How These Customs Became Christian
But how did these customs find their way into Christianity? The story will again amaze you!
When the Roman Empire began to expand and rule the world, it inculcated all the pagan practices of the peoples it conquered. All the pagan gods of the subjugated peoples were brought to ROME! Rome became the religious capital of the world with its pantheon of pagan GODS!
So, at the time of Christ and in the days of the apostles, these same pagan festivals were being observed in the Roman Empire.
From December 17th to the 22nd, the Saturnalia was celebrated with all governmental offices and schools closed. Then on December 25th, the ancient Brumalia was celebrated in honor of the birthday of the Sun-god — just as it had been done for thousands of years before.
Greeting cards were traded, gifts were exchanged — there was feasting and celebrating beginning on the "eve" before — just like our "Christmas Eve" today. But Jesus Christ was not the central figure of this festival. It was again the ancient pagan Sun-god. (See 4000 Years of Christmas by Earl Wendell)
As true Christianity began to spread, false pagan teachers began to emerge. They taught a counterfeit Christianity which blended the truth of God with pagan fables which were so popular in the Roman world — following the age-old practice of absorbing all religions.
The Apostle Paul — nearing the end of his "good fight" — warns Timothy of this very thing. Notice it: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own LUSTS (desire for pleasure) shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall TURN AWAY their ears from the truth and shall be turned UNTO FABLES" (II Tim. 4: 3-4).
Some of the teachers of the pagan religions of Rome, greedy for power and recognition, began to see the value of the simplicity of Jesus' message. It had a Champion — the Messiah — who died for the people. It had the appeal of simple faith, the promise of eternal life. It had the overwhelming warmth of love and mercy. AND, the people were "going for it."
These pagan religious leaders knew their own sensual and alluring festivals were also popular and attractive to the people. They saw that an amalgam of the two concepts would become an all-powerful tool.
Hence they became associated with the activities of the true apostles. They began to preach Christ on their own, but a different message. A message that enabled the people not only to have the promises that Jesus brought, but ALSO to continue their former festivals. They even began to teach among the Christians that those who didn't believe in these customs — their brand of Christianity — were heretics and began to put them out of the church.
Such an incident is recorded for us in III John: "I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church" (verses 9-10).
Hybrid Christianity Grows
Soon this hybrid religion — a mixture of Christianity and paganism — began to flourish throughout the Roman Empire. Although many "Christians" were martyred and the old religion of pagan emperor worship of Rome fought for survival, this new hybrid religion finally conquered.
In the fourth century A.D. this false "Christianity" was elevated to equal status with paganism. The door was now open and thousands of former pagans became nominal Christians, bringing with them the whole scope of pagan customs into the so-called "Christian Church."
Notice this historic conflict as recorded by the Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia: "How much the date of the festival (Christmas) depended upon the Pagan Brumalia (Dec. 25) following the Saturnalia (Dec. 17-24), and celebrating the shortest day of the year and the 'new sun' . . . cannot be accurately determined. The pagan Saturnalia and Brumalia were too deeply entrenched in popular custom to be set aside by Christian influence. . . The pagan festival with its riot and merrymaking was so popular that Christians were glad of an excuse to continue its celebration with little change in spirit and in manner. Christian preachers of the West and the Near East protested against the unseemly frivolity with which Christ's birthday was celebrated, while Christians of Mesopotamia accused their Western brethren of idolatry and sun-worship for adopting as Christian this pagan festival." But adopt it they did — nonetheless.
Can there be any doubt as to the real origin of Christmas? Christmas originated with the pagans as an admitted lie and myth foisted off on the people to control their minds. It became a part of Christianity in the same way — through ambitious men seeking power and recognition. They used its delightful myth to lure and attract the people and bring them into their church! But What Does God Say?
Most theologians admit the pagan origin of Christmas, but make the same mistake the early church leaders made.
They ASSUME it DOESN'T MATTER if they take pagan holidays and Christianize them so long as they keep the name of Christ.
But what does God say about this? Can WE worship God this way? Notice His answer! "Take heed to thyself that thou be not SNARED by following them (pagan peoples) . . . 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 . . ." (Deut. 12:30-31).
God gives us in His Word — the Bible — the WAY to worship Him. God says we must worship Him in spirit and in TRUTH (John 4:24) — NOT through the invented lies of PAGAN peoples.
Additional Condemnation
Now notice a specific condemnation of a practice so dear to the Christmas season. "Thus saith the Lord, LEARN NOT THE WAY OF THE HEATHEN, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven . . . for 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 ax. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not" (Jer. 10:2-4).
Does that sound familiar? YES IT DOES. But it is the CONDEMNATION by the Almighty God of a practice we have so long called Christian. Could anything be plainer? Does God enjoy our Christmas season and smile upon it when He sees us reveling in the very pagan practices He condemns? Is Christmas really Christian?
Christmas Gifts?
Many will say, "Surely giving gifts at the Christmas season is biblical.
Didn't the wise men bring gifts to CHRIST?" But there is your answer! They gave them to CHRIST — the MESSIAH — KING of the Jews, not to each other. These Magi or wise men had come to honor Him who had been born KING of the Jews (Matt. 2:2).
It was long a custom of the East never to come into the presence of a king without a gift. And, here was not only the King of the Jews, but one who was to become King of kings and Lord of lords.
What an open insult it would have been had these wise men exchanged gifts among THEMSELVES rather than presenting them to the King — the Lord Jesus Christ.
Yet we blindly follow the same vain custom today — exchanging gifts among OURSELVES while ignoring Christ the Messiah in the very festival that is SUPPOSED to honor Him, yet does not.
Christ's Birthday Not December 25
When was Jesus born?
The Bible plainly does not reveal His birthday. Yet, it is clear from the Bible that it WAS NOT on December 25th.
Jesus wasn't born in the winter at all! The Bible makes that clear: "There were shepherds abiding in the FIELD, keeping watch over their sheep by night" (Luke 2:8).
Beginning in October and November the winter rains and cold weather began in Palestine. Up to that time the flocks were in the open fields, but when the rainy season began, the shepherds could no longer abide in the field. This is a plain fact, as many Bible authorities admit.
The plain truth is — NO ONE knows the exact date of Jesus' birth. Jesus' message of salvation points us not to His birth, but, to His death for our sins—at the 'Passover season — and His resurrection as our Savior, High Priest and soon-coming KING.
If you would like a startling, factual account of the historic proof that Jesus wasn't born on December 25th, write for our eye-opening article "When Was Jesus Born?"
The date—December 25th — therefore, has only one significance: it was the day selected to honor the rebirth of the false PAGAN SUN-GOD, but later, falsely claimed to be Christ's birthday by the false teachers who combined pagan lies with true Christianity. Can we honor Jesus by claiming He was born on this day?
Other Pagan Christmas Symbols
The Christmas wreath — woven of holly vines and berries simulates the round sun and was a symbol woven during the days preceding the Brumalia as a Symbol of the SUN-GOD. The mistletoe was a similar token used in the old pagan practice of kissing beneath it as part of the revelry and celebration associated with this festival.
Yes, even the Yule log and the practice of lighting fires and candles were part of the PAGAN festival and used to entice the waning sun back again.
What Will You Do?
Already the decorations are up. The whole land is full of Christmas. Everywhere gaily lit trees, Christmas wreaths, Christmas candles, greeting cards and Santas. Shoppers are scurrying for gifts for all. The Christmas fable will be told and retold — all in the name of Christianity.
Yet, the true Christ, whose name this festival has stolen, is truly left out in the cold as we FORGET Him in exchanging gifts among ourselves and reveling amid the pagan sights and symbols around us.
What will YOU do this year? Will you honor the gods of the heathen under the guise of Christianity or will you do as Almighty God says: "COME OUT OF HER (Babylon — the origin and seat of Paganism) MY PEOPLE, that you be not partakers of her SINS, and that you receive not of her PLAGUES" (Rev. 18: 4).