Christmas, Why not keep it? By James R. Faulkner

I had to deal with this issue a lot younger than most of you. My children have had to deal with this issue since birth. When I was 10 years old, my parents sat us down at the dinner table and told us we would be attending a different church. We had been visiting several churches at the time, so that was no real surprise. Dad said we would be doing some things differently from now on. From now on, we would be attending church on Saturdays, which is the Sabbath.

That actually made sense to me, because believe it or not, I learned about the Sabbath in a Sunday school class just a year before and it just made sense that we would keep the same day that Jesus kept. So that wasn’t the huge shocker, although it would be a real change.

Then the big shocker came. Dad said we would no longer be keeping Easter, Halloween, or Christmas.

What, no Christmas, all of us kids exclaimed! You mean no more Christmas presents?

That’s right, Dad explained. We will be keeping some other days though, The Feast of Tabernacles.

“The Feast of what? No more Christmas presents,” we moaned.
And we never kept another Christmas or Easter or Halloween.
It was a bit difficult in school explaining to friends why we didn’t keep these Holidays. What do you tell a classmate? That wasn’t always easy. Sometimes, I would be the only one in class with these beliefs.

So, Why not keep Christmas? Why should we as Christians obstain from this Holiday?
There are 4 main reasons, why I don’t keep Christmas and teach my children they should not keep Christmas.

1. The reason I usually gave classmates and usually give coworkers at work is that Christmas is not in scripture, it is not a command or doctrine of God, it is a tradition of men.

Turn to your bibles where the word Christmas is mentioned? I don't have any scriptures because there aren't any. Turn to your bibles where it states Jesus Christ was born on December 25th. Once again, it is not there. Sadly, that’s usually all it takes to end all questions about why one doesn’t keep Christmas. How many scriptures did I use? None. Most people, quite frankly, don’t want to hear the truth about Christmas because they enjoy the festivities. They don't want to hear that Christ was born in the Fall of the year. They are keeping the wrong day and wrong season for the wrong reasons, but that doesn't seem to matter. They love these traditions of men, like Santa Clause, Christmas Trees, Exchanging gifts, and Christmas parties.

Even more sad, many people believe that those of us who do not keep Christmas are not Christian, because we don’t keep this Holiday. This became even more clear for me several years ago with one of my coworkers. He told me when he was in school he knew some kids that didn’t keep Christmas and he assumed they were not Christians and did not believe in Christ. He said that now he knows me, that he realizes, that was a mistake to assume that.

Anyone who would make this false assumption that people who don’t keep Christmas are not Christians would also be making the same judgment on Christ himself and all his disciples for none of them kept Christmas. Neither did any of the apostles or Christians of the bible. Neither did Moses, Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob.

Ironically, often we are criticized for being judgmental by those who keep Christmas.

2. The most important reason we do not keep Christmas is because God tells us not to. God specifically tells us not to take pagan customs and use them to worship him, it is an abomination to him.


What does December 25th have to do with the birth of Christ? Nothing!
What does December 25th have to do with paganism? Plenty, let’s look at a brief history of Christmas and it’s customs:

From the History Channel website:
http://www.history.com/content/christmas/the-real-story-of-christmas/saturnalia

Saturnalia: In Rome, where winters were not as harsh as those in the far north, Saturnalia—a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture—was celebrated. Beginning in the week leading up to the winter solstice and continuing for a full month, Saturnalia was a hedonistic time, when food and drink were plentiful and the normal Roman social order was turned upside down. For a month, slaves would become masters. Peasants were in command of the city. Business and schools were closed so that everyone could join in the fun. Also around the time of the winter solstice, Romans observed Juvenalia, a feast honoring the children of Rome. In addition, members of the upper classes often celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on December 25. It was believed that Mithra, an infant god, was born of a rock. For some Romans, Mithra's birthday was the most sacred day of the year. In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention date for his birth (a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the celebration). Although some evidence suggests that his birth may have occurred in the spring (why would shepherds be herding in the middle of winter?), Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is commonly believed that the church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the end of the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had spread all the way to Scandinavia. Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger. By holding Christmas at the same time as traditional winter solstice festivals, church leaders increased the chances that Christmas would be popularly embraced, but gave up the ability to dictate how it was celebrated. By the Middle Ages, Christianity had, for the most part, replaced pagan religion. On Christmas, believers attended church, then celebrated raucously in a drunken, carnival-like atmosphere similar to today's Mardi Gras. Each year, a beggar or student would be crowned the "lord of misrule" and eager celebrants played the part of his subjects. The poor would go to the houses of the rich and demand their best food and drink. If owners failed to comply, their visitors would most likely terrorize them with mischief. Christmas became the time of year when the upper classes could repay their real or imagined "debt" to society. [End of Article]

So what is wrong with these customs and why should Christians not be observing them?

Deuteronomy 12:29 - 32 (NKJV) ²⁹“When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, ³⁰take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ ³¹You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. ³²“Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.

Notice the last verse, “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it;" Where does God command us to keep Christmas in the bible? He doesn't. Where does God command us to keep the Holy Days? Leviticus 23:1-44

What does the Christmas tree have to do with the birth of Christ? Nothing!
What does the Christmas tree have to do with paganism?
Plenty, let’s look it up in the bible:

Jeremiah 10:1 - 5 (NKJV) ¹Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel. ²Thus says the LORD: “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them. ³For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. ⁴They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple. ⁵They are upright, like a palm tree, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, For they cannot do evil, Nor can they do any good.”

Now, if you bring this up, most that keep it will say, “This scripture is about an idol and we don’t bow down to the Christmas tree.

And my response is, “Really, how do you put Christmas gifts underneath the Christmas tree?"
Well, they kneel down and... oops, they don't even realize what they are doing.

What does exchanging gifts have to do with the birth of Christ? Nothing!
Exchanging gifts is indeed, in the bible, but not where most people think it is. Some people think that at Jesus birth, that gifts were exchanged. Not so, let’s look into it.

Matthew 2:9 - 11 (NKJV) ⁹When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. ¹⁰When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. ¹¹And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Notice, it does NOT say it was Christ’s birthday and it does NOT say they exchanged gifts either! Yet, that is what false ministers try to teach and tell people. That is because these false ministers do not know why they GAVE Christ gifts. Notice that they knelt down and paid him homage and gave him gifts. Why? Because, they knew he was born to be a king and that they were coming before royalty, it had nothing to do with his birthday. If this scripture isn’t where gifts are exchanged, then where is it in the bible? We have to go all the way to the book of Revelation:

Revelation 11:10 (NKJV) ¹⁰And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

So there it is people exchanging gifts in the bible, so it's OK, right? Uh, NO! This is a good example of needing to get the context of the scriptures. Who are these people that exchange gifts and what are they celebrating by doing it?

Revelation 11:1-11 (NKJV) ¹Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. ²But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. ³And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” ⁴These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. ⁵And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. ⁶These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire. ⁷When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. ⁸And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. ⁹Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. ¹⁰And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. ¹¹Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.

Amazing isn’t it? What are these people celebrating? The DEATH of God’s two witnesses. I find this shocking. Where did they get this idea of exchanging gifts as a celebration? Who brought this pagan custom of exchanging presents into the Church anyway? The Roman Catholics brought this pagan custom in. Looks like we have found the Whore that will ride the Beast, God puts his finger right on her, doesn’t he? For those who are watching and studying God’s word, it is pretty clear isn’t it? Scripture is clear that Christmas and its customs are not what God wants his people to be doing, but most people really don’t care what God wants and we would be no different if God hadn’t opened our eyes and minds with his blessed Holy Spirit.

3. Christmas promotes breaking God's commandments:

Having children be good for Santa instead of for God and Parents goes against the commandment for Having No Other Gods and goes against the commandment for Honoring your Father and Mother. Putting a fable, Santa Claus, in place of those who really should have the honor, God and Parents goes against the 1st and 5th commandments.

Setting up a Christmas tree and kneeling before it to place presents under it is bowing down to a graven image and goes against the 2nd commandment.

Shopping on the Sabbath for Christmas gifts is breaking the 4th commandment, because they are not remembering the Sabbath Day and keeping it Holy.
Christmas promotes breaking the 9th commandment. Jesus Christ was not born on December 25th, he was born in the fall. The whole celebration is based on a lie. Telling children that Santa Clause is real, when adults know this is not to be true is a lie. We should not be calling evil good – telling a lie is evil and we should not be calling good evil – telling the truth that Jesus was not born on December 25th and that Santa Claus is not real. The bible speaks about calling evil good and good evil in:

Isaiah 5:20-25 (NKJV) ²⁰Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! ²¹Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight! ²²Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink, ²³Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away justice from the righteous man! ²⁴Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, And the flame consumes the chaff, So their root will be as rottenness, And their blossom will ascend like dust; Because they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. ²⁵Therefore the anger of the LORD is aroused against His people; He has stretched out His hand against them And stricken them, And the hills trembled. Their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.

The evil of this custom became clear to me when I was just 10 years old and one of my friends and classmates was being ridiculed in 4th Grade because he still believed in Santa Claus. You know why he still believed it? Because his parents told him it was true, and he knew his parents wouldn’t lie to him. That’s what he told me and that really cut me to the heart, even at 10 years old, because I knew his parents were lying to him. He stood up and defended his parents and their honor, only to find out one day that they had let him down. I knew then, I would never lie to my children about Santa Claus.

A few years ago, I was in Knoxville and a friend of mine named Jack was telling me about how the mother of the little girl he used to bring to church with him was furious with him. The little girl had asked Jack if Santa was real and Jack told her the truth. Her mother didn’t attend Church and was furious with Jack for telling her the truth. Imagine that, a parent that was angry with another adult because they didn’t lie to her child and told her the truth. I couldn’t help but think of the scripture I mentioned before of calling evil good and calling good evil.

Exchanging gifts promotes coveting. When people come back from the Holidays do they ask, "What did you GIVE for Christmas?" or do they ask, "What did you GET for Christmas?"

There is a punishment for doing these things, not a reward. God is not happy with these customs, he is angry. One thing is obvious, the world doesn’t really care what God thinks and continues to do what they want to do. Now, if someone doesn’t know, then God will take that into consideration. However, when you do know, there is no excuse for it. It’s like a dog going back to it’s vomit.

2 Peter 2:18-22 (NKJV) ¹⁸For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. ¹⁹While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. ²⁰For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. ²¹For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. ²²But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

4. Christmas trades the truths of Gods weekly Sabbath and Holy Days, for vain traditions of men.

Turn with me in the Bible where Jesus tells people to keep Christmas and then as an example he kept it. What, no such scriptures?
Turn with me in the Bible where Jesus tells people to keep the Feast and then as an example he kept it. John 7:1-14

Turn with me in the Bible where the apostle Paul tells people in the church that we should keep Christmas. What, no such scriptures?
Turn with me in the Bible where the apostle Paul tells people in the church let US keep the Feast. 1 Corinthians 5:6-8


Isn't that amazing? We have clear teachings in the Bible of Jesus and the Aposlte Paul keeping Feast days and the world ignores it. Instead they choose to keep days that are not in the Bible. They say they are doing it to worship God, but I don't think they are fooling him. It is not enough to say we worship God and then do our own will,
God expects us to do HIS will.

Matthew 21:28-32 (NKJV) ²⁸“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ ²⁹He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. ³⁰Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. ³¹Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. ³²For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.

You and I can be glad of that brethren. There are far better people out there that God could call. But he chose us, because we are willing to listen and obey him now. When he tells us through scripture to not celebrate pagan holidays, we listen and obey. When he instructs us to keep his Sabbath and Holy Days, we listen and obey. When he warns us not to eat certain foods, we heed his warnings. And when he teaches us to tithe, we obey. God has opened our eyes to such precious truth. I just can’t imagine going back to the ways of the world.

Matthew 7:13-23 (NKJV) ¹³“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ¹⁴Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. ¹⁵“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? ¹⁷Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰Therefore by their fruits you will know them. ²¹“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²²Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

I don’t want to be one of the many. I want to be one of the few, who follow God’s instructions.

Christmas, why not keep it?
Because it is NOT scriptural.
Because it has pagan origins and God forbids us to use such practices for worship.
Because it promotes lying and ignoring God’s commandments.
Because it trades God’s commanded Holy Days for vain traditions of men.


The real question is not “Why don’t we keep Christmas?”, the real question is why do proclaiming Christians not keep God’s commanded Holy Days and instead keep vain traditions of men? Most of the world is deceived and really doesn't know any better, but some do know better and do it anyway.
The reason is in the bible:

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NKJV) ³For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; ⁴and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

What is the result of trading God’s commanded truths with vain traditions of men, like Christmas, Easter and Sunday worship?

Matthew 15:1-9 (NKJV) ¹Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, ²“Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” ³He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? ⁴For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ ⁵But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— ⁶then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. ⁷Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ⁸‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. ⁹And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

Let's modernize this scripture a little bit by putting in some more up to date terms in and see if it makes it any clearer:

Then Traditional Christians came to a true minister of Jesus Christ and said, “Why do your church members break the tradition of the Church elders? For they do not Keep Sunday, or Christmas or Easter.”

The true minister of Jesus answered them, “And why do you break the commandments of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy.” God also has stated, “These are the appointed festivals of the LORD, the holy convocations, which you shall celebrate at the time appointed for them.” But YOU say that whoever keeps Sunday as the Lord’s day or Christmas and Easter as God’s Holy days has no need of the Sabbath or the Holy Days of God. So, for the sake of your tradition, you make void the word of God.

You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

The celebration of Christmas is a vain tradition of men that leads to deception, disobedience and death.

The celebration of God’s Holy Days are commanded by God and lead to truth, righteousness and eternal life.