Should Christians Celebrate Christmas? | Episode 32
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- Опубликовано: 5 дек 2021
- The North American church focuses quite a bit of attention on two specific religious holidays - Easter and Christmas. However, some Apostolic believers, including many outside North America, express concern about the pagan origins and overtones of these two holidays, as well as their connection to Catholicism. Consequently, these believers argue that Christians shouldn’t participate in Christmas and Easter celebrations.
Dr. David K. Bernard examines this question in light of the residual influence of paganism on Western culture and Paul's words in Romans 14.
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The scriptures also tells, that we should not keep the traditions and customs of man,??? And we cant love the world and love God at the same time
This is a very controversial commentary. The statement should say---We cant love the world and love God at the same level. just commenting.
I would have to respectfully disagree. If the only issue was how people perceive celebrations, I could celebrate Halloween and simply say I'm praising God to justify it.
With issues like these, either it's biblical, or it isn't. These holidays are very clearly pagan and were adopted out of ease to assimilate the pagan and Christian belief systems/practices. The same reason is used today. It's easier for Christians to celebrate than to be part of the minority that doesn't.
Interesting. However, if you don’t celebrate Christmas that’s entirely your decision and we can’t pick and choose which pagan things to ignore.
The following was invented by pagans:
•Fireworks/New Year’s Day
•Days of the Week
•Months of the Year/Calendar
•Soccer
The list goes on.
The pagans have thousands of gods. I guarantee you almost every day is a day of celebration to some sort of pagan god.
The important thing to remember whether you do or don’t celebrate is to respect each other and not waste our time arguing with each other. We have a purpose and goal to reach the lost and we are wasting time arguing when there are souls to be reached.
He isn’t talking about worshiping a god. He’s talking about doing good on any day because Jesus is God of all creation and we need to worship him regardless of whatever day and if we take a day that was previously a pagan day and celebrate the birth of Jesus that is not bad. Pretending it’s Jesus birthday and people must say Christmas is not good.
If you judge someone who does this… but celebrate birthdays that were pagan too then you must stop doing birthdays.
Amen
Thanks for the Evil Roman Catholic church that's how pagan worship was mixed into christianity
Good point. To add to that, I go back to the Old Testament where Israel worshiped on the high places. "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning" (Romans 15:4). Also 1 Corinthians 10:11 “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” Nobody wants to give up their party time. Christ said, “But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:9). Christmas is not a command of God-it is a tradition of men.
He seems to have forgotten "love not the world neither the things that are in the world" and we are to set our affections on things that are above not on things of the Earth... yes that's in the Bible
The things in the world…. Lust of the flesh--Lust of the eyes-- The Pride of Life….. God is a heart God…I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas…. But I enjoy the day off from work…. It’s about Balance….When you bring Love into the equation…. That’s another discussion
I think people need to do a study on all the things we do and celebrate that the pagans began. If Christmas can’t be celebrated, then everything with pagan beginnings needs to be shunned. Know your facts before condemning what other people do.
I appreciate what Bro Bernard has said.
It seems to me that you weren't listening!!
Read Romans 14:5-6
HE MADE IT PLAIN ACCORDING TO THE
SCRIPTURES
Maybe it's because you DON'T WANT TO SEE!!!
In Galatians chapter four, Paul is not giving liberty to observe their pagan days that they observed in service to the gods they served before they came to know the God of Israel. In fact, he said that he was afraid of them lest he had labored in vain on their behalf.
I respectfully disagree with this.
My reading of Romans 14 is that it’s talking about Old Testament Hebrew diet laws and feast days. As Christmas and Easter only existed as pagan celebrations at the time of the writing. Surely you don’t think that Paul would condone participating in those current rituals, as God already shared his law of observing and participating in pagan days of worship and rituals.
In the New Testament as well, the church had already addressed eating that which was offered to idols, it does not make sense that Paul would contradict that by now saying eat whatever you want. This applies to pagan celebrations as well.
God explicitly told his pro to not worship the way that the heathen does. The Apostolic church was not interested in Christianizing worldly practices, while the Catholic Church wanted to absorb those practices. We cannot literally repeat these practices and then call them holy. I’m fully convinced of that.
100%!!!
100% accurate
People will justify any lifestyle choices they choose to make using all kinds of irrational "logic." Apostolic, Holy Ghost filled people are no exception. It is glaringly obvious that Christmas is deeply rooted in paganism yet most Christians, pastors and religious leaders choose to ignore this fact.
Mr. Darren, I totally agree with you sir. You made a great point in your post. Thank you.
Amen! Come out from among them and be ye separate. We cannot observe lies such as christmas unto God by trying to Christianize it when it had nothing to do with out faith.
I love seeing so many awake in the comments ! On fire and not compromised . Thank you Holy Spirit , please continue to guide us and give us decernment. Glory !!
Amen! Paganism has infiltrated our churches and hindered us from being free from vain practices and witchcraft. May the Lord continue to deliver his people out of leis.
Would like very much for bro Bernard to address the scripture often used by many about the Christmas tree in Jeremiah 10, about cutting down the tree and worshipping it
They were forming/creating idols from the trees. If we want to get specific - pine trees (often used for Christmas trees) didn’t reach that part of the world until a looooonnnggg time after.
He isn’t talking about worshiping a god. He’s talking about doing good on any day because Jesus is God of all creation and we need to worship him regardless of whatever day and if we take a day that was previously a pagan day and celebrate the birth of Jesus that is not bad. Pretending it’s Jesus birthday and people must say Christmas is not good.
If you judge someone who does this… but celebrate birthdays that were pagan too then you must stop doing birthdays.
There is nothing wrong with celebrating the Lord's Birthday. The angels, shepherd's in the fields, and the wise men all celebrated the Lord's birthday, some even bearing gifts so celebrating the Lord's or your own or other people's birthday is not wrong. However, most people celebrate the Lord's birthday on a day He wasn't born and include things in that celebration that have absolutely nothing to do with the birth of Jesus Christ and come from paganism aka, trees, wreaths, stockings, mistletoe, and of course telling lies about a man made out to be likened unto a god named Santa Clause. The problem is celebrating the Lord's birthday in ways that misrepresent Him and or take the focus off his birth
No its pagans holiday and Jesus was not born in December. No no no
I also disagree with this.
- Living in a pagan world, we CANNOT completely avoid every single pagan origin culture. With this point, I agree with you.
- However, bringing pagan cultures DELIBERATELY (which we can indeed avoid) into a church is ANOTHER ISSUE.
- Of course, God still receives people who sincerely worship him who does not acknowledge that those cultures are from pagan. Still God WANTS US TO REPENT from those pagan cultures in our churches. (That's why God specifically wrote on 1 & 2 Kings that several kings DID NOT removed high places though they were right in the sight of the LORD. e.g. Azariah in 2 Kings 15:4)
Very true, Jesus tells us all over the gospels that we are new creatures in him, that we have left the old man behind (traditions) and are new in him. If Jesus wanted us to celebrate his birth then he would have told us or his disciples would have done it. It all goes back to mankind and its own desires, just look at hoe the Israelites had become by the time Jesus came around they had somany laws and customs and practices that God had not instituted it.
Also, the Bible tells us to judge accordingly as his children should… there’s no such thing as “Do not judge one another”… how ever should we edify and correct each other in the spirit?
My two cents before watching this podcast: Christians during Paul's time were admonished to come out of pagan rites and not to mingle. Today the modern Christian is being called out of the assimilated "mixed multitude" and embrace the true Holy days that Jesus himself celebrated as found in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. Now lets see if Bro. Bernard thinks the same.
He isn’t talking about worshiping a god. He’s talking about doing good on any day because Jesus is God of all creation and we need to worship him regardless of whatever day and if we take a day that was previously a pagan day and celebrate the birth of Jesus that is not bad. Pretending it’s Jesus birthday and people must say Christmas is not good.
If you judge someone who does this… but celebrate birthdays that were pagan too then you must stop doing birthdays.
@@GigisPups “A good name is better than precious ointment, And the day of death than the day of one’s birth;”
Ecclesiastes 7:1 NKJV
The Bible never teaches us to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Jesus never said to celebrate His birth. On the contrary
“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”
I Corinthians 11:23-26 NKJV
Jesus accomplished everything through his death. Not through His birth. The only birth we should be celebrating is one’s reborn life of the water and Spirit. Hope this edifies you
@@Ceessss562 Except Matthew and Luke go to great lengths to describe Jesus' Nativity....it was an important event for them...why not us?
@@Ceessss562 you are spot on 100% Theres a veil over the eyes of the church over this solstice, we can sear our concience to do unbiblical practices and still feel good about it. For example gluttony is very much talked about in the Bible yet we joke about our weight issues diabetes runs rampant through our churches yet people still will adjust their meds so they can over eat or one person said Yeah I know Ill pay for this lator and has migraines that night due to their sugar level's being off yet they knew they shouldn't have ate that pie and extra potatoes, so we do not obey something explicitly talked about in the Bible so it does not me we ignore the principals taught here. God bless you for seeing the truth on this.
Scriptures says nothing about redeeming idol worshipping days , also Roman was talking about the Jewish holy days not idol worshipping pagan days ... go to gal 4:9-11 read the whole chapter actually get the full context.
He’s using the word of God deceitfully, deceiving the minds of the simple
The bible talks about it God warns us.
Jeremiah 10
1
Hear what the LORD says to you, O house of Israel.
2
This is what the LORD says: "Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the sky, though the nations are terrified by them.
3
For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.
4
They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter.
5
Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good."
You are correct. UPC has even redeemed Halloween. They call it hallelujah night. This is a perfect example of compromise.
Great teaching! Thanks bishop Bernard.
It's better to follow scripture, then man and there opinion, the world will pass and the things in it, but God's word is eternal.
Jeremiah 10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 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 axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
This is what God says about christmas. It is certainly heathen's way, in other words, it is paganism. Wrong understanding and allowing self knowledge and opinion to put on the table will lead you to damnation. Everyone of us must follow the scriptures, and not to follow someone's feelings and opinion. Christmas is of the devil, it is paganism and whosoever that keeps it, God calls them a HEATHEN.
But dont we celebrate heathen everyday.
@@anthonyspencer6475 Exactly. Seems people want to condemn (even though Bro Bernard explained we shouldn't judge) the very act of remembering Christs birth! When the wise men found Jesus they celebrated and rejoiced! Even though we KNOW Jesus wasn't born in December-He WAS BORN and for THAT fact I celebrate Christmas. 🙂
I don't agree with this at all👎🏽He only quoted one scripture and there are so many more scriptures against this kind of worship and practice to Jesus.
He isn’t talking about worshiping a god. He’s talking about doing good on any day because Jesus is God of all creation and we need to worship him regardless of whatever day and if we take a day that was previously a pagan day and celebrate the birth of Jesus that is not bad. Pretending it’s Jesus birthday and people must say Christmas is not good.
If you judge someone who does this… but celebrate birthdays that were pagan too then you must stop doing birthdays.
@@GigisPups you obviously didn't understand my comment.
Rom. 14 is not talking about Christmas. It talks about the tensions between the new converted gentiles vs the converted from Judaism.
In other words the Jews were trying to impose the keeping of the Mosaic law which was over with the dead of Jesus.
What a great point! I could listen to good teaching for hoooours!! Bro Bernard has a very organized way of laying out his points. Thankful to Jesus for good teachers in my life.
Read the Bible not just what he says , Bible tells us about the worshiping of tree that we adorn with silver and goal for nimrod which guess what his birthday is ok dec 25
@@isaaclope9154
You are taking the verse out of context. That verse is talking about idols made out of wood, not trees.
The Bible actually describes Jesus as a tree.
Gran mensaje 🙌🏼 Superintendente General UPC Rev. Ps. David K. Bernard; que tenga una Feliz Navidad 🎄 y Venturoso Año 2022. Muchas bendiciones para su querida familia y congregación ✨✨✨ De parte de la Familia Mestanza (Trujillo, Peru 🇵🇪).
What are your thoughts on Jeremiah 10? And did God not say not to worship Him like how the other gods are worshipped? Plus wasn’t Jesus born in the fall season and not in the winter?
This man takes Romans 14 completely out of context. Verse six reveals the context but he stopped short of reading the entire verse. It’s about whether one eats or does not eat on certain days. First century Jews had traditional fast days, and as some were known to do, they were trying to push this tradition on others.
So you can celebrate Christmas! Thank you
This article below really helped me in recent years, because for over a decade I adhered to the teaching that Jeremiah is referring to "Christmas Trees" but it's not. However there are negative things attached to the Christmas decorations and traditions without even having to use Jeremiah, which make it a questionable holiday for the saints of God to participate in.
Some people have felt that Jeremiah 10:1-5 is referring to what we, today, know as Christmas trees. Let’s take a look to see if Christmas trees are in the Bible.
Jeremiah 10:1-5
Jeremiah 10:1-5 says the following, "Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus 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. For 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. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it will not topple. They 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.”
Careful examination
At first glance, it might seem that verses 3 and 4 are referring to Christmas trees, cut from the forest and decorated with gold and silver trimmings. But a more careful look at the entire section makes it clear that God is talking about making a carved image-or idol-from the trunk of a tree.
He speaks of a craftsman shaping the wood, "the work of the hands of the workman" (verse 3). This is made clear in the context of the following verses, specifically verse 8: "But they are altogether dull-hearted and foolish; a wooden idol is a worthless doctrine."
Later in the chapter the contrast is drawn between the false gods that have not made the earth and the true God, the Creator (see verses 9-11). Verses 14 and 15 speak of worthless idols and images that are only objects of mockery.
The practice of making an idol from the trunk of a tree is also referred to in Isaiah 40:19, 20 and 44:14-17. Both Isaiah and Jeremiah declare the futility and absurdity of making and worshiping idols.
Conclusion
When looking at the verses of Jeremiah, we must remember that Christmas, of course, came into being long after Christ’s death and resurrection-years after the Bible was written-as a day to honor His birth. And the practice of decorating Christmas trees originated even later. Therefore, these Bible verses are not referring to Christmas trees, but idolatry.
Keep in mind, however, that although Jeremiah 10:1-5 is not referencing Christmas trees, it would be valuable to look into the origin of the Christmas tree and the celebration of Christmas on December 25 since neither are mentioned in the Bible.
I agree. I will say you can find the devil/paganism is most ANYTHING if you look hard enough. I was against celebrating these two holidays for years and it caused severe marital problems for the kids and my wife because of my stand. Having done much research on this topic; I now celebrate them both-because even though we are pretty sure Jesus wasn't born in December--we KNOW HE WAS BORN! For THAT reason (and at Easter) I observe them and only for those reasons.
Could you please translate this in Spanish ? It is so needed for the Spanish speaking only brothers and sisters, because they see us as we are sinners because we celebrate Christmas.
The monitor asked the question incorrectly. He should have included Halloween. If the question included Halloween, then Brother Bernard would have had to answer differently. When he answered with the scripture in Romans 14:5-7 I feel that Paul did not mean that a man could regard or esteem demonic. pagan holidays as Halloween, a high sabbath for the Occult. Paul did not give carte blanche, across the board liberty to Christians to pick a favorite holiday. The text does not indicate what kind of day they were discussing. My suspicion is that since the controversy of the hour was the Judaizes insisting on the keeping of feast days (Feasts of the Mosaic Law) that Paul was addressing the issue. People are more aware of the issue of Paganism in their midst because of the internet and free information. Christmas is big money (Sheaves for Christ). It is not surprising that the head of the UPC would defend it. The" Mass of Christ" has strong pagan roots to the ancient holiday of Saturnalia. The Christianization of the Pagan religion began when Rome went "Christian". Its holidays are strongly rooted in the triads (trinity) of antiquity. As a oneness believer and ordained preacher of 42 years I abhor the practice.
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
I know churches in the UPCI who already celebrate halloween. They call it hallelujah night.
@@CalledUntoHoliness or Harvest Festival
Thanks for this...
Amazing video! Thank you!
Glad you liked it!
Thank you 😇
Great teaching!❤️
I absolutely love and appreciate these videos from our General Superintendent. Thank you Bro. Bernard for standing and speaking the truth.
#ProudToBeApostolic
Jesus christ is good 😊
I would like to hear the speaker's experiences in South Korea. That would be a very interesting episode!!!
It is not what you think. It’s what the Lord thinks. Let’s read the whole bible, not just part of it.
Jeremiah 10:2-4
King James Version
2 Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 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 axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
Deuteronomy 16:21 Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the alter of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee. Jeremiah 10:1 HEAR ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: 2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3 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 axe. 4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be born, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for the cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
I personally don't celebrate anything to include my birthday. However, I attend other celebrations to eat turkey or hand out gifts but I tell my children about reality and not lies about holidays and such. I don't want false images or imaginations to take root in their mind. They're still children and enjoy childhood
Beautiful.
It's believed that Jesus was born around the Feast of the Tabernacles which is September/October. It was around this time in 7 BC or 6 BC when there was a sighting of what we believe to be the Star of Bethlehem.
If we go back nine months from here, where are we??? And when DOES life begin???
Christmas is when we remember and celebrate God becoming a Human.
We also need to remember how Jesus came into this world.
If we stop celebrating Christmas we could end up not reading scriptures associated with Christmas. We cannot take away from God's Word.
Amen!
Replace Christmas with the Feast of Tabernacle and you can still read those Scriptures. Christ was born on the first day of the Feast, the first week of Oct. and was circumcised on the eighth day.
no no no no what do you mean we have a personal choice in regards to Christmas, so your telling us to ignored the pagan holyday roots, even the early puritans that came to the USA deem this holyday as a pagan ritual. Jesus never once in the bible asked us to celebrate his birth not once NEVER!! we can not start putting our own interpretation of scriptures and pick and choose in order to fit our environment and culture. When we come to GOD we are one in one accord. It truly makes me sad to see a man that I have such respect for tell me a straight up lied to my face
At last, Christmas is discussed
U have churches that are putting up xmas trees. What does that have to do with celebrating Christ?
Nothing
symbolizing the "tree of life"?
Amen!
What your saying sounds right but so many of your churches altars are full of Christmas trees etc... how is that keeping with Romans and how you just explained that. It’s completely hypocritical. So then raise the rainbow flag in church but say that your acknowledging Gods creation. Just don’t make sense I’m sorry.
Amen.
Love it ❤
Muy interesante y edificativo este mensaje, saludos desde Nicaragua.
I love and respect you Brother Bernard but I respectfully disagree... we do not have "christian Liberty" to choose how we worship God with Pagan customs.
12/06 3.Encyclopedia Britannica states,"TREE WORSHIP, common among the pagan Europeans,survived after their conversion to Christianity in the Scandinavian CUSTOM of decorating the house and barn with EVERGREENS at the New Year to scare away the devil and of setting up a TREE for the birds during CHRISTMASTIME;
it survived further in the custom,also observed in Germany,of placing a YULE TREE at the entrance or inside the house in the midwinter holidays." house in the midwinter holidays."
·
But how does God answer in His Word? "Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them [the pagans in their customs] . . . 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 L ORD thy God: for even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the Eternal, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods" ( Deuteronomy 12:30-31). God says plainly in His Instruction Book to us, that He will not accept that kind of worship, even though intended in His honor. To Him, He says, it is offering what is abominable to Him, and therefore it honors, not Him, but false pagan gods. God says we must not worship Him according to the"dictates of our own conscience"--a term we often hear. But Jesus says plainly, "God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" ( John 4:24). And what is truth? God's Word--the Holy Bible--said Jesus, is truth ( John 17:17); and the Bible says God will not accept worship when people take a pagan custom or manner of worship and try to honor Christ with it.
AMEN, AMEN, AMEN👑
Agree!
What you describe is definitely pagan rituals . Other than the Christmas tree, do you know of UPCI Apostolic Christians that celebrate this way....please share
Nobody is worshipping a tree.
I'd like for "men of God" to stop dancing around issues that would hurt people's feelings and start teaching them truth. Teach them the Pagan origins of the holidays and traditions of men that the Catholic Church accepted and twisted it around to "celebrate Jesus". According to scriptures, God doesn't want us to celebrate him like the pagans worship their false gods. He tells us in his word how to remember him. The one true God should be remembered by us partaking in communion like the apostles did with one bread and one cup. Not by twisting pagan customs and traditions into a way that celebrates Him. God is not pleased with men trying to soothe the people's conscience and keeping the wool over people's eyes. These men should stop being led by the almighty dollar and be led by the Holy Spirit, and teach the truth of the word of God in it's entirety.
Yes indeed like condemning a MAN for a beard . My Lord it's MANLY .
Great explenations...
Dr.Bernard can i ask? How about Sabbath day observance (Saturday). Can you give us more details about this God commandments from the Old testaments. Thank you....
I covered this topic in a previous episode. You can watch it at ruclips.net/video/l0UVZCoc6oc/видео.html.
This is very helpful. Thank you explaining these things. It was really helpful to hear about groups coming from Catholic cultures, because it helped explain some of the countravariety in UPC that has been perplexing to me.
I wish to know more; because there are other scriptures that address this topic, but only one verse was mentioned. (And some scriptures do address the morals of pagan celebrations.) I also wonder why Halloween was not specifically mentioned along with Christmas and Easter, especially since churches do apply similar logic when having their children dress as Bible characters.
I don't know how to present the rest of my questions succinctly; but here's the overarching question: what is Christian liberty and how and when does UPCI apply it especially in light of today's so-called progressive thoughts that are running amok through out the "church" at-large? ( I'm referring to both political and non-political progressive ideologies that may not be matters of morality.) Moreover, within upci does Christian liberty apply on an individual level for parishioners or at the congregational level so that the congregation is required to follow after the pastorate?
Last, how do we respond to those who berate us for our practices? And how would you suggest that I mitigate offenses especially when I have tried to keep some of my personal practices to myself? I'm interested in understanding the psychology behind this, because it helps me exercise patience, and I'm interested in knowing the ettiqutte because people fear what they don't understand: how do I allay the heretic hunters?
Sis, you are hitting on some great points. I think these questions are pressing and relevant to the discussion of Christian liberty. Some believe in uniformity within the body - meaning everyone should have the same thoughts, practices, and behaviors in every aspect of life and any deviation from this is a question of salvation or the very least, your dedication to God. I’d love to hear your thoughts as well as others on how to navigate the corporate “worship” of our lives against Christian liberty and personal choices.
He isn’t talking about worshiping a god. He’s talking about doing good on any day because Jesus is God of all creation and we need to worship him regardless of whatever day and if we take a day that was previously a pagan day and celebrate the birth of Jesus that is not bad. Pretending it’s Jesus birthday and people must say Christmas is not good.
If you judge someone who does this… but celebrate birthdays that were pagan too then you must stop doing birthdays.
I believe Halloween would have been a better topic to talk about. How can you selebrate Halloween as unto the Lord? Please respond if you can!
Halloween has negative aspects as does every other holiday. We don’t celebrate monsters or evil. We allow our kids to dress up in clean fun costumes and we give out candy.
Some churches have Hallelujah Parties and dress up as biblical characters. Still pagan. Lol Halloween is demonic period!
We dont celebrate that holiday. Treat it as any day. But if people are coming to us (Christians), knocking at our doors, some do hand out church invitations with candy. Don’t know if adding candy would be the same as celebrating it.
Merry Christmas.
AMEN!!!
Bro Bernard, I wonder about something like participation in yoga activities. I understand the poses themselves are acts of worship to false gods, but most people think of them as mere strength and flexibility exercises which are good for health. Do the same biblical principles of Christian liberty apply to yoga?
Don't participate in yoga , it's an open door for the enemy.
Please don't practice Yoga. Please look up the Kundalini spirit online to see how Yoga opens up doors to demonic possessions. This is what is called the counterfeit spirit or "strange fire" that is talked about in scripture.
Just stretch in the morning it’s great, no yoga needed 🤷🏽♀️:)
My pastor (UPCI) allowed the leader of ushers to greet people and collect tithing and offerings with a santa claus hat on, is this acceptable? If not then how should be deal with this? I need an answer because tomorrow i have a meeting with pastor and it will only be 5 of us....i don't celebrate in any kind of way christmas but I don't judge those that do however I believe santa claus is idolatry...please tell me SOMEONE ANYONE if. I am right or wrong because this occurred before christmas and so far all that is happening is that pastor and minister are using pulpit preaching that we should not cause problems we should maintain peace (many people are upset about this santa claus situation) but he does not clarify anything about Santa...should pastor be confronted or is that wrong like pastor/minister is making it seems to be?
Brother Bernard is a great teacher and leader
What about Christmas trees? Clearly a form of paganism. If someone puts the statue of any pagan gods in their homes only as a decoration, what does God thinks of this? The Bible says that we should not touch the unclean things.
2Co 6 : 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
The given answer is partly correct but doesn’t go deep enough. If you want to celebrate Christmas, make sure you don’t act like the world. Your way of celebrating Christmas must be different. There are things that we cannot do. How can I be like the world and come to them after, only to tell them that they should not be like the world? Makes no sense at all. We need clear answers of what is allowed and what is not allowed. I believe we can have a Christmas family dinner, but no need for Santa or Christmas trees or gifts, decorations and all the things that the world does.
1Pe 2 : 12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Please can you come back with a clearer answer. We need the TRUTH and no need to dilute or sugarcoat things.
Thank you and may you be all blessed in Jesus’ Name!
Is there an audio version of this podcasts? Where can I find it?
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/should-christians-celebrate-christmas/id1569404833?i=1000544074604
Wait, as a whole do the men in the UPC have a personal choice to have a beard and preach with a beard without being condemned to hell?
I mean after all Jesus had facial hair.
¿Is it possible to obtain a transcription in Spanish?
Paul mentions the issue of food and day in Chapter 14 of the Romans, telling Christians that they have freedom, and not to criticize other brothers who have different standards from him. Can this logic be extended and applied to culture related to idol worship?
Looking at Chapter 8 of Corinthians, which is also wrote by Paul, it can be seen that this is not the case. If it is a common food, of course, you can eat it or not according to your conscience according to the guidelines of Chapter 14 in Rome. But here Paul is talking about how to deal with the problem of eating offerings made to idols, not ordinary food. Basically, he also is talking about the freedom to eat any food here, but what Paul is talking about in the end is that he will not eat meat in his life to protect his brothers who have weak faith.
Leaders who argue that it doesn't matter to celebrate Christmas based on the same text are coming to the opposite conclusion. Paul said he would not eat meat for the rest of his life to protect his brothers with weak faith, but they teach people that it is okay to celebrate Christmas without any hesitation to prove that each has a strong faith.
As an additional subject, if you have a really strong belief, can you personally eat the offerings made to idols? If you read up to Chapter 10 of the Corinthians more carefully, you can see that Paul's intention is not that. He says not to make God worry while sharing a culture of idol worship. He says that the offering offered to the idol is not just a matter of food, but a matter of spirit, so don't be a person who socializes with ghosts. Moreover, for still confused readers, Paul even talks about more specific guidelines. If you can't know if some food is offered to idol, just eat it. However, if you come to know that the food was an offering made to an idol, don't eat it.
Let's bring the same Paul's to Christmas. Did you learn that Christmas came from a culture of idolatry? You didn't know until now, but now you know? Then what choice would you make?
I have always wondered if the neo-Puritan fundagelicals are more abhorred about the Catholic connection to these high holy days than the very loose and distant pagan connections?
This is speaking about eating and drinking. You have read this out of context and need to
read the whole chapter.. see verses 2 and 3 which you decided to miss out.
I disagree because then in that case I should Celebrate Halloween and Praise God doing it. What about Jeremiah 10:1-5 . It clearly states the tree being decorated and not to follow the ways of the foreigners (heathens). It’s all idol worship. You don’t have to use a Christmas tree to draw people to Christ
Old Testament we are under the new covenant
@@theunsettled5683 "8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. 9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain." - Galatians 4:8 KJV
Brother Halloween is so overtly demonic it is very clear that no Christian should engage in that disgusting holiday. Obviously Christmas has pagan roots. There are many things in our society that have their base in paganism. we reject the open worship of any God other than Jesus. Obviously in centuries past to have a Christmas tree or to put up any red and green decor you would be interpreted as being a Pagan celebrating winter solstice . Now Christmas is associated with Christianity. As a matter of fact most people in the world would be very surprised to find a Christian who did not celebrate Christmas. We can celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ even though we know it’s not actually on Christmas day. The notion of taking the time to recognize Jesus Christ first God‘s precious gift of salvation to us all is not sinful. Now if the Lord convicts you then please follow the Lord in this. However don’t place your burden on of gods precious saints.
Exactly! 💯🎯
When you read Jeremiah 10, it clearly states about the practice of shaping a tree into idols or gods.
Love this!👏🏼
Awesome, straight forward & (by my opinion) on point.
I was not raised in Pentecost. But when I got saved & married & had children, we decided not to do a Christmas tree. We wanted to keep the focus of the season on the main event. We didn't do Santa. I told my kids, "It's not your birthday anyway." ...lol
All be it told, Jesus was likely born in spring-time. I believe the scriptures bear this out (with some exhaustive study).
As a pastor I tell my people that if this season & the day 12/25 makes a sin-sick, hopeless society to take ANOTHER LOOK at Jesus...to that I say AMEN.
Most scholars believe Jesus was born in the Fall near the festival of Sukkot or 'Tabernacles'. That is when we celebrate His birth, not on the day Pagan's celebrate Saturnalia.
hi UPC brethrens!
A case very similar to this problem is recorded in the Old Testament. If you look at the Kings, which records the history of the divided kingdom, there are several records of the "High places". The 'High places' was basically a place to serve foreign gods. The Bible specifically records that there were some honest kings in front of God in the time of the divided kingdom, but most of them could not remove high places, so the people burned incense in the high places. And it also records that the temple was removed when King Hezekiah became king.
Why did God leave this record? God clearly admits that they their hearts were honest to the Lord who could not remove the high places before Hezekiah. And the kings were so thoroughly wary of idolatry that anyone who worshipped idols was relentlessly removed from Israel. If it were such an atmosphere, of course, the people would have served Jehovah instead of serving foreign gods in the high places. At least they served Jehovah with a pure heart.
* If the existence of "High places" was nothing to worry about God, why would the Bible leave such a record?
* Would the Bible still admit that the kings were honest before God if they really knew that the "High places" would be a concern for Jehovah but removed them not?
I think you need to read the OT a few more times. God hated the high places and indicates that the "righteous" kings had a failing in not being more strict by removing the high places.
I wish the Christians didn’t appropriate Anglo Saxon culture, then we wouldn’t have this mess
What about Christmas trees in the house?
They do that already in upc
Good, bad?
Ask yourself, why am I doing it? Because that’s what the world does?
Catholic people I know strongly believe Jesus was born ON Christmas Eve, the night of December 24th, and they tell me how DARE I say otherwise...and they say, "are you an apostate!?" -- Could some people please respond to my comment? I'm wondering how I should go about this issue...
The date is irrelevant. No one actually knows anyway, so you have no option for them. What I would be pointing to is that it is Jesus Christ you are supposed to be giving presents to and not each other. The tree is a pagan symbol. Don't say, "merry xmas.", don't give them presents. I accept them from people if they know that I will never give them one for xmas.
It is believed Jesus was born around the Feast of the Tabernacles which is September/October. If we go back nine months from here where are we??? And when DOES life begin???
We need to remember how Jesus came into this world.
If we stop celebrating Christmas we could stop reading scriptures associated with Christmas. You cannot take away from God's Word!!!
I'm sorry but if the way we are celebrating the Lord has nothing to do with the Lord or why we are celebrating the Lord than it is in vain and also causes confusion. The Word of God tells us to have an answer ready to give when asked by anyone why we believe what we believe. The Word of God also tells us to come out and be ye separate and touch not the unclean thing and the Lord our God will accept us. Now if we know that many of these "Christian traditions" are really not Christian in origin but do in fact come from pagan practices then why are they allowed to carry on in the Lord's church? The Lord desires for us to worship Him in Spirit and in truth and because we know His Word is truth then we should worship him in ways that are found within the written Word of God. The Lord hates to be worshipped like the pagans worshipped their false gods alongside worshipping Him and yet it is being taught as something that is considered acceptable unto the Lord and also falls into the category of ones Christian liberty. This makes absolutely no sense. Why can't we just stick to the Word of God and worship Him the way He desires to be worshipped and remove the mixture of pagan worship practices alongside worshipping the Lord our God Jesus Christ?
The Disciple got followers by healing the sick, casting out Demons, and raising the Dead..
Romans 12:2
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Romans 14 is ALWAYS taken out of context. It is being used by this guy to say it's about Christmas, others say it's about Sabbath. Never are holidays, Sabbaths, or FEASTS mentioned in chapter 14, not once! And yet, count how many times the word EAT appears in this chapter, and look closely now at verse 2. I believe, IN CONTEXT, they are talking about FASTING, when and how. This entire chapter is about EATING! Now let's ponder this for a moment. If Paul is answering a question about fasting perhaps, and Christianity has been taught this chapter has been used to TWIST God's WORD to make believers think we can eat whatever, keep or not keep Sabbath, pagan holidays are okay; then how do we not SEE the enemy is teaching us to REBEL AGAINST GOD?
Hello Brother David Bernard, I had a question about in the book of Matthew chapter 11 when John sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He is the Messiah. Why is it that John Doubt? Even if during the time when he baptized Jesus he already saw and heard the signs that He is the Messiah. I hope that this will be noticed.
Hehe btw I am oneness believer and always watch every episode in this y.t channel
No it's a pegon ritual
Isn't Easter actually mentioned in Scripture?
Easter is an Anglo Saxon goddess of the Lenttide, wilder, and birth. She was worshipped in Easter-mōnaþ (the Anglo Saxon word for April) and had a day of festival that took place midway through the month. This festival, and indeed her very name, was culturally appropriated by Christians and used the time and theming to celebrate their own holiday about the resurrection of Jesus. The whole thing with the Easterbunny and eggs are holdovers from the pagan beliefs that predate Christianity in England. So our modern Easter is very much deeply rooted in pagan origins and rituals
Christmas is pagan!!! Jewish days or festival we’re just that, they were Jewish.
So I guess Halloween is esteemed by one then it’s ok ??
We don’t worship the sun god, never have never will!!
Bernard is treading a fine line!!! Paganism is paganism!!
Ignorance however is one thing and could be forgiven!!
But of course he likes traditions and don’t mind binding the Saints of God with such!!
Lord Jesus thought us that John 7:38
He that believeth on me, as the SCRIPTURE hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. And also we are taught
2 Timothy 3:16
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: So my question is this, if you are saying a Christian believer wants to celebrate Christmas and say the Lord Jesus Christ was born December 25 can you give book chapter and verse for it to justifiable and proof of the Apostle's and the first Christian church celebrating the birthday of Jesus Christ?
1st of all that’s not what he said !
He never defended Dec 25th as the birth. You can take something that was meant for bad and make it for good. If not then none of us would find truth… we would be dead yet in our sins.
The Lord Jesus Christ told his disciples,
Luke 10:16
He that heareth you heareth Me; and he that despiseth you despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me despiseth Him that sent Me.
It really doesn't matter when JESUS was born God is please when His children welcome JESUS and celebrate His birth
Can I choose to celebrate the "Day of the Dead" with the Mexicans? I mean, is a hell(pon intended) of a party and I have Christian liberty after all, don't I? I mean, by the end of the day as long as I keep my hair uncut, paganism is ok :(
Romans 14? Oh, of course.
And what about Romans14.15 - 23 and Romans 15.1 - 6?
Is that celebration more important than my brother?
It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister fall. Romans 14.21
Paul said: Each of us must please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For not even Christ pleased himself, but... Romans 15:2,3
Is this how you want to please your brother, participating side by side in the same celebration that emerged from paganism?
Really? Next to those who love Christmas but reject repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus?
Oh really?
Next to those who love Christmas lights and trees but reject holiness and the new birth?
Have you forgotten what holiness is? SEPARATION.
Is holiness no longer separation from the world but union with the world and its customs?
Check jeremaih 10 that hole chapter
EXCELLENT !
Imagine celebrating your birthday 6 months later….. imagine celebrating Jesus as if he was a whole other entity as the pagans do… I think God appreciates that… yep.. I think God likes the way we celebrate him as the pagans celebrate their gods as the Bi le says not to do..
its sad to see a church like the UPCI still hold on to this traditions many other apostolic denominations have already gotten rid of it because they saw the facts and its origins.
do you know when Jesus was actually born? is there any scholarly research or evidence backing this up?
@@therapturedmichelle Jesus never told us to celebrate him a birthday. God is from everlasting to everlasting. We celebrate Christ by giving our lives to him and keeping his word not by observing pagan traditions and decorating trees and over spending.
@@CalledUntoHoliness Remember though--the days of the week are pagan and so is YOUR birthday. Paganism is in everything not just 2 holidays.
He isn’t talking about worshiping a god. He’s talking about doing good on any day because Jesus is God of all creation and we need to worship him regardless of whatever day and if we take a day that was previously a pagan day and celebrate the birth of Jesus that is not bad. Pretending it’s Jesus birthday and people must say Christmas is not good.
If you judge someone who does this… but celebrate birthdays that were pagan too then you must stop doing birthdays.
Show me without using any of Paul’s letters.
Every Christmas season comes,one thing i always tell to my children that CHRIST MASS is a COMMEMORATING on how our Lord God JESUS CHRIST gave his life for us because he loved us.We are celebrating the manifestation of God to save us from eternal death coming to this world.
For without the shedding of the blood of a righteousness man our sins will not be forgiven.For the wages of sin is death,but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ JESUS OUR LORD.Romans 6:23
We are commemorating and thanking God Jesus for his love for us.
But not only o. December 24~25 we are celebrating commemorating it but everyday in our daily life as a Christian.
CHRIST for MASS!!
Mass means PEOPLE.
CHRIST for people.He gave his life for the sinners.
But he is no longer in the earth.He is in heaven now and preparing a place for us there and will get us in the rapture time.In a twinkling of an eye.
We ‘re not going anywhere to celebrate it busy preparing to do this and that,No!!
We are busy preparing our SOUL SPIRITUALLY FOR THE COMING OF JESUS!
Preparing not on material things here in earth jut preparing spiritual things .
Battling everyday from the earthly temptations we are encountering in this life.The principalities in this planet,persecutions,hard times,etc,..yet we are stay still in FAITH until the coming of our Lord God and Saviour JESUS CHRIST!
Halleluiah Praise the Lord 🙌🙌🙌
Jeremiah 10:3-4 3
For the customs of the peoples are [a]futile;
For one cuts a tree from the forest,
The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.
4 They decorate it with silver and gold;
They fasten it with nails and hammers
So that it will not topple.
I have to respectfully disagree because Christmas comes from a pagan holiday that a Catholic Church United them both to have more followers if we read on the background on Christmas and do a research about everything we will find that indeed we as Pentecostals should not celebrate it . For example Santa is not only lying to our own children’s but as well as he is believed to be a saint that’s why is name was Saint Nicholas. As well as if we separate the word Christmas the first word is Christ leaving mas alone the definition of that is mass meaning a catholic service. So I disagree although God does speak differently to everyone .
That's speaking of sabbath not peagonism.
What does the Bible say?
Remember 2 Timothy 3:16 says that all scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight…..
Christmas tree??
Jeremiah 10:1-5 says do not learn the way of the nations….for the customs of the people are a delusion……it is a tree of the forest that is cut down……they adorn it silver and gold….and fasten it with hammer and nails so it won’t fall over.
What about the star of Bethlehem that is normally placed on top of the Christmas tree? This ‘miraculous’ star first led the astrologers to King Herod, who wanted to kill Jesus. After Herod, the star immediately led the astrologers straight to Jesus. After Jesus, they started back to Herod, but one of God’s angels told them to go a different way. Matthew 2:1-12
What about Santa? Are we telling false stories?
2 Timothy 4:4
1Timothy 4:7
2 Peter 1:16
1 Timothy 1:4
What about birthdays?
Ecc 7:1 says that your day of death is better than your day of birth.
Did you know that there are 2 places in the Bible where someone was celebrating a birthday?
Phar’aoh celebrated his birthday. Was he a worshipper of God? Genesis 40:20
Herod celebrated his birthday. Was he a worshipper of God? Matthew 14:6
In both of these accounts, someone died, one of them being John the Baptist, Jesus’ own cousin.
Please remember 2 Timothy 3:16.
Not my will,but they will be done.
Hmm Nimrods birthday. I don't think so. Not acceptable.
Brother David I have a question is it okay for us Christians to play sports in college like basketball baseball and etc is it okay for us Christians to play in the nba and mlb and it is okay for us Christians to participate in esports thank you Brother Bernard God bless you!!
Yes you can.
You can engage in sports
@@jefelini548 Thank you
@@corpsmediatv4876 Thank you
I disagree and so do Nadab and Abihu.
I would have to respectfully disagree Everyday should be observed unto the Lord not just a particular day or month. I agree we should show the Lord even more so during this Solstice of Krampus/Saturnalia which is what it is. The Catholic church renamed their celebrations, Jesus hung with the sinners etc. but he didn't partake in their practices. We can look to the New Testament and history as well for our decisions on partaking. God is a God of order in the Old Testament God mapped out explicitly how and he wanted Israel to celebrate, does nobody find it strange not one place in the Book of Acts or the Epistles do we ever see the church celebrating a birthday much less the Lord's. Surely God would have mapped out something as important and blessed as Jesus birthday to celebrate yet it was only The heathen in scripture who celebrate birthdays, Now lets be consistent in how we decide what to partake in or don't. This celebration predates Jesus Birth everything about it other than the fact Jesus was born at some point in history has heathen origins as much if not maybe more than Halloween(Samhain). If we use the same logic of why we shouldn't celebrate Halloween it should not we use it for christ-mas? Are Tree's evil no, are lights evil no, is giving out presents evil for the most part no outside of the materialism and bad stewardship it brings on this time of year. Today i was told well your calendar months names are pagan and that's correct, There's quite a few things we use every day that has origins in it but unfortunately to function in this society we would never (using the calendar for example) be able to use the Biblical months in the society would wouldn't be able to function, we 100% have the ability to function in this day and age and culture and not partake in these solstices. Even though its wrapped up different its still the same solstice just renamed. Biblical lack of scripture saying or not saying do not celebrate christ-mas is kind of being legalistic, There are many things the Bible does not come out explicitly stating do not do but using Bro Bernards own teachings in his books, Its taught in principal, Romans 14 does allow us the liberty to either obey or disobey the Word of God, What I take away from that passage is just live everyday unto the Lord, but we have to do it in Spirit and in TRUTH and that word truth is kind of the dividing line isn't it? Show Jesus this time of year but I believe 100% in my spirit and from scripture we are not to offer strange fire to the LORD in anyway. The principal of separation from these practices is woven all through scripture.
Christians should be a day we celebrate Jesus not pegon because it should be a day about Jesus because a day we're he was born and he a live am glad I know who Jesus is
There is no denying that many traditions and customs surrounding Christmas are derived from pre-Christian beliefs and practices. Even the time of year its celebrated, around the Winter Solstice (the idea of light overtaking darkness and its symbolic ‘translation’ into Christianity), is pre-Christian.
Indeed, many of our present-day customs and traditions, from the days of the week, to the candles you blow out on your birthday cake, have pre-Christian antecedents; but no one really seems to complain about those. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that very few people are even remotely aware of them.
Quite frankly, whether one wishes to acknowledge it or not, the “pagan-ness” has been effectively ‘bread out’ of Christmas and its traditions for well over 1,000 years now. They have, for all intents and purposes, become completely Christianized. Like other pre-Christian customs and traditions that have become part of our culture, it’s time for some to get over it.
Time to compromise you mean. No thanks!
I agree!
See Jer 10 : 3 , 4 Niv bible , Isa 1 : 14 Niv bible
Romans 14 is about sabbath not Christmas so you talk out of text
No Christian's in the Bible celebrates Christmas