Do holidays offend God?

[Dani H]

I live in the death and resurrection of Jesus every single day, and each day is one that the Lord has made, and I sanctify that day to Him, with my soul chasing hard after Him.

So any holiday or non-holiday ... just really doesn't matter, they're all the same to me. I don't have to be worried about Christmas trees (lest they defile me, eek) or touching an Easter egg (lest that defile me too, eek), because God is above these things, as is my relationship with Him, and each day and everything I do becomes an opportunity to glorify Him.

What defiles us comes from within, not without. You can have a Christmas tree and glorify God, and you can abstain from it, and be in disobedience, because you become self-righteous about it. It all depends on whether you are catering to your flesh, or walking in the Spirit.

Mark 7:15
There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.

That's my

[valleybldr]

What defiles us comes from within, not without.

It's in bold so it must be important. You're implying I can worship however I please and it won't defile me...icons of the Orthodox church, Catholic saints, unbiblical hyper-charismatic manifestations. Sure, we can make a nice long list. Does this passage really give us "the green light" to do our own thing in regards to worship and we can know its fine with God? todd

[Dani H]

But worship happens from within, doesn't it?

Let me illustrate further:
I have met some folks that felt convicted by the Lord to turn away from celebrating Christmas because they really want nothing to do with its pagan roots, of which there are many.
Sure, no problem.
But, then I see the same people pointing fingers at others who still partake of Christmas, and go "tsk tsk tsk how dare you?" and use their own obedience and conviction as a platform to judge others. Well, the second you do that, you have now ventured from obedience into self-righteousness, which is of the flesh. To our own Master we stand and fall.

[Emanate]

But worship happens from within, doesn't it?

Yes, but is everyone meant to do what is right in their own eyes?

[valleybldr]

But, then I see the same people pointing fingers at others who still partake of Christmas, and go "tsk tsk tsk how dare you?" and use their own obedience and conviction as a platform to judge others. Well, the second you do that, you have now ventured from obedience into self-righteousness, which is of the flesh. To our own Master we stand and fall.

You've changed the subject. Believers can walk righteous paths without being self-righteous. Abstaining from non-biblical worship forms and looking down on others are two different things. todd

[Literalist-Luke]

It's in bold so it must be important. You're implying I can worship however I please and it won't defile me...icons of the Orthodox church, Catholic saints, unbiblical hyper-charismatic manifestations. Sure, we can make a nice long list. Does this passage really give us "the green light" to do our own thing in regards to worship and we can know its fine with God? todd

It all goes back to Romans 14:

5a Some consider one day more sacred than another; others consider every day alike. 6 Those who regard one day as special do so to the Lord. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. 5b Everyone should be fully convinced in their own mind. 22b Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves by what they approve.

[Dani H]

Yes, but is everyone meant to do what is right in their own eyes?

If you leave the flesh at the cross and let it die, and do so daily, 24/7, and walk in the Spirit, like we are all commanded according to the full Gospel of Jesus Christ, would you be at risk of doing what is right in your own eyes? Or would you simply follow Jesus, and Him alone?

It all goes back to Romans 14:

5a Some consider one day more sacred than another; others consider every day alike. 6 Those who regard one day as special do so to the Lord. 14I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. 5b Everyone should be fully convinced in their own mind. 22b Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves by what they approve.

Exactly. Maybe I should have just stuck to Scripture instead of trying to explain it. Sorry about that. Ugh.

[Literalist-Luke]

Maybe I should have just stuck to Scripture instead of trying to explain it. Sorry about that. Ugh.

You're doin' just fine.

[longhorn2010]

I do not believe if you are giving presents on Christmas, or eating eggs on Easter is making that day holy. However, if you do it because you want to recognize it as a special day of celebration for Christ, then yes that is making it holy. We should not set aside two days a year to recognize what he did for us, but instead appreciate it year-round.

[lendtay]

There is a strong push over the past few years at making Halloween a Christian holiday. The Focus on the Family group is one of the major spearheaders of this move.

Lately I've been hearing about something Christians are doing around Halloween called "Hell Houses", kind of like traditional haunted houses but with a different twist. I am not sure if I approve of hell houses or not because I have heard they depict gruesome scenes. This is actually the reason I also stay away from haunted houses.

[valleybldr]

I do not believe if you are giving presents on Christmas, or eating eggs on Easter is making that day holy. However, if you do it because you want to recognize it as a special day of celebration for Christ, then yes that is making it holy. We should not set aside two days a year to recognize what he did for us, but instead appreciate it year-round.

The Roman church made days "holy" and the Protestants just never got around to protesting their "right" to do so. Many American colonial Protestants where anti-Christmas but $$ seems to always win in the end. todd

[Whispering Grace]

It all goes back to Romans 14:

5a Some consider one day more sacred than another; others consider every day alike. 6 Those who regard one day as special do so to the Lord. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. 5b Everyone should be fully convinced in their own mind. 22b Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves by what they approve.

I think this is what it comes down to. If I celebrate Christmas, I do it unto the Lord. If I choose to abstain, I do it unto the Lord.

I happen to love Christmas (not the worldly tribute to consumerism, but the celebration of Jesus Christ), and I hope to have another wonderful Christmas with my family this year.

By the way, this (below) is from my blog, about my first Christmas after becoming a Christian...what a blessed time it was! I was a babe in Christ, so full of awe and wonder and the love of Christ! I can't imagine God being offended by me being in love with Him and celebrating it!

I will never forget my first Christmas after becoming a Christian. I was still in the throes of that newfound love and adoration for the Beautiful One who came to me and saved me.

I remember going to the store and walking down the Christmas card aisle, searching for a card about Jesus Christ. In years past, I always purchased "Happy Holidays" or "Seasons Greetings" cards, but not this year! I finally, for the first time in my life, understood what Christmas truly meant!

I finally found a card with a poem about Jesus' birth and a Bible verse on the inside. I smiled as I put them in my cart, filled yet again with awe and wonder.

I remember signing the cards "In the Love of Christ" and realizing in a sense I was mailing out my own "birth announcement" with these cards. Most people were not aware yet of my conversion and were most likely taken aback when they received the cards. I didn't care....I was so desperately in love with Jesus Christ, I would have shouted it from the rooftops!

That Christmas I went to a Christmas concert and wept during songs like "O Holy Night". How many years had I sat through Christmas concerts cold as a stone, never once being moved by the precious words in these songs? But that Christmas, it felt as though I would explode from the love that filled my heart!

My kids and I made a "birthday" cake for Jesus that year, and we spent the day reading Scripture and just celebrating all that He is. It was wonderful watching my kids eagerly accept and embrace this new passion of mine. I didn't realize how wonderful the faith of small children can be at the time. I bet my kids can't remember a time now when I didn't love Jesus Christ passionately. I am thankful for that. I want their memories of me to be ones of a mom who walked with the Lord and loved Him with all of her heart.

I still sign my Christmas cards "In the Love of Christ". By now most people know Whom it is that I love and adore, but I have no qualms about sending out explicitly Christian cards (I always search for the one that most glorifies and honors Jesus Christ). I am not ashamed of my faith and the Lord's birth. It is a time of rejoicing and celebration in my life, and if I cannot share such bountiful joy with the people in my life, whom can I share it with?

I have been given the most beautiful gift in this world....Jesus Christ and all that He is. Knowing Him and loving Him makes life worth living. Jesus Christ is the One who makes Christmas worth celebrating. Without Him, there would be no Christmas. Without Him, there would be no life!

[Whispering Grace]

(Halloween would probably be the only one I would seriously question, since that one is clearly not directed at honoring God.)

I agree with this.

I haven't celebrated Halloween since I became a Christian. Unfortunately, it's my husband's favorite holiday, so he takes the kids out trick-or-treating, and I stay home and read my Bible and pray (or go to church if it's a Wednesday or Sunday).

I abstain from this holiday unto the Lord, just as I celebrate Christmas unto the Lord.

[Jeremiah333]

There is a strong push over the past few years at making Halloween a Christian holiday. The Focus on the Family group is one of the major spearheaders of this move.

I had not heard that. I just took this off of FOF's website:

"...Whereas it can be argued that Christmas is a Christian holiday with Christian origins that has suffered the effects of growing secularism, Halloween can be traced to distinctly pagan sources. It is reasonable, then, that many believers would find some aspects of its celebration disturbing. I agree with them in that regard.

The traditional emphasis upon the occult, witches, devils, death, and evil sends messages to our kids that godly parents can only regard with alarm. There is clearly no place in the Christian community for this "darker side" of Halloween. "

http://family.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/f...i=&p_topview=1

[Emanate]

I had not heard that. I just took this off of FOF's website:

"...Whereas it can be argued that Christmas is a Christian holiday with Christian origins that has suffered the effects of growing secularism, Halloween can be traced to distinctly pagan sources. It is reasonable, then, that many believers would find some aspects of its celebration disturbing. I agree with them in that regard.

The traditional emphasis upon the occult, witches, devils, death, and evil sends messages to our kids that godly parents can only regard with alarm. There is clearly no place in the Christian community for this "darker side" of Halloween. "

http://family.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/f...i=&p_topview=1

They did, if memory serves, have a guest on last year talking about her new book Redeeming Halloween. I may be confusing them with CBN who is definitely pro halloween. http://www.cbn.com/special/halloween/

amazon.com description of Redeeming Halloween (sold by focus on the family):

Christians face a dilemma every year on October 31: "What should and shouldn't we do--and let our kids do--in observance of Halloween?" Redeeming Halloween answers all the questions Christians have about the origins and meaning of the holiday, and it provides fun, guilt-free ideas that will help you enjoy it. From costumes and decorating hints to original party suggestions, the authors offer a godly approach that will help Christian parents balance love with conviction and create treasured memories for their children.

This book's premise is that Halloween is orgiginally a Christian holiday and should be a main event in Christian's lives.