CONSTANTINE MERGED A VERSION OF CHRITIANITY WITH SUN WORSHIP
Why did Constantine the first Christian Emperor of the Roman Empire try this merger? He believed that it would help him rule the empire. Did he contaminate the worship of the true God or help? Does God allow the blending of his true worship with pagan customs? The answer is an obvious No!
Deuteronomy 12:30-31 NKJV 30 "take 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.' 31 "You 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.
Constantine began his reign as a worshiper of Sol Invictus 'The Unconquerable Sun , 307 A.D. He blended the two religions as he perceived them to help gain him more control since belief in Christ had gained power and momentum in the empire.
Acts 17:6 NKJV 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.
He said that Christ and Sol Invictus were one and the same. He merged the two religions together and made the new combination the official religion of the Holy Roman Empire. In the process of helping the pagan Romans accept Christianity, he deemed December 25 necessary. The day the pagan Romans had always worshiped the Sun god now became the birthday of Christ. This is why Christmas is on the day of the winter solstice, Saturnalia.
Deuteronomy 12:32 NKJV 32 "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it. Revelation 22:18 NKJV 18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book;
God does not approve of us adding to His instructions on how to worship Him or distorting the written words of God.
HOW TO ACCURATELY CALCULATE THE TIME OF JESUS' BIRTH
If someone were to ask if you kept Christmas and you said no, they would assume that you are not a worshiper of Christ. You could explain that you really are a deep and true worshiper of Jesus Christ. You may disagree on dates and some customs though, but love Jesus as well. We happen to worship Him on correct dates as assigned by the Bible. Christ was not born on December 25th. That date comes from pagan Rome and sun worship. Scholars do not doubt this fact. The Romans worshiped the pagan god, Saturn on December 25th as the Sun was declining. It is purely and simply a date based on pagan sun worship to encourage the Sun to return back high in the sky. Jesus’ actual birthday is not mentioned in the Bible. The December 25th date was chosen to appease the Roman population into accepting Christmas. Remember, the Bible instructs us not to try to worship the real God, using the ways that heathens use when worshiping their gods.
Jeremiah 10:2-4 NKJV 2 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. 3 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. 4 They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple.
Many Christmas traditions and customs can be traced back to pagan roots from various nations. Some feel the date is irrelevant. But do you believe that God wants false dates and customs associated with the true worship of His Son? As a good historian, Luke provides vital information and an orderly account of the time period surrounding Christ’s birth. First, In a long section from Luke 1:5,8 to 2:8, Zachariah, the priest was of the priestly course of Abia or Abijah which began June 18th and extended until July 1st. (See 1 Chronicles 24:10.) The courses of priests start at the Passover and the eight course would be about three and a half months later. This would be in the summer. John the baptist mother would be impregnated summer and his birth in the spring. John was six months older than Jesus so Mary would give birth in the fall. Note Luke 1:26-38. This means Jesus Christ would have been born in the Fall.
Luke 1:4-5 NKJV 4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. 5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
Luke 1:34-36 NKJV 34 Then Mary said ...therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 "Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.
The Bible has Fall and Spring Holy Days to celebrate Christ’s first and second coming. It is probable that Jesus was born on a Fall Holy Day.
FURTHER EVIDENCE OF JESUS BIRTH-DATE NOT BEING IN THE WINTER
A second point is that the sheep were outside the barns at night when Christ was born inside, in the manger. It would be too cold to have sheep outside at night in the fields in the winter. See Luke 2:8. It is clear Christ was not born on December 25 on a cold winter night, that date choice was a pagan influenced political choice.
Luke 2:7-8 NKJV 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
If we really love Jesus Christ let’s worship him in spirit and truth. The early Christian Church did not celebrate Christmas. The Bible does not mention Christmas. Early Christians did celebrate God’s Holy Days. The Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Edition states that even as late as 245 A.D. The Catholic theologian, Origen still said that keeping Christmas was sinful. God Knew That Pagan Compromises Would Be Detrimental To Any Society. The American colonist such as the Puritans did not keep Xmas. Christmas was outlawed in most of America in those days. They were very biblical. That is why George Washington was able to win his war turning victory with a Xmas day attack. The Christmas victory at Trenton New Jersey was a vital key to American Independence. Not keeping Christmas may have saved the American Revolution . America clearly was blessed and became the most powerful nation in the world.
Further the Apostle Paul said that pagan rites are under demonic influences.
1 Corinthians 10:20 NKJV 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.
People are led to expect peace and family love and harmony with wonderful gifts. Extreme materialism, which is so hyped during the season, is not good for people. It violates the principles behind the tenth commandment about coveting. Christmas does not have a lot of spiritual depth. Appealing mainly to mans’ greedy nature. Xmas usually brings more identity theft, domestic violence, counterfeiting, shoplifting, scams, vehicle theft, robbery, drunk driving, rape and sexual assault, and burglaries than any other time of the year.
SOCIETY IS TURNING MORE OPENLY SECULAR AND OR PAGAN
MOST IN ACADEMIA ARE STRONGLY TURNING TOWARD A WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION. They are decoupling the winter celebration from any biblical portion. This move is toward a more pure global open paganism. Pagans worship nature and mother earth and sun worship fits into this system. Believers in the bible and God are wrong in some areas and yet we can say they have a right to be wrong. They mean well. Everyone has a right to express their Christian beliefs even in the public square in a nation with religious freedom! If America has true religious freedom then people have a right to be wrong or true religious freedom does not exist. We should not support the many that wish to celebrate the winter solstice or holiday but forbid the mentioning or showing of Christ in the public square. It is only a holiday season to them (similar to pagan Rome). I think it makes the winter break as higher education labels it now even more purely pagan by eliminating our new born Savior and God. The modern PC world is thereby moving further from the truth and getting closer to pure ancient paganism. This will weaken society.
Jeremiah 7:6 NKJV 6 "if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt,
Rejection of Christianity is one of the most negative trends in our society. The Bible emphatically supports the celebration of Christ’s death (New Testament Passover), His resurrection (Unleavened Bread and Pentecost), and His second coming, to bring His rulership to the planet and paradise (Fall Holy Days, culminating in the Feast of Tabernacles). But we do not support the secularists, agnostics and Earth worshipers who want to keep the Christmas holiday but eliminate the name and even the thought of Christ and His birth in a manger in Bethlehem. American Christians have the right to celebrate as they believe (errors and all). Charity for the disadvantaged is also a good work whenever it is done such as done by Salvation Army. The move toward more paganism and secularism is moving in the wrong direction. It will hurt society.
