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Study:
14
With my Dead spirit,
I did celebrate the anniversaries of my flesh
Before to be quickened by my Great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, I was
Dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians
2:1); but since both my Conversion and Baptism in the Unique Name of
Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38
and 4:12), His Holy
Spirit did Resuscitate my spirit and I was Born Again (John
3:1-8; Romans 6:4);
thus from that time, I began to walk in Newness of Life in Jesus Christ,
Who will Perfect me till His soon Coming (Philippians
1:6; 2
Corinthians 7:1;
Revelation 22:20). Therefore, now I Understand that everything I did
when was living in the flesh (without the Knowledge Granted to me by my
God and Saviour) remained behind, joined to my old nature (1
Peter 4:2-3), and among those actions I also count the celebration
of my birthday after the flesh (see below “Specific
Biblical Support”).
What did happen with my body thereafter the Resurrection of my spirit
through Baptism?
My body
did remain on its way toward death (Romans
6:6; 6:12 and
7:24); but if I do
Endure till the End, my spirit will Live into a Spiritual Body Eternally
(1 Corinthians
15:44 and
15:51-52) at the side of my Brothers (being we all members of the
Church which is the Heavenly Wife of our Great God and Saviour Jesus
Christ) in the New Earth already prepared for all of them Saved through
His Name (Revelation
21:1-2; 2 Peter 3:13).
Is
it possible for a person physically dead to celebrate his birthday?
No,
not at all; even so nor we either, for since our Baptim we are dead to
sin living therefore now no more after the flesh but after the Spirit (Romans
8:1), if it so be that the Spirit of God dwell in us. Now if any man
has not the Spirit of Jesus Christ, he is non of His (Romans
8:9).
Specific Biblical
Support
Now,
we do transcribe out from the Holy Scriptures two fragments, the first
from the Old Testament and the other one from the New Testament; in both
of them birthday’s celebrations and their consequences are described.
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“And it came
to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's
birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and
he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker
among his servants. And he restored the chief butler unto his
butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:
But he hanged the chief baker:
as Joseph had interpreted to them” (Genesis
40:20-22).
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"And king
Herod heard of Him; (for His Name was spread abroad): and he said,
that John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty
works do show forth themselves in him. Others said, that it is
Elias, and others said, that it is a prophet, or as one of the
prophets. But when Herod heard thereof, he said, it is John, whom I
beheaded: he is risen from the dead. For Herod himself had sent
forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias'
sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. For John
had said unto Herod, it is not right for you to have your brother's
wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have
killed him; but she could not: For Herod feared John, knowing that
he was a just man and a holy, and observed him; and when he heard
him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. And when a convinient
day was come, that Herod on his birthday
made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of
Galilee; and when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and
danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said
unto the young lady, ask of me whatsoever you wish, and I will give
it you. And he swared unto her, whatsoever you shall ask of me, I
will give it you, unto the half of my kingdom. And she went forth,
and said unto her mother, what shall I ask? and she said, the head
of John the Baptist. And she came in straightway with haste unto the
king, and asked, saying, I will that you give me by and by in a
charger the head of John the Baptist. And the king was exceeding
sorry yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with
him, he would not deny her. And immediately the king sent an
executioner, and commanded his head to be brought:
and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
and brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the young lady:
and the young lady gave it to her mother. And when his disciples
heard of it, they came and took up his corpses, and laid it in a
tomb” (Mark 6:14-29).
(Let you also read
Matthew 14:1-12).
Interpretation
through Jesus Christ’s Spirit
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Only in the above two Biblical
fragments are expressly reported celebrations for birthday’s sake.
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Both reverenced persons, Pharaoh
and Herod, do not belong to God’s People; they were not believers in
the True God, but adversaries (Exodus
5:2; Acts 4:23-28)
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As for celebrations, in both of
them did happen a person’s violent death. However, in the first one
it is not crearly expressed why Pharaoh forgave the chief butler and
condemned the chief baker (Genesis
40:1); nevertheless, according to Joseph’s Interpretation of
both dreams, the chief baker should be slain (and he was) the third
day since his dream, in coincidence with Pharaoh’s birthday feast.
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Apparently there are some
differences about Herod’s birthday report in the Gospel of Mark in
comparison with that of Matthew, but from both of them it is
possible crearly understand what was the reason which led Herod to
command John the Baptist’s beheading. Let you consider that
according to Matthew
11:11, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself said that among them that
are born of women there has not risen a greater than John the
Baptist (Luke 1:13-17);
therefore, John had the Holy Spirit’s Authority for exhorting Herod
to stop adultery with Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.
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In Matthew’s gospel, Herod seemed
to be more decided than Herodias for killing John, whereas in that
of Mark Herodias would have killed John and Herod feared him knowing
that the Baptist was a Son of the True God. However, the subsequents
facts are in a whole coincidence in both Gospels, showing that Herod
did want keep himself on Devil’s way, due his sinful relationship,
rather than to repent and approach himself to the Blessed Light of
the Lord.
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It was already a fact that
Herodias would have killed John, but she had no opportunity. Do you
know when she found a convinient time to concrete her evil desire?.
The Word crearly reports that
it was during Herod’s birthday
celebration
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What kind of feast is it?; does
it come from God and it is for Good Works and Love?. No, not at all,
for Herodias during her lover’s birthday celebration could satisfy
her necessity to shut up John definitively. And it was so:
Herodias’s daughter danced and pleased Herod and them that sat with
him, therefore the king said to the young lady, ask of me whatever
you want, even the half of my kingdom (promise in the Devil), and he
sware to her saying: I will give it you; Herodias said to her
daughter: ask the head of John the Baptist. The head of that just
man, who tormented them hardly due their evil relationship.
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When the young lady asked the
head of John the Baptist in a charger, Herod was exceeding sorry,
for he exactly knew who was John, but for his oath’s sake and for
their sakes which sat with him he didn’t want reject her; keeping
his word before those who were invited to his feast.
Shall you
Brother-Sister be able to celebrate birthday after have perceived
deeply in your spirit the former antecedents?
For those who have
not received the Holy Spirit is more than normal to celebrate birthday,
but a son of the Living God must “defile himself no more into Devil’s
mire” and look for his perfectness against Jesus Christ’s Day. Our
Brother Paul wrote: “You observe days, and months, and times, and years.
I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain”. (Galatians
4:10-11).
For any Christian birthday’s
celebration is a great inconvenient for it is an
idolatry sin; yes, Brother-Sister, don’t amaze yourself,
it is idolatry toward oneself by attracting attention from relatives,
friends, etc; once a year at least. Then, where does “let him deny
himselft” remain? (Matthew
16:24). A Lord Jesus Christ’s faithful disciple has both mutual
communion and Brotherly Kindness along the year. In addition, if you do
celebrate another person’s birthday, are contributing to increase that
person’s selfidolatry, being partaker of other person’s sins that way (1
Timothy 5:22) defiling yourself and grieving the Holy Spirit
wherewih you was sealed unto the Day of Redemption (Ephesians
4:30). Let you not misunderstand, Reflect and Think yourself that
none Believer (even so nor our Master either) did celebrate birthday;
contrariwise, did celebrate it (and do it nowadays) ungodly men like Herod and Pharaoh.
Let you avoid
disobey in anything the Lord by keeping a tradition,
or because of those who don’t Love the Lord
try to persuade you saying “there is nothing wrong” about birthdays’
celebration…, consent you not (Proverbs
1:10); It is Wrong!, “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I
seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I
should not be the servant of Christ (Galatians
1:10).
From now on
you have more knowledge about this subject and shall not be able to tell
to the Lord: “I did it because I didn’t know”; you must leave that
custom, and increase your Brotherly Kindness by Searching the
Scriptures. And whenever someone wants to know about reasons which led
you to leave that celebration, you Brother-Sister shall be able to
answer him: “We ought to obey God rather than
men” (Acts 5:29).
If you can do it, the Lord shall bring upon you much more Blessings.
Amen. Maranatha. John 5:14
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