And in all whatsoever ye do in word or deed,
do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to God and the Father by Him.
Colossians 3:17
I can hear it now: "He has gone off into a deep chasm, maybe even heresy," and others clapping their hands over their ears saying: "Stop, I do not want to hear more," and some saying: "Well that does it, I will not read another blog." There is an old saying about an ostrich, that when in fear he/she will hide their head in the sand. It is far too the issue about truth: people only want the truth that they want and will accept only that which pleases them, this is a problem with preaching today, much about living the "good life" and little about the truth. People are willing to accept excuses for reasons. Jesus did not hide His head, no, He confronted that which was wrong, but more, He gave the other side as how to be right. Church has become a social gathering, a place where people come and hear soft-pedaled gospel. Much preaching is done from paraphrase books called Bibles. People find the "truth" a type of "truth" that pleases their senses. Biblical preaching, historical Christianity is hardly ever mentioned, people do not know much about the Christianity they say they believe in (but many will pay money to have their DNA examined and their genealogy found) but to know about our Church and its genealogy, well, heads go into the sand. Is it not true that Authentic Christians have been commanded to "study to show themselves approved and that all things are to be tested?" Yes! So why this anger when history is presented so that we who are called by God should be ready to give an answer for this faith we call Christianity? Why hide from the facts, the truth?
Example: A Jehovah Witness comes to your door and tells you that your Christmas tree and the celebration of Christmas is pagan. How will you answer? I would ask a question: Why do you say that? Here is what the Jehovah Witnesses teach: ""When Jehovah's Witnesses cast aside religious teachings that had pagan roots, they also quit sharing in many customs that were similarly tainted. But for a time, certain holidays were not given the careful scrutiny that they needed. One of these was Christmas." Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom p.198". Would you simply say: "You are wrong?" Well, they are not! Much of the celebration and the giving of gifts, the everygreen tree, all have pagan roots. As was shown in the last blog even the date of the birth of Jesus was in question. There is not one verse, word, or insinuation that the birth of Jesus was commanded to be celebrated. So I will say to them: you are right! That is truth and truth will set you free! But, I will ask them: "Do you or have you ever rode in a boat, a ship?" Well, they were adorned with pagan gods that led the boat, carvings of gods at the bow. Do you eat meat? If so then you are eating food that was used in pagan festivals, especially Ishtari, the goddess of love, of fire, war, thunder, and fruits, meats all were part of the symbols of her beliefs, and stars, even the tree of life, a date tree, sexual acts were part of her religious practices, and much more, so, are we to throw all this out because they have association with paganism? Is it the symbols or something else that we must be concerned about? Do you play or allow your children to play baseball, football, soccer, or basketball? If so they are playing with objects associated with festivals of Ishtari. Where do we draw the line? Paul wrote: "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of he new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come" (Colossians 2:16). Listen, read, this is what Paul wrote to us under inspiration of the Holy Spirit: "Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we have all knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifeth. And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. but if any man love God, the same is know of him. As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifices unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be (gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat if as a thing offered unto an idol; and there conscience being weak is defiled. But meat commendeth us not to God: For neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them them that are weak" (1Corinthians 8:1-9).
Is it not true that you who celebrate Christmas are being judged as to a holiday, a holyday? Are the things you use, the ornaments, the tree, the gifts, the singing, the pageants, this special time set aside to celebrate the coming of the promised Messiah being judged as wrong? Yes, by many, especially the Jehovah Witnesses. Are you setting aside all the things of Christmas to be sanctified by some pagan god? Are you seeing those things as pagan articles? It is not the objects, the time of the year that make Christmas to be heretical, to be pagan, no, it is your motive, your reason for this special day. We know the truth: they are nothing in of themselves and they only become something as to what we make them to be. Now, if we argue, or if we fight against those who see things differently we are not bringing to them the truth as to why we celebrate this date (as wrong as it may be) so that we will not stumble them for they are weak and are following man's opinion without having freedom in truth.
Authentic Christians have no reason to "hide their heads in the sand" and avoid the truth. We have a wonderful time to stop, smell the roses (oh! wait a minute: the goddess Ishtar had roses as one of her special emblems), oh well, they smell good anyway, a time to stop and remember what God has done for all who will believe in Him, in His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ. Pick a date: celebrate, and if it is December 25, good, any date will do for we are not commanded to do this, we do this because we have come to know God and know His Son and we want to give all honor we can to Him.
Now we have knowledge but do not allow this knowledge to puff you up as it has done for such as Jehovah Witnesses who use the knowledge as to the roots of paganism to point out that they and they alone have the truth. No, they have the past, and the wallow in the past, and the present is veiled in the past and they are so "puffed" up with this knowledge that they use this against the fact that we love God, Jesus Christ so much we cannot wait for a special day to honor God. Jehovah Witnesses have become a stumbling block to the truth: it is not the objects, it is our heart, our motives.
Now: here is a question: Do you take time Christmas Day to speak about that day, a special time, maybe at the table, or setting aside time before or even after the opening of presents, do your children know the deeper meaning as to why we celebrate Christmas? I pray that this is true for you. And now you are free to the truth and you are able to answer the critics of this wonderful celebration: Christmas.
For as he thinketh in his heart,
so is he: Eat and drink,
saith he to thee, but his heart
is not with thee.
Proverbs 23:7
Freedom is in Jesus Christ
Richard L. Crumb
Example: A Jehovah Witness comes to your door and tells you that your Christmas tree and the celebration of Christmas is pagan. How will you answer? I would ask a question: Why do you say that? Here is what the Jehovah Witnesses teach: ""When Jehovah's Witnesses cast aside religious teachings that had pagan roots, they also quit sharing in many customs that were similarly tainted. But for a time, certain holidays were not given the careful scrutiny that they needed. One of these was Christmas." Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom p.198". Would you simply say: "You are wrong?" Well, they are not! Much of the celebration and the giving of gifts, the everygreen tree, all have pagan roots. As was shown in the last blog even the date of the birth of Jesus was in question. There is not one verse, word, or insinuation that the birth of Jesus was commanded to be celebrated. So I will say to them: you are right! That is truth and truth will set you free! But, I will ask them: "Do you or have you ever rode in a boat, a ship?" Well, they were adorned with pagan gods that led the boat, carvings of gods at the bow. Do you eat meat? If so then you are eating food that was used in pagan festivals, especially Ishtari, the goddess of love, of fire, war, thunder, and fruits, meats all were part of the symbols of her beliefs, and stars, even the tree of life, a date tree, sexual acts were part of her religious practices, and much more, so, are we to throw all this out because they have association with paganism? Is it the symbols or something else that we must be concerned about? Do you play or allow your children to play baseball, football, soccer, or basketball? If so they are playing with objects associated with festivals of Ishtari. Where do we draw the line? Paul wrote: "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of he new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come" (Colossians 2:16). Listen, read, this is what Paul wrote to us under inspiration of the Holy Spirit: "Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we have all knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifeth. And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. but if any man love God, the same is know of him. As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifices unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be (gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat if as a thing offered unto an idol; and there conscience being weak is defiled. But meat commendeth us not to God: For neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them them that are weak" (1Corinthians 8:1-9).
Is it not true that you who celebrate Christmas are being judged as to a holiday, a holyday? Are the things you use, the ornaments, the tree, the gifts, the singing, the pageants, this special time set aside to celebrate the coming of the promised Messiah being judged as wrong? Yes, by many, especially the Jehovah Witnesses. Are you setting aside all the things of Christmas to be sanctified by some pagan god? Are you seeing those things as pagan articles? It is not the objects, the time of the year that make Christmas to be heretical, to be pagan, no, it is your motive, your reason for this special day. We know the truth: they are nothing in of themselves and they only become something as to what we make them to be. Now, if we argue, or if we fight against those who see things differently we are not bringing to them the truth as to why we celebrate this date (as wrong as it may be) so that we will not stumble them for they are weak and are following man's opinion without having freedom in truth.
Authentic Christians have no reason to "hide their heads in the sand" and avoid the truth. We have a wonderful time to stop, smell the roses (oh! wait a minute: the goddess Ishtar had roses as one of her special emblems), oh well, they smell good anyway, a time to stop and remember what God has done for all who will believe in Him, in His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ. Pick a date: celebrate, and if it is December 25, good, any date will do for we are not commanded to do this, we do this because we have come to know God and know His Son and we want to give all honor we can to Him.
Now we have knowledge but do not allow this knowledge to puff you up as it has done for such as Jehovah Witnesses who use the knowledge as to the roots of paganism to point out that they and they alone have the truth. No, they have the past, and the wallow in the past, and the present is veiled in the past and they are so "puffed" up with this knowledge that they use this against the fact that we love God, Jesus Christ so much we cannot wait for a special day to honor God. Jehovah Witnesses have become a stumbling block to the truth: it is not the objects, it is our heart, our motives.
Now: here is a question: Do you take time Christmas Day to speak about that day, a special time, maybe at the table, or setting aside time before or even after the opening of presents, do your children know the deeper meaning as to why we celebrate Christmas? I pray that this is true for you. And now you are free to the truth and you are able to answer the critics of this wonderful celebration: Christmas.
For as he thinketh in his heart,
so is he: Eat and drink,
saith he to thee, but his heart
is not with thee.
Proverbs 23:7
Freedom is in Jesus Christ
Richard L. Crumb
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