Set apart.

I'm just going to come out and say it.

We are not celebrating Christmas this year.

I want to shout it from the rooftops. However, you would be amazed at the reaction you get, from both believers and non alike, when you mention that you...don't have a tree...aren't putting up lights...don't have stockings hung. You would think that we are Satan worshippers over here. Most Christians would gasp, "You aren't celebrating the birth of Jesus?!" Most wonder if I've now become Jewish/no longer believe that Jesus is the Christ.

The answer is: I most certainly believe Jesus is my Lord and Savior, and no I'm not Jewish. Although, I am going to look more Hebrew than American Christian from now on. (That's the goal!!)

So the golden question: WHY?! If I still believe in Jesus, everyone wonders why in the world I would NOT want to celebrate His birth??

The answer is simple. After closer examination of God's Word, I do not believe that Christmas is Biblical, and I do not believe Christmas is what God wants. Celebration of birthdays was never a Christian tradition (influential Christians' deaths are honored), and evidence points to a fall birth anyway. So why do Christians celebrate his birth, and why on December 25th of all days?

Pretty much every Christmas tradition stems from sun god worship or other Pagan rituals from back in the day. And Yahweh clearly states, "You must not worship the Lord your God in their way." (Deut 12:4) and again,

"after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, “How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.” You must not worship the Lord your God in their way" (Deut 12:30-31)

To me these verses very clearly state that it doesn't matter if your intention is honoring Him, if your heart is in the right place, or if your focus is on His son, Jesus, (and of course, obviously not sun gods)... HE DOESN'T WANT IT if it came from other practices. Yahweh is quite clear about how He wants to be worshipped and loved (mainly, OBEDIENCE), and also clear that He doesn't want us to add or take away from His instruction (Deut 12:32).

To me, much of the Bible is like a detailed description of Yahweh's love language. And if we love Him and want to show Him love, we will love Him the way He wants to be loved (just like we would do in any earthly relationship). Would we go into a new relationship and say, "I know your love language is X, but my ex's was Y, and I'm used to loving that way and comfortable with that way, so I'm just going to love you that way"? Of course not; our spouse would be very unhappy with that. How much more unhappy, then, is God, when we choose to love Him OUR way, and/or society's way, instead of the way He has asked??

If you truly dig and research, using an objective mind (there are several Christian rationalizations out there from where things like trees, etc come from, but extensive searching into history proves that they are just that - rationalizations, not Biblical or factual), you will find that almost everything from Christmas trees and the stars on top to the date and timing of this holiday comes from sun god worship/pagan & tribal rituals. Not from God's Word. Not from Yahweh.

I am striving to love Him like He wants to be loved, after so long of loving Him like everyone (Christians) around me is loving Him or how it is comfortable to do so. So many times, Yahweh clearly indicates that obedience to His law is His primary love language - it seems like such a no brainer now...in hindsight.

Living this way has already brought accusations of legalism or earning my salvation. So I wanted to quickly address that. I am not following Yahweh's law because I want to earn grace or save myself with my obedience. That's silly. I'm striving after obedience to His law because I want to LOVE Him with my all of heart, mind, soul, and strength - in TRUTH, and in the way Yahweh has so clearly asked.

I have only scratched the surface - but let me tell you, it is SO incredibly freeing. And Yahweh pours blessings all over it.

We are called to be set apart - to be different from the rest of the world. It is hard (SO HARD!), but I urge you: Don't cling to their holidays, cling to HIM, and His Word (and His holidays! (Feasts of the Lord ;) ) ). Giving up Christmas was one of the hardest things I have done at first...you will feel alone, judged, outcast by all of your Christian and non-Christian friends alike. But like I said, there is something so freeing about leaving that beaten path and chasing wildly after His heart (instead of my own "good intentioned" heart)... You won't regret it.

Plus, even Madison will tell you, the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah - not a commanded feast, by the way) rocks!! :)

~~Peace and blessings, in Him~~

P.S. Here's some resources, if you are interested:

On origins of Christmas and Easter: Sunburned

Also, www.testeverything.net is a good site for informative teachings on God's law.

There's another good one on Christmas and Easter, but I don't have a link (I watched it a long time ago). Try a Goo.gle or You.tube search of "Get rid of Easter".