ALCOHOL IN THE BIBLE, 75 POINTS NO DRUNKARD SHALL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD 1 COR 6,10.

1) Genesis 9:20-26 - Noah became drunk; the result was immorality and family trouble.
2) Genesis 19:30-38 - Lot was so drunk he did not know what he was doing; this led to immorality
3) Leviticus 10:9-11 - God commanded priests not to drink so that they could tell the difference between the holy and the unholy.
4) Numbers 6:3 - The Nazarites were told to eat or drink nothing from the grape vine.
5) Deuteronomy 21:20 - A drunken son was stubborn and rebellious.
6) Deuteronomy 29:5-6 - God gave no grape juice to Israel nor did they have intoxicating drink in the wilderness.
7) Deuteronomy 32:33 - Intoxicating wine is like the poison of serpents, the cruel venom of asps.
Judges 13:4, 7, 14 - Samson was to be a Nazarite for life. His mother was told not to drink wine or strong drink.
9) 1 Samuel 1:14-15 - Accused, Hannah said she drank no wine.
10) 1 Samuel 25:32-38 - Nabal died after a drunken spree.
11) 2 Samuel 11:13 - By getting Uriah drunk, David hoped to cover his sin.
12) 2 Samuel 13:28-29 - Amnon was drunk when he was killed.
13) 1 Kings 16:8-10 - The king was drinking himself into drunkenness when he was assassinated
14) 1 Kings 20:12-21 - Ben-Hadad and 32 other kings were drinking when they were attacked and defeated by the Israelites.
15) Esther 1:5-12 - The king gave each one all the drink he wanted. The king was intoxicated when he commanded the queen to come.
16) Psalm 75:8 - The Lord’s anger is pictured as mixed wine poured out and drunk by the wicked.
17) Proverbs 4:17 - Alcoholic drink is called the wine of violence.
18) Proverbs 20:1 - Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging.
19) Proverbs 23:19-20 - A wise person will not be among the drinkers of alcoholic beverages.
20) Proverbs 23:21 - Drunkenness causes poverty.
21) Proverbs 23:29-30 - Drinking causes woe, sorrow, fighting, babbling, wounds without cause and red eyes.
22) Proverbs 23:31 - God instructs not to look at intoxicating drinks.
23) Proverbs 23:32 - Alcoholic drinks bite like a serpent, sting like an adder.
24) Proverbs 23:33 - Alcohol causes the drinker to have strange and adulterous thoughts, produces willfulness, and prevents reformation.
25) Proverbs 23:34 - Alcohol makes the drinker unstable
26) Proverbs 23:35 - Alcohol makes the drinker insensitive to pain so he does not perceive it as a warning. Alcohol is habit forming.
27) Proverb 31:4-5 - Kings, Princes, and others who rule and judge must not drink alcohol. Alcohol perverts good judgment.
28) Proverbs 31:6-7 - Strong drink could be given to those about to perish or those in pain. Better anesthetics are available today.
29) Ecclesiastes 2:3 - The king tried everything, including intoxicating drink, to see if it satisfied. It did not. (Ecclesiastes 12:8)
30) Ecclesiastes 10:17 - A land is blessed when its leaders do not drink.
31) Isaiah 5:11-12 - Woe to those who get up early to drink and stay up late at night to get drunk.
32) Isaiah 5:22 - Woe to "champion" drinkers and "experts" at mixing drinks.
33) Isaiah 19:14 - Drunken men stagger in their vomit.
34) Isaiah 22:12-13 - The Israelites choose to drink; their future looks hopeless to them.
35) Isaiah 24:9 - Drinkers cannot escape the consequences when God judges.
36) Isaiah 28:1 - God pronounces woe on the drunkards of Ephraim.
37) Isaiah 28:3 - Proud drunkards shall be trodden down.
38) Isaiah 28:7 - Priests and prophets stagger and reel from beer and wine, err in vision, and stumble in judgment.
39) Isaiah 28:8 - Drinkers’ tables are covered with vomit and filth.
40) Isaiah 56:9-12 - Drinkers seek their own gain and expect tomorrow to be just like today.
41) Jeremiah 35:2-14 - The Rechabites drank no grape juice or intoxicating wine and were blessed.
42) Ezekiel 44:21 - Again God instructed the priests not to drink wine.
43) Daniel 1:5-17 - Daniel refused the king’s intoxicating wine and was blessed for it along with his abstaining friends.
44) Daniel 5:1 - Belshazzar, ruler of Babylon; led his people in drinking.
45) Daniel 5:2-3 - The king, along with his nobles, wives, and concubines, drank from the goblets which had been taken from God’s temple.
46) Daniel 5:4 - Drinking wine was combined with praising false gods.
47) Daniel 5:23 - God sent word to Belshazzar that punishment would be swift for the evil he had committed.
48) Hosea 4:11 - Intoxicating wine takes away intelligence.
49) Hosea 7:5 - God reproves princes for drinking.
50) Joel 1:5 - Drunkards awake to see God’s judgment.
51) Joel 3:3 - The enemy is judged for selling girls for wine.
52) Amos 2:8 - Unrighteous acts of Israel included the drinking of wine which had been taken for the payment of fines.
53) Amos 2:12 - Israel is condemned for forcing Nazarites to drink wine.
54) Micah 2:11 - Israelites are eager to follow false teachers who prophesy plenty of intoxicating drinks.
55) Nahum 1:10 - The drunkards of Nineveh will be destroyed by God.
56) Habakkuk 2:5 - A man is betrayed by wine.
57) Habakkuk 2:15 - Woe to him that gives his neighbor drink.
58) Habakkuk 2:16 - Drinking leads to shame.
59) Matthew 24:48-51 - A drinking servant is unprepared for his Lord’s return.
60) Luke 1:15 - John the Baptist drank neither grape juice nor wine.
61) Luke 12:45 - Christ warned against drunkenness.
62) Luke 21:34 - Drunkenness will cause a person not to be ready for the Lord’s return.
63) Romans 13:13 - Do not walk in drunkenness or immorality.
64) Romans 14:21 - Do not do anything that will hurt your testimony as a believer.
65) 1 Corinthians 5:11 - If a Christian brother is a drinker, do not associate with him.
66) 1 Corinthians 6:10 - Drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God
67) Galatians 5:21 - Acts of the sinful nature, such as drunkenness, will prohibit a person from inheriting the kingdom of God.
68) Ephesians 5:18 - In contrast to being drunk with wine, the believer is to be filled with the Spirit.
69) 1 Thessalonians 5:6-7 - Christians are to be alert and self-controlled, belonging to the day. Drunkards belong to the night and darkness.
70) 1 Timothy 3:2-3 - Bishops (elders) are to be temperate, sober, and not near any wine.
71) 1 Timothy 3:8 - Deacons are to be worthy of respect and not drinkers.
72) 1 Timothy 3:11 - Deacons’ wives are to be temperate and sober.
73) Titus 1:7-8 - An overseer is to be disciplined.
74) Titus 2:2-3 - The older men and older women of the church are to be temperate and not addicted to wine.
75) 1 Peter 4:3-4 - The past life of drunkenness and carousing has no place in the kingdom of God.

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THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND DENOMINATIONS

It is not uncommon these days to hear the question: “Which denomination do you attend?” This question is very strange and unknown to Bible characters. In the early days of Christianity, people simply belonged to the one and only Church established by Christ. Jesus Christ promised to build his Church in Matt.16:18. The possessive pronoun “my” and the singular word “Church” are quite instructive in that passage.
The promise of Christ to build his Church in Matt. 16:18 came to fulfilment in the book of Acts 2. Note that the word “Church ” is from the Greek word ecclesia which means the called out or an assembly. The church therefore is an assembly of people who are called out of the darkness of this world into the marvelous light of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 1Pet. 2:9. Thus, the word Church does not refer to a building, as many erroneously believe today.
On the other hand, the word “denomination” connotes division, segregation and sectarianism. All these are condemned as work of the flesh in Gal.5:19. Moreso, in John 17:20-21 Jesus prayed for the unity of believers. The intention of Christ is to have one united body where all believers are to worship in spirit and in truth. John 4:23-24; Eph.4:3-6. But just like the parable of Jesus in Matthew 13:24-30, the kingdom of heaven is likened to the man who sowed good seeds in his farm but while men slept, the enemy came and sowed tares on the same land. The differences between the Church of the bible, which Christ built and denominations established by men are quite many and glaring. Let us consider them one after the other:
1. The Church in the Bible has Christ as head and founder Matt.16:18; Col. 1:18, whereas denominations have human heads and founders.
2. The Church in the Bible has its headquarter in heaven, where the head is, Mark 16:19; Acts 2:33, whereas denominations all have their heads and headquarter on earth here in various cities of the world.
3. The mode of becoming a member of the Church in the Bible is through the new birth according to salvation steps of heariing God’s word Rom 10:17; believing God’s word John 8:24; repenting from sins Lk13:3,5; confession of faith in Christ Rom.10:9, Matt.10:32-33 and baptism by immersion into Christ Mk.16:16. But in denominations, membership is through “altar call”, “sinners’ prayer” and any other method proposed by the owners of the Church.
4. For the Church in the bible, worship to God is in spirit and in truth John 4:23-24. The worship in spirit is that which is from the heart as against any extraneous consideration John 6:63; and worship is in truth if it is in accordance to God’s word John 17:17. But in denominations, there is no clear-cut pattern as to mode of worship, but according to the whims and caprices of the leader or “as the spirit directs” such clapping, dancing, drumming, shouting, burning insence, candles,  shaking, etc.
5. The organization of the Church in the Bible is such that the universal Church (Matt.16:18) has local congregations that are scripturally activated to worship God by praying (devoid of ecstasy) Matt.6:9-15; 1Thes. 5:17, singing (vocal music only and non-instrumental music) Eph.5:19, Col.3:16, teaching and preaching Acts2:42, giving of their means to God through free-will offering (not by tithing) 1Cor.16:1-2; observing the holy communion every Sunday according to Bible example. Acts 20:7; 1Cor 11:23-30.
6. The local congregations of the Church in the Bible are ruled by qualified elders and deacons in accordance with Titus 1:5-11; 1Tim.3:1-13 and also have Evangelists/Preachers, teachers and members according to Eph.4:11-12 for the edification of the Church. The scriptural organization is such that it allows for plurality of elders, also known as pastors, presbyters, overseers, bishops Acts 14:23; Acts20:17,28. In the denominations on the other hand, it is possible to have a one-man pastor (most times unmarried) contrary to the qualifications of pastors in 1Tim 3, presiding over a local congregation.
7. The goal of members in the Church of the Bible is to inherit eternity with God in heaven on the last day John 3:16; 1Thes.4:13-17, whereas in denominations, their goals are as diverse as they are many. Some, like the Jehovah Witnesses, have the goal of  inheriting this physical earth together with all the fine houses on earth here while others simply believe in the breakthroughs, power, miracles and financial prosperity they will get here on earth.
Therefore, it is our plea dear reader that you take necessary steps to come out of denominational Churches and belong to the Church established by Christ for your own salvation 2Cor 6:17-18. God bless you.

Written by Bro. Ben Yamah for Evangelismportal.org

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PREACH JUST CHRIST

The common refrain today is “preach Christ and not Church. Afterall there is no church in heaven”
So of recent I have decided to follow that line of thought but it is simply not making sense.
The more I preach Christ the more the church is featured.
The Christ I am told to preach only is the one who promised to build a church. Matt 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The Christ I am told to preach only is the one who died and his blood used to purchase the church. Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
The Christ I am told to preach only is the one declared to be the head of the church. Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Dear friends, it is practically impossible to separate Christ from the church.
The church is the orientation agency of Christ. Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
The church is the home of the saved who have been rescued from the kingdom of darkness. Act 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
The church today is liken to the ark built by Noah. Those who were inside escaped the flood. If you are not inside, you are outside.
The church of Christ is not so much a name, as it is a description.. We are a congregation of people who belong to Christ. Each of us recognized the sins in his or her life and came to God for salvation as the Bible instructs.
We do not use creeds, teachings of men or revelation newer than the Holy Bible. We are simply Christians following the teachings of Jesus, His apostles, and prophets found in the New Testament. It is our commitment to live by these teachings to the best of our ability.
Our Worship
When you visit our assemblies, you will be greeted and feel welcome. These are the things you will find us doing in our worship services:

On the first day of every week, we observe the Lord’s Supper in His memory, in the manner He has prescribed in the New Testament.

At our Sunday assemblies, we cheerfully contribute to the work of the church of our own free will as directed. We do not ask non-members to financially support our work.

At every assembly, we pray...more than once. Prayer is a part of what we do as a congregation, as well as privately each day.

We love to sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. It is the most often heard comment of visitors...I so enjoyed your singing."

We listen to messages from God's Word. Biblically sound sermons are an edifying way to grow nearer to the Lord.
We invite you to come and study with us at any church of Christ near you. There is power in following the pattern set by Christ for his people for all ages. We believe that the Bible explains everything we need to know to best live our days and go to heaven when our earthly days are over. If this is you, we will be happy to talk with you or study with you from the Bible as you seek to learn more about God and bring your life into harmony with His will. 
Put together by Mike Udam and powered by Evangelismportal2017

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Analysis of Anger

Anger, in simple words, is one's reaction to feeling threatened. It starts from discomfort and leads to irritation, and at times it aggravates to violent rage. Anger is often mistaken for aggression. Terms such as hostility, aggression, and mood swing are used almost as a substitute for Anger, however there is a thin line of difference between them.

Hostility − While anger is the driving emotion, our own interpretation and judgment of situations result in Hostility. Hostility breeds and encourages Aggression.

Aggression − Aggression is the behavior that has the tendency to harm people/property. It is the final outcome of the anger brewing inside us.

Mood Swing − It is a lingering emotional state which can range from irritation to violent expressions of anger. When the mood is at its peak, it completely overtakes every other emotion. Interestingly, the word 'mood' derives from the old English word 'mōd' which means 'courage'.

Negatives of Anger

Rohan lives in an apartment. He wakes up one morning and finds someone has moved his bike from its parking spot without his consent. He first experiences a discomfort at someone having encroached the private space of his property. Slowly but surely, anger starts to brew. "Oh, sure! Go on − treat me like a worthless guy! Why even bother asking me for anything!" A hostile mental environment forms due to this interpretation of the situation.

While he was still talking to himself in anger, suddenly his son appears and asks him to help fix the fan. Already disturbed with his internal conflicts, Rohan yells out, reducing his son to tears. This venting out might have calmed Rohan temporarily, but the guilt and shame inside him for having hurt his son makes him grumpy and disagreeable for the rest of the morning. At work, the colleagues will notice and whisper among themselves − “Rohan is in a bad mood today.”

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BENEFITS OF CHARCOAL!

Charcoal is one of the most disregarded products at home. We only see the need for it when it is time to set fire for Banku.
However, if you really need first aid, charcoal is something you need to have on you all the time. You might not know this but it is one of the most medicinal products you can have at home due to its poison extraction ability.
In case you never gave it much attention, this is the time to do so. Here are *13* benefits of charcoal you never thought about.

1. Preventing Odour
Does your shoe smell bad? Just get some charcoal & put it in them. Do you have any bad smell in your room? Drop some charcoal where you suspect the smell could be coming from. Does your fridge or freezer smell? Put a piece of charcoal in it. Do you have strong body odour? Just make a powder out of charcoal & use.
Charcoal is very good at getting rid of bad smell. Ever wondered why your parents always scooped out the ash from the coal pot to pour in the hen coop or toilet before sweeping? That was to get rid of the odour.

2. Keeping_Food_Fresh
If you want your vegetables to be fresh all the time, just make a solution out of charcoal & leave your vegetables in them. Thank us later.

3. Removing toxins From Food
These days, people complain about the use of fertilizers on plants & vegetables, making them unwholesome & poisonous. If you have charcoal, you don’t need to worry about this. All you need to do is leave the vegetables in a charcoal solution overnight & it’ll take care of the toxins. If you suspect any food contains too many chemicals, just drop them in a charcoal solution for some hours & you’re good to go.

4. For teeth Whitening
If you want to whiten your teeth, pay no attention to all these adverts on whitening chemicals & technology. Just get yourself some charcoal & grab hold of a plantain stalk. Make a powder out of the charcoal, mash the tip of the plantain stalk, dip it into the charcoal powder & brush your teeth with it for a week.

5. Restoring_Soup_That_Went_Bad
Did your groundnut soup or palm nut soup go bad? No need to worry about pouring it all away. Just put it back on fire & drop a piece of charcoal in it. This will extract all the bad taste & smell & restore the soup to its fresh state.

6. Detoxifying
Do you have a hangover out of a drink out with friends the previous night? Just have some charcoal with you & chew on it. To make it more effective, make a nice solution out of it & drink. You’re good to go.

7. Neutralizing Alcohol
If you mistakenly did some wild mixing & feel it can knock you out, just add some charcoal to the mixture & your problem is solved. Or if you took in too much alcohol, just drink some charcoal solution & you’re good to go.

8. Healing Wounds
Do you have a situation where someone’s wound has become so infected to the state doctors are saying they have to cut the affected area? Don’t stress over it, get a large amount of charcoal powder & pour it on the wound. This will extract all the poison from the wound & also help it heal faster. If you have a cut & you want to treat it fast, just get some powdered charcoal & pour on it.

9. Water Filtration
Do you feel your water is contaminated? You don’t need all these products on the market. Charcoal can do better, just drop some amount of it in it. Don’t worry about the colour, it is safe, you can even chew on charcoal. It is far safer than eating chicken from KFC.

10. Skin Cleansing
Do you have pimples, acne or any skin disease you really want to get rid of or do you want a very smooth face or skin? All you need is charcoal. Make a thick solution out of it & smear it on your body & leave it on for some hours before taking your bath. It will leave your skin smooth & fresh.

11. Stain removal
Do you have some stubborn stain in your kitchen, washroom or on your tiles? You actually need charcoal to get rid of it. I know you’re imagining how this black stainy product can actually remove stains right? Just try it, it works like magic.

12. Getting rid of a Bloated Stomach
If you ate or drank something & feel bloated, charcoal is the best solution to get rid of the bloating.

13. Get Rid of bad Cholesterol
Making a solution out of it & drinking helps eliminate all the bad cholesterol you have stored in you.

14. Ulcer Treatment
Charcoal can treat all ulcers. Just make it a habit to always chew some.

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A MUST READ!!! WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT CHRISTMAS

WHAT IS CHRISTMAS
Christmas though claimed to be Christian festival is not found in the bible.
Christmas is a word that evolved from the fusion of two separate words Christ and mass. While Christ mean messiah, mass refer to a religious ritual performed by a denominational group as part of her self-willed practice and worship.

THE ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS
The origin of Christmas and its celebration cannot be traced from the bible but history point it to bishop liberious of Rome, who order the people then to celebrate Christmas on December 25th as the birth day of Christ in the year 354AD. See word book encyclopedia Vol.3 page 416. However before December 25th was finally chosen as the birth day of Christ and for its celebration, various dates were selected such as January 6th , march 25th and December 25th . See comptions puetered encyclopedia vol.3 page 332.
History also states, according to the Christian calendar page 21, word book encyclopedia vol. 3 page 416 and the new illustrated encyclopedia of kwonledge page 112 that December 25th was mainly chosen then to be the birth day Christ and the celebration of its as Christmas, in order to dissociate the roman “Christian” from participating with the roman pagans who were celebrating their roman feast of Saturn,in which the celebrate the birth day of the sun(the roman god of agriculture and vegetables) on the same day of December 25th
Furthermore, because Christmas festival is not found in the bible but modified pagan feasts by the Romans some of the practices which were being done during the celebration of the pagan feast of Saturn in Rome were also incorporated in the Christmas celebration, eg Christmas tree, yule log, giving of presents and decoration of houses. See the New illustration Encyclopedia of knowledge page 112.
Christmas is not a christen feast, so we must not observe it for the following reasons
The origin is the way of the heathen and in Jeremiah 10:1-6, God warned his people not to learn the way of the heathens. What dose Xmas tree represent? The book of Jeremiah 10:2-4 state “thus says the lord” do not learn the way of heathen; do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the custom of the people are futile; for one cuts a tree from the forest. The work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They decorate it with silver and gold;, they fasten it with nails and harmers, so that it will not topple” see the wisdom of man.
Do not forget that we are disusing why you should not celebrate Christmas-the second point is that “the narration of the fact of Christ’s birth is not a command but a fulfillment of prophecy
The dates which were fixed by men are not uniform but laced with confusion as Eastern Europe observes Christmas as January 6, others on 18th and 19th. God is not the Author of confusion. See 1 cor.14:33
Christ did not begin his existence from here. See col. 1:15-17 “who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities, or power; all things were created by him and for him and he is before all things, and by him all things consist’. Thus, his birth into the world is clearly known and should be understood only as God’s manifestation “in the flesh 1 tim.3:16. “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angles, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory”. So needless to celebrate his birth as he had existed before time and season.
Christmas should not be celebrated by true Christians because anything we do religiously is Christianity must be done in the name (authority) of our lord Jesus Christ which can only be found in the New Testament scripture. Therefore, the facts that Christmas festival is nowhere to be found in the new testament scriptures either by being commanded or by being celebrated by Christ himself, his apostles, or the early Christians, evidently shows that such religious feast is not authorized by Christ our only lawgiver, the author and finisher of our faith, rather it is a commandment from men which Christ condemned totally in the scriptures. See James 4:12, Heb 12:2, col. 3:17
It is a blatant fallacy to make Christmas Christians festival, because there is no command from Christ or any act of apostles (Apostolic example) to authenticate its celebrations. This is the wisdom of men which does not adore God even as Christ as stated in his word “But in vain they do worship men, teaching for doctrines the commandment of men.” Matt. 15:9. Man cannot replace the word of God with his own and be accepted.
The bible says for I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge for they being ignorant of God’s righteousness and going about to established their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God Rom.10:1-3. God has never left man unguided in man’s search to please him. Hence, the warning” and whatsoever you do in words or deed, do all in the Name of the lord jesus, giving thanks to God and the father by him Col. 3:17. “in the name of the lord Jesus” quoted above means in the authority Christ and Christ has commanded. Whereas, the bible says there is ignorant worship. Rom.10:1-3, there is vain worship. Matt. 15:9 but the true and acceptable worship must flow from a sincere heart and must be done in truth. John 4:24

Conclusion
The worshipers of the living God are expected to walk by faith and not by sight. Not by of wisdom of men but by the will of God. (11Cor. 5:7, 1Thess. 2:3-5) Christ commanded the Christians should celebrate a feast to remember his death not his birth. Math 26:26-30, 1Cor. 11:23-26. We would not serve God and be pleasing on him if the items of such service are born out of our instinct. Christmas is traced to a pagan feast in the then Rome and it is idolatry. Therefore, no matter how enticing and glamorous it may be, it does not glorify God and all the celebration amount to ignorance, waste and heresy ….BEWARE!!!

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THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRISTMAS

INTRODUCTION
The world today believes that “Christmas” is the birthday of Jesus Christ. But it should be noted that the word “Christmas” is derived from two words – “Christ” and “mas”.

We Christians know that the word “Christ” means the Messiah or the One sent to redeem us from sin. On the other hand, the word “Mas”, according to James Gibbons, a Catholic scholar, is derived from the Catholic sacrifice of Mass (during Eucharist or Holy Communion celebration). Candles are usually burnt during the process. ( See Faith of Our Fathers, page 355).

Thus, it is clear that the word “Christmas” has nothing to do with birthday. The word is therefore a misnomer for our Lord’s birthday as Christ and Mas do not connote Christ’s birthday. We Christians must therefore separate our Lord (Christ) from Mass as the term, apart from lacking support of scriptures, does not mean birthday.

ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS
Before the advent of Christianity, the Roman heathen had the feast of Winter Solstice (i.e feast of the sun) usually celebrated in December period.

It is said that with the advent of Christianity and consequently Catholicism, many of the heathen believed in Christ. In spite of this “conversion” they were still observing the heathen feast of Winter Solstice. So, in 354 AD a Roman Catholic bishop named Liberius declared December 25 as Christ’s birthday so that instead of worshipping the Sun, the heathen who have been converted to “Christianity” will now use the occasion to worship the Son of God (See World Book Encyclopaedia Vol. 3 Page 1425). So, “Christmas” has its origin from paganistic heathenism, 321 years after Christianity started in AD 33. This might be a good idea humanly speaking. But in matters of faith, we cannot think for God as His ways are not our ways Isa 55:6-9.

WHEN WAS CHRIST BORN?
The Bible has record of Christ’s birth in Matt. 1:18-21 and in other corresponding passages of Mark and Luke but the date is not recorded. In Deut 29:29, the Bible says that the secret things belong to God but those that are revealed to us belong to us. So, if God and the Holy Spirit did not disclose the birthday of Christ to us in the Bible, the silence of the Holy Spirit and God in that regard must be respected. Otherwise, it will be an addition to the word of God to purport to fix a date as Bishop Liberius did in AD 354. Please note that God warns against such unauthorised addition to His word towards the beginning of the Scriptures in Deut 4:2, that warning was sounded; in the middle of the scriptures in Prov 30:5-6, the warning was re-echoed and finally at the end of scriptures in Rev. 22:18-19 the warning and its consequences were laid down by the Holy Spirit. So, let us avoid the wrath of God and desist from any act that will amount to an addition to God’s word.

December 25 is a common assumption as the birthday of Christ just as we have other common assumptions that are erroneous in the Christendom today. For example, it is often assumed by many that “three wise men” brought gifts to Christ when He was born. But please my dear reader/listener have you ever taking time out to find out if the number of wise men was given in the scripture? The story of the wise men’s visit when Christ was born is recorded in Matt. 2:1-11 and the Bible only reveals that wise men came from the east to Jerusalem Matt.2:1. The fact that the wise men presented three different types of gifts to Jesus in Matt. 2:11 does not automatically mean that the visitors were three. The only truth that can be derived from Matt. 2:1 is that the visitors were in their plural. They could have been two, three or even more. Two visitors can present three types of gifts (if one brings two types of gifts and the other brings the third gift, just the same way more that three visitors can present the same gifts). Other erroneous assumptions in the Christendom include, Catholic Church being the first church. This is wrong because the Church of Christ, established in AD 33 (Acts 2) is the first church. Also, many do refer to the building where the church worships as the church. From the Bible point of view, the word “church” is derived from the Greek word eklesia meaning “the called out”, “a gathering” or “an assembly”. The church can worship anywhere that is convenient for her to assemble or gather.

Moreover, it should be noted that from the Bible point of view, Jesus could never have been born in December going by the account of Lk 2:1-8. This is because in verse 8 of that passage, we read that when Christ was born, Shepherds were seen abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock. Those who are familiar with the city where Christ was born know that Shepherds are not normally seen in the field during winter, which is the period of December.

If God had intended that Christians should celebrate the birthday of Christ, it would have been clearly stated in scriptures. After all, God did it before in the Old Testament when he wanted the Jews to celebrate Passover, He gave them the exact date to be on the 14th of the first month. Ex.13:4; Lev.23:5; Num.9:2-3. So, giving date is not a big deal to God.

THE ONLY FEAST FOR CHRISTIANS TODAY
The only feast meant for Christians to celebrate in honour of Christ in a religious sense is the Lord’s Supper otherwise known as the Holy Communion Matt 26:26; Acts 20:7; ICor.11:23-30. Observe it with great respect and honour for Christ because it is a remembrance of the death and resurrection of Christ, which is the bedrock of the Christian faith. But unfortunately, this is the feast most neglected by those who claim to be Christians No instruction could be more clear than “Do this in remembrance of me” as clearly stated in ICor. 11:26.

CONSEQUENCES OF OBSERVING CHRISTMAS
Let us note the following facts: a) Christ did not celebrate His birthday when He was alive; b) His disciples did not celebrate it either; c) The Bible did not command us expressly nor impliedly to observe Christ’s birthday; therefore to observe it is an addition to the word of God which is punishable according to Deut 4:2; Prov. 30:6; Rev. 22:18-19.

CONCLUSION: It is only sentiment that makes people to think that if Jesus was such a great man in history then his birthday must be observed by his followers. But we should not forget that we cannot think for God. His thoughts are different from ours (Isa 59:8-9). Moreover, statistics has shown that the sins of fornication, drunkenness and reckless driving leading to unwarranted accidents are more during the so-called Christmas celebration. Can this be the best way to mark the birthday of the One who came to seek and save the lost and saved us from our sins?? Lk 19:10; Matt 1: 21. Definitely not!

What therefore should Christians do during Christmas since December 25 has been universally accepted by men as the birthday of Christ? The period should merely be observed as just any other holiday. But definitely not the way the people of the world mark it with all sorts of sins. The fact that the whole world has accepted it does not mean acceptance by God. After all, the Bible says in Romans 3:4   “……….let God be true and every man liar”....

Jeremiah 10:1-5....origin of Christmas tree

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