The Biblical Truth About Christ's Date of Birth
The question is, does that belief have any biblical basis? And did Christ command Christians to celebrate this date?
To begin with, celebrating December 25 or Christmas, is not mentioned in the Gospel; it is not a commandment of Christ. So, if it is not a commandment of Christ and if it is not written in the Gospel, Christians should not observe it.
According to 1 Corinthians 4:6 (KJV),
The Bible admonishes us not to go beyond what is written. Meaning, our faith should be anchored on the things that were written in the Holy Scriptures. If they are not written, if they are merely man-made traditions, they should not be imbibed or be assimilated by Christians, no matter how spectacular and lavish they may be. And since the Bible did not even make the slightest reference to December 25 as the birthday of Christ, do not make it a part of your faith. Be not among the billions of people all over the world who make a big fuss out of this date.
We are certain that Christ was not born in December because during this month, Bethlehem, His birthplace, is covered with snow.
Based on the account of Luke the Evangelist, on the eve that Christ was born, there were shepherds in the field watching over their sheep as they grazed.
Luke 2:7-8 (KJV) says,
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
The sheep were grazing in the field; meaning, there were grasses which they could be fed on — grasses, not snow. Therefore, it would not have been December then.
In the first place, no shepherd in his right mind would bring out his flock on a snowy evening. Otherwise, they would freeze to death — both the shepherd and his flock.
It is just very frustrating that a lot of people continue to believe and accept this invented teaching of the Catholic Church despite their admission that the actual birth of Christ is really unknown. This was written in the Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 2, page 607, which says:
Apparently, the original date of their celebration was January 6, until the pope in Rome changed it to December 25 — the same date when pagan Romans celebrated their feast in honor of their sun god, a false god.
Isn’t that a great insult to Christ, calendaring a feast in His honor on a date that coincides with the feast for a false god? What’s worse is that even different Protestant groups as well as so-called Evangelical and Christian organizations, have also joined the Catholics in celebrating Christmas, or Christ’s birth, on December 25.
Actually, even the Iglesia ni Cristo of Manalo (INCM) also believes in the invented story of the Catholic Church about Christmas. This is despite the repudiation their leader had made of the Catholic priests and Protestant pastors, saying that they were not of God, but of Satan or the devil. This harsh statement was published in their official publication, Pasugo, in August 1961. On page 39, it says,
Translation:
In conclusion, we ought to repudiate the Catholic priests and Protestant pastors because they are ministers of Satan. We should also repudiate the Catholic Church and the different Protestant churches because they are not of God, but of Satan or the devil.
Ironically, despite Manalo’s renunciation of the Catholic and Protestant churches because they are of the devil, they still imitate and adopt the practices and beliefs of Catholics and Protestants relative to the celebration of Christmas.
The photo below depicts the 25th wedding anniversary of one of the INCM ministers. But, please, take note that on their background were Christmas decors and a picture of Santa Claus.
In another issue of Pasugo in 1969, an advertisement promoting the new dresses that their sisters-in-faith were selling was published on page 16. The ad was also enjoining their brethren to shop early as Christmas was fast approaching.
Translation:
Christmas is near! Shop early now! Sisters Pilar Fernandez, Rosalinda Yadan, and Ester Yadan have new clothes on sale!
No. D-E-F—Market of Obrero — Blumentritt, Manila
Home Address: —2722 Ave. Rizal
Tel. 2-68-33
Not only that, they also believe in the three kings. Below is a photo of their three brothers-in-faith whom they compared with the three kings.
Translation:
They were not the three Magi who came from different places and followed the light of the star that signified the birth of the Savior on earth, but like the three kings, the three men above also followed the light of the teachings of Christ through His Church.
That is foolishness. There is no truth to the popular belief that the men who brought gifts to the young Jesus were three kings. Very remote is the possibility that they were kings because kings do not travel all by themselves — without any aide and without security escorts.
More importantly, the Bible said that they were wise men, but it did not mention how many they were. The Catholics just speculated that they were three based on the kinds of gifts that were given to the young Jesus: incense, gold, and myrrh.
But why don’t the members of the Church of God International celebrate December 25 or Christmas? Because it is not true that Christ was born on that day. Besides, the December 25 date was just assigned by the pope in Rome to counter, or perhaps to compete, with the feast being held by pagan Romans in honor of their sun god. As Christians, we do not take part in anything tainted and associated with paganism and idolatry.
However, do not get the impression that we do not celebrate any feast for Christ. On the contrary, we have many celebrations honoring not only the Lord Jesus Christ, but also the Father.
22 Comments: