Lenten FAQs (3): What about Holy Days?

They also pointed out that the Bible nowhere mandates Lent or Good Friday or Easter or even Christmas observance. And they were right. These are human traditions, and nothing more. And as such, they cannot be required for anyone. No one has a right to command what God does not command.
They also observed how many people treat these "holy days" as if they are really holier than other days. They noticed how people act more spiritual on these days than on others. In other words, people play the hypocrite, and feel that all is okay between them and God because they've done their Easter/Lent/Christmas thing. And so my early influences reminded me often that Paul says that all days are to be consecrated to God as equally holy (Romans 14:1-12). And they were right.
I thank God for these early influences. They gave me a due caution toward all traditions and man-made additions to God's Law. I live with what I think is a healthy resistance to anything that is a human add-on to God's Word. I hate legalism and thank God for all those who've guarded me from the deadening effects of tradition.
But I do think that many in my early life missed something else Paul said. It's found in Romans 14:5-7. Honoring one day above another in a special way is not sin. It can be done for God's glory.
So long as we avoid all the dangers alluded to in my last post, it's possible and permitted to observe special days. It's possible and permitted to set apart Christmas to celebrate the birth of Christ, Good Friday to remember the death of Christ, Easter (or as I prefer to call it, Resurrection Day) to rejoice in the victory of Christ, and--if we are so inclined--Lent, to do whatever our hearts desire to draw closer to God, more appreciative of grace, more humble before the Holy One, more repentant over sin, more trusting in Christ alone for our salvation, more in love with the Savior.
All the warnings still apply, but one thing we cannot do is forbid what God allows. If some choose to honor a season as unto their Lord in a way that does not compromise any truth of the gospel, then more power to them. May God truly bless those who do. And may God truly bless those who do not!
All that said, tomorrow we'll look at a suggested evangelical way to observe Lent if you so desire.
Labels: Christian Liberty, Holy Days, Legalism, Lent, Spiritual disciplines
7 Comments:
haha someone recently made the observation about me that I really kind of knew about myself anyway but funny to hear from someone else that I don't like holidays so I guess it's in the blood??
yeah Alina--I think especially in earlier years we would have made very little of holy days for all the reasons I've expressed.
As I've gotten older I've come to see the joy of them much more than then, and have found them helpful to my soul so long as I don't treat them as more than they are (human traditions).
They've become something like the Old Testament feast days to me--not obligations, but opportunities for reflection and celebration!
AMEN!
Thank you Tim, for a fair and balanced assessment of "holy days".
As you pointed out, what God through Paul was saying, "Honoring one day above another in a special way is not sin. IT CAN BE DONE FOR GOD'S GLORY."
(Emphasis mine)
And again I say, AMEN!
As I said in an earlier comment, Pat and I have tried, for the past several years, to more consciously prepare our hearts for Easter (Resurrection) Sunday by reading and meditating for the several weeks leading to that "holy day." We realized this was preferable to hitting Good Friday having given little or no thought to what we were about to celebrate, which I fear is characteristic of our generation and church tradition (which eschews such observances). It's the "baby/bath water" thing, I guess, but we've found it very helpful. Again, thanks TMS for this and the Advent blog series, which can go a long way to help us prepare appropriately. tdb
I do know this: in recent years as I have given more intentional effort to preparing for such seasons it has simply incresed my joy.
There hs been no burden in it, no sense of obligation, no legalistic "got to" just a free and joyful "get to".
Not all will be the same and indeed some whose backgound was steeped in legalistic rituals and ceremonies may well not be blessed by such things at all!
Let each do what is good in his own eyes before the Lord!
I personally wish more were made of Christian symbols and holy days. I'm glad we have that wooden cross in the sanctuary. Symbols, rituals and holy days are more than merely "harmless," they can be positively useful, as Tim also suggests. I would use the sign of the cross in public worship if it weren't so stigmatized-- that is a rich symbol for me.
It was an eye opening experience for me (having been raised much like pastor Tim) when I suddenly understood that the church had been around for 1500 years longer than I had been led to believe much of my life.
We evangelicals do believe in the value of symbols, though we are reluctant to admit it. Symbols are powerful. Like the ashes that can remind us of our mortality-- or like the wedding band I gave my wife 22 years ago.
When I slipped the gold band on Theresa's finger I didn't say, "here, let me put this on you, don't worry, it's harmless."
I'm glad we're doing this Lenten series... thank you Tim. I pray it will be used of the Lord in all our lives.
Pete, your insight into symbols which have never been of any value or importance to me is very helpful as I continue to grow in grace in truth.
For most of the first half (and beyond) of my life, I had a disdainful attitude toward anything that smacked of tradition. Mostly because the most commonly observed attitude of those who practiced them reeked of a holier-than-thou pride which, even before I got to know God better, I knew He didn't appreciate or like.
So, I think I'd be guilty of throwing out the baby in many cases and may have robbed my children of experiences which could have been redeemed for the glory of God had they been Gospel saturated.
So, thanks again for that perspective.
sdpaul
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