圣诞节
“Christmas”(圣诞节)之词是指“MassofChrist”(基督的众人)或简称“Christ-Mass”(基督之众)。它从罗马天主教教堂传到非基督徒和新教徒。
1.根据百科全书,何谓圣诞节?
a.根据天主教百科全书,1911年版本,罗马天主教教堂出版的说:
“圣诞节不是在教堂最初的节日当中–筵席的最初证据是从埃及来的。”“围绕着一月日历的异教习俗,趋向于圣诞节。”
天主教教士,Origen,在同一本百科全书承认了这真相。
b.Britannica百科全书,1946年版本说:“圣诞节(即基督之众)不是在教堂最初的节日当中。”
因此,它不是基督、使徒或圣经当局设立的。它是之后从异教中传开的。
c.Americana百科全书,1944年版本说“圣诞节”,根据多方面的资料,并不是在基督教教会的最初几个世纪庆祝的,因为基督教主要是纪念著名人物的死而不是他们的生日。在第五个世纪,西部教会命令圣诞节在Sol诞生的旧罗马筵席那天永远庆祝,并且它今天是一个正式基督徒节日。
d.Britannica百科全书说:"早在354的某些拉丁人,也许把那生日从1月6日转移到12月25日,即当时密特拉教的宴餐或未被征服的太阳的生日。”叙利亚人和亚美尼亚人,紧守1月6日,指责了罗曼太阳崇拜和偶象崇拜,角逐那12月25日的筵席,是由Cerinthus的门徒发明。
2.主耶稣是否在12月25日出生呢?
主耶稣出生的时候,“有牧羊的人,夜间按着更次看守羊群。”(路2:8)这种现象不会在十二月冬季时发生。牧羊人总是带领他们的羊群从山边和草原进入室内(不迟于十月十五日)以帮助他们避冷和雨季。冬天是雨季,因此牧羊人晚上的时候无法在开放的领域。
这也是当时犹太人的一种古老传统,在逾越节(春天初期)派他们的绵羊到草原和沙漠的领域,并且在第一次下雨时把羊接回家。最初的雨是在Marchesvan之月开始的(在10月和11月过后)。因此,这些绵羊是在整个夏天时安置在开放的领域。并且,因为这些牧羊人未把他们的羊群接回家,我们可以推断十月尚未开始,而且主耶稣并非在12月25日出生,那时没有羊群在草原,祂也不迟于9月出生,因为当时羊群晚上的时候仍然在草原。主耶稣真实的出生日期是未知的。
3.这异教的习俗如何进入教会呢?
a.罗马帝国曾是异教盛行的地方。在第四世纪之前,基督教徒占少数,虽然有增加,他们被政府和异教徒迫害。当康斯坦丁成为皇帝,他在第四个世纪公开宣称基督教,使基督教与异教同等,然后罗马帝国千百人民开始接受这现在普遍的基督教。
b.康斯坦丁皇帝承认星期天是异教崇拜太阳和异教Manichaeism,把神的儿子和太阳联想在一起的日子。第四世纪的异教徒把12月25日(太阳神的生日)异教节日的日期,成为神儿子的生日。
4.圣诞节的真正起源
如果世俗的基督徒从罗马天主教得知圣诞节,也从异教中取之,那异教徒从哪儿得知圣诞节呢?它于古老宁录原本的巴比伦开始并发起。(巴比伦是鬼魔的住处和各样污秽之灵的巢穴,等等。)
启18:2-3 2他大声喊着说:巴比伦大城倾倒了,倾倒了,成了鬼魔的住处,和各样污秽之灵的巢穴,〔或作牢狱下同〕并各样污秽可憎之雀鸟的巢穴。3因为列国都被他邪淫大怒的酒倾倒了。地上的君王与他行淫,地上的客商,因他奢华太过就发了财。
宁录,含(挪亚的儿子)的孙子,开始了至今时仍控制这个世界的巨大组织的世间变节。他建造了巴别塔、原始的巴比伦、古老的尼尼微和许多其他城市。宁录很邪恶,甚至与自己的母亲Semiramis结婚。
宁录早逝后,她(Semiramis)广传宁录生存为灵体的邪恶的教导。她声称一棵完全成长的常绿树一夜间从一个死树桩变成的,象征着宁录死后变成一条新生命。在他诞生的每周年纪念,她声称宁录将参观常绿树并,且在它那儿留下礼物。12月25日是宁录的生日。这是圣诞树的真正起源。
通过她策划和设计,Semiramis成为了巴比伦“天堂的王后”,宁录成为了“神圣之神的儿子”。通过这些世代,在这偶像崇拜,宁录也成为了冒充的弥赛亚,Ball的儿子太阳神。“母亲和孩子”之物的崇拜扩展到全世界。
这些名字在各国和语言有所改变。在埃及,它是"Isis和Osiris"。在亚洲,"Cybele和Deoius"。在异教的罗马,它是"Fortuna和Jupiterpuer"。在希腊,中国,日本,西藏,它是"Madonna和孩子"。
因此,在每一个圣诞节的季节期间,就会听到“平安夜”之赞美诗,以“母亲和孩子”为主题。
圣诞节真正起源于古老的巴比伦。在埃及,(“天堂的王后”的埃及名称)是12月25日开始的。异端在基督诞生几个世纪之前,庆祝了宁录这个著名的生日。
圣经上如何说明关于这圣诞树呢?
耶10:2–6 2耶和华如此说:你们不要效法列国的行为,也不要为天象惊惶,因列国为此事惊惶。3众民的风俗是虚空的;他们在树林中用斧子砍伐一棵树,匠人用手工造成偶像。4他们用金银装饰它,用钉子和锤子钉稳,使它不动摇。5它好像棕树,是旋成的,不能说话,不能行走,必须有人抬着。你们不要怕它;它不能降祸,也无力降福。6耶和华啊,没有能力比你的!你本为大,又大能大力的名。
这些树不能说话,不能行走,必须有人抬着。它们不是神,不应当被敬畏或被崇拜。某些人误以为“你们不要怕它;它不能降祸,也无力降福”指的是拥有圣诞树没有害处,但是这里并不是这样说。
十二月二十五日不是主耶稣的生日。使徒们和早期的教会信徒在那时没庆祝主的生日。在圣经中没有记载庆祝主耶稣生日的命令。只有罪人(如法老和希律),才会为出生在这世上的日子而欢喜。所以,守圣诞节是人的传统。
圣诞节成为了一年内具有最多零售广告运动的商业季节。很多人被“美妙的圣诞精神”欺骗和迷惑。因此,这“圣诞精神”每年被营造,并不是要尊重主,而是要受卖货品。
启18:4我的民哪,你们要从那城出来,免得与她一同有罪,受她所受的灾殃。
人会这样认为:“但是,虽然主耶稣真正的出生日期是未知的,我们不也应该选择一个日期来庆祝祂的生日吗?”不!生日的庆祝不是基督教的,而是异教的风俗!
有很多人还会这样分析,“即使圣诞节是异教的风俗,尊重假的太阳神,我们守它乃是为了尊重主。”但是,我们身为真基督徒的要知道守圣诞节是人的传统,是神所禁止的!
申12:30-32 30那时就要谨慎,不可在他们除灭之后,随从他们的恶俗,陷入网罗,也不可访问他们的神,说:这些国民怎样事奉他们的神,我也要照样行。31你不可向耶和华你的神这样行,因为他们向他们的神,行了耶和华所憎嫌所恨恶的一切事,甚至将自己的儿女用火焚烧,献与他们的神。32凡我所吩咐的,你们都要谨守遵行,不可加添,也不可删减。
马15:9他们将人的吩咐,当作道理教导人,所以拜我也是枉然。
结论:
今天,几百万基督教徒以及非基督教徒,忽略了神的命令。他们随从异教徒的风俗,并且依照它们来尊敬及敬拜神。我们要谨慎切记,不要跟随异教徒所行的。
提后2:16但要远避世俗的虚谈,因为这等人必进到更不敬虔的地步。
我们必要依照神的教训,务要用心灵和诚实拜神!
约4:24神是个灵。〔或无个字〕所以拜他的,必须用心灵和诚实拜他。
CHRISTMAS
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.
Q1. What Encyclopedias say about Christmas?
a. Catholic Encyclopedia, 1911 edition published by the Roman Catholic Church says:
"Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church - the first evidence of the feast is from Egypt." "Pagan customs centering around the January calendars gravitated to Christmas."
The Catholic priest, Origen, acknowledged this truth in the same encyclopedia.
b. Encyclopedia Britannica, 1946 edition says, "Christmas (i.e. The Mass of Christ) was not among the earliest festivals of the church". Thus, it was not instituted by Christ or the apostles, or by Bible authority. It was picked up afterward from paganism.
c. Encyclopedia Americana, 1944 edition, says, "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. In the fifth century the Western Church ordered Christmas to be celebrated forever on the day of the old Roman feast of the birth of Sol and it is an official Christian festival today.
d. Encyclopedia Britannica says, "Certain Latins as early as 354, may have transferred the birthday from January 6th to December 25th, which was then a Mithraic feast - or birthday of the unconquered SUN." The Syrians and Armenians, who clung to January 6th, accused the Romans of sun worship and idolatry, contending that the feast of December 25th, had been invented by disciples of Cerinthus.
Q2. Was the Lord Jesus born on 25th December?
When the Lord Jesus was born "there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night" (Luke 2:8).
This never could have occurred in the month of December being winter. The shepherds always brought their flock from the mountain sides and fields into enclosed areas (not later than October 15) to protect them from the cold and rainy season. Winter was a rainy season not permitting shepherds to abide in open fields at night.
It was also 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. The first rain began early in the month of Marchesvan (begins sometime in October and past of November), thus, the sheep were kept out in the open country in the whole of summer. And, as these shepherds had not yet brought home their flocks, it is a presumptive argument that October had yet commenced, and that consequently, our Lord was not born on the 25th 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. The exact date of the Lord Jesus' birth was unknown.
Q3. How did this pagan custom get into the church?
a. The Roman world had been pagan. Prior to the fourth century, Christians were few in number, though increasing, were persecuted by the government and by pagans. When Constantine became emperor, he made his profession of Christianity in the fourth century, placing Christianity on an equal footing with paganism and the people of the Roman world began to accept this now-popular Christianity by the hundreds of thousands.
b. It was Emperor Constantine who acknowledged SUNDAY, the day of pagan sun worship, and pagan Manichaeism which identified the SON of God with the physical SUN. These pagans of the fourth century called their pagan-festival date of December 25th (birthday of the SUN-god), the birthday of the SON of God.
Q4. The real origin of Christmas
If the worldly Christians got Christmas from the Roman Catholics, and they got it from paganism, where did the pagans get it?
It started and originated in the original Babylon of ancient Nimrod. (Babylon, a dwelling place of demons, a haunt of every foul spirit, etc.)
Rev 18:2-3 2And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 3For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
Nimrod, grandson of Ham (son of Noah), started the great organized worldly apostasy that has dominated this world until now. He built the tower of Babel, the original Babylon, ancient Nineveh, and many other cities. Nimrod was so evil that he married his own mother, Semiramis.
After Nimrod's untimely death, she propagated the evil doctrine of the survival of Nimrod as a spirit being. She claimed a full-grown evergreen tree sprung over night 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 upon it. December 25th was the birthday of Nimrod. This is the real origin of the Christmas tree.
Through her scheming and designing, Semiramis became the Babylonian "Queen of Heaven" and Nimrod became the "Divine son of Heaven". Through the generations, in this idolatrous worship, Nimrod also became the false Messiah, son of Ball the Sun-god. The "mother and Child" objects of worship spread over the world.
The names varied in different countries and languages. In Egypt, it was "Isis and Osiris". In Asia, "Cybele and Deoius". In pagan Rome, it was "Fortuna and Jupiterpuer". Even in Greece, China, Japan, Tibet, it was "Madonna and Child".
Thus, every Christmas season you'll hear the hymn "Silent Night, Holy Night," with its familiar "Mother and Child" theme.
The real origin of Christmas goes back to ancient Babylon. In Egypt, (Egyptian name for "Queen of Heaven") was born December 25th. Paganism celebrated this famous birthday of Nimrod for centuries before the birth of Christ.
What does the bible say about the Christmas tree?
Jer 10:2-6 2Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. 6Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
The trees cannot speak nor walk – they must be carried.
They are not gods to be feared or worshipped. Some people misread thus "Be not afraid of them; for they (the trees) cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good" and make it says there is no harm in having a Christmas tree, but that is not what it says.
December 25th is not the birthday of Jesus Christ. The apostles and the early church believers never celebrated Christ's birthday at that time. There is no command and instruction to celebrate Christ's birthday in the bible. Only sinners like Pharaoh and Herod who great rejoicing over the day in which they were born into this world.
Thus, Christmas observance is a tradition of men.
Christmas has become a commercial season with the heaviest retail advertising campaigns of the year. Many are deceived and deluded by the 'beautiful Christmas spirit'. Thus 'Christmas spirit' is created each year, not to honor Christ, but to sell merchandise.
Rev 18:4 Come out of her, my people, that ye be nor partaker of her sins, and that ye receive not her plagues.
Man will reason this way: 'But, even though the exact date of the Lord Jesus' birth is unknown, should we not select some date to celebrate His birthday? Positively no! The celebration of birthdays is not a Christian, but a pagan custom! Many still reason, "Even though Christmas was a pagan custom, honoring the false god of sun, we observe it to honor the Christ." We as true Christians, must understand that Christmas observation is a tradition of men, and God forbids it!
Deu 12:30-32 30Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. 32What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
Matt 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Conclusion
Today, millions of Christians and non-Christians as well, ignore the commandments of God. They take the customs of the pagans and use them to honor and worship God. Let us take heed ourselves, not to follow the ways of the pagans.
2 Tim 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
Let us obey the teachings of God, to worship Him in Spirit and Truth!
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.