One Person Esteems One Day Above Another; Another Esteems Every Day Alike

Roman 14:5-11

"“One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.””

(Romans ‬‭14‬:‭5‬-‭11‬)

Christmas can be an opportunity of joy and happiness, to celebrate the birth of Christ and what He has done for the sinful man; it can bring families together in reconciliation, and open doors for all kinds of good, but at the same time, without any doubt, it can and is used for evil; to inflate prices for commercial gains, to justify over indulgence, wild parties and drunkenness, and all kinds of evil.

Therefore, we should ask ourselves, should Christians celebrate Christmas?

Many religious people say that Christmas originated as a pagan festival.

It is true that their was a lot of paganism in holidays celebrated around the time of Christmas. For example, Romans celebrated the god of Saturn from the 17th to the 24th of December. They celebrated what they believed to be an unconquerable sun god as a holiday, which associated sinful acts to the holiday. But does that make the Christmas celebrations evil today?

The claim that the god of Saturn was unconquerable is a lie from the pits of hell. Every Spirit filled believer has authority of the the demonic in Jesus name (LUKE 10:17. Furthermore, this ritual ended on the 24th of December, not the 25th.

Certainly, many use Christmas as an excuse to indulge in the evil things of the world, and the Word commands that we believers must separate from such things (ROMANS 12:1-2), but we all have choice to live right with God or not; to use Christmas to glorify our Father in heaven or not.

While many indulge in sin more throughout the Christmas celebrations, many believers use the Christmas celebration as an opportunity to exalt God, to reach out to the lost and help the needy; no one can deny that because of the Christmas celebrations, pretty much every person in every nation around the world has heard the name of Jesus Christ.

To me, that is the perfect example of God using what the devil meant for evil and turning it for good to save many people (GENESIS 50:20).

Is it not true that some things were birthed to bring good, but turn to evil over time? Does that mean because they started with good intent, we can continue in them when they have become evil?

 Of course not. But the same applies to what was birthed for evil that is now used for good; of course we can use it for good, particularly to testify what God has done and bring glorify our Father in heaven.

Many believers say if we can celebrate Christmas, why we shouldn’t celebrate Halloween?

We shouldn’t celebrate Halloween because it was birthed for evil and continues to promote evil, such as witchcraft and the demonic; it is devil worship yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

The Christmas celebration was redeemed by Christians in the forth century for the purpose of telling the world about our God. It is named the for the massing of God’s people (Christ Mass) to come together and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ,  give thanks, praise and glory to our King who came to redeem us.

Many say, “but Jesus birthday was not December 25th”. That may be true, but in those days, most people didn’t celebrate birthdays at all; they was more likely to celebrate one’s death when they witnessed the life from start to finish. That was the culture of that time.

Jehovah witnesses don’t celebrate Christmas because they believe it was birthed as a pagan ritual and birthdays because they say, that in the few places the Bible mentions a birthday celebration, something evil happened; but that doesn’t mean something evil will happen at every birthday celebration. Furthermore, even if Christmas started as a Pagan ritual, that is not it's purpose in the Christian community today. But these ideas are assumptions that are not backed by Scripture.

Gods Word does not forbid either birthday or Christmas celebrations, if it did, it would be written.

To celebrate anything is our individual choice. If you believe it’s sinful, don’t indulge.

We do not know the actual date of Jesus’ birthday; many say it was March or early spring because the shepherds were out watching their sheep. But whatever the date, Christ birth is certainly worth celebrating. If one can justify celebrating his own birthday, he can certainly justify celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

December 25th may not be Jesus birthday, but it is the day that Christians have chosen to celebrate His birth.

If we cannot celebrate Christmas because it was believed to be a Pagan holiday, we cannot assemble on Sundays either, because “Sunday” is the name of a pagan god.

We can either live in the religious nonsense of the past, or we can recognise that Sunday is a day of the week, the day Christians have chosen to assemble, and by the way, the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath (MARK 2:27).

In the same way, we can recognise that December 25th, whilst it is not Jesus actual birth date, is the day Christians have chosen to celebrate His birth.

Some say, "It is better to celebrate a person's death when we can see the fruits of his life start to finish."

No one can celebrate his birth when he's dead, but Jesus can because He's still alive and we can celebrate with Him.

Their is no commandment that says we must celebrate birthdays and Christmas, but neither is their Scripture that suggests we shouldn't. If Christmas and birthday celebrations were sin, God would have told us like He did all His Laws and commandments.

The truth is, their were many pagan celebrations around the time of December, but that is true of every month. I personally don't see Christmas as a pagan holiday today regardless of previous pagan festivals; to me, it is a time to celebrate the birth and the life of Jesus Christ; that is why it is named Christmas (Christ Mas); a very worthy celebration of what Christ has done and is doing today; He alone deserves the glory.

What about Santa Claus?

The idea of Santa has existed a very long time. The idea that he entered a house via the chimney came from a story that St Nicholos, a very kind bishop, helped a man who couldn’t raise the dowry for his daughter’s marriage. It is believed St Nicholos secretly poured the money down the chimney and it landed in the daughters stockings which were hanging to dry by the fire. St Nicolos wanted to keep his good deed secret, but the man caught him in the act when he returned to do it again for his other daughters.

Even though Nicholos begged the man to not tell, it soon went round and whenever someone received a secret gift, they thought it probably came from Nicholos. That explains Santa, the chimney, and the Christmas stockings.

Furthermore, an old lost legend, the goddess Hestia, of the first Olympian generation, the eldest daughter of the Titans, Rhea and Cronus, and sister to Demeta, Hades, Hera, and others.

Her name meant hearth or fireside; it was believed that she brought good fortune into the home.

An American cartoonist, Thomas Nest, developed the idea of Santa’s image for Coca Cola in in the 19th century. The idea of him entering a house via the chimney came from a combination of the history of St Nicholos, and the goddess Hestia. The idea of rain deer’s were simply added later, but the fictional story designed to advertise Coca Cola, came from the kindness of St Nicholos and the history of this goddess that was believed to bring good luck upon the house hold.

Santa is a fictional character based on the kindness of St Nicholos, and a mythical character. Therefore, I believe Santa is a harmless fictional character designed to please the children and make the Christmas celebrations a little more fun.

Maybe, it would be good to explain the whole story to your children and grandchildren and give them truth and understanding.

Certainly we sin when we portray Santa as a real person that lived back in history and lives today delivering Christmas presents to our children; they should be told Santa is just a fictional character in a fictional story that we believers use today to remember Christ and what he has done, and bring fun as we celebrate Jesus birthday.

But what about Christmas trees?

Certainly, trees have been associated to pagan worship, particularly evergreen branches. But their is much controversy and confusion about who started it, and which pagan culture embraced and used it.

The use of Christmas trees in ministry actually begun by protestant Christians in Germany in the 16th century to celebrate Christ.

Some say the cutting down of trees is prohibited because Jeremiah 10:1-6 and Isaiah 40 forbids the cutting down of trees for the purpose of idolatry. But this Scripture is Old Testament, and is solely forbidding idolatry, which is in things that people believe will protect or help them someway like it is a god in who they can put their trust.

Many people have plants , like money trees in their homes to decorate, but it's not seen as sin.

Today, Christmas trees are not put up as an idol, believers trust  in Christ alone; therefore, the trees and lights are their to decorate and nothing more.

We all have ornaments in our homes because they look nice, and most wear jewellery for the same reason. That doesn’t make them idols.

In contrast, some people wear a Saint Christopher necklace to keep them safe when travelling; that is an idol and offensive to God because they put their trust in the necklace like it is some kind of god.

If you cut down a tree, put it in your home and worshiped it, putting your trust in it, it would be seen as an idol and prohibited by God's Word. But I don't see bringing a tree or a plant into one's home for the purpose of decoration as sin, that doesn't make any sense at all.

Idolatry is worshiping an item with belief that it has power; like it is a god, but Christmas trees have a sole purpose of decorating the room over the Christmas period, therefore, it is my opinion that there is absolutely no reason to not have a Christmas tree.

Obviously, if one believed the tree, or fireplace or hearth was something in which to put one's trust, or that somehow it would bring good luck, that would be idiolatry and it would be wise to remember that our God is a jealous God (EXODUS 34:14).

Some people will see the Christmas celebrations as wrong, saying, "nothing good comes from evil roots", others will embrace it. Either way it’s not sin to celebrate or not celebrate according to one's own conscience.

But the truth is, everything of this world is of evil roots, but all things are cleansed by the blood of Jesus through faith In Him (ROMANS 14:14).

Therefore my beloved, respect one another’s right to choose, and do as the Spirit leads you.

 Afterall, “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.” (‭‭Romans‬ ‭14‬:‭5‬-‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

My beloved, whatever we do, we are to do it for the Glory of God. “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” (I Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭31‬-‭33‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

My beloved, Jesus blood cleansed it all, Christmas, Easter, and the food we eat, including pork, if you believe by faith. Furthermore, His blood  covered every religious act and command, except communion, for this unlike in times past,  is the time of the new covenant paid for by the blood of Jesus. He said, This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do often in remembrance of Me (1 CORINTHIANS 11:25).

My beloved, because of what Jesus has done,  "I know And am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil (ROMANS 14:14-16).

In other words, respect others belief's, don't offend them with yours, but at the same time,  don't allow them to speak of what is good in your life as evil. Quietly, without confrontation, rebuke the negative words and the curses that they bring and at times, we must respectably agree to disagree.

Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin (Romans 14:22-23).

Will I celebrate Christmas? Yes, Absolutely,  because JESUS IS ALIVE, and I believe by faith, that God took what the devil meant for evil and turned it for good, and as a result, the Good News has been heard nation wide saved many people (Genesis 50:20).

Unlike worldly birthdays, when Christ is walks into His birthday celebration, He has nothing to un-wrap, He said "it's finished (JOHN 19:30)" and He won't lose even one of those His people that the  Father gave Him (JOHN 6:39).

Furthermore, the only real gift is from Christ who gives us life. And because he loved us first,  love is stirred up as we give each other gifts, therefore make Christ the centre of your Christmas, and sing praises to Him, for he alone is worthy.

If God can use the Christmas celebration to save people in every nation all around the world,  I can use Christmas to stir me up and take away the complacency once a year, that I celebrate His birth, life, death, and resurrection, and everything has done and is doing for man kind for His glory.

We all know that we should celebrate Christ every day, yet we all become stagnant over time, and like an egg timer, we believers need to be regularly shaken up to make the glitter shine in such a time as this.

All glory to God forever and ever! Amen