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, even as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep. And other sheep also I have that are not of this fold. Them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it up again. Such is the command I have received from my Father.” - John 10:11-18. 

All of these ratiocinations promulgated by the Catholic teachers that are meant to elevate Mary’s stature in equal footing with Jesus Christ are proven vain, imprudent and foolish by the words of God. And it will require writing another book just to point out all these man-made doctrines formulated by the Catholic Church concerning Christmas and other pertinent issues related to it. So here is one last important point concerning Christmas. The Catholic teachers claim:

“Each priest is privileged to say three Masses on Christmas and three different Masses are provided in the Missal: Midnight, Dawn, and on Christmas Day.

“The three Masses may also suggest the threefold birth of Christ; the birth according to the flesh (Luke 2:1-14); the spiritual birth in men’s hearts (Luke 2:15-21); the eternal birth of Christ from the Father (John 1:1-14). Nativity is the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, at Bethlehem.”  

Again, this Catholic doctrine is spoken and taught with a lot of guile and sophistry that is beyond the simple mind to really comprehend. The condition is for one to either take it or leave it, whether he understood it or not. The Catholic suggestion speaks of three Masses corresponding to the threefold birth of Christ. All of these – the birth according to the flesh, the spiritual birth in men’s hearts and specifically the eternal birth of Christ from the Father – are not true and cannot be true. It must be heavily underlined that Christ is the Word of God; and the Word exists with God as the beginning and the end. The Word of God was never born just as the only true God who sends forth His Word out of His mouth was never born. To say that Christ was born is to put a beginning to His existence. But His existence is without beginning and without end. It was the flesh which God had prepared and fitted to His Word which the virgin conceived and brought forth from her womb. There is no Biblical account which states that the only-begotten Son of God was ever born. It says:

“I will proclaim the decree of the Lord: The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son; this day I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will give you the nations for an inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession. You shall rule them with an iron rod; you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.’” - Psalms 2:7-9.

The word, begotten, has only two definitions: one, to cause to be; and then, to be the father of. To cause to be is to bring into existence.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was made nothing that has been made.” - John 1:1-3. 

The Word exists with God whose existence has no beginning. Thus, the only correct conclusion is that God has begotten His Word by being to Him a Father and His Word to Him a Son. 

So what about the flesh that was born of the virgin? The news of great joy brought by the angel of God says that a Savior was born in the town of David. That Savior is the flesh which was born. He was to be called Jesus because He will save His people from their sins. That body of flesh must not be seen in the same nature of the body of flesh of the human being. And the difference between the two – the human body and the body of Jesus – is clearly distinguish by the fact of the virgin birth. Jesus, the Savior, was born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of men, but of God. No human being was ever born of a virgin. And thus did the apostle Paul testify in truth, saying,

“If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written: ‘The first man Adam became a living soul’; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that comes first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven, heavenly. As was the earthy men, such also are the earthy; and as is the heavenly man, such also are the heavenly. Therefore, even as we have borne the likeness of the earthy, let us bear also the likeness of the heavenly.” - 1 Corinthians 15:39-49. 

Jesus is the spiritual body, meaning His body is meant as a spiritual dwelling place of the only-begotten Son of God who is a true spirit being. In comparison, the natural body of a man is the natural dwelling place of his soul. And thus did the apostle Paul say that the first man, Adam, became a living soul after God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. The last Adam, (Paul did not say the last man) became a life giving spirit. It means that Jesus became the Christ who is supposed to be a life giving spirit. For indeed, Jesus spoke these words

“I am the resurrection and the life. The flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” 

And when Jesus asked His disciples who they say He really is after having been with them for a significant period of time, Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 

Now Peter and his fellow apostles did not receive this revelation of the true nature of Jesus from men but from His Father in heaven who is the only true God. The Word of God, by dwelling in that spiritual body of flesh who is called Jesus, has completely taken over His fleshly nature to become the Christ, the Son of the living God. In this divine manner has the last Adam become a life giving spirit. The revelations of Scriptures have then made clearly manifest that Jesus Christ is not a man like you and me. Jesus Christ was never born which leaves no reason for true Christians to celebrate His birthday which never happened. 

Yet the celebration of Christmas to mark the birth of Jesus is here to stay in a manner subject to constant change until the consummation of the world. No amount of explanation or revelation of Scripture can convince all these self claiming Christians that Christmas is a myth, the product of a great lie and an objectionable doctrine of faith. For Christmas has been celebrated and shall continue to be celebrated by the inhabitants of the earth in wonder. For there is an unseen force, mighty in power and authority, that lead the world astray. Consider these words of Scripture which were long spoken in prophecy:

“And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon its horns ten diadems, and upon its heads blasphemous names. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, and its feet were like the feet of a bear, and its mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave it his own might and great authority. And one of its heads was smitten, as it were, unto death; but its deadly wound was healed. And all the earth followed the beast in wonder. And they worshipped the dragon because he gave authority to the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like to the beast, and who will be able to fight with it?’ And there was given to it a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to it authority to work for forty-two months. And it opened its mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. And it was allowed to wage war with the saints and to overcome them. And there was given to it authority over every tribe, and people, and tongue, and nation. And all the inhabitants of the earth will worship it whose names have not been written in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain from the foundation of the world. If any man has an ear, let him hear. He who is for captivity, into captivity he goes; he who kills by the sword, by the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. – Apocalypse 13:1-10. 

The prophecy has come to pass. The beast of the sea continues to exercise the great might and authority that it received from the great dragon. And all the earth followed and worshipped the beast in wonder. The beast of the sea assigned a specific day for the inhabitants of the earth to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. And they all began and continued to celebrate Christmas in wonder, ignorant of the divine truth that Jesus, the Christ who is the Son of the living God was never born. Mankind need only to look at the many evil consequences of these Christmas celebrations to find out for sure that such is never God’s counsel, but a grievous transgression of His divine will. Consider that the whole counsel of God is well within the capabilities of the human being to faithfully abide. But the present manner of celebrating Christmas which for the most part is symbolized by gift giving and materialism has now been cleverly placed beyond the capabilities of the poor and impoverished. Rather than hope, faith and love, Christmas today, and most likely in the coming generations, has only brought forth despair and gloom to all of them who suffer the miseries and wickedness in the evils that men do to one another. 

When the hierarchs of the Roman Catholic Church organization claimed universal power and authority over humanity, she changed the commemoration of the seventh day of the Lord to Sunday, which is the first day. And they did just that one more time when they appointed a day in which all of humanity must celebrate the birth of the Savior, Christ the Lord. In the first place, the evil implication is that God rested on the first day wherein He was just to begin His work of creation. This is in utter contradiction against the Biblical revelations. And then they want to celebrate the birth of the Savior on a day wherein He has not even begun His work of salvation. The apostle Paul speaks of victory as one reason for all Christian celebration. And he wrote:

"But when this mortal body puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the word that was written, 'Death is swallowed up in victory! O death, where is thy victory? O death where is thy sting?' Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law. But thanks be to God who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." - 1st Corinthians 15:50-58.  

The time, money, effort and emotions that humanity continue to spend to celebrate Christmas will never lead them to that victory that God will give His people through His Son, Jesus Christ. This Christmas wonder of the world is rather seen by God as works of vanity and foolishness that merits no reward at all. Anyway, merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all. ///