Why do we celebrate Christmas?

[spud]

 
I love Christmas, and I think that God love to see us enjoy ourselves.  I know what the true meaning is and the traditions we pass to our children are priceless.  I think that giving gifts is a great way to express our faith.  I wonder how many come to Jesus during this time of the year even if it just one, praise God!   People are more likely to do good for others as well.  Some get so negative about things, Just as a holiday is turned into something bad we can turn it around and make it good.
spud

[Bern]

I think Christmas is a good opportunity to witness, and people do seem more open to the gospel, AND praise God for all people that make a commitment at that time of year AND stick to it afterwards and become disciples. Despite all these good things, God has been challenging me regarding the excess of western living and the things we do that are just traditions of men, and don't actually give Christ any glory at all. As Christians who claim that Christmas should be centered on Jesus, why do we fill our houses and talk of Christmas with material things, and pagan symbolism. I have no problem with people who want to have a traditional Christmas, my own unsaved family do it. But it is something that may be good to prayerfully consider, when coming to God and seeking ways to glorify Jesus.

[Pilgrim]

TRUTH

        Have you ever wondered how important truth is to the Christian? The Scriptures have much to say about truth. By doing a word study on truth one will see that God places a high value on truth. By doing a word search on truth my Bible program listed 224 verses alone. Here are some of the things we learn about truth as we study the Scriptures.

1. The Lord Jesus is truth:

        “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth , and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”  John 14:6

2. The Holy Spirit is truth and is called the Spirit of Truth:

        “This is he that came by water and blood, [even] Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.”  1 John 5:6

        “[Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you.”  John 14:17

3. God’s Word is truth:

        “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”   John 17:17

4. God seeks those that will worship Him in spirit and truth. Jesus said that God MUST be worshiped in spirit and truth:

        “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.”  John 4:23-24

5.  Our sanctification is through truth (verse above John 17:17):

        “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the  truth.”  John 17:19

6. God’s will is for believers to walk in the truth and to speak truth one to another:

        “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ:”  Eph. 4:15

        “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.”  Eph. 4:25

        “The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. Grace be with you, mercy, [and] peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.”  2 John 1:1-4

7. True Christian Love rejoices in the truth:

        “Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;”  1 Cor. 13:6

8. The Lord’s super is to be kept in truth:

        “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened [bread] of sincerity and truth.”  1 Cor. 5:8

        The above verses are only a small portion of what God’s Word has to say concerning truth, yet with just this small sample one can easily see how important truth is to God. Truly God places a high value on truth and so should we if we claim to be His children.
        On the other hand you have Satan and his followers who despise truth and love lying. Below is one of the conversations that the Lord Jesus had with the followers of Satan:

        “Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell [you] the truth, ye believe me not.”  John 8:44-45

        One might wonder who these wicked children of the devil were? Surly, they must have been the very scum of the earth, those who practiced every vice and evil imaginable to man. Surly, Jesus must of been speaking to those who were like Hitler and Stalin, Jeffery Dahmer and Ted Bundy, Anton Szandor La Vey and Marlin Manson etc. Although people like these are excellent candidates, they are not the type of people the Lord Jesus was speaking to. Believe it or not, Jesus was speaking to the religious leaders of His day. Those who were suppose to be defenders and champions of the truth. Those who were charged with teaching the truth to the children of Israel. The very ones who should have been the first to recognize that Jesus was the Christ their long awaited Messiah. Yet according to Jesus these religious leaders were Satan’s children.
        Stop and think about this for a minute. Satan’s most successful attacks against Jesus came from the religious leaders of His day. From those who held sway over the masses by their religious lies and religious rituals who all the time thought that they were serving the true God of Israel. Those who persuaded Pilot to kill the Lord Jesus Christ. If Satan was so effective in infiltrating Israel’s religious leadership in those days do you think that maybe he might be doing the same with the church today? God’s Word says that he is:

        “For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”   2 Cor. 11:13-15

        Some good questions to ask yourselves are, who are these people today? How can I recognize them? What do they teach? How can I protect myself from their deceptive lies? How do I stand against them seeing that they are in places of leadership? All good questions that need to be answered.
        The Lord Jesus recognized them because they had much in common with their true spiritual father, Satan! Satan is the father of lies, therefore his children will be those who promote lies, not just any lie but religious lies. Lies about salvation, lies about God, lies about the Lord Jesus, lies about religion, lies on how to worship and please God. The lies that Satan uses to deceive Christians are sugar coated with the truth, lies that are pleasant to the taste and appealing to human reasoning. Satan knows that in order to get Christians off the path of righteousness he must be clever in his lies and make them appear as good and righteous, if he has to sprinkle his lies with truth so that Christians will eat of his fruit he will do it. Satan will use as much truth as necessary just so long as he can get Christians to eat his spiritual poison. He knows it is the poison in his mix that really counts and he doesn’t care how much healthy spiritual food one has to eat just as long as they eat the poison with it. We need to remember that Satan is not out to help us in our walk with God, but to kill, steal and destroy.
        Makers of rat poison do the same. They take food that appeals to the taste of rats, food that under different circumstances would make rats healthy and strong. They take this food and lace it with a little bit of poison, not much, just enough to kill the rats who eat of it. The makers of rat poison use the healthy good tasting food to lure rats into eating the poison that is laced in it. It’s a very clever technique that gets very good results.
Continued

[Pilgrim]

Continued

        Satan gets very good results with this technique also. One of the best religious lies that Satan and his helpers use today is Christmas. Many will be shocked at this statement, saying “Christmas! Dear brother, have you gone mad!” No! I haven’t gone mad. If Christmas is of God it surly would past the test of truth which it does not. Christmas involves worship and Jesus said that God MUST be worshiped in spirit and TRUTH. Let’s take a close look at Christmas and see if it can hold up to the test of truth.
        The term “Christmas” itself is an unholy mixture and an abomination before God when used in reference to the real Lord Jesus Christ. Here we plainly see Satan’s cleverness, he takes the term “Christ” which is holy and good and combines it with the term “mass” which is an unholy religious lie. Satan mixes the holy with the unholy knowing that  it will be harder for the non-discerning Christian to reject. The Catholic mass is a denial of the Scriptures. The Word of God teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered one time for sins and then sat down at the right hand of God.

        “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, [which are] the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”  Heb.9:24-26

        “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all]. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”  Heb. 10:10-14

        The Catholic Church teaches that the mass is a continuation of Christ sacrifice for sins. They claim that the wafer is turned into the literal body of the Lord Jesus and that the wine is literally turned into the blood of Christ Jesus. They call this ritual “Transubstantiation”.  Therefore according to Catholic doctrine The Lord Jesus Christ is offered as a sacrifice over and over every time mass is held. God’s Word is crystal clear in that Jesus suffered only one time in history for the sins of the world. Jesus Himself cried out while on the cross “It is finished”, yet the Catholic Church claims that it is not finished and that the Lord’s sacrifice continues with each and every mass.
        The true Christ and the mass are opposed to each other. Christ is truth, the mass, a religious lie, they can't be mixed. Christ affirms the Scriptures and the mass denies them. If Christians who use the term "Merry Christmas" knew what they were really saying I doubt they would continue using the term. After all what is merry about the mass of Christ, it is a religious lie of the worst kind? It is a damnable heresy. What a shameful contradiction it is for true believers to wish someone a "Merry Christmas" when in truth the mass is responsible for sending souls to hell. What's so "Merry" about that? I can understand Satan wishing someone a "Merry Christmas", but I can't understand Christians doing the same! I wonder how many souls are in hell right now, wailing and gnashing their teeth, because they believed the lie of the Catholic mass instead of the true gospel of salvation? When Christmas is used in reference to the Lord Jesus it is a lying contradiction in and of itself? I wonder how many Christians realize that they are using God's name in vain and profaning what is holy by using the term “Christmas in such a way?

        God commands us to put away lying and to speak truth one to another (Eph. 4:25) How can one wish someone a “Merry Christmas” without violating this clear command of God? The christ of the mass is a false christ, the gospel of the mass is a false gospel and God commands us to put these lies away and speak truth one to another. I have heard the excuse “well that’s not what Christmas means to me, and when I wish someone a “Merry Christmas” I don’t mean the mass of Christ”. Dear friend, with all due respect, it doesn’t matter what it means to you, it matters what its true meaning is. We do not have the right to change the definitions of words and use them any way we like. Words are specific in there meanings and they have to be in order to properly communicate to others. How about your Catholic friends? When you wish them a “Merry Christmas” are they going to know what you mean or are they going to be delighted that you are partaking in their religious lie? If you wish someone like me a “Merry Christmas” most likely you will hear in return that I do not partake of Catholic lies.     Another lie so often heard at Christmas is “He’s the reason for the season”. It’s a catchy phrase used by those that want to put Christ back into Christmas. The problem these people have is that the true Christ was never in Christmas to begin with. The christ that is in Christmas was never the true Christ but the false christ of the Roman Catholic Church. The true “reason for the season” is the Catholic Church not the Lord Jesus. The Roman Catholic Church is “the reason for the season”. They are the ones who invented Christmas by stealing it from the pagans and they are the ones who gave it to the professing church. Just about any encyclopedia will bare this out. Even those that defend Christmas as a Christian holiday admit this much.

John 4:19 “The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.  20  Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.  21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.  22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.  23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.  24  God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.”

Here is a case were the Lord Jesus gently rebukes a Samaritan woman over worship according to mans corrupt ways. Barnes notes on the New Testament has this to say about the above passage.

“22. (Ye worship ye know not what.) This probably refers to the comparative ignorance and corruption of the Samaritan worship. Though they received the five books of Moses, yet they rejected the prophets, and of course all that the prophets had said respecting the true God. Originally, also, they had joined the worship of idols to that of the true God. See 2 Kings xvii 26-34. They had moreover, no authority for building their temple and conducting public worship by sacrifices there. On all these accounts they were acting in an unauthorized manner. They were not worshiping the true God, nor offering the worship which He had commanded or would approve.

    I find some amazing similarities between this and Christmass. Most who partake in Christmass are like the woman of Samaria whom Jesus said “Ye worship ye know not what”. Religious man took a pagan holiday that was in existence hundreds of years before Christ and adopted if for their own. They covered this pagan holiday with a veneer of Christianity and tried to force the true Christ into it by renaming pagan gods with the true God. Just like the Samaritans who had no authority to create their own form of worship, religious man does the same with Christmass. How can one even pretend to offer God true worship after the manner and traditions the pagans invented to worship their gods?  “Originally, also, they had joined the worship of idols to that of the true God.” This is the very same abomination that takes place in Christmass. Jesus told the woman that God is Spirit and that He must be worshiped in Spirit and truth. Christmass fails the test of truth from its very foundation on up. One can claim they are worshiping God all they want with their Christmass traditions but if it is not according to truth God will not accept it.

Pilgrim

[Bronzesnake]

 There is biblical evidence which points to Jesus being conceived on December 25, and born around Sept, or Oct.

Bronzesnake

[Brother Love]

17 more days until CHRIST-mas

[Pilgrim]

17 more days until CHRIST-mas

Only 17 more days until the birthday of the angle of light (2 Cor. 11:140).

Pilgrim

[Brother Love]

17 more days until CHRIST-mas

Only 17 more days until the birthday of the angle of light (2 Cor. 11:140).

Pilgrim

We will have a large Ham, we bought a lot of gifts, we will have a GRRRRREAT time. Merry CHRIST-mas Pilgrim.

[Pilgrim]

17 more days until CHRIST-mas

Only 17 more days until the birthday of the angle of light (2 Cor. 11:140).

Pilgrim

We will have a large Ham, we bought a lot of gifts, we will have a GRRRRREAT time. Merry CHRIST-mas Pilgrim.

Greetings brother Love. I am sure the angle of light will be pleased and very proud of you. Would you explain what is so merry about the mass which is a religious lie of the worst kind? God bless.

Pilgrim

[Brother Love]

16 MORE DAYS PILGRIM - MERRY CHRISTMAS

[Pilgrim]

    "It is a lamentable fact that Babylon's principles and practices are rapidly but surely pervading the churches that escaped from Rome at the time of the Reformation. We may see evidences of it in the wide use of high-sounding ecclesiastical titles, once unknown in the reformed churches, in the revival of holy days and church feasts such as Lent, Good Friday, Easter, and Christ's Mass, or, as it is generally written, Christmas. ... some of these festivals ... when they are turned into church festivals, they certainly come under the condemnation of Galatians 4:9-11, where the Holy Spirit warns against the observance of days and months and times and seasons. All of them, and many more that might be added, are Babylonish in their origin, and were at one time linked with the Ashtoreth and Tammuz mystery-worship. It is through Rome that they have come down to us; and we do well to remember that Babylon is a mother, with daughters who are likely to partake of their mother's characteristics ..."

Dr. H.A. Ironside's Lectures on the Book of Revelation (1920: p. 301):

---------------------------------------------------------------------

    "We have no superstitious regard for times and seasons. Certainly we do not believe in the present ecclesiastical arrangement called Christmas: first, because we do not believe in the mass at all, but abhor it, whether it be said or sung in Latin or in English; and secondly, because we find no Scriptural warrant whatever for observing any day as the birthday of the Saviour; and consequently, its observance is a superstition, because [it's] not of divine authority. Superstition has fixed most positively the day of our Saviour's birth, although there is no possibility of discovering when it occurred. ...

    "It was not till the middle of the third century that any part of the church celebrated the nativity of our Lord; and it was not till very long after the Western church had set the example, that the Eastern adopted it. Because the day is not known, therefore superstition has fixed it; ... Where is the method in the madness of the superstitious? Probably the fact is that the holy days were arranged to fit in with the heathen festivals. ... We venture to assert that if there be any day in the year of which we may be pretty sure that it was not the day on which the Saviour was born, it is the twenty-fifth of December. ... regarding not the day, let us, nevertheless, give God thanks for the gift of His dear Son."

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, delivered in a Lord's Day sermon on December 24, 1871:

Dr. H.A. Ironside's Lectures on the Book of Revelation (1920: p. 301):

[2nd Timothy]

Luk 2:7  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.
Luk 2:8  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Luk 2:9  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
Luk 2:10  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Luk 2:11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Luk 2:12  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Luk 2:13  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Luk 2:14  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Certainly seems to have been a celebration of great magnitude in heaven!

Grace and Peace!

[Pilgrim]

Luk 2:7  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.
Luk 2:8  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Luk 2:9  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
Luk 2:10  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Luk 2:11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Luk 2:12  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Luk 2:13  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Luk 2:14  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Certainly seems to have been a celebration of great magnitude in heaven!

Grace and Peace!

Hello 2nd Timothy,

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you think they did this on the 25 of December when the world was celebrating the birth of their sun god? Do you think that they learned the ways of the pagans and cut a tree down and fastened it so that it would not move and decorate it with gold and silver in honor of Jesus birth?

Jer 10:1 “Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: 2  Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3  For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4  They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.”

Do you think they stood under a mistletoe kissing one another to celebrate the birth of Christ? Do you think they did this every year after Jesus was born, or do you think it was a one time event? Do you think they created their own forms of worship by coping the pagans rituals and renaming them with Biblical names and concepts and then offering warmed over pagan worship to God? God bless.

Pilgrim

http://www.nlbchapel.org/xmas.htm

[Soldier4Christ]

Rom 14:14  I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

There is nothing unclean of itself....   If you consider a Christmas tree or even Christmas as a whole as unclean then it is unclean to you. Do not partake in it.

Rom 14:19  Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
Rom 14:20  For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.


A tree does not destroy the work of God. It is the evil purpose in man's heart.

What is the purpose in your heart?
Why are you celebrating?
Is it for selfish worldly reasons?
Is it simply for the sake of tradition?
Do you do these things out of love for Jesus and for your brothers, sisters, neighbors, family?
Does it really matter if there is a tree and tinsel, if there is what is the purpose you place in them?


Do we tell our brothers that something they are doing is wrong so that we can esteem ourselves more righteous or that we have a better understanding of Gods Word?

Is it so that we can put a stumblingblock in their way?

Is it so that we can say we took the thorn out of their eye?

What is in your heart?

 Jos 24:15 ............but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Psa 69:30  I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
Psa 69:31  This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
Psa 69:32  The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.
Psa 69:33  For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.
Psa 69:34  Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.


Psa 147:1  Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

........ and daily shall He be praised!

[AJ]

Luk 2:7  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.
Luk 2:8  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Luk 2:9  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
Luk 2:10  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Luk 2:11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Luk 2:12  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Luk 2:13  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Luk 2:14  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Certainly seems to have been a celebration of great magnitude in heaven!

Grace and Peace!

Hello 2nd Timothy,

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you think they did this on the 25 of December when the world was celebrating the birth of their sun god? Do you think that they learned the ways of the pagans and cut a tree down and fastened it so that it would not move and decorate it with gold and silver in honor of Jesus birth?

Jer 10:1 “Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: 2  Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3  For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4  They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.”

Do you think they stood under a mistletoe kissing one another to celebrate the birth of Christ? Do you think they did this every year after Jesus was born, or do you think it was a one time event? Do you think they created their own forms of worship by coping the pagans rituals and renaming them with Biblical names and concepts and then offering warmed over pagan worship to God? God bless.

Pilgrim

http://www.nlbchapel.org/xmas.htm

for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4  They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.”


1Co 8:1  Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
1Co 8:2  And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
1Co 8:3  But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
1Co 8:4  As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol [is] nothing in the world, and that [there is] none other God but one.
1Co 8:5  For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
1Co 8:6  But to us [there is but] one God, the Father, of whom [are] all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [are] all things, and we by him.
1Co 8:7  Howbeit [there is] not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat [it] as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
1Co 8:8  But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
1Co 8:9  But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
1Co 8:10  For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
1Co 8:11  And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
1Co 8:12  But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
1Co 8:13  Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.


So brother, with the understanding that my putting up a Christmas tree will  not cause anyone to fall away from Christ,  I will not let pine needles prick my conscience, because a Christmas tree is nothing to me.

God bless