Topic Two: DANGERS OF ROMAN CATHOLICISM
Message2 : Observance of Days, Months, Years, etc (Eg., Christmas, Easter, Lent, Valentine, Halloween,ETC)
By: Samuel Kwasi Forkuo (Admin, Warning: Church, Get Prepared - WCGP)
Paul, the Apostle of Christ, wrote this to the Christians in Galatia, ''You observe days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain." Galatians 4:10-11
The Roman Catholic church has invented an entire yearly calendar of non Biblical holy Days like Christmas, Easter, Valentine, Lent, St. Patrick, etc. No one prior to 335 AD celebrated the birthday of Jesus. The word "Christmas" (Christ + Mass) was first used in 1038 AD. Before 335 AD, the pagan cult of Mithra, the Iranian "god of light", had long celebrated December 25 as Mithra's birthday. December 21, being the winter solace, marked the beginning of days with increasing amount of light, hence December 25 celebrated Mithra's triumph over darkness. Because the pagan festival that celebrated Mithra's birthday was so popular, the Roman Catholic church adopted the day, but changed the meaning from the birthday of Mithra, the "god of light", to Christ's birthday, God the son, "light of the world". The old meaning of December 25 was connected with Mithra's triumph over physical darkness. The new meaning celebrated Jesus triumph over spiritual darkness. Eventually Christmas became dominant, the Mithra cult went extinct and today this origin is not widely known among Roman Catholics. None of the apostles or the early church celebrated the birthday of Jesus.
This is what preacher Charles H. Spurgeon had to say, ''We have no superstitious regard for times and seasons. Certainly we do not believe in the present ecclesiastical arrangement called Christmas. First, because we do not believe in any mass at all, but abhor it whether it be sung in Latin or in English. Secondly, because we find no Scriptural warrant whatever for observing any day as the birthday of the Saviour; and consequently, it's observance is a superstition, because not of divine authority. Superstition has fixed most positively the day of our Saviour's birth, although there is no possibility of discovering when it occurred. It was not till the middle of the third century that any part of the Church celebrated the birth of our Lord; and it was not till long after the western Church had set the example, that the eastern adopted it. Because the day is not known, probably the fact is that the "holy" days were arranged to fit in with the heathen festivals. We venture to assert that if there be any day in the year of which we may be pretty sure that it was not the day on which our Saviour was born, it is the 25th of December. Regarding not the day, let us give God thanks for the gift of His dear Son. How absurd to think we could do it in the spirit of the world, with a Jack Frost clown, a deceptive worldly Santa Claus, and a mixed program of sacred truth with fun, deception and fiction. If it be possible to honor Christ in the giving of gifts, I cannot see how while the gift, giver, and recipient are all in the spirit of the world. The Catholics and high Church Episcopalians may have their Christmas one day in 365, but we have a Christ gift the entire year." (Dec. 24, 1871) "Upright men strove to stem the tide, but in spite of all their efforts, the apostasy went on, till the Church, with the exception of a small remnant, was submerged under pagan superstition. that Christmas is a pagan festival, is beyond all doubt. The time of the year, and the ceremonies with which it is celebrated, prove its origin." "Those who follow the custom of observing Christmas, follow not the Bible but pagan ceremonies."
NO-WHERE in the Bible can you find that Christ commanded His Disciples to remember Him through His Birthday. And NOWHERE in the Bible can you find that the followers of Christ (the Apostles of the early Church) celebrated the Birth of Christ.
The argument that Celebrators of Days/Months/Years (especially Christmas Celebrators/Lovers) put forward o support their stance is; ''What is wrong to choose one day to remember Lord Jesus Christ?' Well, they have a seemingly valid question and a valid point, as it were. But the point is, DO YOU CHOOSE HOW TO WORSHIP GOD OR GOD HAS A LAID DOWN PROCEDURE? DO U CHOOSE HOW TO REMEMBER CHRIST OR YOU FOLLOW WHAT CHRIST HIMSELF HAS ALREADY LAID DOWN?
Christ Himself gave the Disciples, who became Apostles, and any would-be follower, WHAT MUST BE USED IN REMEMBRANCE OF HIM. That is, He clearly stated and actually partook in WHAT WAS TO BE USED TO REMEMBER HIM....AND TO THE SHOCK OF LOVERS OF PLEASURE, IT WAS NOT CHRISTMAS, EASTER, LENT, VALENTINE, ST. PATRICK'S, OR HALLOWEEN. IT WAS NOT ANY OF THESE....IT WAS THE LAST/LORD'S SUPPER.
''And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying,“This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you'' Luke 22:19-20
Indeed, Christ Himself instituted this as the MEANS THROUGH WHICH WE COULD AND WOULD REMEMBER HIM. And because Christ passed it on unto His followers, He commanded them to also teach others to obey everything that He (Christ) has taught them (Matthew 28:20). Now, listen to what Paul, who was a sinner but later became converted and an Apostle of Christ, had to say;
''For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.''' 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Clearly, Christ Himself Instituted THE LORD'S SUPPER, which, when observed, is a proclamation of the Lord's Death till He Comes. NOWHERE IN THE BIBLE DID CHRIST OR THE APOSTLES OBSERVE CHRISTMAS OR EASTER TO REMEMBER CHRIST'S BIRTH OR DEATH. Yet you will see so many 'Men of God' quoting scriptures anyhow to support their already flawed stance. As for Lent, Halloween and others such as Valentine's & St. Patrick's Days, the least said about the, the better.
In conclusion, the question I would like to put across for you to ponder on it is this: Which group has Biblical backing when it comes to Christmas and Easter? Is it the people who believe that we SHOULD NOT CELEBRATE or the people who say WE SHOULD? If you are honest, you will know that it is definitely those who say we SHOULDN'T because they can prove from the Bible that 1. Christ didn't celebrate His Birthday 2. Christ Didnt tell His Disciples to remember His birthday 3. NOWHERE did the Disciples/Apostles/Early Church celebrate Christmas or Easter. Christ knew that it is the Lord's Supper that can be adequate/enough to be used remember Him because it talks about the PENALTY HE PAID FOR US ON THE CROSS - THAT SACRIFICE WHICH SUPERSEDES ALL SACRIFICES. And since we don't take the Lord's Supper anyhow (for anyone who wants to take part in it must examine himself first), it helps us to be mind of the way we live. Thus, since we cannot take part in the Lord's Supper if we are practicing sin, we are mindful of our lifestyles; unlike Christmas which is enjoyed by both Christians and Non-Christians, with all vices being done most on that day. DON'T TAKE PART IN CHRISTMAS OR EASTER JUST BECAUSE MANY CHRISTIANS CELEBRATE IT. THEY COULD BE WRONG. AND BIBLE AND/OR HISTORY HAS TAUGHT US THAT IN MOST CASES, MAJORITY ARE WRONG. It took me sometime before coming to terms with this Truth. Though I knew Christmas and Easter were not in the Bible, I loved the celebration so much so that I found it difficult to part ways with them. Thanks be to God that He granted be the grace to wean myself from these and many traditions of men which only have Christ' name attached to them - but in reality, they are not of Christ. It is my prayer He helps you to come to same truth, too.
If you think NOT CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS or EASTER is anti-God, then you better call Peter, Paul and all the Apostles and Early Church as Anti-God because non of them celebrated Christmas or Easter. May God help us to celebrate Christ and show our love to God and humanity with our lives everyday-- not only on 25th December whilst living the rest of the days in the year cheating people and indulging in all kinds of sin as if we don't know Christ.
NB: U can read further on Christmas & the Lord's Supper from http://warningchurchgetprepared.blogspot.com/2014/03/what-christ-commanded-disciples-to-use.html
ALL GLORY TO GOD.
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