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Because Christmas falls on Sunday this year, some churches are opting to close that day so that families can spend the morning together at home.
Among the nation's top 20 largest Protestant churches — as ranked by Outreach Magazine — three will be closed on Christmas, and 10 will be having only one service, The Tennessean reports.
LifeChurch.tv, an Oklahoma-based megachurch with 14 locations in five states, says it will be closed on Christmas, but it plans to hold Christmas Eve services.
In Atlanta, First Baptist Church will hold morning services on Christmas Eve but close on Sunday....
Gil Rugh said or, wrote: The letter to the Hebrews emphasizes three distinct purposes for the incarnation and what was accomplished by it. In coming as the God-man, Jesus Christ broke the power of death the devil held over sinful humanity. Jesus Christ, by His substitutionary death, has provided deliverance for all people from the consequence of sin. As the one and only Mediator between God and man, Christ has become the merciful and faithful High Priest for all people.
Not-your-pope, Mary is given the the attributes of a god, or in her case goddess, Perhaps the RCC should change her name to Diana (Artemis)?
Acts 19 27 "And not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship should even be dethroned from her magnificence." 28 And when they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"---NASB
As it has been pointed out to you only one remained "sinless" his entire life, and that was Christ. Just like Christ was referred to by the Apostle Paul as the second Adam, The Romish Church has made Mary the second Eve, who is leading men to Satan.
Where's it written that Aquinas is "the supreme theologian of the Church"?
If Adam, Eve and Mary were sinless creatures, to the extent they were sinless (but creatures nonetheless), how would that have diminished Christ's glory one iota?
Drs Ankerberg & Weldon wrote: Thomas Aquinas, the supreme theologian of the Catholic Church, declared that only a sinner needs a Savior, and Mary must have been a sinner since she stated, "My spirit rejoices in God my Savior." Protestants think this doctrine deprives Christ of His uniqueness as the sinless One....
Sounds like the doctors wrote this standing on their heads and got it all upside down.
Drs. Ankerberg & Weldon wrote: ...Protestants believe it is not biblical to teach that Mary was conceived without original sin and committed no actual sin during her life. Thomas Aquinas, the supreme theologian of the Catholic Church, declared that only a sinner needs a Savior, and Mary must have been a sinner since she stated, "My spirit rejoices in God my Savior." Protestants think this doctrine deprives Christ of His uniqueness as the sinless One....
Luke 2:7-8 KJV 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Of course I have made an approximation. Shepherds would not be found abiding in the fields during the winter months in the middle of the night.
There is one thing that could be done at this time of year (although Jesus birthday was at the end of October), that would cheer the heart of our Saviour. And that would be to repent of having left our first love. To apologise to Jesus for not putting him first, and to give him the gift he has wanted all along - our whole heart; our submission entirely to his will; our renewed commitment to the Great Commission; a determination to propagate the gospel by whatever means that some might be saved; to get to grips with the passage in Chronicles:
If my people, which are called by my name, will humble themselves .....
Is anyone else willing?
Or is it too radical a step?
Pity.
Will no-one join with me in this?
Or do you want things to go on just as they went on in 2011?
Dear friends, I exhort you to wake out of slumber, cry out to God for his healing power, that there may yet be a reviving of spirit, a new awakening, a Holy Ghost infilling, an infusion of joy and power, that the world may see true Christianity in action, a holy boldness instead of carnal timidity, a singing with rejoicing instead of weeping by the rivers of Babylon, a sudden rush of new converts before that Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.
Dirk Yoder wrote: --- One is will worship and creating an unauthorized holy day in order to have some fun like the heathen, and then looking down on those who do not partake and furthermore causing confusion for children. The other is simply referring to a day by a name that God did not name. Quite a difference. I like to call sunday the first day of the week btw.
Mike wrote: Maybe we should also consider it improper when we use the word "Sunday" even though we do not hold it as the pagan day of the sun for which it was named. Funny you never hear a call to avoid the name Sunday, for no true Christian would borrow and use such paganisms, right? Oh well, it's back to work for some on the day of the moon tomorrow.
As Peter Barber (Jim Lincoln) would say, "Ah..."
Ah yes, the tired ole pagan-name-of-the-days-of-the-week-excuse, which is like sooo yesterday.
You can't use this pathetic one anymore.
It's a poor analogy anyway. I believe Neil would have something fallacious to say about it too.
One is will worship and creating an unauthorized holy day in order to have some fun like the heathen, and then looking down on those who do not partake and furthermore causing confusion for children.
The other is simply referring to a day by a name that God did not name. Quite a difference.
I like to call sunday the first day of the week btw.
Carlos wrote: John UK, I should have worded that differently, what I ment was celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25th minus the tree, lights, or any other typical or traditional Christmas celebrations. Thanks for
Maybe we should also consider it improper when we use the word "Sunday" even though we do not hold it as the pagan day of the sun for which it was named. Funny you never hear a call to avoid the name Sunday, for no true Christian would borrow and use such paganisms, right? Oh well, it's back to work for some on the day of the moon tomorrow.
1 John 4 9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.---NASB
John UK, I should have worded that differently, what I ment was celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25th minus the tree, lights, or any other typical or traditional Christmas celebrations. Thanks for
Carlos wrote: My hope is that the body of Christ be pleasing to our Father, is celebrating Christmas minus the traditional pagan applications displeasing to our Lord?
Carlos, are you able to define for me "celebrating Christmas minus the traditional pagan applications"?
Reading these posts, I can't help but wonder what will be pertinent on the day of salvation. Will the Lord ask us what our theological beliefs were? Will he ask "why did you celebrate the birth of my son on Dec. 25th?" Does understanding the pagan history, yet still getting presents for your kids hinder your salvation? I told my children since a very young age about the true origins of Christmas, I tell everyone I can about the pagan roots of Christmas. Am I a hypocryte for still going to church & celebrating the gift of our savior? I hope not. I hope it is just an opportunity to bring glory to God, as everyday should be but focusing specifically on the fact that there is a savior who was born and brought redemption to mankind. My hope is that the body of Christ be pleasing to our Father, is celebrating Christmas minus the traditional pagan applications displeasing to our Lord?
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Dr. Alan Cairns | 4/13/2009
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