Christmas, Judgment and Conscience

David,
I respect you as a spiritual authority. I hope you don't mind me asking you a couple of questions...
 
1) If one does not believe in celebrating Christmas, should they spend the day with others who do? I mean, entering into their celebration, in order to spend time with them? I'm thinking the answer to this should be no. But of course that person should not try to force their convictions on others, but simply make a stand and then answer questions of others as they arise, right?

My answer:
WE CANNOT JUDGE THE LOST. THEY DON'T KNOW BETTER AND THEY HAVE NO POWER TO OBEY. (1 COR.5:9} I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators; {5:10} not at all [meaning] with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world: {5:11} but as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat. {5:12} For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? {5:13} But them that are without God judgeth. Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.
NOR SHOULD WE JUDGE THOSE BRETHREN WHO ARE IGNORANT (ROM.14:1} But him that is weak in faith receive ye, [yet] not for decision of scruples. {14:2} One man hath faith to eat all things: but he that is weak eateth herbs. {14:3} Let not him that eateth set at nought him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. {14:4} Who art thou that judgest the servant of another? to his own lord he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be made to stand; for the Lord hath power to make him stand. {14:5} One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day [alike]. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.
GOD HOLDS US ACCOUNTABLE TO OUR CONSCIENCE. {14:6} He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord: and he that eateth, eateth unto the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, unto the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. {14:10} But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God. {14:13} Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother's way, or an occasion of falling. {14:14} I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself: save that to him who accounteth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. {14:19} So then let us follow after things which make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another. {14:22} The faith which thou hast, have thou to thyself before God. Happy is he that judgeth not himself in that which he approveth. {14:23} But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because [he eateth] not of faith; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin. IF WE THINK SOMETHING IS SIN, THEN IT IS TO US. (JAMES 4:17) To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. GOD SAID HE WOULD WRITE THE LAW IN OUR MINDS AND WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THAT. (ROM.5:13} for until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. {4:15} for the law worketh wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression. {7:8} but sin, finding occasion, wrought in me through the commandment all manner of coveting: for apart from the law sin [is] dead. THIS APPLIES TO DOCTRINES OF WHICH WE ARE IGNORANT BUT NOT TO OUTWARD IMMORALITY FOR EVERYONE KNOWS THAT IS WRONG (1 COR.5:9-11).
GOD SAYS TO BE WEAK TO THE WEAK WITHOUT BEING WEAK OURSELVES IN ORDER TO GAIN THEM. (1 COR.9:19} For though I was free from all [men,] I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. {9:20} And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; {9:21} to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law. {9:22} To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. {9:23} And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof. PAUL WAS AN UNDERCOVER AGENT FOR THE LORD. HE SHAVED HIS HEAD AND TOOK A VOW (WHICH HE DID NOT BELIEVE IN.) IN ORDER TO BE ACCEPTED AMONG THE JEWS SO HE COULD PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THEM. HE CIRCUMCISED TIMOTHY (WHICH HE TAUGHT AGAINST FOR JUSTIFICATION IN GAL.5:2-4) SO HE WOULD BE ACCEPTED AMONG THE JEWS.
THE FOUNDATIONS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN CHRISTMAS. THEY NEED OUR LOVE AND THE GOSPEL. IF WE OFFEND THEM WITH RELATIVELY INSIGNIFICANT THINGS WE WILL SLAM THE DOOR IN OUR OWN FACES AND WILL NEVER GET TO THE IMPORTANT THINGS. WE CANNOT CLEAN FISH UNTIL WE CATCH THEM. PERSONALLY WE HAVE NOT TAKEN PART IN CHRISTMAS FOR ALMOST ALL OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE BUT WE LEARNED THAT OTHERS THAT DO NEED US. CHRISTMAS PEOPLE NEED THE TRUTH FROM THOSE WHO KNOW. HOW WILL THEY HEAR IF WE AVOID THEM? HOWEVER WE MUST MAJOR ON MAJORS, NOT MINORS. THE FINER POINTS CAN FOLLOW AFTER THEY BEGIN TO RESPECT THE SCRIPTURES.

God bless you,
Dave

Nita Johnson
December 25, 1997, Prophetic Word & Open Vision, Where Is Christ In Christmas? - This is difficult for me to write, but I don't feel I can stay silent on the issue any longer.  I will try to be very careful as I share what is on my heart, as I know this is a very sensitive issue with many Christians.  I would like to also share that it is a very sensitive issue with the Lord as well.  It is for this reason that I am no longer going to hold my peace.  I want you to have an opportunity to hear His heart and decide for yourselves.  I will not judge anyone on the decision they may make, but you need to have the opportunity to hear what is going through the mind and heart of God in order to make a decision at all.  My hope of course is that you will hear and believe and make the needed changes.

On Christmas morning in 1997 I was awake and praying knowing that I would soon be heading downstairs to share Christmas with my daughter and her family.  I was looking forward to it as Ricci always talked to the children about the birth of the Messiah and the true purpose for celebrating Christmas.  After the  Bible lesson my grandchildren would all scurry to the tree to fetch their presents, only to be interrupted by the patient and careful hand of their mother who herself would hand out the gifts one at a time to the children.  To hear their squeals of delight as they opened the gift they had wanted was always fun.

But this morning in 1997 I was also feeling apprehensive and I didn't know why.  Why would I feel troubled about such a joyful time?  As I continued praying about it the Lord gave me a vision.  Standing before me in an open vision I saw a Christmas tree beautifully decorated with presents tucked all around the bottom.  Across from the tree I saw Messiah hanging upon a cross weeping.  He looked at me and cried: "The foxes have spoiled the whole tree."  I responded: "Lord, what do you mean?"

He then took me into the Spirit and let me see things through His eyes and feel what He felt.  He moaned: "Christmas is not about Me and what I gave on the cross.  It is about greed and gifts and teaching My children the ways of the world.  It is about what each one can get and moaning over what they don't get.  It fosters greed and rebellion in the hearts of My precious children, while the poor and the needy go without.  This is not My way; it is not My holiday.  It is mans!  The merchants have totally perverted the joy of My birth and have turned the focus on satisfying the craving of man's lust.  My children are not taught to forget themselves and seek the interest of the poor and needy.  It is a holiday that is a complete perversion of My ways."  I realized that Christmas, although many Churches put on pageants and plays about Christ and His birth, truly is a pagan holiday.  No matter how we try to dress it up, it really isn't about our beloved Messiah.  It is about us!

All the time He was speaking, I wept, as I was feeling His broken heart.  I was experiencing a brokenness that was beyond my meager ability to bear.  He was hurt, and I had been apart of what was hurting Him.  My heart was aching.  I wanted it to stop.  I wanted His pain to stop.  Yet, if He was hurting I wanted to hurt with Him.  I had many emotions going on inside.  How could I now go downstairs and joyously celebrate, knowing what I now know?  How could I not tell His Church what He has entrusted to me.  How could I tell His Church?  Who would listen?  Many would become offended, but a few would hear and it would make a difference, I at last decided.  Somehow I had to be part of ending the pain I was part of creating.  Personally, I have not celebrated Christmas since that day.  I do however, support Mission works into prisons and for prisoner's families, and for the poor and needy at that time of year.  As I write this I can see that I have made the very adjustments He desired.