Christians from the very beginning have had to decide whether or not to honor the holiday observations of religions other than that of Christ. That first generation of Christians, being Jews, were confounded by the insistence of some that they continue to observe the “laws and ordinances” of the law of Moses. But this was soon answered by the apostles (Acts 15:24-31; Ephesians 2 15; Galatians 5:6) who plainly defined the old law as dead. Therefore the observation of special days and practices under the old law were now only matters of indifference.
Gentile Christians taught to end pagan observances
As for Gentiles converted to Christ from pagan backgrounds with primarily Hellenic holidays and observances offered to the pantheon of Greek gods, they were taught to leave these behind because they now knew God who must be considered as supreme (Galatians 4:9-11, “But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.”). Paul shames them for not preferring God and not shunning pagan observations.
This clearly teaches that we must not worship or observe religiously or spiritually anything other than what the scriptures teach us to observe (Matthew 15:9, “And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men;” Colossians 1:18, “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”).
Catholic in Origin
“Christmas Day” and “Easter” are Catholic in origin which means they are mostly pagan observances overlaid with apostate religiosity and deserve to be clearly rejected by Christians as being ungodly. “Thanksgiving Day,” founded in America was meant in its founding principles to be a good thing but the problem with observing “Thanksgiving Day” religiously is that it lacks biblical authority as a special day to be thankful when Christians are thankful every day of the year (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18, “pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”). “Halloween,” “Valentine’s Day” and some others are a hodgepodge of pagan and Catholic gobbledy-gook that are mostly just silly observances never to be taken seriously.
Only day to be observed religiously is the first day of each week
The only day Christians must observe religiously is the day we read of in Acts 20:7, which is the first day of every week (“Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.”) On this same day, every week, we are to give of our means (1 Corinthians 16:2, “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.”). Other activities like singing (Ephesians 5:19), teaching and praying are done at such worship assemblies on the first day of every week.
The obvious truth is that there is no Scripture that teaches the religious observance of any special holidays but rather, “observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). Singing Christmas carols, displaying a nativity scene, taking part in public or private displays of traditional religious Christmas and Easter pageants and plays, etc. are outside what is allowed by biblical authority and should be shunned by Christians.
Often Christians wonder if secular observation of Christmas and Easter is something they can do conscientiously. Since we know that the religious observation of these holidays is wrong can we give gifts and display decorated trees during the Christmas holiday and hide colored eggs for children during the Easter holiday times? Many feel that we can do some benign activities as long as we obviously show that we do so without religious observation (Colossians 2:16, “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths”).
Certainly there is nothing wrong with enjoying the nationally provided time off from work at these times to gather with our families, give gifts to one another, eat together, etc. We can actually use these holidays as times to be good examples of what is proper religiously by leaving out the religious aspects. Leaving out the religious content of these holidays is an obvious difference with those who incorrectly revere them. Don’t you think these times could actually generate opportunities for us to teach the lost of this world, the truth of God’s word?
