What About Special Days?
Thinking about Romans 14:5-6.
One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. (Romans 14:5-6)
After warning Christians not to go to war with each other over matters of opinion - such as the types of meat they would or would not eat - Paul continues the same line of reasoning.
This time the application is made to regarding various “days” above other days or regarding all days the same.
Regarding One Day Above Another.
Since Paul addressed dietary restrictions in the first four verses - which would have certainly included the dietary restrictions included in the Law of Moses - it makes sense that the “days” he has in mind here are “days involving Jewish tradition and observance” (Pollard, Truth for Today Commentary, 500).
After obeying the gospel of Christ, some Jews continued to observe days like the Sabbath and various feasts as a matter of conscience. That’s all they had known for so long, and no doubt they felt like it would be wrong for them to just abruptly stop observing these days.
Of course, the Gentile Christians did not have the same conscientious concern over these matters.
In fact, some of the Gentile Christians were “despising” their brethren who would not eat meat and observed various “days.” At the same time, some Jewish Christians were “judging” the Gentile Christians for eating all types of meat and not observing the days.
Bear in mind, we’re not dealing here with people who made holy days and their observance essential to salvation. Had that been the case we would have had another Galatians 4:8-11 or Colossians 2:16-19. - McGuiggan, Romans, 388
So what we’re dealing with here isn’t that they made these things a matter of salvation - at least, not yet. However, some in each group looked down on the other for having a different “opinion” on these matters.
And that’s why Paul is addressing this matter.
The Principle of the Matter.
According to Paul, the conclusion a person reached about food or special days was an individual matter not to be legislated by another person’s scruples. - Pollard, Truth for Today Commentary, 500-501
Those who decided to observe these days and refused to eat meat did so “to the Lord.” In the same way, those who ate meat and did not observe the special days also did that “to the Lord.”
Both groups did these things while serving and thanking God.
Theologically speaking, whether one ate or did not eat, the action (or non-action) was dedicated to the Lord, and both were giving thanks to the same God. It is God who must be pleased by what is done or not done, rather than some person. - Pollard, Truth for Today Commentary, 501
Application for Us.
In matters of opinion or scruple - including foods and religious “special days” - we need to be careful not to look down on those who see the matter differently than us.
We also need to ensure we never view our matter of scruple as “a matter of salvation” - as that sort of behavior drew a swift rebuke from God (Acts 15; Galatians 4:8-11; Colossians 2:16-19).
There is plenty of room in Christ for those who hold different points of view on matters of opinion.
Every day we live is a holy set apart day of worshipping & celebrating our father in Heaven in spirit and in truth.
The “seed” symbolizes the Word of God (Luke 8:11). When the seed of God’s Word is mixed with the “seed” of those teachings and practices that are not affirmed in the Word of God the end result will be a “crop failure” producing no real and lasting spiritual fruit. There may be results but there will be spiritual defilement. God hates the mixture.
There must be Godly wisdom and not perverting our Heavenly fathers truths or ways or how we live in Christ Jesus to not allow any room for our fallen carnal flesh. Say for instance teaching the tradition of men as commandments above the truths taught to us by Our Lord. Making an excuse for the desires of the flesh to overeat, for greed, for selfishness, for overindulgence for lying to family members because of traditions passed down by and through the indoctrinations of men and institutions above the true teachings of Almighty Creator God, our Heavenly father. E.g. things that can and do go on at Christmas, teaching about santa-actually having nothing to do with Almighty Creator God, teaching how that actual day came into being, it was to make pagan converts and make their pagan practices more palatable and 'christianising' them by originally the catholic and orthodox churches to make convers twice a child of hell than themselves, then the Protestant churches also incorporated such into their rituals ceremonies and practices, the puritans though actually came against such. Yet we are to teach the fact that Jesus was NOT born on the 25th of December. The actual act of giving presents on that day was a tradition because of Roman gods that honoured licentiousness, lusts of the flesh etc. We are to live whenever we want to compelled and impelled by God's love coursing through us to others, not just because society says you should. We are to teach that plastic or real trees that day have nothing to do with honouring our father in Heaven, nor the pretty twinkling lights, or tinsel & ultimately what would our God prefer us to indulge ourselves or steward His money and finances on our selfish selves and greeds? Or that we steward out His provisions to be a blessing to others? And we are to live this daily in our lives in Christ Jesus and what it means to live out His commands and teachings by His grace through faith enabled and empowered by His spirit in us each and every day we are blessed to breathe upon this realm and dimension.
Also in teaching the truths about how or why eggs, chicks, fertility got incorporated into the crucified life death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and actually had nothing to do with the truths of such, but had to do with the pagan fertility goddess worship and show the scriptures speaking about the queen of Heaven and how we got the word Easter, where that word originated from, a female Goddess namely Ishtar, all the true history behind that & teach what God himself thinks of ungodly satanic pagan worship of holidays, what actually goes on in those days by pagans, druids, witches, and satanists on their high holidays, showing all the relevant scriptures pertaining to such this should all be taught. And why we are not to practise such things and how God Hayes it and calls such an abomination.
Our emphasis as worshipping our Heavenly father is in spirit and in truth, & is always to be upon Him alone set apart sanctified and by abiding in Jesus and the word. Not incorporating lies, satanic or pagan practices that were used in worship to other Gods against our one true God. Gods word is explicitly clear that he hates such & liars will NOT inherit God's kingdom nor can they even begin to enter into His kingdom! And that those who refuse the power that can make them Godly from these we are to told to turn away. We are not to make excuses for sin. Jesus rebuked the religious leaders & institutions of his day for teaching the commands of men as doctrines...in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. ' You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” Mark 7:7-9
If Christians choose to keep those days then may they do so in a God honouring way, being prayerful thinking ever more deeply and through self examination and asking God to examine them. The point is we do this each and every day anyway? Those days can be useful in opening another avenue of grace to share the good news of the gospel in sincerity and in truth. Though again we do this every day and every opportunity we are blessed with. We are to pray about all these matters and seek Gods heart upon them and what He would have us do, He has already provided the answers through His word, yet if we need more guidance instructions and understanding the Holy spirit will lead and guide us into all truth. I personally haven't come across many Christians who do not incorporate a mixture into their worship to God and only worshipping Him as God himself states our worship to Him must be pure and undefiled. He states they praise me with their lips but their hearts are far from me! This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Matthew 15:8-9 Do we love what our Heavenly father loves, and do we hate what He hates do we even care? Do we ask Him to teach us what He says is the profane and what is sacred? Do we keep and guard such? Are we willing to let go of anything that brings reproach upon our worshipping our father in Heaven in spirit and in truth? Forsaking and not loving the things of this world?
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
We need to be aware that anything used in our homes or where we meet to fellowship together that have their source in pagan worship or origins it can indeed be ‘a portal’ through which demonic activity can enter into churches and even into our homes and hamper our daily lives.
Realising that the enemies we fight everyday are not of human origin. As Paul writes; “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)
God hates the mixture because He loves us and wants us to love Him first and foremost and desires to have unbroken fellowship with us as His blood brought, blood washed children and knows the spiritual damage that can result from seeking to mix the ways of God with the ways of the world.
If we celebrate worship to God as in the unbelieving infidel heathen pagan world or like the majority of the world then it is of a spiritually dubious source. We would do well to remind ourselves God hates, abhors the mixture, and views it as spiritual fornication & adultery.
2 Cor 6:17-18
We don't want Jesus to say to us you are very much mistaken, not understanding the scriptures not the power of God. Matt 22:29
Thank you, Jameson! Paul's advice reminds me to prioritize unity and love within the body of Christ, even amidst differences with appreciation for the varied experiences within the family of God.