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There is a mark to be enforced by the rising Beast Power in Europe which will force those who want to survive and make a living to practice Sunday-worship, keep Christmas, Easter, etc. Those who keep the 7th Day Sabbath, the Passover, Days of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, etc will be persecuted, be without financial support, even martyred by this coming political-religious system.
Now, you may benefit physically/fiscally from keeping Christmas both now and in the future until Christ returns and destroys this worldly system ruled over by the God of this world -- Satan the Devil.
But the Bible states that the day of one's death is a better than the day of one's birth and to keep birthdays is not a standard Biblical practice and is only seen in the lives of men not yielded to God.
Your practice of participating in a celebration that preceded the birth of Christ (and He was not even born this time of year near the winter solstice) is to be avoided if you truly are yielded to God and Christ and have God's Holy Spirit. God's Spirit would never lead you into this pagan festival that is not of God or sanctioned in the Bible.
I say reject this mark of the Beast and suffer in the flesh but be blessed spiritually for rejecting this counterfeit celebration of Christ. But you are free to do as you please...It is your decision...
I am not sure what the "Mark of the BEast" is with which you seemed so obsessed, but I think it is obvious why you cannot see the Merry aspect of this season.
I see "Merry" things all around. I enjoy being part of them. In fact, I seek out good deeds and opportunities to perform them. I see happiness all around.
Perhaps if you were not so focused on suffering and pain, you would see this too. You do not see Happiness because you are so focused on the negative.
Have your ever thought about consulting a psychiatrist? There are safe medications which can help you with your depression. And in reading your posts, which are full of fear and anger, I would say that depression and anxiety are a central part of your philosophy.
Just a suggestion.
I am not sure what the "Mark of the BEast" is with which you seemed so obsessed, but I think it is obvious why you cannot see the Merry aspect of this season.
I see "Merry" things all around. I enjoy being part of them. In fact, I seek out good deeds and opportunities to perform them. I see happiness all around.
Perhaps if you were not so focused on suffering and pain, you would see this too. You do not see Happiness because you are so focused on the negative.
Have your ever thought about consulting a psychiatrist? There are safe medications which can help you with your depression. And in reading your posts, which are full of fear and anger, I would say that depression and anxiety are a central part of your philosophy.
Just a suggestion.
The mark of the beast is a mark that people will be forced to have placed on their forehead or on their right hand during the Tribulation, which is still future, if they want to be able to buy or sell anything.
Revelation 13:16 And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17] and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.
It has absolutely nothing to do with what day you worship on, or celebrating Christmas or Easter.
The mark of the beast is a mark that people will be forced to have placed on their forehead or on their right hand during the Tribulation, which is still future, if they want to be able to buy or sell anything.
Revelation 13:16 And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17] and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.
It has absolutely nothing to do with what day you worship on, or celebrating Christmas or Easter.
The world, in general, will agree with most of the Ten Commandments but there is one of the Ten that they will not accept in their mind (forehead) and obey (by work, or rest, with the hand). And this is the only commandment that will distinguish between those who have the mark of the Beast and those who have the Sign of God. It is the 4th Commandment -- the 7th Day Sabbath Command.
Now, the right hand symbolizes work or labor and the forehead symbolizes intellect or mind in the Bible. So this mark has to do with what we believe in the mind and whether or not we obey symbolized by the hand.
One of God's annual Sabbaths is described as being a sign in the hand and in the forehead:
“...it shall be for a SIGN unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes (forehead) , that the Eternal’s LAW may be in thy mouth” (Ex. 13:9)
And so are the other of God's Commandments:
Deuteronomy 6:1, 6-8: “Now these are the commandments...and these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart...and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.”
Deuteronomy 11:18: “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a SIGN upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.”
So God's Holy Sabbath is God’s sign, standing, more than any commandment, for obedience which is symbolically in the hand and in the forehead, just as the mark of the Beast—the pagan rest day --Sunday—is in the right hand and in the forehead!
So Sunday and by extension, Christmas, New Year's, Easter etc form the Mark of the Beast and it will be enforced.
Now, this mark has been enforced in the past with violators being martyred and the enforcement of this mark will come once again and those who do not have this mark can expect the same treatment -- martyrdom.
It is time we woke up and realized just how serious this matter really is.
But you make the decision. I cannot make it for you.
Christmas has as much to do about Christ as the person celebrating chooses to appreciate...it if it about celebrating the f act that before Jesus could die for us He had to be born...at sometime...and using the joyous occasion to perform charitable works for the poor and less fortunate...then what is the harm if it's not the technical date of His birth???
Merry Christmas? What Is So Merry About It and What Does It Have to Do with the Real Jesus Christ?
It's merry because many, many people are in a good mood for a day or three. And the harmonious vibes are nice to absorb.
As to what is has to with the "real" Jesus, I dunno. But it came to mark the birth of the Jesus in the bible, a man many consider to be a god. And what's a happier occasion than the birth of a baby?
So, I recommend chillaxing and enjoying the season - no matter your beliefs or lack thereof.
Christmas has as much to do about Christ as the person celebrating chooses to appreciate...it if it about celebrating the f act that before Jesus could die for us He had to be born...at sometime...and using the joyous occasion to perform charitable works for the poor and less fortunate...then what is the harm if it's not the technical date of His birth???
Some people just have to have something to complain about don't they?
And talk about overthinking something, geez
You nailed it though - way to focus on the important stuff
Have you never read.
Col 2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.Col 2:17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
Passover, Good Friday, Easter, Pentecost, Ascension, or Christmas are celebrations by Christians of particular events in which God accomplished great things for the salvation of all people. Who cares why this day originally celebrated pagans well over a thousand years ago. These celebrations are neither commanded nor forbidden. Why then should Christians not celebrate the birth of their Savior? Why would Christians pass up this opportunity to again proclaim to the world the salvation that God has accomplished through Jesus, so that too might be saved. Jesus birth and His works are combined the greatest event of all human history, that God has come to save his people. What's wrong with celebrating that?
Excellent post!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katzpur
Thanks for the warning, but most of your fellow human beings are likely just as informed on the subject as you are. No hard feelings, please understand, but millions of us are commemorating the birth of our Savior and don't appreciate being told by some do-gooder that the beautiful carols we sing, the nativity sets depicting the coming of the Son of God to earth, and the scriptural account of His birth have anything whatsoever to do with "the beast." So don't celebrate Christmas if you don't want to, but for crying out loud, leave the rest of us alone.
Another great response!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike555
Tthttf, you should make it clear that you are a follower of Herbert W. Armstrong and the teachings of Armstrongism. People who were on this forum a year ago know that, but newer members and readers do not. What is Armstrongism? Is the Worldwide Church of God a cult?
That explains a lot, Mike . . . thank you very much.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Irishiis49
Christmas has as much to do about Christ as the person celebrating chooses to appreciate...it if it about celebrating the f act that before Jesus could die for us He had to be born...at sometime...and using the joyous occasion to perform charitable works for the poor and less fortunate...then what is the harm if it's not the technical date of His birth???
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovesMountains
Some people just have to have something to complain about don't they?
And talk about overthinking something, geez
You nailed it though - way to focus on the important stuff
Amen! It is amazing how people cannot seem to get that WHAT we are celebrating depends ENTIRELY on what we INTEND to celebrate . . . NOT what some ancient pagans celebrated! All excellent posts in response to a truly off-the-wall OP.
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