Christmas, Judgment and Conscience

If one does not believe in celebrating Christmas, should they spend the day with others who do? Should they join the celebration, in order to spend time with them?

We cannot judge the lost. They don't know any better and they have no power to obey. {1Co.5:9} I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators; {10} not at all [meaning] with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world: {11} but as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat. {12} For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? {13} But them that are without God judgeth. Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.

Nor should we judge those brethren who are ignorant. {Rom.14:1} But him that is weak in faith receive ye, [yet] not for decision of scruples. {2} One man hath faith to eat all things: but he that is weak eateth herbs. {3} Let not him that eateth set at nought him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. {4} Who art thou that judgest the servant of another? to his own lord he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be made to stand; for the Lord hath power to make him stand. {5} One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day [alike]. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.

God holds us accountable to our conscience. {6} He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord: and he that eateth, eateth unto the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, unto the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. {10} But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God. {13} Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother's way, or an occasion of falling. {14} I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself: save that to him who accounteth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. {19} So then let us follow after things which make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another. {22} The faith which thou hast, have thou to thyself before God. Happy is he that judgeth not himself in that which he approveth. {23} But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because [he eateth] not of faith; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

If we think something is sin, then it is sin to us. {Jas.4:17} To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

God said He would write the law in our minds and we are accountable to that. {Rom.5:13} for until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. {4:15} for the law worketh wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression. {7:8} but sin, finding occasion, wrought in me through the commandment all manner of coveting: for apart from the law sin [is] dead. This applies to doctrines of which we are ignorant but not outward immorality, which everyone knows is wrong (1 Corinthians 5:9-11).

God says to be weak to the weak, without being weak ourselves, in order to gain them. {1Co.9:19} For though I was free from all [men,] I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. {20} And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; {21} to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law. {22} To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. {23} And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.

Paul was an undercover agent for the Lord. He shaved his head and took a vow (which he did not believe in) in order to be accepted among the Jews so that he could preach the Gospel to them. He circumcised Timothy (which he taught against for justification in Galatians 5:2-4) so that he would be accepted among the Jews.

The foundations are more important than Christmas. They need our love and the Gospel. If we offend them with relatively insignificant things, we will slam the door in our own faces and will never get to the important things.

We cannot clean fish until we catch them. My family has not taken part in Christmas for almost all of our Christian life but we know of others who needs us who do. Christmas celebrators need the truth from those who know. How will they hear if we avoid them? However, we must major on majors, not minors. The finer points can follow after they begin to respect the Scriptures.

Where Is Christ in Christmas?
Nita Johnson - 12/15/1997
(Prophetic word and open vision)

This is difficult for me to write, but I don't feel I can stay silent on the issue any longer. I will try to be very careful as I share what is on my heart, as I know this is a very sensitive issue with many Christians. I would like to also share that it is a very sensitive issue with the Lord as well. It is for this reason that I am no longer going to hold my peace. I want you to have an opportunity to hear His heart and decide for yourselves. I will not judge anyone on the decision they may make, but you need to have the opportunity to hear what is going through the mind and heart of God in order to make a decision at all. My hope, of course, is that you will hear and believe and make the needed changes.

On Christmas morning in 1997, I was awake and praying, knowing that I would soon be heading downstairs to share Christmas with my daughter and her family. I was looking forward to it as Ricci always talked to the children about the birth of the Messiah and the true purpose for celebrating Christmas. After the Bible lesson, my grandchildren would all scurry to the tree to fetch their presents, only to be interrupted by the patient and careful hand of their mother, who herself would hand out the gifts one at a time to the children. To hear their squeals of delight as they opened the gift they had wanted was always fun.

But this morning in 1997 I was also feeling apprehensive and I didn't know why. Why would I feel troubled about such a joyful time? As I continued praying about it, the Lord gave me a vision. Standing before me in an open vision, I saw a Christmas tree beautifully decorated with presents tucked all around the bottom. Across from the tree, I saw Messiah hanging upon a cross, weeping. He looked at me and cried, "The foxes have spoiled the whole tree". I responded, "Lord, what do you mean?"

He then took me into the Spirit and let me see things through His eyes and feel what He felt. He moaned, "Christmas is not about Me and what I gave on the cross. It is about greed and gifts and teaching My children the ways of the world. It is about what each one can get and moaning over what they don't get. It fosters greed and rebellion in the hearts of My precious children, while the poor and the needy go without. This is not My way; it is not My holiday. It is man's! The merchants have totally perverted the joy of My birth and have turned the focus on satisfying the craving of man's lust. My children are not taught to forget themselves and seek the interest of the poor and needy. It is a holiday that is a complete perversion of My ways". I realized that Christmas, although many churches put on pageants and plays about Christ and His birth, truly is a pagan holiday. No matter how we try to dress it up, it really isn't about our beloved Messiah. It is about us!

All the time He was speaking, I wept, as I was feeling His broken heart. I was experiencing a brokenness that was beyond my meager ability to bear. He was hurt and I had been a part of what was hurting Him. My heart was aching. I wanted it to stop. I wanted His pain to stop. Yet, if He was hurting, I wanted to hurt with Him. I had many emotions going on inside. How could I now go downstairs and joyously celebrate, knowing what I now know? How could I not tell His Church what He has entrusted to me. How could I tell His Church? Who would listen? Many would become offended, but a few would hear and it would make a difference, I at last decided. Somehow I had to be part of ending the pain I was part of creating. Personally, I have not celebrated Christmas since that day. I do, however, support mission works into prisons and for prisoners' families, and for the poor and needy at that time of year.

As I write this, I can see that I have made the very adjustments He desired.

True Spirit of Christmas
Janet Meyer - 12/06/2011

Earlier in the evening, we were discussing if we should buy a Christmas tree. We were not sure, so we prayed about it before we left. At the store, we did not buy one and on the return home we got the answer.

As I sat in the car looking at the Christmas decorations, the Holy Spirit spoke to me. He spoke to me in plain language. He began pointing things out to me as we drove. He started out by explaining how the businesses have turned a day to celebrate Jesus into a moneymaking venture, like when the money changers sold doves for sacrifices in the temple. His voice sounded grieved and I felt the same grief as He spoke. He continued that Christmas is a manmade holiday and the very spirit of Christmas is actually a principality (demons) and is not of God. The Holy Spirit was grieved by how man has made this Christmas holiday into an idol by worshiping the creature rather than the Creator.

An angel of the Lord was then sent to show me some things in the spirit. The angel was dressed all in white. He was wearing sandals and around his waist was a golden rope. His face was glowing so I could not see his features. The angel showed me many things in the spirit as we were driving and even after we got home. The angel then showed me various decorations and why they had become idols to the people. They were idols because they elevate these things for their own pleasure. But God seeks a broken spirit and contrite heart in remembrance of Him, not what we have made Christmas into. In the spirit, I was walking beside the angel as people walked into these department stores. Something was being poured over their heads by demons. What they were pouring over the people's heads appeared to be like a mist or vapor and had the purpose of drawing people to specific items. Then I saw how the people are being immersed in the manufactured Christmas holiday and are drowning in the ocean of manmade religion; it is not of God.

Then he told me that bringing a Christmas tree into your home actually brings Egyptian curses upon your household. God said do not bring them into the house. Do not celebrate Christmas the way that people are doing it today. "Come out from among them and be separate".

Again, the angel said, "Come out from among them and you will not have any sickness near your dwelling". Do not bring cursed things into the home, as they bring in diseases and sickness.

After this, I received further understanding. The Christmas holiday itself has been cursed by the creature, Satan. Part of this curse is to bring people into department stores and distract them from the true purpose of God's love. I saw how even the Christmas trees are being prayed over (pagan curses) to get people to purchase them. The curse is very real. People are making this all out to be pleasant to the eyes and satisfy the flesh in order to draw people away from what the Gospel of Jesus is all about.

Businesses have even resorted to witchcraft: spells are placed on unwary customers to give them a false sense of peace (Christmas spirit) to get them to buy what they do not need to please the flesh. People rushing through the stores, to get presents for their children, but this "Christmas" is NOT of God but is just another manmade religious tradition. People are killing themselves because they don't have the money to buy presents for their children, when it is NOT about "presents". It is about Jesus coming into the world to save us from our sins. The wise men brought gifts to the baby Jesus to worship Him, but let me ask you something: are we doing that? Are we buying gifts for our children for the purpose of worshipping Jesus? The majority of people are not. I used to be one of them. I loved Christmas but I love Jesus more. The Holy Spirit is grieved because of what we have made Jesus' birth out to be. Santa Claus has become the Jesus of Christmas. An idol. Christmas is a generational curse. And we as born-again believers in Jesus Christ need to be set apart, be an example of Jesus. This year and from now on my family will celebrate the true meaning of Jesus' birth without "Christmas", which is everyday.

2 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore come out from among them, and be you separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

Romans 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Psalms 91:15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.

Jeremiah 10:2-4 Thus says the LORD, Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it moves not.

Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Psalms 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

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