Christmas is over and everyone is tired of it, but I want to examine some of the common Christmas errors, before we put the subject to bed;

How many people sing Christmas carols with gusto, not actually thinking about what they are saying? I used to be that way myself, but more recently I think about the words as I am singing them. Sometimes this means that I stop singing in the middle of a song.

I don’t like to be difficult to get along with, but sometimes the words of songs, Christmas and otherwise, reveal a different view of the bible, than what I could ascribe to.

We were visiting my wife’s parent’s church on Christmas eve and were singing “Joy to the World” by Isaac Watts. Suddenly I realized that the words are not quite appropriate for the age in which we live;

Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Isaac Watts was a Non-conformist, of sorts, but as I was singing these words, I realized that they are not true in the world today.

Consider the line “Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!”; Jesus is the Saviour, but does He reign today? While He is sitting down at the right hand of God the Father, He is today our High Priest, making intercession for the saints. No. The biblical passages which speak of Jesus’ reign actually refer to a time when He will physically reign on the earth from Jerusalem.  These are a reference to the Millennial kingdom.

The phrase “Nor thorns infest the ground;” is a reference to Ezekiel 28:24, which is a prophecy of the millennial reign; when Jesus will reign on earth, personally from Jerusalem!

Do the nations prove the glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love? Today ISIS slaughters Christians wherever they find them. Thousands have died at their hands and hundreds of thousands have had to flee for their lives.

During the Soviet Union over 60 million people lost their lives at the hands of the Communist governments of Lenin and Stalin. In China, over 30 million lost their lives during Mao’s reign of terror. As mentioned before, over 54 million lost their lives during WW2.  54 million Americans have lost their lives at the hands of their own mothers!

If these statistics are to be expected when Jesus rules the world, as post-Millennialists claim, then His rule differs little from the rule of Satan!

No! Isaac Watts appears to have been some sort of post-Millennialist, and while we may have some sentimental attachment to his song, the words to “Joy to the World” are not relevant in the age in which we live! They will be appropriate during the real millennial reign, but not today.  We are not in the millennial kingdom!

Post-Millennialism teaches that we are in the Millennial reign of Christ today, and that it is the job of the Church to take-over the world. This same teaching can be seen in the New Apostolic Reformation teachings today who say that “Jesus can’t return until we take over the world and hand it to Him! This is not taught in the bible, but must be read into it!

The basis of this philosophy is that Jesus is not powerful enough to take-over the world by Himself, and needs our help to do so!

This is blasphemy! The “Jesus” of Post-Millennialism is NOT the Jesus of the Bible!

Post-Millennialism is a philosophy that discounts the power of God, and elevates men. It focuses on this world, and on man’s accomplishments!

The day is coming when “Joy to the World” will be appropriate, but between now and then there will be a lot of sorrow on this planet!

What about “As With Gladness Men of Old”?

1. As with gladness, men of old
Did the guiding star behold;
As with joy they hailed its light,
Leading onward, beaming bright;
So, most gracious Lord, may we
Evermore be led to Thee.

2. As with joyful steps they sped
To that lowly manger-bed;
There to bend the knee before
Him Whom heaven and earth adore;
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek the mercy-seat.

3. As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare;
So may we, with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin’s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ! to Thee our heavenly King.

The men who followed the light of the star were the wise men who came to Bethlehem when Jesus was around one to two years old. They did not find Him in a manger, in a stable, but in a house! (Matthew 2:11)

The things this carol is teaching are error. How far do we allow artistic license to go? Should we allow any when it comes to holy things? Is it OK to go beyond the teachings of the bible? In this case it teaches things that directly contradict what the bible says.  Just so you know, things that directly contradict the bible are not Christian at all!

Away in a Manger

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.

The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.

I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle til morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And take us to heaven, to live with Thee there

Again, here we are taught doctrines that are not found in the bible; This song teaches that there were cattle in the stable where Jesus was born. The bible does not say this, however. Someone thought that his imagination was good enough to add to the things of the bible.

The same goes for the idea that Jesus didn’t cry. The bible does not say this, so we have no license to repeat it!

Most Children in Jesus’ care will not enter Heaven!  The Lake of Fire awaits them!  Nevertheless it is right that we should pray for the lost; we should pray for their salvation.  The problem with such a simplistic line is that it implies a universal Salvation.

How about “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”?

God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas day…

No. Jesus was not born on December 25^th! The best evidence is that He was born in September, but the hills of Israel are cold in December, and they do get snow. Not only this but the first Antichrist, Tammuz of Babylon, was born on the winter Solstice, which is December 21^st. There is no way that God would have His son born so close to the birthday of the founder of Paganism!

Now look at the last verse’

Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

Christmas is anything but holy. The commands of the bible are holy, but keeping Christmas is not one of them!

Christmas is not mentioned in the bible, and no Christians celebrated this holiday for hundreds of years after the life of Christ! Popes created Christmas as a way of providing an alternative to the Pagan Solstice celebrations.

There are so many other carols that contain error. How can we sing songs that lie about Jesus Christ? You see we are a generation that is used to lying, to the point that we think nothing of it! We expect politicians NOT to keep their promises, and when we buy a used car we really don’t expect the salesman’s promises to be true!

In Canada we elected a new prime minister in November, and within a month he had broken just about all of his election promises!  The truth is that he actually does represent most Canadians!

But here’s what God says about lying;

Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight. Proverbs 12:22

16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, Proverbs 6:16-17

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation of John 21:8

So, does it honour Jesus Christ when we sing carols that contain lies? Is He pleased with this? You know we do this to satisfy our own desire for sentimentality, not to truly honour Him!

When I was young I used to sing these carols with enthusiasm, but I can’t do it now. This is what repentance means; a change of mind that results in a change of behaviour!

All liars do indeed have a place in the lake of fire. I told my share of lies in my youth, so there is a place there with my name on it! Praise God I won’t be occupying my place, however, for Jesus Christ took my sin on Him when He died on the cross! When we see what we actually deserve we will be horrified! We will indeed see it, and we will also see our loved ones burning there for ever!

What about you? Has He taken your wrath for you, or are you heading for the abyss?

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) II Corinthians 6:2

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13

And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Acts 22:16