“Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.” Exod.23:2.

It comes as an utter shock to many that some who would identify themselves as simple followers of the Lord Jesus Christ would refuse to participate in Christmas Celebrations and Holiday Traditions. Immediately such are de-christianized, associated with some cultic movement or labeled with others who have elevated themselves to a pinnacle of self-righteousness in thinking themselves ‘better’ than the ‘rest of the world.’ “How can you not celebrate Christmas? Don’t you believe in the birth of Christ? What could be possibly wrong with celebrating the birth of the Saviour? If anything is worth celebrating or observing, surely this is? Where would we be if Christ had not been born?” This seems to be the common reaction based upon many years of such personal encounters. But, instead of pride or self-confidence welling up inside one, an immediate sensation of awkwardness and isolationism would best describe one’s feelings when thus confronted; and instead of attempting to defend one’s principles, the {most often} proverbial silence of the questioner prompts only a few general gestures on our behalf, as our mind races about with reasons for this position, though in fact many fundamental truths would assert themselves on our behalf.

It really goes without saying that any truly thoughtful individual, whose mind has not been drained of all common sense or whose ‘blinds’ have not been left deliberately shut, will have to come to the conclusion, if the matter or just the basic facts are researched at all, that what the world calls ‘Christmas’ is altogether of pagan origins, and at best should be left to the Roman Catholic Institution, and their millions of deluded followers, who have transformed this pagan feast into some sort of a religious holiday. Since joining ‘hands’ with Papist Idolaters {instead of boldly crying out against their atrocious practices, teachings and manifold idolatries} to pretendingly honour Christ on this festival day would be an utter compromise of the worst sort, it necessarily follows that, at some point, something has gone miserably array!

There are a few who still hold that the Beast of Revelation 13 and the Great Whore of Revelation 17, “with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk {drawn into idolatrous practices by her enchantments} with the wine of her fornication,” Rev.17:2, is none other than the Roman Catholic Institution; or Mystery, Babylon the Great, {Babel, Gen.11:9, the fountainhead of all falsehood; that is, Confusion, indicative of her perpetual state of spiritual confusedness and drunkenness,} which has been {from its pagan roots and throughout its accursed history, in its masquerade of what the world calls Christianity} the greatest enemy of the true gospel in existence – a black plaque indeed, which the Lord – the righteous Judge – hath poured forth upon the inhabitants of the earth; and thus veiled by popish priestcraft and religious confusion to the paramount glory of Christ in the Gospel to all that are given over to succumb to its spiritual harlotry, and drink of her intoxicating mixtures, she goes about {for the most part not disturbed or interfered with} deceiving and being deceived.

This beastly-whore-church is described as a gaudily dressed harlot with a golden chalice {indicative of the external lustre and splendor of the church of Rome} full of atrocities and abominations, Rev.17:4, because she had espoused many pagan customs to seduce her followers into spiritual adultery. At some point we see “one of her heads as it were wounded to death,” 13:3, {though she lived, as the wound was healed,} by a “sword,” 13:14, perhaps indicative of that near fatal wound received by the word of God, Eph.6:17, during that time period {early 16th century} known as the Protestant Reformation, in which certain individuals began protesting against this Roman Harlot in an effort to reform her, but in all actuality all they accomplished, {for the most part,} was to partially expose her nakedness; but in doing so, they so mixed the pure Gospel of Christ, Gal.5:9, with one deadly toxin of sacramental unrighteousness & works salvation after another, that all distinguishing factors, being poured into one cup, were so merged, that one could easily be mistaken {once stripped of its outward ornaments} for the other.

Though all the Reformers essentially held to this view, {that the Beast was Rome, and that Antichrist was the Pope,} they nevertheless retained many of her sacramental and liturgical corruptions, so when we see this beast rise out of the sea, having upon its seven heads the names of blasphemy, Rev.13:1, we see a second beast, Rev.13:11, which is described as a lamb that speaks like a dragon, that is, having all the lamb-like appearance of preaching the Gospel of truth, but, in essence proclaiming a lie. II Thes.2:11. This second beast, {also identified with the “false prophet” of Rev.16:13, Rev.19:20, Rev.20:10,} which one might without much difficulty surmise as being the Protestant Whore Church of Counterfeit Christianity, who has readily joined {being merely a puppet of Rome} this abominable religious institution in believing, promoting, and tolerating the false gospel of conditional salvation or works salvation, being infiltrated through Jesuitical subtlety, and eventually amalgamated by the false gospel of Arminianism, thereby causing the people in all actuality to worship the first beast, the Papal Whore Church, by embracing and proclaiming the same damnable heresies, though in seemingly visible dissent. It has all the semblance of truth, but it speaks a lie. It claims to preach the one gospel, but in all actuality it preaches another gospel. II Cor.11:4. Outwardly it appears to have separated from the first beast, but in reality it re-constructs its very image and “exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him,” 13:12, which more specifically means that it fulfills the same purpose of the first beast in leading the people into just another labyrinth of apostasy and man-made religion.

But as “all the world” {vast extent of antichrist’s dominion} who will never recognize the Papal System as Antichrist, because their minds are bedazzled through her sorceries, their ears are stopped by her worthless traditions, and their consciences are seared by their own fornications with her, seems to wonder after this now amalgamated beast, 13:3, {the Antichrist Papal & Protestant System,} it really comes as no surprise whatsoever that one so encapsulated with idolatry would so easily succumb to embracing the traditions of her Mother Rome. A world stupefied through its own manifold enchantments and immersed in trivial pursuits gives no meaningful thoughts to such things; and those religiously inclined, whether they be Papists, Arminians, Sacrementalists, Conditionalists, &c., {the Gospel not even addressing such, apart from sealing their condemnation,} likewise just flounder about, without any genuine concern for the truth, merely building upon the groundless traditions of others, eagerly digesting whatever is placed before them. Matt.15:14. But we trust such whose spiritual eyes have been opened to discern the fulness of grace and truth in Christ, Jn.1:14,17, that have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, II Cor.4:2, have been effectually delivered from the wrath to come, I Thes.1:10, and brought out of this worlds labyrinth of religious confusion, {oft, little by little, here a little, and there a little,} to see their utter nothingness, and the Lord’s glorious fulness, especially in the work of Sovereign and Effectual Redemption, will indeed find the indispensable truth of God’s word all too sacred to be so easily compromised or merely squandered away.

This opening point will lay a foundation for what follows as we attempt to direct our thoughts towards a brief evaluation of the so-called ‘Christmas’ holiday. As mentioned, Christmas is of pagan origin, which no one familiar with its history, whilst attempting to reverence the sacred Scriptures of Truth can deny. This celebration was not something originally pure, good and holy, which the world corrupted, paganized, added to or subtracted from, and eventually commercialized. On the contrary, it is a heathen celebration at its roots, idolatrous, superstitious and altogether sinful. Wicked clerics in the fourth century, in order to win the pagan world over to their degenerate form of Christianity, and to consolidate political power, began constructing this monstrosity, {what the world calls Christmas now,} by mixing together in one unholy chalice, the religions of this world, {sun worship, self-worship, blind worship, &c.,} with the religion of Papal Rome. What began as a wicked alliance, developed over the centuries, to what it is today, and what it was then, {evil in its root form,} it continues to be, in all its various developments.

First, and foremost in this consideration is that any festival days not sanctioned or authenticated by the LORD himself are an entrenching upon God’s sole prerogative, a complete departure from the regulative principle of worship. The one acceptable way of worshipping the true LORD is instituted only by himself, and so limited to his own revealed will, so that he may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or in a manner not prescribed in the Holy Scripture. Plus, it is imperative that we not add to what God hath commanded. “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” Deut.4:2. “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it; thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.” Deut.12:32. Prov.30:5-6. Matt.28:20. Rev.22:18. So whilst believers are instructed to remember the death and resurrection of Christ, there is no precedent whatsoever for setting aside a particular day in celebration of his birth. If indeed the Scriptures commanded people to celebrate Christmas, the world would absolutely hate it, as they do everything else associated with the Gospel, as the overwhelming consensus is that they hate that which God loves and love that which God hates! The fact that millions of ‘Protestants’ are observing a Roman Catholic holy day which has not been commanded anywhere in God’s Word speaks volumes about the deplorable state of the ‘church’! Think about it, the wicked world and the deluded Papists love Christ in the cradle, and do everything in their power to keep him there; but Christ reigning in the midst of his enemies, Psal.110:2; Christ going forth conquering, and to conquer, Rev.6:2; Christ who came not to establish peace, but rather by his sword, Matt.10:34, divide and separate his people from the wicked principles and evil practices of all that will not have him reign over them, Lk.19:14; this true, living and glorified Christ, they will not tolerate.

Secondly, there is not one Scripture in the Word of God which indicates that December 25th is the anniversary of the day on which Christ was born. Neither do we find in that Word anything to prove what time of the year he was born. But whilst no one knows the date of the birth of the Saviour, true archeologists, historians or theologians who are faithful and unbiased in their conclusions all agree that the birth of the Lord could not possibly have been in December, and given man’s propensity to enshrine and idolize things, it would seem that the LORD wisely obscured the precise date of the birth of Christ, just as he once hid the body of Moses. Deut.34:5-6. So there is no reason whatsoever to connect his birth with that particular date, except for the purpose of using his name to hide the commemoration of a pagan festival as the Church of Rome has so successfully done. How can we exalt Christ or honour the message of the Gospel by choosing a time to celebrate His birth that is so unquestionably false? If so-called believers are so enthusiastic in celebrating a lie and filling Christ’s pretend birthday with Papist and Pagan myths, {Santa Claus, decorated trees, splendid lights, mistletoe, exchanging gifts, yule logs, holly wreaths, &c.,} then why should the world believe the witness of the church when it actually speaks the truth? If you lie about Christ’s birth and eagerly indulge in such pagan mythology, then why should anyone accredit what you say, however genuinely conveyed in the spirit of truth? Besides, there is such a fairytale mentality {in what the world calls the Christmas ‘story’} which has mystified and sentimentalized any remnants of Gospel Truth remaining of the Biblical account of the birth of Christ, that the true mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh, I Tim.3:16, is principally rendered meaningless. All in all, what the world calls Christmas is such a blatant denial and contradiction of the biblical account of the birth of Christ, and so how imperative to stop vilifying God’s inspired and infallible Word by setting up human traditions alongside Divine Revelation!

The very name, with which these merit-mongers of the Papistical Kingdom have christened it Christ Mass, is enough in and of itself to make all true followers of Christ to detest any observance thereof. The word ‘Christmas’ comes from “Cristes Maesse,” which is an early English phrase that means “Mass of Christ.” This name unites the name or title of the Lord Jesus Christ with the idolatrous and blasphemous Mass of Popedom. The Mass, its full title being ‘the Sacrifice of the Mass,’ is the principal act of worship in the Roman Catholic Church. The fundamental idea or theme of the mass is expressed in the rite of the priest taking bread and wine and changing it to the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, in a so-called phenomenon known as transubstantiation, so that when these elements are consecrated by the priest, they actually become the flesh and blood of Christ. It is the ceremonial slaying of Jesus Christ over and over again, followed by the eating of his flesh and the drinking of his blood, as it professes to be a reenactment of the sacrifice of Christ for sin. In effect, symbolically, those practicing the Mass continue to crucify Christ, deliberately, openly, presumptuously, hypocritically, universally and arrogantly. The Roman Catholic Church hates the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the implication of their position is that an atoning sacrifice takes place again during every Mass, which undermines the efficacy of Christ’s death, the sufficiency of his atonement, and the finality of his redemptive work; so at its core the Roman Catholic Mass is a denial of the sufficiency of Christ’s atoning work. How can an obedient child of God, or a gathering of believers, follow Papal Rome and the drugged and reeling world in their abominable idolatry and sin of celebrating Christ’s Mass?

With this in mind, how exceedingly zealous and vigilant will those who love Christ be respecting this essential point, for it infringes upon the very core message of the Gospel itself, being the proclamation of an accomplished redemption through the sole merit, righteousness, and death of the Lord Jesus Christ, that great Bishop and Surety eternally appointed by God, declaring the glad tidings that God has saved His people from their sins; and since the Spirit infallibly seals this inestimable truth {of our accomplished redemption by the One Sacrifice of Christ} upon the hearts of all that belong to Him, it comes as no surprise that they will readily recoil from that which in any way degrades or diminishes this work in any sense whatsoever, as to imply that complete reconciliation was not already accomplished at the cross, or were in any wise insufficient or incomplete, thereby requiring a repetition of the same in some cunningly devised fabrication known as the Mass.

On a quick side note, it’s no little wonder that the ‘Church’ has embraced hook, line and sinker what one may term a Santa Claus merit mentality, {if you are good then Santa, &c,} which, has in essence absorbed the whole of fallen Christendom, which is this belief that salvation is somehow predicated or conditioned on the character & conduct of the individual, or that confessing, repenting, believing, &c., {“if you do this – then God will do that,”} will somehow merit God’s favour in Christ, a false and abominable tenet that confounds the cause of justification with the effects of justification, and denies the substitutionary merits of Christ’s atoning work altogether.

Another consideration, and if this were the only one, {it should suffice,} which proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that celebrating ‘Christmas’ is altogether sinful, and that is the plain fact that the pagan unbelieving world which hates Christ, and rejects the true Gospel, just loves ‘Christmas’ and the things associated with it. Why? Because Christmas is not biblical! It is a complete lie, and Satan, who rules their roost, is the father of lies. Unbelieving atheists, abominable homosexuals, lewd feminists, evil abortionists, hobby-religionists, credulous simpletons, wicked politicians, murderers, and idolaters, &c., of all rank and file, all celebrate Christmas. Indeed, those who make the most of the holiday season are those who care the least about the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Unthinking multitudes who make no profession of faith whatsoever, who in all actuality despise and reject Christ, who trample his authoritative truth under their feet; and others, who whilst pretending to follow him, by their works deny him, all join hands in a natural sentimentality and merrymaking under the pretense of honouring the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Putting it on its lowest ground, we ask, is it fitting that those that belong to Christ, {Christ’s friends, Jn.15:14,} should unite with his enemies, {Lk.19:27,} in such a profane amalgamation of pagan mythology and religious folklore? When the professing church has something relating to the worship of God and Religion in common with the unbelieving pagan world, that church, in that particular, is yoked together with those that hate the Lord. Believers are to reprove and have no fellowship with these unfruitful works of darkness, Eph.5:11, not incorporate them into God’s religion. It’s hypocritical to condemn the idolatrous practices of other religions and at the same time incorporate them into a form of Christianity. The church has no business celebrating a pagan holiday with the pagan world. This is hypocrisy and wickedness! This is a compromise of the worst sort!

Additionally, many would argue that the human traditions surrounding the holiday season are genuinely harmless, and that its pagan roots have nothing to do with the true spirit of Christmas. But such an argument, whilst common in this day, reveals a total disdain and indifference in regards to what the Scriptures affirm concerning idols, the trappings associated with false worship, and the monuments to idolatry that have been erected in the name of Christ. Any traditions which disregard explicit mandates regarding the true worship of God, whilst introducing innovations that find no place in Holy Scripture will only tend to discredit any esteem that we may profess to the holy inerrancy and intrinsic authority of God’s unchanging word. That which seeks to alter, add or detract from its authoritative finality, must be met with resistance. The ordinances of God’s religion are to be kept and observed in the faith of Christ, “as delivered,” I Cor.11:2, from a principle of love to him, with a view to his glory, and that as to the form and manner in which they were delivered to them by the apostles, Eph.2:20, agreeably to the mind of Christ.

A lesson may be drawn from the Old Testament worship, which was divinely directed in every detail. “Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.” Exod.25:8-9. “As Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle; for, see, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.” Heb.8:5. If the worship of God were left to the unsanctioned predilections or unrestrained imaginations of men, in substituting their preferences and offering their opinions, then there would be absolutely no concord, unity or sensible sanctified approach to the God of Glory; and surely if the Old Testament worship was divinely directed in such fine detail, who would take it upon himself to think any less of the New Testament.

Furthermore, the Lord’s explicit hatred to false religion or any forms of idolatry is such that Israel was not just commanded to avoid the worship of idols, but specifically ordered to destroy everything associated with idolatry. “Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree; and ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.” Deut.12:2-3. “Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee; but ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves, for thou shalt worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God; lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; and thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods. Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.” Exod.34:12-17. “And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars; but ye have not obeyed my voice; why have ye done this?” Jdg.2:2. The apostle John sums up his Epistle thus, “little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” I Jn.5:21. It necessitates us {as dearly beloved} to flee from idolatry, I Cor.10:14, as in all instances false religion is to be destroyed, not embraced, not incorporated! “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God.” Exod.20:5. Who that hath been taught by God’s Spirit can partake in these pagan celebrations? We must stop denigrating God’s inspired and infallible Word by setting up human fantasies alongside Divine Revelation. Can we indeed like Judas, betray Christ by joining hands with them who hate the Lord, who seek to invalidate his atoning work, yet falsely pretend to honor him in an idolatrous mockery known as Christmas, which has absolutely no Divine warrant!

“When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; take 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. Thou 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. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it, thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.” Deut.12:29-32.

MPJ December 2016