The word Zion first appears in the Bible as the name of the ancient
Jebusite fortress called the city of Jebus which was situated on a hill
within the subsequent boundaries of Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 5:7 states:
“Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of
David).” Note that from this original conquest, the area was enlarged:
“Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David.
And David built all around from the Millo and inward” (2 Samuel 5:9;
also, 1 Chronicles 11:4-9).

The hill upon which Solomon built the
temple was Mount Moriah — a different location than that of the
original City of David. David purchased from Ornan the Jebusite the location on which the
temple of God would later be built by Solomon
(Compare 1 Chronicles 21:18-30 and 2 Chronicles 3:1).

Tracing the
earlier history of the site, we find that Israel’s two tribes of Judah
and Benjamin were given this as a part of their inheritance in the land
God promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Benjamin’s share included the
city of Jebus — which is part of what became the city of Jerusalem
(Compare Joshua 18:28). Judah’s boundaries also included the area
bordering the city of Jebus (Compare Joshua 15:8).

However, the
Biblical record shows that when Judah and Benjamin began to take their
inheritances by force, they were unable to drive out the Jebusites
(Compare Joshua 15:63 and Judges 1:21). Part of the area belonging to
Judah was captured but not the fortress of Zion (Compare Judges 1:8).

In
the time of Abraham, the place where the city of Zion was built was
known as Salem. It is from this city that Melchizedek reigned as king
and priest of “God Most High” (Genesis 14:18).

In the New
Testament, further explanation concerning this remarkable site is given
in Hebrews 7:1-3: “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the
Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the
kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all,
first being translated ‘king of righteousness,’ and then also king of
Salem, meaning ‘king of peace,’ without father, without mother, without
genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made
like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.”

The meaning
of Zion continued to expand in its usage throughout the Bible. Zion
became synonymous with Jerusalem and Israel and was applied to the land
and people that God had chosen, as well. For example, Jerusalem and its
inhabitants are personified as the “daughter of Zion” (Compare Isaiah
62:11; Zechariah 9:9; and, Matthew 21:5).

Zion is
especially significant regarding the many prophetic statements
concerning the establishment of God’s Kingdom on the earth and the
location of His rule.

“For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has
desired it for His dwelling place: ‘This is My resting place forever;
Here I will dwell, for I have desired it’” (Psalm 132:13-14). Zion is
called the “…city of God” (Psalm 87:3) and the “…city of the great
King” (Psalm 48:2).

Note this prophecy about Zion, picturing
the future reign of God, as found in Zechariah 2:10-12: “‘Sing and
rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell
in your midst,’ says the LORD. ‘Many nations shall be joined to the
LORD in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in
your midst. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to
you. And the LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in
the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem.’”

Another
reference states: “For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word
of the LORD from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:3). Psalm 102, verse 16,
explains: “For the LORD shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His
glory.”

The physical location of Zion is the place on this earth
where Jesus Christ will assemble those who have part in the first
resurrection (or who are changed from mortal to immortal — compare 1
Corinthians 15:51-52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18): “Then I looked, and
behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and
forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their
foreheads” (Revelation 14:1).

We should also realize that a
“Mount Zion” exists in the spirit world, describing the place of God’s
presence and of His unending rule over His creation (compare our free
booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World.”)
Speaking to Christians, the author of Hebrews says: “But you have come
to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly
and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the
Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the
Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that
speaks better things than that of Abel” (Hebrews 12:22-24).

That
“heavenly Jerusalem,” which will come down from heaven to earth, is
further described in Revelation 21 and in verses 1-5 of chapter 22.
Here, in the context of “…a new heaven and a new earth” (21:1), the
throne of God and of the Lamb will be placed in the New Jerusalem —
the holy city.

We see, then, that the meaning of Zion is far more
than its original designation as a Jebusite stronghold or fortress.
Zion depicts the headquarters for governmental administration — that
is, for God’s rule in and from heaven; for a united Israel under King
David; and eventually for the rule of God’s government over mankind.
Importantly, Zion also describes the people and the land of promise as
a symbol of the hope that God has prepared for all nations!

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

We must be very careful that we don’t fall into the trap of trying
to say that what Paul taught was just an instruction for his time, some
2,000 years ago–and that it is not necessarily binding for us today.
This wrong understanding was epitomized by an Anglican Bishop who, when
challenged on a particular issue a few years ago, wrote:

“My
disagreement stems partly from my understanding of the way in which I
read the Bible, praying that the Holy Spirit will enlighten my
understanding of what statements are unchangeable and what are
conditioned by social and cultural norms of the time in which God spoke
to those involved.”

He fell into the trap of “cherry picking”
those portions of Scripture that suited his particular stance and
ignoring those which he considered no longer applicable. This is a very
dangerous thing to do because God clearly states that “ALL
Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped
for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The problem with the
“social and cultural norms of the time”-approach is that it allows the
culture of the day to become more important than God’s clear
instructions!

It is true that Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7:25:
“Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I
give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy.”
The question is, did Paul, as an apostle of Jesus Christ, have the
authority, under godly inspiration, to “bind and loose” (Matthew
16:19)? That is, was he permitted to explain with authority, under
godly inspiration, God’s will on a certain matter, even though the
written record–until that point in time–might not have been totally
clear? Since he undoubtedly did have such authority, his commandments,
as revealed and retained in God’s Word, are binding for us today. When
Paul said, although there was no WRITTEN law, he was communicating
God’s inspiration to him. Therefore, it has the same strength as a
written command. God inspired it to be written down in the Bible, so it
has now become part of the written commandments as well. A
transgression of God’s written law (not just the Ten Commandments, but
all of God’s words which are still binding today) is sin. After all,
sin is defined in Scripture as the transgression of the law (1 John
3:4, Authorized Version).

The New King James Commentary has this to say about 1 Corinthians 7:25:

“Paul
is now about to deal with another subject about which the Corinthians
had written him (cf. 7:1). I have no commandment of the Lord. In our
Lord’s instruction regarding marriage and divorce recorded in the
Gospels, there is no record of His speaking directly to this issue. And
so, the apostle says, yet I give my judgment. This again is not to say
his advice is less inspired than something he may or may not quote from
our Lord. Rather, Paul gives advice under the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit in order to fulfill this obligation to the Lord to be faithful.”

Matthew Henry’s Commentary makes these observations about this same verse:

“He
[Paul] acted faithfully, and therefore his direction was to be regarded
as a rule of Christ: for he gave judgment as one who was a faithful
apostle of Christ. Though Christ had before delivered no universal law
about that matter, he [Christ] now gives direction by an inspired
apostle, one who had obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.”

It
is important to note that Paul’s writings are now Scripture. In 2 Peter
3:16 we read: “…as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of
these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which
untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do
also the rest of the Scriptures.”

This is critical
understanding because this verse reveals that there will be those who
will twist Scripture [including Paul’s writings], not only for their
own purposes, but to their own destruction; and, secondly, it states
that Paul’s writings were considered Scripture. Jesus Christ is the
same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) and the Word of God,
likewise, is unchangeable. We must not “cherry pick” Scripture. Rather,
we must take the Bible in its entirety. That includes Paul’s writings
which are part of Scripture and which cannot be dismissed as only
applicable to his own time.

Lead Writer: Brian Gale

We addressed this question in our new booklet, “Should You Fight in War?” We are bringing you the following excerpts:

“Do we believe in God and rely on Him for our protection, having the faith that it is GOD who is our protecting shield, or do we think that we must have additional security in the form of a handgun or some sort of firearm? Do we think that God is incapable of helping us in certain circumstances? We should, of course, do everything that we can do to avoid getting into dangerous situations. We obviously should not go to places where gangs assemble, and we should not get involved with people who are known to be active in crimes, for instance. In addition, Proverbs 15:1 tells us that a soft answer turns away wrath but that grievous words stir up strife. So then, we need to be peacemakers, and we need to avoid everything that would create strife. Proverbs 18:6 reminds us that a fool’s lips enter into contention and that his mouth calls for violent reactions. We are also told in Proverbs 26:17 that he who passes by and meddles with strife belonging not to him, is like one who takes a dog by the ears. The point is, the battles of this world, which are fought by this world, are not our battles! This Scripture tells us not to be a fool, meddling with strife not belonging to us!… The most important of all the things you can do to avoid using violence is to pray to God, on a daily basis: ‘Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil’ (compare Matthew 6:13). We are to plead with God daily to NOT ALLOW a tempting situation that might be too difficult for us to bear, to overtake us. However, we read in the Bible that righteous persons have sometimes found themselves being attacked by others. What did they do, and what should YOU do, if God allows it?

“First, realize that God would NOT allow it if you were not able to bear it, as 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us. And when God does allow it, He will also provide a way of escape for you. This is sometimes literally the case. Sometimes you need to actually flee, to run away! Christ did so on occasion. We read in John 10:39: ‘Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.’… When we find ourselves, or others, in a dangerous, challenging, life-threatening situation, we must PRAY to God, with faith, to HELP us out of that situation. To fight our fight for us! To give us the wisdom and the power NOT to do the WRONG thing, however tempting it may be.

“We must realize that no matter what harm we may WANT to do physically in a given situation, we must not seriously injure or kill the attacker. But unless we understand beforehand, and have in our mind that we are not to do something with the intent to seriously injure or kill the attacker, we might very well do so when the occasion presents itself. If we carry a gun with us or have one handy, say, next to our bed, we will certainly try to use it, but then may be killed in the process.

“People who disagree with the foregoing may ask you what you would do if you came home and a robber was in the process of raping your wife or killing your husband… Realistically, how many times does this happen? But if it does happen, do you really think that you can take a gun and shoot the attacker, and that the attacker would let you do it without any resistance? Chances are, he will use his gun first. In any case, to use a gun and shoot the attacker would be against the clear Biblical teaching of prohibiting killing. But what about just trying to injure him? In the heat of the moment, you may not be able to do just that, even if you wanted to. And if the attacker would only be injured, he would still have the chance to kill you or others who are with you. Christ told Peter, when he pulled his sword in defense of Christ and just injured the servant, to put his sword away. Christ’s protection did not depend on human weapons. It depended on God the Father and His angels. So, too, with us. Our real protection comes from the same source….

“The whole issue really comes down to where we place our trust and confidence for our protection, in EVERY situation. Notice God’s promise to His people, in Exodus 34:22-24: ‘And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year’s end. Three times in the year all your men shall appear before the Lord, the LORD God of Israel. For I will cast out the nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither will any man covet your land when you go up to appear before the LORD your God three times in the year.’ When man places his trust and confidence in God, God will protect man. Ultimately though, no matter the consequences, we must be living a life pleasing to God. We must never fear the ones who can take our physical life from us, but we must fear, or deeply respect, the One who can refuse to give us ETERNAL LIFE.

“We must always have the attitude that Daniel’s three friends had when they were asked to violate God’s laws by worshipping an idol, and in case of refusal, were threatened with being thrown into a fiery furnace. We need to speak and act in the same way when we are being tempted to worship Satan – the god of war – by picking up a gun or a knife or another weapon to injure or even kill another person. We read their answer in Daniel 3:17-18: ‘ … our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.’ We must not serve the wisdom of this world, worshipping the power of the air and the god of destruction and war. Rather, we must always follow the PRINCE OF PEACE.”

At the same time, we must firmly keep in mind God’s limitless power and His willingness to help His disciples, who place their trust and confidence in Him. Rather than resorting to violence with the intent to seriously injure or kill an attacker, God’s disciples are to pray to God for help in dangerous situations.

In 1982, the Mail Processing Center of the Worldwide Church of God published a collection of special letters, titled, “God Still Works Miracles Today.” These letters testified to the intimate involvement of God in people’s lives and His protection in times of trials. We are quoting excerpts from one remarkable letter, dated March 31, 1981:

“I would like to share with you an incident which happened at work, at a coal mine, several days ago. I received word from a foreman to go and repair the roof-drill for a new employee. When I got there, the employee informed me that he had already repaired the roof-drill.” The letter continued to describe how that employee engaged the writer in a discussion regarding the Sabbath, the Church and Mr. Armstrong, the late human leader of the Church. It continued:

“He then grabbed me, and threw me on the mine floor. With the cold edge of his knife at my throat, he said, ‘Take the words back that Armstrong is an apostle for today!’ All the time he was cursing Mr. Armstrong. I refused to take back my words. I managed to get my hand on his forehead and push him off but knew that if he got me down again, without a hand from God, he would kill me. I uttered a silent prayer, and immediately he started fighting something other than myself — and something I could not see. He began to vomit and cry violently and kept it up for several minutes. Then he crawled to the other side of the mine.”

God who protected Daniel in the lions’ den is ready and able to protect us today, if we long for His protection. We don’t need to use violence against others for our own protection, when we trust that God is there to help us, whenever we are in need. As we read in Psalm 46:1-3: “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling.” And notice this comforting reassurance and promise of God’s presence in our lives, and His protection:

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you (Isaiah 43:2).

At the same time, we must always look at God’s overall Will for us and our great potential and destiny for our lives, as Christ expressed in Matthew 10:28-31: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground APART FROM YOUR FATHER’S WILL. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

To resort to violence with the intent to seriously injure or kill another person, even for the purpose of self-defense or defending others, is not in conformity with Christ’s teaching. As mentioned above, Christ told Peter, when he took the sword to defend Christ and injured the servant of the high priest in the process, to put his sword “in its place, for ALL who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). He continued to tell Peter that if He needed help, His Father would provide Him “with more than twelve legions of angels” (verse 53). Christ knew that His protection did not depend on man’s strength — including His own — but on God the Father’s.

God has assigned angels for our protection. For more information about this intriguing subject, please read our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World.”

When considering the relevant Scriptures and some external sources, we can, indeed, find out the approximate time of Christ’s birth, but it is impossible to find out the exact date.

King David had divided the priests into several “courses” or divisions — that is, each group or “course” of priests was to serve God for a specific period of time. David had established 24 of those priestly courses. Luke 1:5-9 shows that Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, was of the course of Abijah (which courses are listed in 1 Chronicles 24) and that he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course or division. Each course lasted eight days — from Sabbath to Sabbath.

The account in Luke 1 records that Zacharias was serving God in the order of his division (verse 8); that he burnt incense (verse 9); and that his prayer was heard (verse 13). The angel Gabriel told him that his wife, Elizabeth, was to bear a son and his name was to be John (verse 13). Luke 1:23 clearly indicates that this event did not take place at the end of his course but sometime during his course or division, because it states that Zacharias, after he had received the vision, completed the days of his service, before he went home.

The courses started at the beginning of the sacred year. The first Hebrew month of the sacred year was called Nisan. Zacharias’ course, the course of Abijah, was eighth in order.

However, there were two sets of courses. The New Bible Commentary explains: “The course of Abijah to which Zacharias belonged, was one of twenty four courses into which David organised the priests. Each course was on duty in the temple for a week every six months.” This means, that every course ministered TWICE throughout a year.

When did the angel Gabriel appear to Zacharias? Did he appear to him during the first or the second course? As we will see, the angel appeared to Zacharias during the first course at the beginning of the year and not six months later in the autumn, when the courses started again.

To establish this point, we need to consider the time of the Messiah’s birth, and compare it then with the time of John’s conception and birth. We note that Joseph was going to be taxed (compare Luke 2:1-5). Taxation would come just after the fall harvest. The time of the fall Festivals (or annual Holy Days, such as the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles) was just after the fall harvest, when tithes were paid to the priests. History records that these taxations always took place at the end of the fall harvest, which was sometime in September or October, a logical time for taxation and travel.

In addition, we read that at that time of the year, shepherds were in the fields with their flocks (Luke 2:8), pointing again at the time of late summer or early fall. That is the time of year when Palestinian shepherds take their flocks into the field to graze at night (compare Wynne Progress, December 21, 1967, “The Christmas Story.”). However, Christ could not have been born at the end of December, the coldest month of the year, with hail and snow. Shepherds would not have been out in the fields in December.

We also read that Mary and Joseph stayed in an inn, when they arrived in Bethlehem. The word for “inn” is better translated as “guestchamber” or “guest room” (compare “Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible,” as well as Mark 14:14 and Luke 22:11, where the same Greek word, “kataluma,” is used). These guest rooms housed people in Jerusalem during the Holy Days. Christ’s birth then, based on the evidence presented herein, occurred during the FALL Holy Day season.

Based on the fact that Christ was born in early fall, we can determine that John the Baptist was conceived during the FIRST course of Zacharias’ ministry — and not the second. Note the following:

In Luke 1:26-35, Christ’s forthcoming birth was announced to Mary. The sixth month referred to in verse 36 is the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. When Mary conceived, Elizabeth was six months pregnant. Christ was born in the autumn, in late September or early October. John was born six months earlier, in March or April. This means, based on approximately nine months or 280 days of human gestation, John must have been conceived in June — during the first course of Zacharias’ ministry.

This conclusion is also supported by the established fact that the Messiah was crucified in the spring of the year, at the time of the Passover, being 33 years and six months old. He began His public ministry, when He was about 30 years old (Luke 3:23), and His ministry lasted 3 1/2 years (compare Daniel 9:27, speaking about a prophetic week of seven prophetic days. In prophecy, a day counts as a year, compare Numbers 14:34. Christ would be killed “in the middle of the week,” bringing the sacrificial system to an end, that is, after 3 1/2 years.). The Passover occurred each year on the 14th of the first Biblical moon, or month — in the latter part of March to the first part of April. If we count back six months to His 33rd birthday, we can see that His birth must have been in the autumn, in late September or the beginning of October.

We might also note that Zacharias ministered in the ninth week of the new year, because during the third week of the Passover season, all the priests were ministering. He could not have returned home immediately because he would have to minister for the course when a Holy Day, Pentecost, began, and in which his course, along with the other 23 courses, would minister. As soon as he finished his course — the eighth one — he went home and his wife conceived (Luke 1:23-24). This would have been in the middle of June. As explained above, knowing when Elizabeth conceived, we can compute the time of birth for John the Baptist. Since the human gestation period is 280 days, we can go forward this amount of time to arrive somewhere at the beginning of Nisan (late March/early April), when John the Baptist would have been born. Six months later brings us to late September, or early October, when Christ would have been born.

When we summarize all the facts stated herein, it is clear that Jesus was born in the autumn — not on December 25. However, the exact date of His birth has been hidden from man. We have seen that:

(1) The courses (or divisions) of the priests started at the beginning of the sacred year
(2) The Sacred year begins on the first of Nisan, about April
(3) Zacharias served on the eighth course (ten weeks later, because of the Passover and Pentecost)
(4) Zacharias returned home about mid-June when his wife conceived
(5) John the Baptist was born about 40 weeks or 280 days later, i.e., in about late March of the following year
(6) Mary conceived when Zacharias’s wife, Elizabeth, was six months pregnant. John the Baptist was six months older than Jesus
(7) Since John the Baptist was born about late March, Jesus, six months younger, was born probably around late September
(8) The course (or division) referred to, when the angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias, was the first course of the year because:

The evidence that Jesus Christ was born in the autumn, during the time of the annual autumn Holy Days, is compelling. God has, however, not revealed Christ’s exact day of birth, so as to prevent that the same be observed. We are told to observe Christ’s death — not His birth — until He comes again (1 Corinthians 11:26; compare, too, Psalm 116:15; Ecclesiastes 7:1).

It is not! Nowhere is this concept taught in Scripture. Those who have this understanding and preach it, do so against the clear teaching of the Bible. Actually, the Biblical proof that true Christians do NOT die because of time and chance is overwhelming. For a thorough discussion of this important question, please listen to our sermon on “Time and Chance,” which is posted on our Webpage.

Briefly, those who claim and teach this erroneous concept quote as proof a passage in Ecclesiastes 9:11, which states: “I returned and saw under the sun that — The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all.”

According to the Jewish Tanakh Bible, the last phrase is an euphemism, simply pointing out that all will die. But the question still remains, HOW will they die?

Please note that Solomon said: “Time and chance happen to THEM all.” He did NOT say — “to all men,” or “to all of us.” In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon was mainly addressing and writing about people in this world — people who only live and work for material possessions (Eccl. 5:13-17); or who don’t understand God’s plan (Eccl.8:17). When he addressed true Christians, however, he referred to them as “you” (compare Eccl. 9:10: “Whatever YOUR hand finds to do, do it with YOUR might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where YOU are going.”).

The Hebrew word for “chance,” in Ecclesiastes 9:11, is “pega.” It is only used one additional time in the entire Old Testament, namely in 1 Kings 5:4. There, Solomon (the author of the book of Ecclesiastes!) said: “But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence (in Hebrew, “pega”).

Again, we see that Solomon is making a distinction between the people living in this world, being cut off from God, and those whom God has called to His way of life, including himself. Solomon said that “evil occurrence” or “chance” did not govern his own life, because God was controlling his life and had given him rest. Christ made the same distinction, in Luke 13:1-5:

“There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but UNLESS YOU repent, YOU will ALL LIKEWISE perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but UNLESS YOU repent, YOU will all LIKEWISE perish.'”

Christ’s teaching is unmistakable: If we don’t repent, we might very well die as those did, on whom the tower of Siloam fell; that is, through an accident, apart from, or being cut off from God — by time and chance. If we repent, however, according to Christ, we will NOT likewise perish or die in that way. Rather, even if we were to die in an “accident,” God would have specifically DECIDED not to intervene and to LET US die. God is always in control over our lives — nothing happens to us which God is not aware of (compare Job 1:21-22; 2:10).

True Christians are NOT in the “hand” of time and chance. Rather, Solomon tells US: “… the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God” (Eccl. 9:1). David understood, too, that he was in God’s hands. He wrote, in Psalm 31:15: “My times are in Your hand.” He knew that he, as well as all true Christians, are always, constantly and completely, under God’s observation, His protection and in His loving care (compare, Psalm 4:7-8; 9:9-10; 17:8; 23:1-6; 33:18-19; 34: 7, 15, 19-20, etc. etc.). God promises that nothing too difficult for us to bear, will happen to us (compare 1 Corinthians 10:13). This means, then, that God must be watching us every second to guarantee the fulfillment of His promise.

The concept that we might be “overtaken” by a trial, because God was not aware of it, or because it happened “too quickly,” so that He could not have prevented it, is ludicrous. Isaiah 40:27-31 and Isaiah 43:2 prove the opposite. Psalm 56:8; 139:1-6 and Matthew 6:8 show, too, how MUCH God is aware of everything pertaining to us. Romans 8:28 tells us that all things work together for good to those who love God. The only way that EVERYTHING can work for our good is that GOD will work it out for our good — and not “time and chance.”

The very idea that a true Christian could die because of time and chance limits God and weakens our faith. It is a diabolical and patently unbiblical concept. When a Christian dies, it is because GOD has DECIDED that it was time for His son or daughter to die. Notice God’s involvement, when it comes to the death of a true Christian, as clearly revealed in Scripture. There is simply NO ROOM for “time and chance”:

Isaiah 57:1-2 states: “The righteous perishes, And no man takes it to heart; Merciful men are taken away, While no one considers That the righteous is taken away from evil. He shall enter into peace; They shall rest in their beds, Each one walking in his uprightness.”

Psalm 116:15 teaches: “Precious in the SIGHT OF the LORD Is the death of His saints.” (Compare, too, Psalm 72:14).

Revelation 14:13 points out: “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”‘ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.'”

Let us hear, then, the conclusion of the matter, as expressed by Paul in Romans 14:8. Did Paul teach that we are hopeless and helpless victims of time and chance? Quite the opposite is true: “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, WE ARE THE LORD’S.”

Before answering this question specifically, let us briefly review why children are being adopted. Adoption in this day and age is usually done because the couple do not have children of their own and want to raise one or more children, or, if they do have their own children, they wish to add to the family fold. This last possibility requires the co-operation of the other children, since it will impact them. In addition, single parents may also want to adopt children. An unfortunate modern trend is for homosexuals and lesbians to adopt children, bringing them up to accept their “alternative lifestyle,” which is clearly condemned by God in the Bible, for instance, in Romans 1:24-27. This unbiblical development only compounds the problem by the social acceptance and proliferation of more deviant sexual behavior. (You may want to read, in this context, our article in the World News Headlines section on “Germany’s Homosexuals.”)

We are addressing in this answer a “normal” adoption by heterosexual families who live in a God-ordained way. Even then, adoption is a life-long commitment, as well as a legal requirement, to care for, love, feed, nurture and educate children for the duration they are at home, and after they leave home, to continue to love them and to treat them as their own, including providing for them via an inheritance in one’s will. Therefore, if approved by Scripture, a decision to adopt children must never be taken lightly. It requires, in any event, a life-long commitment. It would have to be based on the financial ability, emotional commitment and responsibility to raise, educate and care for the adopted children.

We would like to say, in passing, that this, of course, is true as well for one’s natural children. To bring children into the world, perhaps as a result of temporary sexual “adventures,” is totally irresponsible. If it happens, though, abortion is NOT a solution (For more information, please read our free booklet, “Are You Already Born Again?”). In such a case, perhaps adoption of the child by caring adults might be an option.

Let us see what the Bible says about adoption.

Many Bible translations, for example, the Authorized Version, the New King James Bible, the ASV, the FLS (a French translation), the LITV and the MKJV, include five places, where the word “adoption” is used. The original Greek word (“huiothesia”) is defined by “The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible,” under # 5206, as: “… the placing as a son, i.e. adoption (fig. Chr. sonship in respect to God): -adoption (of children, of sons).” The ALT version adds: “the formal and legal declaration that we are His children.”

The Scriptures in question are (using the rendering of the New King James Bible):

(1) Romans 8:15: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom [which] we cry out ‘Abba, Father.'”

(2) Romans 8:23: “Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.”

(3) Romans 9:4: “… who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises…”

(4) Galatians 4:5: “… to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

(5) Ephesians 1:5: “… having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will…”

However, we need to point out that many translations render the Greek word as “sonship” — not as “adoption.”

For instance, the NIV, RSV, Moffat and the Rotherham rendition translate Romans 8:15 as: “you have received the [a] spirit of sonship.”

So do the German Elberfelder Bible and the Menge Bible (“Geist der Sohnschaft”). Luther says: “you have received a spirit of children” (“einen kindlichen Geist”). The New English Bible and the Jewish New Testament by David Stern say: “…but a Spirit which makes us sons.” The Diaglot, containing the Original Greek Text, translates the above five scriptural reverences as “Sonship.”

As pointed out, the Greek word literally means, “placing as a son.” It COULD refer to adoption, but here, MORE is involved. When we receive God’s Spirit, we are not merely adopted children of God, but BEGOTTEN children of God. The Holy Spirit makes us sons by a begettal — not by adoption. We become God’s children, not only acquiring rights and privileges — as one does when he is adopted — but we acquire God’s very own, the divine nature (compare 2 Peter 1:4: “that… you may be partakers of the divine nature…”).

God does not just adopt us. Rather, He makes us part of His family, by begetting us as His very children. God is reproducing Himself — not just by adoption, but by actually multiplying Himself, in that He puts His very Spirit into His begotten children, so that they can become born again children in the resurrection — full God beings, with all the rights and privileges of God, but also with His very character and divine nature.

We have to therefore conclude that our relationship with God goes beyond adoption. It describes the process of literal sonship. However, we also conclude that our relationship of being begotten sons and daughters to be BORN AGAIN as Spirit beings — literal sons and daughters at the time of Christ’s return — encompasses the principle of adoption. God, in His great love and mercy, has given us the position of “sonship” which is inclusive of the principle of being adopted as His sons and daughters.

Therefore, strictly judging on a spiritual basis, the Bible does not prohibit adoption per se. This conclusion is supported by several positive Biblical examples, where children were raised in an “adoptive” environment. For instance, Joseph raised Jesus Christ as Christ’s stepfather (compare Luke 3:23). Jacob “adopted” his grandchildren, Ephraim and Manasseh, giving his name to them (compare Genesis 48:16). Moses was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2:10; Acts 7:21). In a sense, Samuel was “adopted” by Eli the priest — Samuel was “given” to Eli, to be raised by him, as a servant of the Lord (compare 1 Samuel 1:11, 27-28; 2:11, 18-21).

This means, then, that we cannot say that it is wrong for humans to adopt children, giving them the legal status of sons and daughters. Some have misunderstood the teaching of the Church of God in this matter, wrongfully concluding that Herbert W. Armstrong, the late human leader of the Church of God, had taught against adoption. Although some overly “zealous” ministers might have taught this, they only expressed thereby their own personal (mis)understanding — but never the official teaching of the Church. The Church, under Mr. Armstrong, has always permitted, or did welcome, adoptions in certain circumstances.

In conclusion, it is a personal decision whether or not to adopt children — but all individual circumstances need to be carefully considered first. The decision for a heterosexual couple or single parent to adopt rests on their ability to financially and emotionally take care of the children to be adopted.

You are correct that Christ is indeed referred to as the “firstborn from the dead.” Our free booklet, “Are You Already Born Again?“, explains on pages 7 and 8:

“Christ… became born again when He was resurrected to Spirit. It was at that time that He became the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:29 tells us that we are to be ‘conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.’ We also read in Colossians 1:15, 18: ‘He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation… And He is… the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.’

“Christ was the first human who became born again as a Spirit being. The Greek word for ‘firstborn,’ ‘prototokos,’ designates the person who is born first. It can refer to the firstborn Son of the spiritual Family of God, and it can also refer to the firstborn son in a physical family. We read, for example, in Hebrews 11:28 that Moses kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood by faith, ‘lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.’ Christ was also, quite literally, Mary’s firstborn Son (Compare Matthew 1:25; Luke 2:7. The Greek word, ‘prototokos,’ used here does not mean ‘only’ or ‘only begotten’ son. That concept is conveyed by the Greek word ‘monogenes’…). Since Christ was Mary’s firstborn Son, it goes without saying that Christ as a human being had younger brothers. In fact, He also had sisters (compare Matthew 13:53-58).

“The same Greek word, ‘prototokos,’ is also used in Revelation 1:5. The New King James Bible translates the entire passage quite accurately in this way: ‘…and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.’ (The Authorized Version’s rendition, ‘first begotten of the dead,’ is clearly wrong. The context here is the resurrection from the dead. The Ryrie Study Bible comments that ‘Christ was the first [man] to receive a resurrection [glorified] body which is immortal.’).”

On the other hand, the Bible includes numerous examples, prior to Christ’s death and resurrection, of dead people coming to life again. 2 Kings 13:21 relates the record of a dead person who “revived and stood on his feet,” when the bones of Elisha touched him. Also, John 11:38-44 records the story of the resurrection of the dead Lazarus. We also read, in Luke 8:49-56, that Christ brought a dead girl back to life. In all these cases, however, we must realize that these were resurrections to temporary physical lives — not to eternal, immortal life. In the case of the young girl, we read that Christ commanded the parents “that she be given something to eat” (verse 55) — indicating that this was a resurrection to physical life, as immortal beings have no need to eat physical food.

When we carefully analyze the nature of the resurrection of the saints, described in Matthew 27:52, based on the testimony of the entirety of God’s Holy Word, we must conclude that these were likewise resurrections to physical life, not to eternal life. Please note the following excerpts from our free booklet, “Are You Already Born Again?“, page 25:

“The Christians who died in the faith, and whose spirits returned to God at the time of their death (Ecclesiastes 12:7), are registered in heaven (Luke 10:20). They have not been resurrected from the dead, so they are not yet firstborn — but they are first begotten — the firstfruits (compare James 1:18). They were called out of this world ‘first’ (Ephesians 1:11-14) and they received the Holy Spirit, and it will be they who are going to be in the FIRST resurrection (Revelation 20:5; 1 Corinthians 15:23-24). Christ is the first of the firstfruits (Acts 26:23; 1 Corinthians 15:20). He is, up until now, the ONLY firstborn, the only one who has been born again from the dead. Those called by God WILL BECOME firstborn as well. They will be in the first resurrection, born again first, when comparing them with the rest of the vast majority of mankind who will be called to salvation later (always excluding Jesus Christ, of course, who was the very FIRST of all the subsequent firstborn). (For more information regarding those who will be called later, please read our free booklet, ‘God’s Commanded Holy Days.’).”

Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-16 that “we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15:52 that they will rise “incorruptible.” Hebrews 11:39-40 tells us that none of those who have fallen asleep have received the “promise” of eternal life, “that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”

Christ, then, is the firstborn from the dead in that He is the first human being who became born again as a SPIRIT BEING. He was the FIRST who was resurrected to eternal life. Others — those in Christ — will be resurrected as SPIRIT BEINGS — to eternal life — at the time of His Second Coming. In addition, Christ is called the Judge of the living and of the dead. After His death and resurrection, it was guaranteed that dead persons would be brought back to physical life in the future to BE JUDGED. The Bible refers to this time period, which will begin after the Millennium, as the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-12). The vast majority of mankind, never having heard about or accepted the Sacrifice of Christ in their lives, will be brought back to physical life to be “judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books” (verse 12). This “judgment” is quite different, however, than what most people think. For more information, please read our free booklet, “God’s Commanded Holy Days.”

All resurrections to physical life prior to the Second Resurrection which is called the “Great White Throne Judgment” period, did not occur for the purpose of the “judgment,” described in Revelation 20. Rather, because of God’s great mercy, people received their physical lives back for a short while, but then they later died and are in the grave, waiting for the resurrection to eternal life, or to be judged in the “Great White Throne Judgment” period.

The resurrected saints in Matthew 27:52-53 are no exception. They came out of the graves “after His resurrection” (verse 53), and they appeared to many in the holy city, apparently to confirm the fact that God DOES resurrect the dead. Nothing more is reported about those saints — but we know that they did die, in due time, to await the resurrection to eternal life. Otherwise, they WOULD HAVE preceded the rest of the saints who will be made perfect and receive eternal life at the time of Christ’s return.

The Nelson Study Bible points out: “Because the Lord Jesus is the firstborn from the dead… and the firstfruits of those who are asleep…, these people could not have received their resurrection bodies. They probably were raised, as Lazarus was, to ordinary physical life. The fact that the people who were raised appeared to many in the holy city implies that they had been contemporaries of the people who saw them.”

Christ is indeed the firstborn from the dead, and the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. To learn more about how you can become part of the FIRST resurrection — the “better” resurrection to eternal life (Hebrews 11:35) — please read our free booklets, “Gospel of the Kingdom of God,” “And Lawlessness Will Abound…,” and “Baptism – A Requirement for Salvation?“

The origin and history of April Fool’s Day [also spelled as “April Fools’ Day”], also called “All Fools’ Day,” are not entirely clear. Many explanations have been advanced to explain its origin.
Most commentaries and researchers maintain that the modern celebrations of the day developed in 1582, in France. As the story goes, prior to that year, the New Year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration culminated on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year’s Day was moved to January 1. In France, however, many people either refused to accept the new date, or did not learn about it, and continued to celebrate New Year’s Day on April 1. Other people began to make fun of these traditionalists, sending them on “fools’ errands” or trying to trick them into believing something false.

The French came to call April 1 “Poisson d’Avril,” or “April Fish.” An April fish is a young fish and thus, one which is easily caught. French children sometimes tape a picture of a fish on the back of their schoolmates, crying “Poisson d’Avril” when the prank is discovered. Traditionally, French pranks must include or at least relate to a fish. The nickname of “Poisson d’Avril” is said to have been acquired by Napoleon I when he married Marie-Louise of Austria on April 1, 1810.

April Fool’s Day was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and the French.

In Scotland, April Fool’s Day is actually celebrated for two days. It is also known as “April Gowk,” “Gowkie Day” or “Hunt the Gowk.” “Gowk” is Scottish for “cuckoo” — an emblem of simpletons. The second day is also known as “Taily Day.”

Mexico’s counterpart of April Fool’s Day is actually observed on December 28. In Portugal, April Fool’s Day is celebrated on the Sunday and Monday prior to the Lenten Season, with the traditional trick being to throw flour at one’s friends.

In spite of the “modern” origins of the day, many historians agree that the day has clearly ancient roots. We are told that ancient cultures, including those as varied as the Romans and the Hindus, celebrated New Year’s Day on April 1. The Encyclopedia Britannica points out:

“What seems certain is that it is in some way or other a relic of those once universal festivities held at the vernal equinox, which, beginning on old New Year’s Day, the 25th of March, ended on the 1st of April. This view gains support from the fact that the exact counterpart of April-fooling is found to have been an immemorial custom in India. The festival of the spring equinox is there termed the feast of Huli, the last of which is the 31st of March, upon which the chief amusement is the befooling of people by sending them on fruitless errands.”

Other sources tell us that throughout antiquity, numerous festivals included celebrations of foolery and trickery. One source, “April Fool’s Day: Early Roots,” gives the following noteworthy report:

“The Saturnalia, a Roman winter festival observed at the end of December, was the most important of these [celebrations of trickery]. It involved dancing, drinking, and general merrymaking. People exchanged gifts, slaves were allowed to pretend that they ruled their masters, and a mock king, the Saturnalicius princeps (or Lord of Misrule), reigned for the day. By the fourth century AD the Saturnalia had been transformed into January 1 New Year’s Day celebration, and many of its traditions were incorporated into the observance of Christmas… Northern Europeans observed an ancient festival to honor Lud, a Celtic god of humor. And there were also popular Northern European customs that made sport of the hierarchy of the Druids… During the Middle Ages, a number of celebrations developed which served as direct predecessors to April Fool’s Day. The most important of these was the Festus Fatuorum (the Feast of Fools) which evolved out of the Saturnalia. On this day (mostly observed in France) celebrants elected a mock pope and parodied church rituals. The church, of course, did its best to discourage this holiday, but it lingered on until the sixteenth century. Following the suppression of the Feast of Fools merrymakers focused their attention on Mardi Gras and Carnival.”

The same source states this regarding the “modern” origin of “April Fool’s Day”:

“The calendar change hypothesis might provide a reason for why April 1st specifically became the date of the modern holiday. But it is clear that the idea of the springtime festival honoring misrule and mayhem had far more ancient roots. In addition, the process by which the observance of the day spread from France to Protestant countries such as Germany, Scotland, and England is left unexplained by this theory. These nations only adopted the calendar change during the eighteenth century, at a time when the tradition of April Foolery had already been well established throughout Europe. Finally, it is not clear what, if any, primary evidence (i.e. first-hand accounts written during the 16th and 17th centuries) supports the theory. The link between the calendar change and April 1st appears to be based on modern conjecture rather than archival research. Therefore, while the theory remains a possibility, it should not be treated as a fact.”

A German source, “Faz.Net,” points out that neither the Jews nor the Muslims participate in the custom of April Fool’s Day. Tagesschau.de wrote on April 1, 2002, that there are 800 theories regarding the origin of “April Fool’s Day,” and stated that the Catholic Church “has no problem” with its celebration. Dr. Manfred Becker-Huberti explained: “Even though the first April prank has only been recorded in Germany in 1631, the custom seems to be much older. It can be found amongst all Indo-Germanic tribes… One possible origin can be found in the Roman feast of Quirinalia, or of the Indian feast of Huli, during which fools cast out winter and demons. The best explanation is that it derives from a spring festival, like the German “Fastnacht” [“Fastnacht” is part of the German Carnival. The original “Fastnacht” was also celebrated for the purpose of casting out winter and demons]… In honor of [the Greek goddess] Venus, a feast of deception was celebrated in the spring. April 1 was her special day, and that is the reason why she was also called ‘Aprilis.’ The name of the Indian goddess of love, ‘Maja,’ has the meaning of ‘deception.'”

The Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, by James Hastings, points out:

“The origin of the practice is obscure… it was widely prevalent at the close of the 16th century. It seems difficult, therefore, to accept the theory that it was due to the transference of New Year’s Day from the First of April to the First of January… The similarity of the fooling in India and the Celtic lands of Western Europe, taken together with affinities in religion and folklore… points to a common origin in very early times… The First of April was kept in ancient Rome as the Feast of Venus and Fortuna Virilis… It is to some Celtic form of this worship of Venus on the First of April that the origin of All Fools’ Day must be traced… All Fools’ Day may therefore be the relic of a Spring Festival of Llew [a Sun-god of Celtic mythology].”

Even though the roots of April Fool’s Day may not be known precisely, the evidence strongly indicates that it is of pagan origin and that it was even celebrated as part of pagan worship services. We are told, however, in Jeremiah 10:2-3, that we are not to learn the ways of the Gentiles, as they are useless and in vain. In addition, God condemns foolish jesting in Ephesians 5:4, where we read, in the Authorized Version, that neither “foolish talking, nor jesting” should be named among us.

We are admonished in God’s Word not to behave like “fools.” Proverbs 10:23 reads, in the AV: “It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.”

An additional warning against participating in April Fool’s Day celebrations and activities can be found in Proverbs 26:18-19:

“Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, Is the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, ‘I was only joking!'”

Considering all the evidence of the origin of April Fool’s Day, as it has become available to us, as well as the very nature of the celebrations and activities accompanying that Day, we must conclude that true Christians should refrain from participating in it.

We have published a comprehensive booklet, titled, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” in which we explain, in detail, why Christmas celebrations are wrong and prohibited in Scripture. This booklet includes many quotes from historical records, proving that Christmas celebrations took place long before the birth of Christ. They were kept to honor pagan deities, such as the Persian sun god Mithras, who was born on December 25. By contrast, as our booklet proves on pages 23-25, Christ was not, and could not have been, born on December 25, or anywhere near that date.

Note the following quote regarding Mithras from pages 13 and 14 of our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” citing excerpts from an article of a popular magazine:

“Mithras is the name of that transcendent being from whom they expect salvation. And each year in the winter they celebrate his birthday: in the night of December 25 with a sort of service, which we could call today midnight mass… The birthday of Jesus was declared [by Emperor Constantine and the Council of Nice in 325AD] to be on the same day on which Mithras was supposedly born… Until then, Christians had not celebrated Christmas.”

In fact, early Christians refused to celebrate Christmas, as they considered it to be a pagan feast. Quoting from page 3 of our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas”: “Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart, Vol. 3, concurs: ‘The celebration of Christmas on December 25 in the church begins only in the middle of the 4th century. Until then, the opposition against it was in some cases very severe…, since it was considered a pagan custom to celebrate with festivities the birthdays of kings.'”

Our booklet presents historical evidence that Christmas carols, Christmas gifts, Christmas candles and Christmas cakes, as well as the Christmas tree, are all of pagan origin, and had been used to worship pagan gods and goddesses. In regard to the Christmas tree, note this quote from page 22 of our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas”:

“Let’s also notice Jer. 10:2-5: ‘Thus says the Lord: ‘Do not learn the way [Note in the Lamsa Bible: ‘Religion’] of the Gentiles; do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the Gentiles are dismayed at them. 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. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it will not topple. They are upright, like a palm tree, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, because they cannot go themselves. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, nor can they do any good.’

“Here we find a description of the Christmas tree. Some have said, however, that Jer. 10 only talks about a wooden idol that was carved out of a tree, but that it does not refer to decorating a Christmas tree per se. Remember, though, that the pagans believed that their gods — Attis, Osiris, Dinosus — lived as tree spirits in pine trees. They believed that their gods actually changed into those trees, and they carried these sacred trees to a certain place of worship, decorated them, and adored them as deities.

“Jer. 10 condemns any kind of religious worship that includes the decoration of a pine tree or a ‘green tree’ (1 Kings 14:23), as well as the religious doctrines associated with such customs. Lamsa continues Jer. 10:8 as follows: ‘But altogether the vain doctrines of wooden image worship shall be utterly destroyed and consumed.'”

Our booklet also explains how gradually the Roman Catholic Church “adapted” those pagan customs to make the Christian faith more attractive to Gentiles. Quoting from Earl W. Count, 4000 Years of Christmas, it is stated on page 12 of our booklet: “‘The [Roman Catholic] Church finally succeeded in taking the merriment, the greenery, the lights, and the gifts from Saturn [a Roman sun god patterned after the Persian sun god Mithras] and giving them to the Babe of Bethlehem.'”

The age-old question is, however, why is it so important to know that Christmas and its customs were a pagan invention? What is wrong with “Christianizing” those pagan customs? We might not be able to bring Christ BACK into those customs (as He was never part of them in the first place), but why can’t we bring those customs to Christ and use them to worship Him in that way?

Simply, because the Bible prohibits us to do so. The concept of adding pagan practices to godly worship, known as “syncretism,” is condemned throughout Scripture. Again, we encourage our members, subscribers and friends to read or re-read our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” for a more comprehensive analysis of this important question.

In short, we read in Deuteronomy 12:29-32, that God commanded Israel that “you do not inquire after their [pagan] gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way…”

What could be clearer? God commands us NOT to worship Him in the way that the Gentiles did. Christmas was a pagan festival in honor of pagan gods. God FORBIDS us to worship Him in that way. We read in Matthew 15:7-9 that we worship Christ IN VAIN when we teach “as doctrines the commandments of men” or pagans. The Ryrie Study Bible comments regarding the passage in Deuteronomy 12:30: “The Israelites were not even to inquire about the worship of the Canaanites, lest they be tempted to INCORPORATE ASPECTS OF IT INTO THEIR WORSHIP OF GOD.”

That is, exactly, what the Roman Catholic Church did. That is exactly what God PROHIBITS His people from doing!

Throughout the Bible, God tells us NOT to ADD to God’s Word (Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Proverbs 30:5-6). This prohibition includes adding customs to our worship of God, which God did not prescribe, but which were used to honor pagan gods. Note this final quote from page 26 of our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas”:

“So if we contend that Christmas is a festival that honors God, then we add to God’s Word, which has nothing to say about the celebration of Christmas… Let’s also note how the apostle Paul approached the Christians in Corinth… he tells them in 1 Cor. 4:6: ‘… Do not go beyond what is written’ (NIV). A similar reminder is recorded in the second letter of John. He states in verse 9: ‘For if you wander beyond the teaching of Christ, you will leave God behind; while if you are loyal to Christ’s teachings, you will have God too’ (Living Bible). Those who do celebrate Christmas ‘go beyond what is written,’ and ‘wander beyond the teaching of Christ,’ thereby leaving ‘God behind.'”