Howard,<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>[color:"blue"]I meant not that the baubles on my pc or any of the post refered to Jeremiah Christmass trees, lights, garlands, baubles etc,etc, all stem from pagan roots ........... They are vain customs of men .<br><br>Maybe I'll think like you about this one day Joe I doubt it though . I dont expect we'll ever agree about Easter and Lent either . </font><hr></blockquote><p>You can do what you want with the season we call Christmas but please don't be so negative regarding how others choose to celebate. It may be a pagan holiday for some but for those of us who focus on the actual story of Christmas (the birth of Christ) which is from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke where an angel appeared to shepherds by the town of Bethlehem and told them of Jesus' birth. The Magi or wise men who came bearing gifts, followed a special star in the sky which led them to the baby Jesus. Christians choose to remember this glorious moment yearly by a special celebration in prayer, commemorative decorations, placing stars and lights on a tree, and indulging in the spirit of giving. <br><br>There is no Biblical warrant nor precept for remembrance of the day of Christ's birth, nor does there have to be. Indeed in my humble opinion it is noble that we should have a special celebration each year to honor God's gift of Christ's birth, and have special joy and celebration in it's significance. I find it very odd that anyone could find inherent fault with this. The theory that we must have clear Biblical command or precedent before having religious commemorations or celebrations is ludicrous. Do we have to have special Biblical command or precedent in order to pray on the 2nd day of April? The 3rd day of May? The 4th day of June? Do we need Biblical command or precedent before we worship God on any day? This theory is totally self serving. God says very clearly that we are not to judge our fellow Christians in relationship to respect of a Holy day (Rom. 14:6), so how much clearer can it get? <br><br>I say Christmas, to every faithful Christian, should be more than simply celebrating His birth some 2000 years ago, it should also be a time in remembrance and renewing, to keep our hearts and minds in Christ, and to exhort one another in continued prayerful expectation, as we celebrate the Blessed hope of His promised return! <br><br><br>Wes
When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died, my richest gain I count but loss and pour contempt on all my pride. - Isaac Watts
<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>[color:"blue"]Thanks for that Kyle. I know not Greek.<br><br>We use" xmass" in England as an abbreviation for the Roman Catholic practce<br>of "christmas"btw</font><hr></blockquote><p><br><br>Who is that we that you refer to Mark? Oh and btw you didn't answer Tom's question with regard to Joe's exegesis. Do you mind giving us your exegesis?<br><br><center>That is no light part of my penance,'' pursued the Ghost. ``I am here to-night to warn you, that you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate. A chance and hope of my procuring, Mark.'' <br><br>``You will be haunted,'' resumed the Ghost, ``by Three Spirits.'' </center><br>
<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>[color:"blue"]I say Christmas, to every faithful Christian, should be more than simply celebrating His birth some 2000 years ago, it should also be a time in remembrance and renewing, to keep our hearts and minds in Christ, and to exhort one another in continued prayerful expectation, as we celebrate the Blessed hope of His promised return!</font><hr></blockquote><p>[color:blue]Well spoken, brother!!</font color=blue> <br><br>In His Grace,
Mark was NOT speaking GREEK, but he is using slang! He used a "XX" and not just an "X".<br><br>In ALL fairness, and I should more say, in ALL respect to the Godhead, we do NOT use slang when referring to their names. We do not refer to God as the man upstairs. We do not say hey man I need to talk with you. We have Malcolm X and we have the XXX of pornography, but let us not incorrectly use the English XX for Christ. NO where in the Greek Scripture is Christ ever referred to as "XX." As I said it was NOT a suggestion!
[img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/clapping.gif" alt="clapping" title="clapping[/img]<br><br>Amen, Wes! Very well said!<br><br>Mark, what do you believe about Holy Week and Resurrection Sunday?
True godliness is a sincere feeling which loves God as Father as much as it fears and reverences Him as Lord, embraces His righteousness, and dreads offending Him worse than death~ Calvin
Never even heard of them Marie [img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/shrug.gif" alt="shrug" title="shrug[/img]<br><br><br>Sounds like more Popery to me. [img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif" alt="laugh" title="laugh[/img]
True godliness is a sincere feeling which loves God as Father as much as it fears and reverences Him as Lord, embraces His righteousness, and dreads offending Him worse than death~ Calvin
Howard, you are correct, I stand corrected and apologize.... You used only 1-x......... Good 'ol memory...<br><br>But, you are still missing the 'bigger' picture: (1) you were not using Greek, but English, the chi (X) in Greek is spelled "Ch" in English and not "X" (2) you were using slang, (3) you thought the rest of your post was more important then spelling out the name of Christ, (4) Christmas has enough problems already without Christians removing the name of Christ from it (5) you aren't Catholic are you? It is rather simple: Do you respect the names of God or not? If you do don't short-cut them. Don't use slang just because the Catholics do. The NAMES of God mean something very special and specific that we are to cherish, et. al. And for the last time--DO NOT use them here!
No, Joe, he used a single X. I have never seen Mark write "xxmas." Rather, he has consistently written "xmass" (two S's) to emphasize what he considers the popish trappings of the holiday. The X is not mere slang. As I pointed out, it is the first letter in Christ's name in Greek, xpristos, just like the ancient symble XP also stood for Christ. Anyone who does use it with the intent of taking the Lord's name out is only fooling himself. It's not the same as "the man upstairs," and it is not comparable either to "Malcolm X" or "XXX."
Kyle
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified.
Mark,<br><br>Consider that your incessantly berating the celebration of Christmas is extremely offensive to your brothers and sisters here who RIGHTLY celebrate the holiday to God's glory. Remember:<br><br>"One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God" (Rom. 14:5,6).
Kyle
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified.
Howard<br><br>I take it by your answer, that you either can't refute Joe's exegesis, or you just are not comfortable with your understanding of the passage.<br><br>Tom
This was already answered prior to your post!!! MARK was not using the terms as you stated, as he said, "Thanks for that Kyle. I know not Greek." He further stated, "We use" xmass" in England as an abbreviation for the Roman Catholic practice of "christmas"btw." His intent of using the term "X" was not based on his knowledge of Greek, but rather his acceptance of Catholic theology. Thus, your argument for his defense has no basis.
I used Jeremiah in my first post and in my second post , I used a [img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/stupidme.gif" alt="stupidme" title="stupidme[/img] smilie.<br><br>I was thinking of William MacLeans treatment of the text in the opening post of the "christmas" thread thats all .
This is the point where we differ Joe.<br><br>The christ of christmas is not (IMHO) , The Lord Jesus Christ my Savior. It is a roman catholic christ who is no christ at all. Christmas is just like any other Popish mass . <br><br>I believe christmas to be Roman Catholic/Arminian practise , like millions of Christians throughout the world do, past and present . Future too. Cromwell abolished it btw.