Should we have a Christmas tree?
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Should we have a Christmas Tree? Does the Christmas tree have its origin in ancient pagan rituals? Where did the idea of a Christmas tree originate?
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- Should we have a Christmas tree? Does the Christmas tree have its origin in ancient pagan rituals?
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- We're going to answer those questions. The modern custom of a Christmas tree does not come from any form of paganism.
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- There's no evidence of any pagan religion decorating a special holiday tree for their mid -winter festivals.
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- Although the Romans celebrated the winter solstice with a festival called Saturnalia in honor of Saturnus, the god of agriculture.
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- They decorated their houses with greens, lights, and exchanged gifts. Late in the
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- Middle Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed evergreen trees inside their homes or just outside their doors to show their hope in the forthcoming spring.
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- The first Christmas tree was decorated by Protestant Christians in 16th century Germany. Our modern
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- Christmas tree evolved from these early German traditions and the custom most likely came to the
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- United States with Hessian troops during the American Revolution or with German immigrants to Pennsylvania and Ohio.
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- There is nothing in the Bible that either commands or prohibits Christmas trees. It has been falsely claimed by some that Jeremiah 10, 1 -16 prohibits the cutting down and decorating of trees in the same manner as we do at Christmas.
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- However, even a brief reading of the text makes it clear that Jeremiah is setting forth the prohibition against idols made of wood, plated with silver and gold, and worshipped.
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- A similar idea appears in Isaiah 44 where Isaiah speaks of the silliness of the idol worshippers who cut down a tree, burn part of it in the fire to warm themselves, and use the other part to fashion an idol which they then bow down to.
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- So unless we bow down before our Christmas tree, carve it into an idol, and pray to it, these passages cannot be applied to Christmas trees.
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- There is no spiritual significance to having or not having a Christmas tree. Whatever choice we make, the motive behind a believer's decision about this must be to please the
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- Lord. Romans 14, 5 -6 sets out the principle in a passage about liberty.
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- One man considers one day more sacred than another. Another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.
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- He who regards one day as special does so to the Lord. The Lord is grieved when Christians look down upon one another for either celebrating or not celebrating
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- Christmas in a particular way. This is spiritual pride. When we feel that somehow we have achieved a higher plane of spirituality by doing or not doing something about which the
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- Bible is silent, we misuse our freedom in Christ, create divisions within his body, and thereby dishonor the
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- Lord. So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
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- That answers the question, should we have a Christmas tree? And does the Christmas tree have its origin in ancient pagan rituals?
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