"SHOULD CHRISTIANS CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS?
Good afternoon everyone. Hope you are having a nice day. Mine hasn't been to bad. I am finally getting around to posting something on my thinking on the celebration of birthdays by Christians. It was brought to my attention by a fellow blogger, author@ptgbook.com We have been in touch with each other for a few months now. We have been discussing several things Christians should or shouldn't take part in. It has been very interesting. That is what all Christians should do. "Study to show ourselves approved, rightly dividing the word of truth." Don't you agree?
I know several Christians that believe you shouldn't celebrate Christ's birthday or anyones. I had never really thought about it being wrong to celebrate birthdays. My family always celebrated birthdays as well as the Country's birthday. The USA was founded on Christian principals. I believe God sent the Pilgrims to the US so they could worship him freely. Christ taught the disciples that they should render to Ceaser what was Ceaser's and to God what was God's. So that being said, I can relate this to the celebration of the USA's birth. I see no harm in doing so, as long as we do not dishonor God or celebrate in place of honor to God. I do not have scriptures to back this up. This is just my own opinion. You have to decide for yourselves. If you feel it is wrong to celebrate birthdays, then by all means you shouldn't, even if it doesn't matter to God. Because if you feel it is wrong to celebrate birthdays and still do it, then you are sinning.
A fellow blogger gave me the following scritpures as bad examples of birthday celebrations in scripture. Genesis 40:20-22 and Matthew 14:6-11. He also gave the scriture of Job 1:4 & 5 as possibly another scripture to back up the thinking that Christians shouldn't celebrate birthdays. I have read these scriptures, but do not feel the same way. I feel God was relating these celebrations to us as example of how not to celebrate birthdays. I believe if he didn't want us to celebrate birthdays, He would have added the fact in the scriptures. The blogger did say the examples in scripture were weak, but he can do without the celebration of birthdays. More power to him. He is doing what he feels is right for him and it is between him and God.
The Worldwide Church of God and Herbert W. Armstrong taught their members not to celebrate birthdays because of the negative examples of birthday celebrations in the Bible. It seemed to be a custom of the world that did not bear good fruit. Especially with some of the excessiveness that occurs in today's society and with the wrong attitude of "expecting" gifts that it tends to promote bad examples. The church leaders found no positive examples of birthday keeping. This doctrine was based mostly on trying to live by every word of God, including lessons they can learn from examples given to us in the Bible. It seems birthday celebration would fall into the category of the vain customs of the people of this world.
The blogger noticed that in celebrating birthdays, we tend to honor and glorify each other. He would rather reserve honor and glory for God instead of each other once a year. A good point. We need to make sure we celebrate in the right way and not forget who made us. If we celebrate birthdays, we should be sure and bring that point out every year, "God Made Us" and we should give honor and glory to God.
Every year I thank "GOD" for another year of life. If we do not have another birthday, we are asleep either in Jesus awaiting Christ's return or asleep awaiting God's judgement. I feel we should acknowledge one more year of life. I feel this is giving God honor and glory. This is only my opinion. Each one of us has to make up our minds about the celebration of birthdays. As my fellow brorther in Chirst stated, "If you would have a quilty conscience in observing a birthday, then you shouldn't." He thinks based on the little bit that God says about birthdays in the Bible and the examples given, God is not particularly thrilled with the custom.
In reading the scriptures given, I feel God was displeased with how the birthdays were celebrated and gave the examples to show us how "not" to celebrate them. I feel if God did not want us to celebrate birthdays He would have said so in the scriptures He gave about the birthday celebrations. He possibly wouldn't have even mentioned them, unless it had to do with who was beheaded or punished at the celebration. This is not the case. From my view point, it is okay to celebrate birthdays, if they are done in the right manner. Pray first and then study for yourself. I am not condeming anyone for celebrating or not celebrating. That is not my place. God is in control and it is His place.
I understand why we shouldn't celebrate Christ's birth. The celebration wasn't even started until about 300 years after Christ was born. The church leaders took the date of a wicked King's birthday and the winter solstice and set it aside for Christ's, not really knowning exactly when Christ was born. If you go by scripture, you will see Christ was born in the fall of the year, not winter. If I understand right, the climate in Bethlehem was similar to ours. The sheep and shepherds wouldn't have been in the fields. They would have been in the folds due to the cold weather of winter. The decorating of the tree was something done by the wicked King's mother and a custom of the people at that time. The gift giving is to show love for one another. Jeremiah 10 beginning with verse 2 we are told not to learn the way of the heathen. Verse 3 tells us the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest. . . Verse 4 they deck it with silver and gold. . . and fasten it with nails so it moves not. Verse 5 says "Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil , neither also is it in them to do good."
What does a tree have to do with a birth? The wise men brought gifts to Christ. People say it was a custom to bring gifts to a King. Okay that is understandable. Why give gifts to everyone on Christ's birthday. Do we give gifts to everyone on our birthday? Not usually. If you were to celebrate Christ's birth, then do it in the right manner. Do not set up a tree and put gifts under it for everyone and expect to receive gifts in return. If you are giving gifts to show your love for others, you shouldn't expect one in return. You also shouldn't go in debt to be sure and give everyone a real nice gift, hoping to get the same in return. Get your priorities straight. Give gifts to the church and Christ.
As for me any my house, we do not and I do not plan to ever celebrate Christ's birth. If God wanted us to celebrate Christ's birth, He would have told us in scripture the exact date of Christ's birth and not just about the time of the year it was. He would have included instructions on how to celebrate. If you feel you should celebrate Christ's birthday, do not do it the way the world does. By all means celebrate. But do it at the right time of year and in the fashion it should be celebrated. I pray we will all always pray for God's guidence before we begin a study on any subject. Prayer is the first step and should give us an open mind before we begin to study the Word.
If you have a comment or question on this subject feel free to leave a comment or send me an email. My address is oklibrarianc@yahoo.com.
I pray God will bless you all this week.
Starlight*
I know several Christians that believe you shouldn't celebrate Christ's birthday or anyones. I had never really thought about it being wrong to celebrate birthdays. My family always celebrated birthdays as well as the Country's birthday. The USA was founded on Christian principals. I believe God sent the Pilgrims to the US so they could worship him freely. Christ taught the disciples that they should render to Ceaser what was Ceaser's and to God what was God's. So that being said, I can relate this to the celebration of the USA's birth. I see no harm in doing so, as long as we do not dishonor God or celebrate in place of honor to God. I do not have scriptures to back this up. This is just my own opinion. You have to decide for yourselves. If you feel it is wrong to celebrate birthdays, then by all means you shouldn't, even if it doesn't matter to God. Because if you feel it is wrong to celebrate birthdays and still do it, then you are sinning.
A fellow blogger gave me the following scritpures as bad examples of birthday celebrations in scripture. Genesis 40:20-22 and Matthew 14:6-11. He also gave the scriture of Job 1:4 & 5 as possibly another scripture to back up the thinking that Christians shouldn't celebrate birthdays. I have read these scriptures, but do not feel the same way. I feel God was relating these celebrations to us as example of how not to celebrate birthdays. I believe if he didn't want us to celebrate birthdays, He would have added the fact in the scriptures. The blogger did say the examples in scripture were weak, but he can do without the celebration of birthdays. More power to him. He is doing what he feels is right for him and it is between him and God.
The Worldwide Church of God and Herbert W. Armstrong taught their members not to celebrate birthdays because of the negative examples of birthday celebrations in the Bible. It seemed to be a custom of the world that did not bear good fruit. Especially with some of the excessiveness that occurs in today's society and with the wrong attitude of "expecting" gifts that it tends to promote bad examples. The church leaders found no positive examples of birthday keeping. This doctrine was based mostly on trying to live by every word of God, including lessons they can learn from examples given to us in the Bible. It seems birthday celebration would fall into the category of the vain customs of the people of this world.
The blogger noticed that in celebrating birthdays, we tend to honor and glorify each other. He would rather reserve honor and glory for God instead of each other once a year. A good point. We need to make sure we celebrate in the right way and not forget who made us. If we celebrate birthdays, we should be sure and bring that point out every year, "God Made Us" and we should give honor and glory to God.
Every year I thank "GOD" for another year of life. If we do not have another birthday, we are asleep either in Jesus awaiting Christ's return or asleep awaiting God's judgement. I feel we should acknowledge one more year of life. I feel this is giving God honor and glory. This is only my opinion. Each one of us has to make up our minds about the celebration of birthdays. As my fellow brorther in Chirst stated, "If you would have a quilty conscience in observing a birthday, then you shouldn't." He thinks based on the little bit that God says about birthdays in the Bible and the examples given, God is not particularly thrilled with the custom.
In reading the scriptures given, I feel God was displeased with how the birthdays were celebrated and gave the examples to show us how "not" to celebrate them. I feel if God did not want us to celebrate birthdays He would have said so in the scriptures He gave about the birthday celebrations. He possibly wouldn't have even mentioned them, unless it had to do with who was beheaded or punished at the celebration. This is not the case. From my view point, it is okay to celebrate birthdays, if they are done in the right manner. Pray first and then study for yourself. I am not condeming anyone for celebrating or not celebrating. That is not my place. God is in control and it is His place.
I understand why we shouldn't celebrate Christ's birth. The celebration wasn't even started until about 300 years after Christ was born. The church leaders took the date of a wicked King's birthday and the winter solstice and set it aside for Christ's, not really knowning exactly when Christ was born. If you go by scripture, you will see Christ was born in the fall of the year, not winter. If I understand right, the climate in Bethlehem was similar to ours. The sheep and shepherds wouldn't have been in the fields. They would have been in the folds due to the cold weather of winter. The decorating of the tree was something done by the wicked King's mother and a custom of the people at that time. The gift giving is to show love for one another. Jeremiah 10 beginning with verse 2 we are told not to learn the way of the heathen. Verse 3 tells us the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest. . . Verse 4 they deck it with silver and gold. . . and fasten it with nails so it moves not. Verse 5 says "Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil , neither also is it in them to do good."
What does a tree have to do with a birth? The wise men brought gifts to Christ. People say it was a custom to bring gifts to a King. Okay that is understandable. Why give gifts to everyone on Christ's birthday. Do we give gifts to everyone on our birthday? Not usually. If you were to celebrate Christ's birth, then do it in the right manner. Do not set up a tree and put gifts under it for everyone and expect to receive gifts in return. If you are giving gifts to show your love for others, you shouldn't expect one in return. You also shouldn't go in debt to be sure and give everyone a real nice gift, hoping to get the same in return. Get your priorities straight. Give gifts to the church and Christ.
As for me any my house, we do not and I do not plan to ever celebrate Christ's birth. If God wanted us to celebrate Christ's birth, He would have told us in scripture the exact date of Christ's birth and not just about the time of the year it was. He would have included instructions on how to celebrate. If you feel you should celebrate Christ's birthday, do not do it the way the world does. By all means celebrate. But do it at the right time of year and in the fashion it should be celebrated. I pray we will all always pray for God's guidence before we begin a study on any subject. Prayer is the first step and should give us an open mind before we begin to study the Word.
If you have a comment or question on this subject feel free to leave a comment or send me an email. My address is oklibrarianc@yahoo.com.
I pray God will bless you all this week.
Starlight*
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