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“The true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father is indeed seeking those who worship Him in this manner. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).
Perhaps you have never heard the true story, Christmas—the Greatest Story Never Told. As astounding as it may seem, what the religions of the world have told you about Christmas is not true!
If you celebrate and love Christmas, as the world celebrates and loves Christmas, the information in this booklet will be most revealing. Most people who celebrate Christmas believe they are honoring God the Father and Jesus Christ. But the truth is that they are not. As you read this booklet, you will have to ask yourself some difficult questions:
“If Christmas does not honor God, who does it honor?” Most people claim that they desire to worship the true God of creation, but they have been deluded into accepting practices that, in fact, worship false gods. So we must ask ourselves, “Do we want to worship the God of creation, or the gods which men have created for themselves? Do we want to be justified by God, or do we want to justify our own human ways, and thoughts?”
In order to solve this dilemma, we need to do as the Scriptures admonish and prove what is “good and acceptable before God” (I Tim 5:4). Indeed, if we desire to follow and honor God, we should be willing to follow the example of Jesus Christ. Notice what Jesus said: “ ‘The Father has not left Me alone because I always do the things that please Him.’ As he spoke these things, many believed in Him... ‘If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free’ ” (John 8:29- 32). We must be willing to search the Scriptures and history to find the real truth about Christmas. We must find out from the word of God whether the celebration of Christmas is pleasing to God or not.
However, in the world in which we live, too many people feel that if they have good intentions in whatever they are doing, then, in their view, everything is right. As many religious people may say, “What’s really important is what’s in my heart.” Some claim that the origin of the celebration of Christmas on December 25 is of no importance. You may have heard it said, “We will make it acceptable to God as long as we put Christ into the celebration with a renewed and deep spiritual meaning!”
So that we are not misled by our feelings, let’s see God’s righteous view about the human heart. In Genesis 8:21 it is recorded: “The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth...” (emphasis ours throughout). Human rationale is most deceptive because it seems so right. “There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). God inspired Jeremiah to write about the human heart of man, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah. 17:9). Although we may think that our hearts are pure, and our intentions right, we must not rely on our own deceitful reasonings, but we must rely solely on the Truth of the Word of God.
Moreover, Jesus Christ clearly denounced the religious traditions of men as vain. “But in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7). Since Christmas is a tradition of men, in celebrating it, do we worship God in vain? Listen, to what Jesus also said about the observation of human traditions. “Full well do you reject the commandments of God, so that you may observe your own traditions” (verse 9).
You need to carefully read this booklet and ask yourself, “Am I rejecting God by observing the tradition of Christmas?” You are encouraged to look up all the scripture references used in this booklet. Then you need to follow the example of the Bereans who “examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11).
It’s also important to dispel the misconception that the Old Testament is old news— not applicable to us today. We need to realize that most of the scriptures the apostles of Jesus Christ directly quoted and wrote about are the ones we call “the Old Testament.”
Furthermore, as each of the Gospels and epistles were written, they were accepted by the New Testament church as inspired, carrying the scriptural authority of Jesus Christ (II Peter 3:16). Notice what the apostle Paul wrote about the scriptures we now call the “Old Testament.” He considered them the inspired Word of God which we are to use today. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work” (II Tim. 3:16-17). Remember, neither God the Father nor Jesus Christ referred to the Scriptures as “Old Testament” and “New Testament.” These names were given later, by men.
Even knowing that, many may think, and with conviction, “I just don’t see how all these churches could be wrong about Christmas— it just doesn’t make sense!” But remember, it is well known by the facts of history and science that a majority of people also held beliefs which were later proven to be wrong. How many people believed that the world was flat? How many believed that the sun revolved around the earth? As you read this booklet, you will come to understand that those who celebrate Christmas, have been led to believe and practice the lying traditions of men while intending to do good.
Notice what Jesus Christ said about those well-intended religious practices done in His name! “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but the one who is doing the will of My Father, Who is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day [the day of judgment], ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy through Your name? And did we not cast out demons through Your name? And did we not perform many works of power through Your name?’ And then I will confess to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who work lawlessness’ ” (Matthew 7:21-23).
We hope that God has given you the desire to read this booklet to find out if Christmas worships Christ or if not Christ, then whom? This is “The Greatest Story Never Told.”
Deuteronomy 12:30-31
“Take heed to yourself that you do not become ensnared by following them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not ask about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods that I may also do likewise?’ You shall not do so to the LORD your God, for every abomination to the LORD, which He hates, they have done to their gods; even their sons and their daughters they have burned in the fire to their gods.”
Jeremiah 10:2-5
Thus says the LORD, “Do not learn the way of the heathen, and do not be terrified at the signs of the heavens; for the nations are terrified at them. For the customs of the people are vain; for one cuts a tree out of the forest with the axe, the work of the hands of the workman. They adorn it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers, so that it will not move. They are upright as the palm tree, but cannot speak. They must surely be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them; for they cannot do evil nor good, for it is not in them.”
Matthew 15:9
“But they worship Me in vain, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.”
John 4:24
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
II Corinthians 11:13-15
For such are false apostles—deceitful workers who are transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And it is no marvel, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his servants also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness— whose end shall be according to their works.
