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Adstar · 56-60, M
Well it is good to have a good meal with the family and it is good to give gifts to others.. I have little trouble enjoying the day.. I do not place any religous significance to the day because i know Jesus was not born on Christmas day.. As long as i hold that position then i have no problems enjoying the day...
The Biblical scriptures do not pinpoint the day Jesus was born but it does reveal the time of year.. Jesus was born in or around the 7th month of the year..
The Biblical scriptures do not pinpoint the day Jesus was born but it does reveal the time of year.. Jesus was born in or around the 7th month of the year..
@Adstar I think of Christmas originating from the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, with the Shepherds and Wise men. However, the exact date of Jesus’ birth is unknown, as you've mentioned. Christmas was already being celebrated by the Roman Empire and it was a time where they celebrated the winter solstice and the birth of the sun god.
It's interesting, how the early church actually did not celebrate the birth of Christ in December until Telesphorus, who was the second Bishop of Rome from 125 to 136AD, declared that Church services should be held during this time to celebrate “The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour.” However, since no-one was quite sure in which month Christ was born, Nativity was often held in September, which was during the Jewish Feast of Trumpets (modern-day Rosh Hashanah). In fact, for more than 300 years, people observed the birth of Jesus on various dates.
It's interesting, how the early church actually did not celebrate the birth of Christ in December until Telesphorus, who was the second Bishop of Rome from 125 to 136AD, declared that Church services should be held during this time to celebrate “The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour.” However, since no-one was quite sure in which month Christ was born, Nativity was often held in September, which was during the Jewish Feast of Trumpets (modern-day Rosh Hashanah). In fact, for more than 300 years, people observed the birth of Jesus on various dates.
Adstar · 56-60, M
@LadyGrace I believe christmas was created by the catholic religon to take over the day which was a pagan winter solstice celebration.. They kept the pagan celebrations and incorperated them into the catholic religion.. The same thing happened with easter which was a pagan celebration of spring renewel.. Easter named after the pagan god Ēostre happened close to the time of Passover and in some years the two days actually happen on the same date.. so the catholic religion absorbed the day and it's pagan celebrations because it was a very popular celebration.. It was the catholic religions way of allowing a pagan celebration to continue by covering it with acceptable religous significance..
@Adstar In the year 274 AD, solstice fell on 25th December. Roman Emperor Aurelian proclaimed the date as “Natalis Solis Invicti,” the festival of the birth of the invincible sun. In 320 AD, Pope Julius I specified the 25th of December as the official date of the birth of Jesus Christ.
AD is short for Anno Domini, or “Year of our Lord,” as proclaimed by the Roman Catholic Church. Some non-Christians prefer the alternative designation “CE” for “Common Era.”
Christmas official, but not generally observed
In 325 AD, Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, introduced Christmas as an immovable feast on 25 December. He also introduced Sunday as a holy day in a new 7-day week, and introduced movable feasts (Easter). In 354 AD, Bishop Liberius of Rome officially ordered his members to celebrate the birth of Jesus on 25 December.
However, even though Constantine officiated 25 December as the birthday of Christ, Christians, recognizing the date as a pagan festival, did not share in the emperor’s good intentions.
AD is short for Anno Domini, or “Year of our Lord,” as proclaimed by the Roman Catholic Church. Some non-Christians prefer the alternative designation “CE” for “Common Era.”
Christmas official, but not generally observed
In 325 AD, Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, introduced Christmas as an immovable feast on 25 December. He also introduced Sunday as a holy day in a new 7-day week, and introduced movable feasts (Easter). In 354 AD, Bishop Liberius of Rome officially ordered his members to celebrate the birth of Jesus on 25 December.
However, even though Constantine officiated 25 December as the birthday of Christ, Christians, recognizing the date as a pagan festival, did not share in the emperor’s good intentions.
Adstar · 56-60, M
@LadyGrace Christians don't mix paganism with the Gospel.. Jesus warned His followers of the leaven of the pharisees, mixing the traditions of men in with the Word of God.. same thing happened in the catholic religion they mixed paganism in with the Word of God.. It may have been well intentioned but it lead to great deception and the undermining of the Gospel message that saves..
@Adstar Romans 14:5-8, provides the most definitive answer to the question about celebrating Christmas.
It's important to look at this in context. Paul saw that a serious problem of judging, was going on within the church, from the two classes of believers. It is important to note, that this problem of judging, was not coming from only one class of the believers. The Jews judged their Gentile brethren, for not keeping the feasts and other holidays, that were related to the sanctuary. The Gentiles on the other hand, judged their Jewish brethren for taking foods that were sacrificed to pagan idols.
In the case of the Church at Rome, some of the Jewish converts still held in high esteem, the various ceremonial holy days, such as the annual feasts, and monthly new moon festivals, even though the death of Christ had brought these sanctuary ordinances to an end (Matthew 27:50-51, Ephesians 2:15, Colossians 2:14-16). The problem Paul had with the Jewish believers, was not even related to the fact that they were regarding ordinances that had no place in the Church at that time, but the fact that they actually went forward to judge their Gentile brethren as "second class Christians" because they refused to honor such ordinances.
Paul's counsel to the Jewish converts was simple. They could continue to keep or regard the celebration of the ceremonial holy days, if they wanted to. It was to the Lord they were keeping those ceremonial days. But as far as the apostle was concerned, the Gentile converts had the liberty not to regard the ceremonial holy days, because Christ had died.
This text in Romans 14:5 has nothing to do with the supposed Christian liberty to utilise any day of the week, as the usual weekly worship day. The issue was basically about the celebration of the ceremonial holy days, in relation to the Israelite sanctuary service. Acts 13:42-44; Acts 16:13-15; Acts 17:1-2; Acts 18:4).
Romans 2:16 "LET NO MAN THEREFORE JUDGE YOU in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the sabbath days."
It's important to look at this in context. Paul saw that a serious problem of judging, was going on within the church, from the two classes of believers. It is important to note, that this problem of judging, was not coming from only one class of the believers. The Jews judged their Gentile brethren, for not keeping the feasts and other holidays, that were related to the sanctuary. The Gentiles on the other hand, judged their Jewish brethren for taking foods that were sacrificed to pagan idols.
In the case of the Church at Rome, some of the Jewish converts still held in high esteem, the various ceremonial holy days, such as the annual feasts, and monthly new moon festivals, even though the death of Christ had brought these sanctuary ordinances to an end (Matthew 27:50-51, Ephesians 2:15, Colossians 2:14-16). The problem Paul had with the Jewish believers, was not even related to the fact that they were regarding ordinances that had no place in the Church at that time, but the fact that they actually went forward to judge their Gentile brethren as "second class Christians" because they refused to honor such ordinances.
Paul's counsel to the Jewish converts was simple. They could continue to keep or regard the celebration of the ceremonial holy days, if they wanted to. It was to the Lord they were keeping those ceremonial days. But as far as the apostle was concerned, the Gentile converts had the liberty not to regard the ceremonial holy days, because Christ had died.
This text in Romans 14:5 has nothing to do with the supposed Christian liberty to utilise any day of the week, as the usual weekly worship day. The issue was basically about the celebration of the ceremonial holy days, in relation to the Israelite sanctuary service. Acts 13:42-44; Acts 16:13-15; Acts 17:1-2; Acts 18:4).
Romans 2:16 "LET NO MAN THEREFORE JUDGE YOU in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the sabbath days."
@Adstar What I was trying to say is, I don't celebrate the "day" of Christmas. I celebrate Christmas ON the 25th day, like most Christians do. I can do that, nothing wrong with that, but I celebrate the birth of Christ, and I choose to honor him for coming to this world, but I celebrate him, every day, as well. Paul, in Romans, said it is acceptable to celebrate His birth when we like.