| ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ( E ) CAN A PERSON BE SAVED BY CHRISTMAS ? The real meaning and truth of Christmas is that it is a celebration of the open, public shame of Christ in the re-crucifying of Christ as taught and practiced in the Catholic Mass. Christmas has nothing at all to do with Christs' birth or His death. But can people be saved because of Christmas ? This is not truth. No where in scripture is it written that a person can be saved because of Christmas. It is certainly possible that the gospel is shared during the season of Christmas which can result in salvation. However, the sharing of the gospel can also occur during the Halloween season. Christmas can not save a soul any more than Halloween, St. Patricks' Day, the Fourth of July or any other celebrated day. Celebrated days and holy days do not save people. The only reason a person gets saved, born again, is simply because the scriptures are shared with them and as they hear, they believe and confess the gospel for themselves. This situation can occur on any given day, celebrated or not. The sinner does not become born again because of a celebrated day or non-celebrated day. Moreover, Christmas is not a celebrated festival which came from God. Rather, it is a tradition instituted by the Roman Catholic Church. Christmas is a tradition of men and has no foundation nor support from scripture. Here is what Jesus stated about traditions of men; 6. And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. - Matt. 15:6 6. He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. - Mark 7:6-9 13. Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. - Mark 7:13 The scriptures are the commandment of God. They are the Word of God. But if we choose to follow religious traditions and commandments of men then we make the Word of God, the scriptures, void and without effect or power in peoples' lives including our own life. Such activity automatically cuts off the power to save souls for Christ. The power of salvation has been stopped. Paul tells us plainly that the scriptures and doctrine, the gospel of Christ, is the power of God for personal salvation and the salvation of other people. Moreover he specifically instructs the child of God to beware the tradition of men; 16. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. - 1 Timothy 4:16 15. And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. - 2 Timothy 3:15 21. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. - James 1:21 16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. - Romans 1:16 6. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7. Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. - Colossians 2:6-9 23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. - 1 Peter 1:23-25 When a person celebrates Christmas, a tradition of men, that person automatically cuts off the power to win and save souls. Christmas, the tradition of men, makes the scriptures of no effect for personal salvation nor for salvation of other people. Moreover, Jesus stated that the commandment of God is made of no effect by mans' tradition. Our Lord spoke of the first and great commandment with these words; 35. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36. Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38. This is the first and great commandment. - Matt. 22:35-38 28. And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29. And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. - Mark 12:28-30 Since the first and great commandment for the child of God is to love God according to the criteria stated by Jesus. The question must be asked, " How can the child of God, love God with his/her whole being as stated in the first and great commandment and at the same time celebrate Christmas which in truth is a celebration of the open shame of Christ? " The self evident answer is that the child of God cannot do both and at the same time truly love God to the fullest. God commands us to love Him with all that we are of our heart, soul and mind and body. However, when we as Gods' children celebrate the man-made tradition called Christmas, then according to the words of Jesus in Matt. 15:6 we have made that very commandment of God of no effect in our personal lives. We automatically nullify that first and great commandement. It is impossible that we should love God in the whole and complete manner as stated in the first and great commandment, and then deliberately participate each year in a celebration which puts Gods' Son to an open shame. www.hissheep.org/catholic/the_truth_about_christmas_lent_good_friday_easterlent.html www.swrb.com/newslett/actualnls/Xmas_ch2.htm God spoke to Israel in the writings of Isaiah concerning celebrated feasts; 13. Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 14. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. 15. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. 16. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; - Isaiah 1:13-16 The apostle Paul writes to the Galations and says; 9. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10. Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. - Galations 4:9-11 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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