Christians: Pagan holidays, why are you so quick to defend them?

Question

And so rebellious against the holidays we are commanded to keep in Leviticus?

Same with Sunday Sabbath....we know its wrong but we are so quick to turn the blind eye....

WHY???????

these facts made me leave typical Christianity and go to Messianic Jew.

Are you more in love with your denomination/traditions than G-d's word perhaps?? (like the pharisees were?)

Please explain why you are so quick to defend whats clearly wrong and reject what is clearly right?

yes, we use legalism versus grace debate. typical.

but it clearly says not to use grace to keep on sinning.

Offering G-d Easter celebrations is like taking a dog turd and spray painting it gold. then selling it to Him as precious metal.

Answer 1

You and I have much in common my friend.

edit: Don't let those who say you are trying to live under the law and not grace discourage you. They speak as if they had never read the new covenant as described in the new testament. It says that God will write His laws in our hearts. The new covenant confirms the law, it does not do away with it.

Answer 2

Well, for the most part, it probably started out as pagan, turned Christian, and now turning pagan again. But the real question is, why do you celebrate it? If the reason is because of Jesus, and isn't it nice to have family over and enjoy the company? Then, our God does not disapprove. And what did the angels say that night our Lord was born? And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Luk 2:9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. Luk 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luk 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. God Bless

Answer 3

The Pagan holidays are where the pagans celebrate their understanding of their god(s). They have an understanding and a belief system already in place.
When they are taught about Christianity, it is always good to take people from where they are to where they could be in their faith and belief in God.
Using the pagan symbols, makes it easier for the pagans to understand.
Paul did this when he spoke about the unknown God.
St. Patrick did this with the shamrock and the Trinity.
Jesus did this with parables.
It is a great teaching tool to be able to transform something into a deeper reality of God.
God's reflection is in everything good.
The Christmas tree and the celebration of Christmas, the cross and the other pagan symbols which have been transformed is but a way to acknowledge God Who is everywhere.

Answer 4

Actually in the book of Hebrews Jesus is called the "Sabbath" rest for the people of God, if you are so smart and intelligent please let me know what this means? For truly it tells me that Jesus is our Sabbath - that is our "Sabbath Day of the LORD" to which we have entered into - present tense! We worship because we are living and dwelling in the Christ, fulfilling all the Old Testament commandments through Christ.

I see your legalism and trump you with grace, the Resurrection of Christ, faith and new system called forth by Christ when He claimed that He was the New Torah in defining that He was the "Word made flesh and dwelt among us" That He is the Way of the LORD, the Truth of the LORD, and Life produced by the LORD. In Christ is all the godhead in bodily form. Is this from denominationalism or from the inerrant word of God. You are like the Jews who strain at a gnat of the law and swallow a camel, that is you go over board in your generalizations to allow yourself the lifestyles you wish to promote and you become so legalistically blind in your approach to the Law that you will not hear anything from any one. Not even Christ. See you have exchanged the grace of God and the power of the Resurrection and have slipped back into legalism as hard as the Jews were in Jesus day.

I feel sorry for your leaving, for you do not live by faith in the Son of God, but by the commandments of men.

if you wish further clarity let me know

Answer 5

I agree with you. I also left a lifetime of Christianity and became a messianic jew. I believe every word that the bible speaks and I spend from sundown friday night until sundown saturday night fasting and praying. I refuse to break the commandment that we are to keep the Sabbath holy. Why would I want to worship on Sunday just because the roman catholices decided it was more convenient for them and then the other Christian religions followed suit. They don't believe that it matters. It is just as important as thou shalt not steal or kill.

Answer 6

Um, so I gather you are Jewish?

Our holidays are not Pagan. Yes, we may have borrowed some Pagan dates. But that was only because the Jews were trying to kill us so we had to hide our celebrations among the Pagans. Many of our holidays came from our Jewish cousins. Since Christianity CAME from the Jews. Festa Paschalia - AKA: EASTER. The Feast of Passover. Our biggest celebration of the liturgical year.

As for the commands in Leviticus - were you aware that Leviticus only pertains to Levite Priests?

Um. Yeah. It's not for everyone.

I was just watching an informational DVD, made by my Jewish cousins about my Jewish cousins. It showed rabbis who had followed geneology to track down a number of Levites. They have created a small sect who are working to "rebuild the customs laid down by Leviticus."

So apparently you guys are living them either.

As for the Sabbath - Since you don't believe in Christ - which this the Big Obvious for me... - then you can't understand. YOUR Sabbath is the Old Testament Saturday. But Christ rose from the dead on Sunday. So that is OUR Sabbath.

Answer 7

Often, when Christians came into contact with pagan cultures, whether it was Greek, Roman, Hebrew, or Syrian, they tried to convert the culture. As a result of this attempt at conversion, Christians often salvaged elements of that pagan culture that pointed to Christ. Example: Christmas is held on December 25. Most Christians believe that it is the date of Christ's birth. Rather, it was the date on which the Romans celebrated the birth of the sun god. When Constantine converted to Christianity in 312 A.D., he sought to combine the worship of Christ with the worship of the sun god.

Despite this, Christians took his conversion as positive and a good way to bring Christianity to pagan society. However, even before the emperor's conversion, Christians were salvaging pagan elements, such as turning pagan temples into churches, replacing gods with Christian martyrs, and pagan holy days with Christian festivals (http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/1999/december6/9te085.html).

Christ's birth is very much emphasized in the Bible. There is not one command in the New Testament for Christians to celebrate the birth of Christ, however. Thus, this holiday could be described as extra-biblical. Extra-biblical would denote that maybe we as Christians should not celebrate it. However, the Feast of Dedication, what you know as Hanukkah, first took place after the last Old Testament prophet wrote down the scriptures. Thus, that would be extra biblical as well. Jesus in fact celebrated Hanukkah, even though it was not mentioned in the Old Testament.

"Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Soloman's Colonnade. " (John 10:22-23)

I do not believe that these holidays are wrong, but I do believe that you should celebrate them only if you want to. There is nothing wrong with celebrating Christ's birth.

"Are you more in love with your denomination/traditions than G-d's word perhaps?? (like the Pharisees were?)

Maybe some Christians are. However, maybe they are so in love with God's Word, that they want to celebrate a holiday that honors him.

As a Messianic Jew, you have your certain holidays that you celebrate. You have every right to celebrate them. So do Christians to celebrate their own holidays.

Christians replaced these pagan holidays with Christ, thus using the same day to teach the people about God. A certain day is not evil or wrong in itself. The question for Christians is whether Christ reigns in it.

Answer 8

Really why are all the irreligious so glad to celebrate holydays like Christmas and Easter. If it weren't for Christians you wouldn't have holidays.

Answer 9

Dear, Gentile believers were never under Levitical law.

And pagan holidays have not been pagan holidays for hundreds upon hundreds of years.

And if you indeed are a Messianic Jew, you should not be playing the accuser of the bretheran. And believers in Christ, that are not Jewish....are your bretheran.

Answer 10

I think it is great for you to find peace with the messianic jews