Have you ever wondered if celebrating Christmas, having Christmas trees or celebrating Easter is wrong?

Celebrating Christmas, having Christmas trees or celebrating Easter:

Studies against Christmas and Christmas trees have been circulating for some time now.  People that teach and write these studies get their sources from pagan history.  Think about that.  They come across a study online or from books and receive pagan history information.  Next, they run with it and begin to teach it even though they are teaching pagan history trying their very best to relate it to Christmas, Christmas trees and Easter.

They then take some biblical scriptures to back their study applying them out of context. They’ll give an interpretation and meaning of the scriptures to fit and justify their studies against Christmas, Easter and even Christmas trees.

I have found nothing in the Holy Bible that directly and specifically teaches against celebrating Christmas (birth or conception of Christ), Christmas trees (natural symbolism for the spiritual reason) or Easter (resurrection of Jesus and Passover).  I’ll gladly and openly talk with anybody about this as well as biblical scripture.

There is a spirit behind every study, book or writing that is deemed as spiritual.  Sometimes we read, view and listen to studies and receive it into our own heart becoming in an agreement with it even if it’s not from the true Holy Spirit.  This is very seductive and it’s supposed to be.  Nobody wants to be wrong especially for a Christian teacher of the Word of God.  The spirit of pride is a stronghold of Satan.  Nobody ever wants to be told that they are in error and teaching from their own belly.

Let’s clear this up first:  The one true living God is (Creator of the universe, mankind and all living things, the God of Israel, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob---the Lord Jesus Christ---Son of God---God manifest in the flesh---1 Timothy 3:16.  In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God---John 1:1.  And the Word (Jesus Christ) was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth---John 1:14.)

1 John 5:7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”

This scripture means that the three in one are three manifestations of the same Spiritual body (entity).

What happens when people, especially Christians, start teaching against Christmas, Easter or even Christmas trees?

They indirectly acknowledge that a false pagan god exist, a false pagan day for a false god exist and then take a day from the Lord and give it to a false pagan god without even realizing it.  First of all, pagan and false gods are the fallen angels & nephilim spirits (aliens if you will).

No day ever belonged to them.  God created the day/night and each day is HIS.  When we do things out of honor and from our heart to God it is pleasing to the Lord.  That can also include celebrating Christmas, Easter and even deciding to have a Christmas tree.

When people, especially Christians, open their spirit and heart in agreement with the teachings against Christmas, Christmas trees and Easter then of course they will believe they are completely right and have received their knowledge and justification from the Holy Spirit.  They become enslaved in a form of vain knowledge, bondage and fear.

The fear of celebrating Christmas, having a Christmas tree or celebrating Easter because they believe God will condemn and punish them for committing a sin or idolatry.  This is a lie from hell.  It is supposed to deceive you and be seductive.  It is supposed to cause division and fear and so that is what it does.

These things, especially from a spiritual standpoint, do not come from the one true living God (Holy Spirit).  God does not place people in bondage or fear.  HIS word even tells us that HE didn’t give us a spirit of fear but one of power, love and a sound mind-peace (2 Timothy 1:7).  

God doesn’t force HIS will on anybody.  HE doesn’t force people to celebrate the remembrance of HIS Son’s birth, but the actual true story of it is within the four gospels as well as prophecy about the event within the Old Testament.  God has given mankind free choice and will.  HE will let you decide for yourselves, but when you start deciding for others leading them in your own ways bringing condemnation then you are in error.

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Romans 14:22 “Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.”

Calendars have indeed been changed somewhat and the Hebrew/Jewish calendar is different than the Gregorian calendar we use. However, most biblical scholars believe Jesus was most likely born during the month of Tishrei on the Jewish New Year Rosh Hashanah---feast of trumpets.

The time of Rosh Hashanah falls during Sept/Oct on our calendar. According to Christianity as well as Jewish teaching life begins at conception. Count 9-10 months ahead from December (time of conception) and the birth of Jesus would fall around the time of Rosh Hashanah. The birth of Jesus could have also very well fell on Dec. 25th as possibly revealed from Diane Stone’s writing and short study who is the sister of author, teacher and evangelist Perry Stone.

I wanted to note as well that when the wise men (magi) came to see Jesus to bring him gifts he was no longer in a manger but in a house (Matthew 2:10-11). There is an astronomical study that possibly reveals that Jesus was born once again during Rosh Hashanah and a few months later the wise men show up to Bethlehem which would have fell around Dec. 25^th possibly marking the first gifts given at Christmas.

What does the word Christmas mean from a Messianic viewpoint? Keep in mind that Jesus was Jewish. The word Christmas means Christ the Messiah and “mas” is stemmed from the Hebrew word mashiach which means Messiah or the anointed one….which is Jesus Christ. Christmas means Christ the Messiah (Ask God for wisdom folks).

One of the first feast and celebration days established by man and right in God’s eyes that even involved giving gifts to one another once again was written in the book of Esther chpt. 9. This took place before the Romans ever did something similar for paganism. This day of feasting for the Jews from Esther chapter 9 still exist and the Jewish feast and day is called the day or feast of Purim. Esther 9:22 even reveals they gave gifts to each other and to the poor to celebrate their cause and victory……sounds a lot like a form of Christmas to me folks.

There is no conflict with the traditional date of Jesus' birth, because Dec. 25^th was an arbitrary choice. Early Christians changed the date numerous times to avoid discovery by the Romans when persecution of Christianity was at its height. When Christianity finally became the official religion of the Roman Empire (thanks to Apostle Paul and others), the festival of Christmas on Dec. 25^th observing the birth of Jesus replaced the pagan festival of Saturnalia at that time, which had celebrated the "rebirth of the sun" as the days got longer following the winter solstice.

Concerning Christmas trees: Symbolism is also used so much in the bible from objects or earthly natural things. Here is one good example in the book of John chapter 12 when Jesus came into the city of Jerusalem during Passover riding on a donkey (natural symbolism) the people took branches of palm trees (natural symbolism) and went forth to meet him crying HOSANNA. People could probably find an online or book study somewhere relating donkey’s or even palm trees to paganism if they wanted to. People teaching from their own carnal bellies are the problem not Christmas.

I've seen and read a lot of debates and teachings for and against Christmas and Christmas trees but to any Christian believer I would say this: IF you have doubts or misgivings, do away with any observance of the Christmas season all together. However, do not become a Scrooge and look down on those who do celebrate it because it can fall under doubtful disputations (Rom. 14:-1-5 and Rom. 14:22).

Another common objection is the claim that Christmas trees are prohibited in Scripture. Jeremiah 10 is commonly used to support this viewpoint. But a closer look at the passage will show that it has nothing to do with Christmas trees and everything to do with idol worship. Verse eight says, "A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine." To commit idolatry means to actually worship a false god or image in the very essence and sense of the word “worship.” It has to come from your spirit and heart. God only judges the heart and not the outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7 and John 7:24).

The temple of God in the Old Testament was built with cedar and fir trees-evergreens (2 Chronicles chpt. 2). Fir and cedar trees are primarily used as Christmas trees. The temple of God was decorated in gold, silver, purple, blue and crimson (red). The greater part of the house of the Lord was cieled (paneled) with fir trees.

In Hosea 14:8 Ephraim after repenting and doing away with idols is then called and compared to a green fir tree because an evergreen or fir tree flourishes, stays strong and green year round. It is not wrong to decorate anything in your home if the intent and motives of the heart are not evil or sinful.

People may say, what about the decorations like gold, silver and lights? Think about this. Heaven is decked with gold, silver, precious stones and pearls. God is the father of lights. Satan or pagans didn’t create these things but used these things for their own evil purposes.

Legend has it that Martin Luther began the tradition of decorating trees with lights (candles) to celebrate Christmas. One crisp Christmas Eve, around the 1500’s, he was walking through snow-covered woods and was struck by the beauty of a group of small evergreens. Their branches, dusted with snow, shimmered in the moonlight. When he got home, he set up a little fir tree indoors so he could share this story with his children. He decorated it with candles, which he lighted in honor of Christ's birth.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Paul says, "abstain from every form of evil" (NASB). Because of the translation of the KJV, "every appearance of evil," some have taken this to apply to anything that even looks like it might be evil. As the NASB translation make clear, however, Paul's meaning is "to abstain from every genuine form of evil," not what might simply appear to be evil. We are to abstain from what is genuinely evil or wrong according to the index of the Word of God. To abstain from the mere appearance of evil would seem to contradict what the Apostle says in the second passage important to this discussion.

In Titus 1:15 the Apostle also warns against those who see evil in almost anything and condemn it. For these people, a lot of things have the appearance of evil, but purity is first of all a matter of the mind and conscience, not merely the external. "To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled." (NASB).

Cats were worshiped as idols by the Egyptians and even seen as gods to some but many people have cats in their home.  Does this mean that you are pagan if you have a cat because some weirdoes in the past (or even now) worshiped them?  The answer to that is NO.  God created cats before pagans ever worshiped them.  Things just get so silly, taken out of context or misinterpreted and misrepresented.

God orchestrated the plan for Joseph (son of Jacob) to be brought in Egypt and enslaved. Joseph became 2nd in power to one of the most pagan idolatrous empires on the Earth. He dressed and looked like them so much that even his own brothers didn’t recognize him when they saw him and heard him speak. Joseph appeared to look like an idolater but you see God didn’t see it that way……God didn’t see it as sin or evil…..God used Joseph to even influence Pharaoh and all of Egypt to recognize and trust the God that Joseph served.  There is a great difference between wisdom and knowledge….especially vain knowledge.

Here is also just a quick little notation on Easter:  The oldest translations of the bible are in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. What does "Easter" mean in the original Greek? The answer = Πάσχα or Pascha. In Latin the word Pascha means Passover and in Hebrew Pascha is the word Pesach which means Passover. The word "Easter" is used in Acts 12:4 and the original Greek text for the word in this passage is Pascha. Easter means Passover and is not related to the name Eostre unless you are distorting and applying it intentionally for false idol worship because you serve a false pagan god.

Easter (Pascha-Passover) contains a timeframe in which Passover, the feast of Unleavened Bread and feast of First Fruits take place.  Then of course 50 days later Pentecost takes place.  These are all happening during our calendar months of late March/April and also May.  

The shedding of the blood of Jesus on the cross and the deliverance of the Hebrews in the time of Moses when they applied the blood on their doors-doorposts are spiritually and symbolically related.  The Hebrews then and all people now who received salvation in Jesus have a “Passover” from the wrath of God.  We are protected and set free from sin, judgment and eternal damnation in hell through JESUS CHRIST.

Jesus was a Jew and a Rabbi (lol, YES he had a beard-Isaiah 50:6-and it was Jewish Rabbi custom).  He took part in all the feasts that were and still are a part of Jewish tradition.  During Jewish feasts and holidays they even had games for children, lighting of candles, symbols and symbolism were also used.  Feasts and certain foods were eaten.  Is it any surprise to anyone that Christians have traditions as well relating to holidays especially Christmas and Easter?

The bunny, eggs and colored eggs for that matter could be associated with paganism or you can observe the day and allow those things to be a fun festivity for children (especially small children) since they don’t quite understand the spiritual significance of Christmas or Easter.  Me and my family don’t give praise to or glorify rabbits or chickens.  God created rabbits, eggs, chickens that lay the eggs and colors, so all things you do then do it unto the Lord.  If you do it unto a false god, then woe unto you. 

Who is your God?  Mine is Yahuwah---Jesus Christ (Yeshua-Jehovah is now my salvation).  

We don’t give glory to “santa claus” or teach are children that he is real.  One of the things that children love to do is pretend and use their imagination and creativity.  It is too bad that many adults lose this the older they get.

In the Old Testament there was even false idol worship and burnt sacrifices on an altar going on around the earth at the same time while true worship of GOD and burnt sacrifices were also commencing. 

QUESTION: Did God make His children stop sacrificing burnt offerings on an altar just because pagan idolaters were doing the same thing on a different altar somewhere else?  The answer to that is NO.  Just because pagans did things for their own evil purpose to a false god doesn’t make things we do for the one true living God out of our spirit and heart to honor and worship Him wrong, perverted, defiled, sinful or an abomination.

There is no true biblical connection between the worship of idols and the use of Christmas trees. We should not be anxious about baseless arguments against Christmas decorations. Rather, we should be focused on the Christ of Christmas and giving all diligence to remembering the real reason for the season.

Just because the world distorts something, that does not make it evil if we avoid the distortions and use it as God intended or in a way that does not go contrary to God's character and holiness. A good illustration is the beauty of sexual love within the bonds of marriage.

This blog contains some writings that are copyrighted from my old self-published book called Drawing a Line in the Sand.  The new more professionally written version is contained within my new manuscript called "Drawing a Line in the Sand Revisited".

By Daniel Staneart