December 25th
Who's Birthday Are you Really Celebrating?
The Son of the living God |
or Mithra |
Ahh.. Christmas,
I remember as a kid how exciting Christmas was, the decorations, the tree, the food,
the gifts and music, and the smells.
Listening to "The Cinnamon Bear story on the radio every year, stringing popcorn to drape on the tree,
writing letters to Santa at the North Pole.
All so innocent, even as an adult with my first family, teaching the kids about baby Jesus, and the shepherds and wise men bringing gifts to the new born King. Even after seeing a tract that revealed the pagan roots of the traditions of Christmas, and learning that the savior wasn't actually born on Dec. 25, my family continued to celebrate Christmas. Why the understanding of what we were actually doing didn't sink in at that time, I don't know, maybe because Yah knew I wasn't ready to receive the truth yet.
The Apostle Paul says that Yahweh (God) winked at his ignorance, until Yahshuah (Jesus) knocked him to the ground and blinded him (Acts 9:1-6).
I believe that Yah also winks at our ignorance, his grace is sufficient, until our eyes are opened to the truth, from then on we are held accountable for what we do with that truth.
I remember as a kid how exciting Christmas was, the decorations, the tree, the food,
the gifts and music, and the smells.
Listening to "The Cinnamon Bear story on the radio every year, stringing popcorn to drape on the tree,
writing letters to Santa at the North Pole.
All so innocent, even as an adult with my first family, teaching the kids about baby Jesus, and the shepherds and wise men bringing gifts to the new born King. Even after seeing a tract that revealed the pagan roots of the traditions of Christmas, and learning that the savior wasn't actually born on Dec. 25, my family continued to celebrate Christmas. Why the understanding of what we were actually doing didn't sink in at that time, I don't know, maybe because Yah knew I wasn't ready to receive the truth yet.
The Apostle Paul says that Yahweh (God) winked at his ignorance, until Yahshuah (Jesus) knocked him to the ground and blinded him (Acts 9:1-6).
I believe that Yah also winks at our ignorance, his grace is sufficient, until our eyes are opened to the truth, from then on we are held accountable for what we do with that truth.
Jer 10:1 Hear ye the word which Yahh* speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
Jer 10:2 Thus saith Jah*, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
Jer 10:2 Thus saith Jah*, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
Jah*
H3050
יהּ
yâhh
yaw
Contracted for H3068, and meaning the same; Jah, the sacred name: - Jah*, the Lord, most vehement. Cp. names in “-iah,” “-jah.”
Mithraism
Mithraism, one of the major religions of the Roman Empire, the cult of Mithra, the ancient Persian god of light and wisdom. In the Avesta, the sacred Zoroastrian writings (see Zoroastrianism) of the ancient Persians, Mithra appears as the chief yazata (Avestan, “beneficent one”), or good spirit, and ruler of the world. He was supposed to have slain the divine bull, from whose dying body sprang all plants and animals beneficial to humanity. After the conquest of Assyria in the 7th century bc and of Babylonia in the 6th century bc, Mithra became the god of the sun, which was worshiped in his name (see Sun Worship). The Greeks of Asia Minor, by identifying Mithra with Helios, the Greek god of the sun, helped to spread the cult. It was brought to Rome about 68 bc by Cilician pirates whom the Roman general Pompey the Great had captured, and during the early empire it spread rapidly throughout Italy and the Roman provinces. It was a rival to Christianity in the Roman world. Mithraism was similar to Christianity in many respects, for example, in the ideals of humility and brotherly love, baptism, the rite of communion, the use of holy water, the adoration of the shepherds at Mithra's birth, the adoption of Sundays and of December 25 (Mithra's birthday) as holy days, and the belief in the immortality of the soul, the last judgment, and the resurrection. Mithra-ism differed from Christianity in the exclusion of women from its ceremonies and in its willingness to compromise with polytheism. The similarities, however, made possible the easy conversion of its followers to Christian doctrine. Assimilation into Roman religion Festival at winter solstice Mysteries Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2003. © 1993-2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. |
Flee from idolatry
2Pe 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
2Pe 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Master is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. 2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Master and Savior Immanuel the Messiah. To him be praise both now and for ever. Amen. 1Co 10:14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. 1Co 10:15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. 1Co 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of the Messiah? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of the Messiah? 1Co 10:17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. 1Co 10:18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 1Co 10:19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? 1Co 10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to Yahweh: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 1Co 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of Yahweh, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of Yahweh's table, and of the table of devils. 1Co 10:22 Do we provoke the Sovereign to jealousy? are we stronger than he? 1Co 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. 2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 2Co 6:15 And what concord hath the Messiah with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of Yahweh with idols? for ye are the temple of the living Elohim; as Elohim hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people. 2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith Yahweh, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith Yahweh Almighty. 2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of Yahweh. 2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Yahshua the Messiah is in you, except ye be reprobates? Abstain from all appearance of evil. 1Th_5:22 |