Did the Grinch Steal Christmas or Did Christians Steal Christmas?

Another year is nearly over and relegated to the annals of history. Everyone is wishing me Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and they're putting garish lighting on their homes with plastic Santa Claus's welcoming people into their homes. The endless news stories of how Christians are upset that retailers and government have taken Christ out of Christmas becomes nauseating to me. You ask me, "Why would you say that?" Simply that you cannot put Christ back into something HE was never in. Other than HIS title being used in the name, HE has no connection to the pagan celebration of Christmas.

No friends, the Grinch didn't steal Christmas from Christians, and neither did the ACLU, or the federal government or the retailers. The democratic party didn't steal Christmas either. The fact is Christians stole it! Yes! Christians stole Christmas from the pagans, and they're mad as a hornet about it. In my estimation Scrooge, the main character in the Dicken's classic, A Christmas Carol, had it right in the first place when he declared, "Bah Humbug!"

Please read on as I share my experience as a disciple of Yeshua, known as Jesus by the professing church, and how my research into Scripture and history has profoundly effected my life and practice.

I began my faith journey on November 23rd 1987. The past 22 years have seen many changes in my life and our family life and practices. When I first became born again I immediately knew that my days of playing music in bars had to cease. My life since that time has been a progressive search in the Scriptures to shine a light on my life to see what is in keeping with the Word of the LORD and what is not in keeping with HIS Word.

The Bible says that we have to work out our salvation with fear and trembling before the LORD. Biblical salvation goes beyond a one time event, or simple church attendance. The act of accepting Jesus as your Savior is simply the beginning. What follows is a lifetime of study in HIS Word, evaluation of our life, and submission to HIS Truth. It is this road that I'm on, and that I'm leading my family on, and that is the subject of this letter to you.

This letter comes as we are well into the 2009 Holiday Season. Thanksgiving has past and Christmas is just three weeks away. While every one else is wishing each other a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I am looking at it in a much different light. I have learned much as I have dedicated my life to the knowledge of God through HIS Word. As I've applied this knowledge to my life I've made significant changes.

Some of you who know me personally, know that there are differences in what our family practices than what we once did. You probably don't understand them, or know much about it, other than we're "different." What I want to discuss, as briefly as I can, is what is different and why we're different.

The changes haven't happened overnight, but to some it might seem that way. The fact is that change in my life is continual. If I ever stop desiring to change by submitting to the Truth of HIS Word I am in trouble. This path I'm on gets narrower each day. The more I see what HIS Word requires the more I have to divest myself of my own ways. Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." HIS Way is defined by HIS Word. HE is the Living Word. HIS Truth is defined by HIS Word. HE said that HIS Truth was the Word of HIS Father. HE is the Living Word. HIS life is what courses through us, if we are truly born again. We are no longer the old man, in bondage to sin, that we were before we were born again in Messiah. Paul says in Romans that just as Messiah (Christ) was raised from the dead, so we too are raised into newness of life. It is no longer me, but Christ (Messiah) in me, the hope of glory. As I submit to HIS Word, I am submitting to HIM in obedience. Then it is HIS Holy Spirit living in me working grace in my life to walk as Jesus (Yeshua) walked. John tells us in 1st John that we are to walk as Jesus walked. How did HE walk? HE walked in perfect obedience to Torah - the Law of God, also called the Law of Moses by Jesus.

Jesus is the same God as the God of what the church has dubbed the "Old Testament." Something you might not have considered, but I pray you do, is this; the page in between the so-called "Old Testament and the so-called "New Testament" is not part of the Scripture. It was added by men to separate the Scriptures when God never separates them. This has been a major factor in causing people to, either consciously or sub-consciously, cast Jesus in opposition to HIS Father. Even more egregious is that it places Jesus (Yeshua) in opposition to HIMSELF! 1st Peter 1:11 tells us clearly that it was the Spirit of Christ (Messiah) who spoke to the Prophets. Think about it. What was written by the Prophets (Moses was a prophet) was spoken by Jesus (Yeshua)! When HE became the Word made flesh did HE then decide to contradict everything HE had previously told men to believe and do? If HE did then HE is not the One foretold to come and we're in a heap of trouble!

Deuteronomy 13:1-5 contains a very important fact that is most often overlooked by Bible teachers and pastors. In this portion of the Sacred Text Yeshua is speaking through Moses the prophet of God (Elohim). In these verses HE defines what a prophet of God will do and what HE will not do. The prophet of God must teach the people to stay away from other gods and to strictly adhere to the commandments of God. If any prophet seeks to lead people after other gods or teach that they commandments are not to be obeyed, such a one is not a prophet of the Almighty and in fact is deserving of being stoned to death!

Now, please read Deuteronomy 18:18. Here Jesus, speaking through Moses again, says, "I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put MY Words in HIS mouth, and HE shall speak to them all that I command HIM. And it shall be that whoever will not hear MY Words, which HE speaks in MY name, I will require it of him. But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in MY name, which I have commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die." This Prophet is Jesus (Yeshua). Remember what the Father says from heaven at the transfiguration? HE said, "This is MY beloved Son. Hear HIM." Now this Son is not in rebellion to HIS Father. HE is the same yesterday, today, and forever. HE will not violate HIS own Word spoken in HIS Torah. HE moved upon all HIS prophets throughout recorded Biblical history to call people back to HIS Torah. HE called people back to HIS Torah during HIS earthly ministry. HIS apostles, including Paul, called the people back to HIS Torah. If HE did not fit HIS own qualifications for the Prophet HE is disqualified as the Messiah, the Prophet foretold. If Paul or any of the other Apostles did not adhere to the qualifications of a prophet (one who forthtells the Word of the LORD) then they are disqualified and the entire "New Testament" is called into question as to its authority! But they did qualify! They spoke nothing new. What I've learned is that we've ignored the foundation of Torah and the Prophets and have read the "New Testament" with a filter given by man's additions and subtractions to HIS Word. Those who add to or subtract from HIS Word are the ones who don't qualify as a prophet of HIS Word and we are not to listen to! Deuteronomy 12:32 says, "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it."

The Words of Jesus, in the "New Testament," are the same Words HE uttered in the so-called "Old Testament." Please consider some of the following. These are just a few of them. If you determine to study HIS Words in light of HIS Word in the Torah and the Prophets you will learn that HE could not, and did not say anything different than HE and the Father said at any other time in recorded Biblical history.

Jesus said that HE and the Father are One. In this statement HE is reiterating what HE said through Moses; "Behold O Israel, the LORD (Yahweh) our God (Elohim), the LORD is One." - Deuteronomy 6:4

Jesus said, in Matthew 22:37 that the greatest commandment is to love the LORD your God with all your heart and soul. Most believe this to be a new thing. But in fact it another example of Jesus restoring everything back to what HE said long ago. Deuteronomy 6:5, immediately following Verse 4 that says that Yahweh our Elohim is One God, we read, "You shall love the LORD (Yahweh) your God (Elohim) with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." You will find HIM saying the same thing through Moses in Deuteronomy 30:2. If you read these Torah portions in context you will find that loving Yeshua means you are submitted to HIS Torah and committed to keeping in HIS Torah. Torah is the instruction of the LORD. The King James, and nearly every translation of the Bible renders the word as "Law." It is the Law of the LORD we are to be submitted to and committed to keep out of love for HIM.

Matthew 22 also states we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Is that new to the "New Testament" Scriptures? No! Please read Leviticus 19:18. This is an original Torah commandment. Now do you understand why Jesus (Yeshua) says that "all the Law and the Prophets hang on these" two commandments? The epitome of love for God is obedience to HIS Word. The Torah commandments are given to show us how to live in loving community with brothers and sisters. The Law is fulfilled in one word; love. God is Love. To love God is to obey HIS Word. To love our brothers and sisters is to live in Torah observance, preferring their interests over our own - and all of it to be done according to HIS Torah Instruction. This is love.

John 14:15 - Jesus (Yeshua) said, "If you love ME, keep MY commandments."

Exodus 20:6 - "...showing mercy to thousands, to those who love ME and keep MY commandments."

1st John 2:3-6 - "Now by this we know that we know HIM, if we keep HIS commandments. He who says, 'I know HIM,' and does not keep HIS commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in HIM. But whoever keeps HIS Word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in HIM. He who says he abides in HIM ought himself also to walk as HE walked."

Revelation 12:17 tells us that those the dragon makes war with are the ones who have the testimony of Jesus (Yeshua) and keep the commandments of God.

Revelation 14:12 says, "Here is the patience of the saints here are those who keep the commandments of God and faith of Jesus (Yeshua)."

Revelation 22:14-15. "Blessed are those who do HIS commandments, that they may have the right to the Tree of Life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and corderers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters and whoever loves and practices a lie."

2nd Thessalonians 2:9-12 - "The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the Truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason GOD will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the Truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." Unrighteousness is the same as lawlessness. Righteousness is defined by HIS Torah. Remember that John, in 1st John 3, defines sin as lawlessness. Sin is also defined as transgression of the Law of God.

Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are FEW who find it."

Matthew 7:21-23. "Not everyone who says to ME, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he does the wil of MY Father in heaven. Many will say to ME in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from ME, you who practice lawlessness!"

Deuteronomy 4:2 - "You shall not add to the Word which I command you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD (Yahweh) your God which I command you."

These verses, among many more, too many to reference in this, already long, letter is what caused me to begin examining my life to see if I have lawlessness at work in and through me. Paul says that we are to examine ourselves to see if we are of the faith. Paul also defines faith in this manner; "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." So I began examining my life in light of the Truth of God's Word - change inevitably began to take place and continues to do so.

In 2nd Kings 22 the story of King Josiah was instrumental at my decision to make huge changes in my life and the practices that happen in our family. I am the doorkeeper in my home. Husbands/Fathers are to be the Spiritual leader in the home, in the place of a king (not a dictator, nor in the place of God) as they are submitted to God - His Holy Spirit and Word. For that reason the story of Josiah resonated with me one Sunday morning as I taught it to my "Sunday School" class of 3rd and 4th graders.

The story of Josiah, who became king of Israel at 8 years old, is very important. When he became king the nation was living in opposition to the Word of the LORD. The teaching of the Word had been neglected and the practice of worship began to include practices normally used in worship of pagan gods. Josiah knew that and began cleansing the land of the high places of pagan worship. But it got really intense when the Book of the Law (Torah is the Hebrew word in the original text) was found and read to HIM. He immediately repented and inquired of the LORD what to do. Josiah continued searching out every vestige of pagan worship in the land and radically destroying it and ridding it from the land. He vowed to obey the LORD from that point forward. When I read this it was the last year we had anything to do with Christmas.

We had already divested ourselves of Easter, as it is of pagan origin in worship of the pagan deity known as Ashtoreth, or Eostre. Easter is a demonic replacement of the Biblical Feast of Passover. We rejected Halloween over 20 years ago. We were beginning to understand and try to keep the Biblical Feast of the weekly Sabbath. We learned that the weekly Sabbath of the seventh day (our Saturday) had been replaced by the Roman Catholic church with Sunday observance. We had slowly been changing our understanding of Christmas with no tree, and decorations or Santa Claus, but a more radical severance had to take place. Christmas had no redeeming qualities at all. Every vestige of it was pagan in origin and practice and was condemned by the Word of the LORD! We haven't celebrated Christmas since 2002.

I don't have time to give you all the facts in this aritcle. If you care to know, being concerned about your walk with the LORD of the Bible, then you can do your own research. It is very easy to find. Much of it is in the public libraries and in the libraries of your local high school. You can easily and quickly find it on the internet by doing a Google search for the phrase "pagan Christmas."

A quick starting place for you is that Christmas is not given in the Bible. In fact the church banned its practice until sometime in the 1800's realizing its pagan origins and the perverted practices that came along with it. It was full of drunken, promiscuous revelry and had no connection to the birth of the Messiah. But men attempted to "redeem" the holiday and Christianize it. But it is still the pagan celebration of the winter solstice and the birth of the sun god. This is why the pagans in the world are upset with the Christians for hijacking their holiday! While professing Christians want to put Christ back into Christmas - something HE has never been in - the pagans want to take it back to what it was intended for in the first place. All the while professing disciples of Christ - the Messiah, the God who never changes - reject HIS Torah ordained Feasts that are designed to reveal who HE is to us that we might have faith and be saved!

But you might say, "I'm not worshipping pagan gods at Christmas. I'm celebrating the birth of Jesus." Well I used to say that too. But it is not what I say or is it how I see it that counts, nor is it what you say or how you see it that matters. We must see it all as HE sees it. In Deuteronomy 12 we read the admonition of the LORD to the people as they were entering into the Promised Land. God had already told them that they were getting land, displacing the people who already lived in the land, because of the paganism practiced by those people. It wasn't because Israel was better than anyone else, but that God is serious about worshiping HIM according to HIS precepts. The qualifications of being in the land; being in HIM with HIS protection and provision, is walking in HIS Torah. After telling the people to destroy all the high places of worship and articles of pagan worship HE tells them, "You shall not worship the LORD (Yahweh) your God (Elohim) with such things." Since HE doesn't change, and pagan practice is still pagan practice, we who follow HIM need to hear HIS Voice and worship HIM in accordance with HIS Word and not as we determine. Pagan practice in worship of the Almighty is not accepted by HIM. The pagan practices incorporated into the Roman Catholic church, and brought over into the protestant/evangelical church has its roots in Babylonian and Egyptian idol worship. No wonder Jesus (Yeshua) says in Revelation, concerning Babylon, "Come out of her MY people, lest you share in share in her sins and receive of her plagues."

Because of these Biblical facts, and historical research, we no longer observe Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and most, if not all other secular or traditional Christian holidays. We attempt, by grace through faith, to observe and keep the Feasts of the LORD as outlined in Leviticus 23. The Feasts of the LORD (Yahweh) teach us about Jesus (Yeshua) and HIS plan of redemption for HIS creation - those who love HIM and keep HIS commandments.

Most of you who know our family are aware that we don't come to Christmas gatherings, or Easter, or any of the other holiday events. You might have heard little bits and pieces of why we don't and some may be true and some may be slanderous accusations. Some call us legalists. If that means wanting to obey the Word of the LORD then I plead guilty with all joy! Some say we have become Jewish. That isn't true. We are not Jews nor do we live according to Judaism. We seek to live according to the Bible. Careful study shows that Judaism is as much steeped in paganism as the traditional church. Both are founded on additions and subtractions to the Torah by men. Jesus said to the Scribes and Pharisees, the religious leaders of the time, "You make the commandments of God of no effect by YOUR TRADITIONS." The professing church leaders of today and most who have gone before us need to hear the same thing. These traditions have been put in place of the commandments of God. Therefore those commandments that were/are given to bring life to the one who does them, by grace through faith, are made of no effect. The leaven of additions and subtractions (sin) has cause the Truth to be made a lie!

Some think we have left Jesus and have fallen from grace. This is not true. What is true is that we've studied the Bible and learned what the Jesus of the Bible is supposed to be like. We learned the Jesus we used to follow doesn't fit the one described in HIS own Word. We learned that grace is not what we had been taught all of our Christian lives.

Jesus, whose real name is Yeshua (meaning salvation"), is the same God as the God of the so-called "Old Testament." HE is the Torah made flesh that came to set man straight on what HE had given in Torah originally. HE told them, in Matthew 5, "You've heard it said, but I say to you..." The religious leaders throughout time had told the people what to believe. Their words of additions and subtractions (the Mishna, later written down and called the Talmud) was what they said. But what they said didn't line up with what Jesus said through Moses. Therefore HE said, "You've heard it said (by these guys), but I say to you" the Truth, reminding you of what I said without their additions and subtractions.

Most people believe that the religious leaders of Jesus' time walked according to Torah and that it was this reliance on Torah that Jesus condemned them for. Not so! Remember we've already established that HE was contrasting their traditions with HIS Word. They didn't really believe (have faith) in what Moses said. They really didn't know the Truth. Jesus told them in one place, "You err not knowing the Scripture." In John 5 HE confronts them about their understanding and belief in what Moses said. HE should know, HE said it to Moses. HIS Words were Moses' Words!

John 5, beginning in Verse 37; "And the Father HIMSELF, who sent ME, has testified of ME. You have neither heard HIS Voice at any time, nor seen HIS form. But you do not have HIS Word abiding in you, because whom HE sent, HIM you do not believe. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of ME. But you are not willing to come to ME that you may have life. I do not receive honor from men. But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. I have come in MY Father's name, and you don not receive ME; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you - Moses in whom you trust. For if you believed Moses, you would believe ME. But if you do not believe his writings how will you believe My Words."

The Word of God didn't abide in these men because Jesus hadn't already died and had been resurrected and ascended to the Father. It was because they didn't believe HIS Word given through Moses! The Biblical concept of the Word written on our hearts is a Torah precept, not a "New Testament" only concept. To believe Moses is to believe Jesus. To believe Jesus is to believe Moses. It is because HE was the Lawgiver who spoke Torah to Moses for all time. It was the faith once given to all men, not to the Jew only.

Conclusion:
Thank you for reading this long article, if in fact you've made it thus far. It is not my intent to make you angry, or estrange you further from me or our family. This article is humbly submitted for your information and exhortation, should you desire to take it as such. I want you to know from me, and not be left to the report of others, or your own imagination just where we are in our life and practice as disciples of the Living God, Jesus.

I pray you will stop and consider this and begin your own serious Bible Study and historical research for the Truth. Jesus said, "You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free." The freedom I have experienced is the freedom Paul describes. I have been set free from the bondage to sin. John says sin is lawlessness. I am no longer in bondage to lawlessness. I am now free to submit to and walk in HIS Torah. Paul says, in Romans 8, that a man or woman is unable to submit to the Torah of God while in the flesh, but we are in the Spirit if we are born again. The Spirit's work of grace frees us from sin (changes our heart) and causes us to walk in HIS statutes and commandments.

The Greek word for grace is "charis." The Strong's Dictionary, a recognized Bible study dictionary, defines charis as, "Especially the divine influence on the heart with the reflection in the life." This divine influence is a free gift to those who believe the Word of the LORD that tells us about Jesus and HIS redemptive plan. We cannot work for it and we cannot change our own heart. Only HIS Spirit can do it through HIS work of grace.

Ephesians 2:8-10 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are HIS workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

Jeremiah 31 and Hebrews 8 defines the New Covenant as God writing HIS Torah (Law) upon our hearts and putting it in our minds and causing us to walk in HIS statutes and keep HIS commandments. Keeping HIS commandments does not mean flawless performance in obedience. It means we are watchmen who guard HIS commandments and understand the need to walk in them. We then try to obey, as we go boldly before HIS throne to seek grace to help in time of need, as we are told in Hebrews 4. You may read more about the Biblical concept of "keeping Torah" in my article What Does Keeping Torah Mean."

So, please know that we have not left Jesus. We still are saved by grace through faith in HIM, according to HIS Word. We believe that HE and HIS Word are inseparable. To embrace HIS Torah is to embrace HIM. To embrace HIM is to embrace HIS Torah. We cannot have one without the other. It is HIS character and nature that we are being changed into as we submit to the Spirit's work of grace - writing HIS Torah on our hearts and placing it in our minds.

You can learn much more by visiting my blog, Torah Perspective or by visiting the In Search of Manna Page at Messiah Fellowship Online to view videos free of charge. These videos, featuring Pastor Ron Hyre and me, delve deeper into the subject.