Articles
Why December 25?
Why was December 25th chosen as the birthday of Jesus Christ? This date was ordered by Liberius, a bishop of Rome of the Roman Catholic church, in 354 A.D. December 25th was a day of Roman worship of an idol sun-god named Mithra. The Roman Emperor, Constantine had become a member of the Catholic church, and it seems that December 25th was chosen by the Catholics to compete with the pagan’s idol worship.
We need to understand that the Bible says nothing about first century Christians worshipping the birthday of Christ; nothing about an apostle of Christ worshipping the birthday of Christ. There is not even any reference of the birthdate of Christ in the Bible with absolutely no command of God to worship the birthday of Christ. The Roman Catholic church, not God, started December 25th as a worship of Christ's birthday.
In fact, let's look a little closer at the term "Christmas" itself. The word "Christmas" does not mean the birth of Christ at all. The word "Christmas" is made up of two words, "Christ" and "mass". The word "mass" means, "a sacrifice offered in an unbloody manner" (Baltimore Catechism, No. 2, pg 136). The term "Christes Masse" is simply the mass of Christ. It is said to be the repetition of sacrifice of Christ on the cross for the sins of the world. Each time mass is said, Christ is re-sacrificed, and the priest "...reaches up into the heavens, brings Christ down from His throne and places Him upon the altar to be offered up again as the victim for the sins of men" (Faith of Millions, pg 270).
There is no such doctrine taught in the Bible as a "Christes Masse" or "Christmas" nor does any man have any such power to bring Christ back to this earth or on any altar to re-sacrifice Him for the sins of the world. The Bible says, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation" (Hebrews 9:27-28, emp LS). Just as man will die once Jesus Christ was once offered for the sins of the world. Peter says, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit" (I Peter 3:18, emp LS).
God has given us a holy day for worshipping Him, and that is the first day of the week, the Lord’s day (Sunday). "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them" (Acts 20:7). "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the (every, ESV, NAS) week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come" (I Corinthians 16:1-2).
