Contrasts

Jesus Christ & Santa Claus

The Contrasts

A ‘temcat’ study

For Advent Believers

Many of you have no doubt already seen the charts of comparison showing that Santa is Satan’s ‘Christ’ counterfeit,
http://www.worldincrisis.org/Christmas/Chris2.htm (scroll down)
but today I would like you to look with me at the CONTRASTS, which are equally enlightening, and even frightening. Here are only a few, I am sure you could think of many more.

SANTA CLAUS	JESUS CHRIST
1^st & most important, Santa is fantasy. That which is not true comes from the father of lies.	Jesus is REAL: ‘God, that cannot lie’. Titus 1:2.
Jolly Old St. Nicholas	‘A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief’: Isaiah 53:3
Welcomed by the World	‘We hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.’ Isaiah 53:3
The myth of Santa is that he's coming to town to give us material goods.	Christ is coming to Earth to give us eternal life and eternal goods.
Fat, red faced, symbol of self-indulgence; most older pictures show him smoking a pipe, and a red nose has always been linked to alcohol indulgence. Message: “Indulgence = Happiness”	Fasting alone in the desert, tell of the days that He passed, How for OUR sins He was tempted, yet was triumphant at last. Victory over appetite was the Reason for that Season! Message: “Indulgence = Death”
Attractive, bright, sparkling, admired.	‘His visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men’: Isaiah 52:14
Santa is all about getting (When has it ever been said that Santa promotes people to give to each other?)	Christ promotes giving: Acts 20:35 “…It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Smiling, laughing, hilarity, mirth, gaiety etc.	‘My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.’ Mark 14:34. John 11:35 ‘Jesus wept.’
Has many ‘little people’ (elves) to do all his work. (Typical of the rich)	‘I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me’: Isaiah 63:3 He was servant to all.
Uses MAGIC to do his work	‘He did not use His divine power to make His life easier for Himself’. 'Story of Jesus' 34.
Only comes to ‘good little boys and girls’.	‘a friend of publicans and sinners!’ Luke 7:34
Untruthful in that everyone knows that ‘bad’ children still get gifts.	‘that will by no means clear the guilty’ Exodus 34:7 Judges Righteously.
Says “Ho, Ho, Ho!”	Says “Woe, Woe, Woe!” (see Matthew 23)
Children write letters and even pray to ‘Santa’–this is a false god, an idol.	Says, “Suffer little children to come unto me!” Mark 10:14
Teaches that material gifts are the most important concern. Children feel rejected if friends get more for Christmas than they do. Abundant gifts means you are ‘good’.	Teaches, ‘a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth’. Luke 12:15
Parents lie to children about Santa. God hates lies. (Proerbs 12:22)	‘Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.’ Psalm 34:11
Santa sneaks into homes through the chimney! Satan always intrudes any way he can.	“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him.” Jesus only comes by invitation.
Associated with feasting, partying, rich foods, flesh meats, celebration.	Proverbs 23:20 ‘Be not among wine-bibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:’ ‘And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting’ Luke 21:34.
Only involved with us for 1 night.	“Lo, I am with you alway, unto the end of the world” Matthew 28:20
It is time to wake up! Many things that are ‘cute’, and ‘sentimental’ and are considered ‘innocent’ come straight from hell’s kitchen and we should have nothing to do with it! “And what concord hath Christ with Belial?” 2 Corinthians 6:15

Jesus suffered a fast of nearly 6 week, alone in the gloomy, uncomfortable wilderness! WHY? To win the victory over man’s greatest foe—man’s own appetite! At almost the cost of His life, He won that victory—and makes it available to every son or daughter of Adam, who will choose to have it, to overcome as Christ overcame. There is no other road that leads to Eternal Life!

Sentences from 2 Redemption pg 66

“Professed Christians engage in feastings and in scenes of amusement which degrade the religion of Jesus Christ. It is impossible for those who find pleasure in church socials, festivals, and numerous gatherings for pleasure, to have ardent love and sacred reverence for Jesus.”

“Should Christ come into the assembly of those who were absorbed in their plays and frivolous amusements, would the solemn melody of His voice be heard in benediction, saying, "Peace be to this house"? How would the Saviour of the world enjoy these scenes of gaiety and folly?”

“Christians and the world unite, one in heart and one in spirit, in these festal occasions. The Man of sorrows, who was acquainted with grief, would find no welcome in these places of amusement. The lovers of pleasure and luxury, the thoughtless and the gay, are collected in these rooms, and the glitter and tinsel of fashion are seen everywhere.”

“His presence would be a restraint upon their mirth and their sensual amusements, and would remind them of neglected duty, and bring to their remembrance hidden sins which caused that sorrowful countenance and made those eyes so sad and tearful.”

“The presence of Christ would be positively painful in these gatherings for pleasure. Surely, none could invite Him there, for His countenance is marred with sorrows more than the sons of men, because of these very amusements which put God out of mind and make the broad road attractive to the sinner.” Taken from 2 Redemption 66

“Christians would be greatly strengthened by earnestly and frequently comparing their lives with the true standard, the life of Christ. The numerous socials, festivals, and picnics, to tempt the appetite to over-indulgence, and the amusements which lead to levity and forgetfulness of God, can find no sanction in the example of Christ, the world's Redeemer, the only safe pattern for man to copy if he would overcome as Christ overcame.” 2 Redemption 67

“We tremble for the youth of our day, because of the example that is given them by those who profess to be Christians. We cannot close the door of temptation to the youth, but we can educate them that their words and their actions may have a direct bearing upon their future happiness or misery. They will be exposed to temptation. They will meet foes without and foes within, but they can be instructed to stand firm in their integrity, having moral principle to resist temptation. The lessons given our youth by world-loving professors are doing great harm. The festal gatherings, the gluttonous feasts, the lotteries, tableau and theatrical performances, are doing a work that will bear a record with its burden of results to the Judgment.” 2 Redemption 68

So many professed Advent Believers admit freely that they ‘overindulge’ on Christmas. Many partake of flesh meats on that day when they seldom do at any other time. Rich pies, cakes, unhealthy sweets of every kind are freely eaten when all things of such nature are denounced in the counsels of the Lord’s messenger.

There is NO command in the Bible to honor the birth of Christ. In fact if God had wished such a thing to happen, He would have told us which day it was and gave us the example. When we follow the world in this festivity and try to make it ‘holy’, we are adding to the word of God.

Many say, “Oh, but Sister White said we should not pass Christmas by” etc. This is not entirely true. The references state thus: “we should find it a difficult matter to pass over this holiday without some attention.” This writer has carefully read every reference to Christmas in the Estate SOP CD and fails to find anything there to sanction the practices of many professed Advent believers. I fail to find where it says:

1. It is OK to eat flesh meats on Dec. 25^th (or thanksgiving) while it is sinful the rest of the year.

2. It is OK to indulge in sugary treats, cakes, rich pastries and over-eating at Christmas, even though all these things injure our health and defile the body temple.

3. It is important that children and youth be taught to look for selfish indulgence of appetite as important to happiness.

4. It is OK to spend hundreds, (yea, even thousands for some) dollars on decorating, personal adornment, entertainment, needless gifts, gratification of appetite, for the ‘holiday season’, when it would be wrong any other time.

5. It is OK to go in debt for Christmas, even though both Bible and SOP forbid this.

No indeed! In fact I read just the opposite. What is mentioned that can be done at Christmas with God’s approval?

1. Placing gifts of money for missions on a plain tree, (no money wasted on artificial ornaments)

2. Giving of food, clothing and help to the needy and unfortunate.

3. Getting children involved in benevolent work for others or saving for mission gifts.

4. Provide only activities for young or old that we can honestly ask Jesus’ presence and blessing on.

5. Providing food, that while tasty and ‘special’, is still pure and healthful. Nothing served that should tempt to over-indulgence.

6. Giving of character building, worthwhile, true, educational books to children and missionary books to neighbors and friends.

7. Family get-togethers that emphasize gratitude to God for His blessings and have not a crumb of selfish indulgence or hilarity.

8. Teaching the children that although ‘Christmas’ is a pagan idea and not when Christ was born, we are very glad that He was born, and we can retell the wonderful, true story of Bethlehem to them. The Songs of Bethlehem can be sung, but the riotous ‘Christmas music’ of the world should have no place in our dwellings.

9. Self sacrifice for the sake of Jesus, missionary work, and needy people.

Friends if we have to allow harmful foods and worldly indulgence into our homes before there can be ‘happiness’, what message are we giving our children? That God is a harsh task-master and only when we can throw off His restraints, can we have ‘fun’! Then it is best to forget about heaven—you could never have any happiness there. No-one there will ever lay aside even the least of God’s commandments for any reason. Those who do—and persist to do this—will never enter those gates.

Did you know that one of the reasons we are counseled to seek homes in the country, is to avoid the overemphasis of the world on holidays? Yes indeed!

“One of the most subtle and dangerous temptations that assails the children and youth in the cities is the love of pleasure. Holidays are numerous; games and horse racing draw thousands, and the whirl of excitement and pleasure attracts them away from the sober duties of life. Money that should have been saved for better uses is frittered away for amusements.” Adventist Home 135.

To those who seem to feel excused to indulge in things that they know are not pleasing to God, are harmful to health, are time and money-wasting foolishness, just because it is Christmas—I wish to say this; “Have you any guarantee that you will live to see December 26^th? "What if in the midst of your selfish gratification, your heart ceases and you sink down in death? It happens, yes, and more than we care to admit! Think about it—you are gambling with your soul.

“After a day of pleasure seeking is ended, where is the satisfaction to the pleasure seeker? As Christian workers, whom have they helped to a better, higher, and purer life? What would they see if they should look over the record the angel wrote? A day lost! To their own souls a day lost, a day lost in the service of Christ, because no good was accomplished. They may have other days but never that day which was idled away in cheap, foolish talk, of girls with boys, and boys with girls.

“Never will these same opportunities offer themselves again. They had better been doing the hardest kind of labor on that holiday. They did not make the right use of their holiday, and it passed into eternity to confront them in the judgment as a day misspent.” Adventist Home 473.

We live in a time when Satan has more power to seduce and ensnare than ever before in history, and it is increasing daily. Our only safety is to abide totally surrendered to God, obeying Him in every jot and tittle. Then and only then can He fully protect and shield us from the wrath of the enemy. Satan’s game with us is the same as with Israel at Baal-Peor; if he can lead us to set aside one commandment, to shrug off one law of our being, to walk, even for a day, in paths where our Saviour would not be found—then we are sitting ducks in the devil’s shooting gallery!

Every time this writer has spoken up on the subject, so many come back with wrath crying, ‘Oh you don’t want people to have any fun’! But I know by bitter experience that Satan hates the professed people of God—he will find any excuse to harm and even destroy them. He can’t, AS LONG as they walk in trusting obedience to God’s counsel, for God’s agencies are a Wall of Fire around them. However, if they leave that covert of safety, by going contrary to ANY ‘thus saith the Lord’ known to them—Satan has free access to them. He can waltz right into your family circle and help himself!

This year will be a special test to all who profess to honour the Lord’s Holy Sabbath day. The pagan feast day called ‘Christmas’, falls on the sacred hours of the Sabbath. Each of us will have to choose whether we will allow the festivity, pomp and display of pagan festivity to intrude upon the sacred time. What example will we set to our children regarding which is more important, God’s Commandments, or man’s traditions?

If you will intrude upon Holy Time for selfish pleasure and worldly activities, how do you suppose you will stand when your life will be at stake for keeping the Holy Sabbath? Many wonder if they will stand in the Time of Trouble—well, you can know that right now—by the ‘little’ decisions you are making from day to day. Is God that particular? He certainly is!

“Professed followers of Jesus Christ who indulge in gaiety and feasting cannot be partakers with Christ in His sufferings. They have no sense of His sufferings. They do not care to meditate upon self-denial and sacrifice. They find but little interest in studying the marked points in the history of the life of Christ upon which the plan of salvation rests, but imitate ancient Israel who ate and drank and rose up to play.” Confrontation 66

May God be FIRST in our lives—Every one of us! =^..^=

TEMCAT'S STUDY