Why I don't celebrate holidays

  I have been asked more than once why I don’t celebrate _____ (fill in the blank)

  Please allow me to clarify a few things: Yes, I can get rather dogmatic and even legalistic over some issues; No, I am not saying that others should or should not celebrate any Pagan holiday cloaked in Christian trappings; Yes, that last statement was rather passive-aggressive.

  I am not a scholar. I am not saying I have all the answers – or even all the facts. I am simply sharing my point of view. I try not to “sling” scripture, and do not appreciate those who do. However, when possible I like to provide scriptural references. All scriptural references used here are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted.

  So why don’t I decorate our house and celebrate holidays like Easter, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, etc.? The simple answer is that it is not “okay” for me. Some Christians drink alcohol and that is okay for them. Some Christians smoke/chew tobacco and that is okay for them. Some Christians practice fornication, lie, exceed the posted speed limit, smoke marijuana or use other drugs, and a sundry of other behaviors that are okay for them – but not okay for all of us based on our own individual walks with the Lord. 1 Corinthians 10:23 “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.”

  Anniversaries are important to some, not so much for me. As a society we celebrate our own birthday; graduations; wedding anniversary; birthdays and deaths of those we admire (dare I say worship?) such as U.S. Presidents, civil leaders, etc. A quick look at my desk calendar shows:

·        New Year’s Day honoring the god of new beginnings. The month January was named in honor of Janus, the god of new beginnings.

·        Epiphany or Theophany or Three Kings Day - the feast commemorates principally (but not solely) the visit of the Magi to the Christ child (and who said there were only three?)

·        Martin Luther King Jr. day is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. observed on the third Monday of January, which is around King's birthday, January 15. (Not even on his true birthday because that might fall on an inconvenient day)

·        Valentine’s Day – the gods Pan, Juno, Cupid . . . Need I say more?

·        President’s Day is an occasion to remember all the presidents, not just George Washington or Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday is also in February.

·        Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, 46 days before Easter

And that is just January and February.

  Okay, back to point. I think we should celebrate each day the Lord has given us to grow in Him and do His will. Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Although it is the social norm today to celebrate the birth and death of those we admire/worship, we don’t know the date Jesus was born or died. If we are followers of Messiah we should celebrate what He celebrated and told us to remember and keep. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Jewish feasts. Celebrate His fulfillment of them. Celebrate the Lord’s Supper (Mat 26:26-30, Mark 14:22-26, Luke 22:13-20).

  And besides, if the Easter and Christmas holidays are important celebrations to honor the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, why is it nowhere mentioned in the Bible? Why didn’t Christ instruct His closest followers, His twelve chosen apostles, to keep Christmas? Why didn’t they institute or teach these observances to the early Church?

 

  Before you answer, consider that Jesus gave great authority to His twelve apostles, assuring them that they will hold positions of great importance and responsibility in His Kingdom (Mat 18:18 & 19:28; Luke 22:29-30). But since Jesus never taught His apostles to keep Christmas, nor did they ever teach Christmas or Easter to the Church though they had years of opportunity to do so, shouldn’t that make us question whether these are things Jesus really wants or appreciates?

  I like the American holidays of Thanksgiving and Independence Day - although they didn't eat turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and pumpkin pie on the first Thanksgiving and we didn't actually gain our independence until Sept 3, 1783, but that is subject for future posts.