Why We Don't Do Holidays

Why We STOPPED Celebrating
Christmas and Easter

Public Notice Circa 1660, New England

"THERE is no day commanded in scripture to be kept holy under the gospel but the Lord's day, which is the Christian Sabbath. Festival days, vulgarly called Holy-days, having no warrant in the word of God, are not to be continued."

The Directory for the Public Worship of God

Much to the dismay to many of our loved ones, we no longer celebrate religious holidays like Christmas and Easter. This drew some fire from some friends and family members who believed we were neglecting an important aspect of the Christian life, or who were offended that anyone suggest that celebrating these days was wrong to do. This brief article is an explanation of our position against holidays. It is not meant as a thorough defense of the historic Reformed and Protestant view of holidays (there are far better defenses out there to be found - some links will be provided below for those who wish to study further, and there are some helpful links found throughout this article). We only hope that this helps others to understand why our family has discontinued the practice of observing religious holidays and that it leads others to carefully reconsider their own practices.

The Regulative Principle of Worship

The basis of our decision to stop celebrating Christmas and Easter is what is known as the Regulative Principle of Worship [RPW]. Westminster Confession of Faith describes the RPW like this: “[T]he acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by Himself, and so limited by His own revealed will, that He may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visable representation, or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture” (21:1). John Knox, the great Reformer of Scotland, phrased it this way: “All worshipping, honouring, or service invented by the brain of man in the religion of God, without his own express commandment, is idolatry.” Simply put, the RPW requires that we offer no worship to God than that which is warranted by Himself in His Word. Can we demonstrate that the Bible does in fact set forth this principle that God is only to be worshipped as He Himself prescribes? Let's look at some of the relevant passages, not isolating them, but considering them altogether. Remember, we are talking about a principle found throughout the whole of Scripture here, not just a verse or two.

The Sacrifices of Cain and Abel

“And in the process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenence fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door....”(Genesis 4:3-7a). Why was Abel's sacrifice acceptable to God while Cain's was rejected? Abel followed God's example that blood sacrifices cover sin (Genesis 3:21). Cain, however, used his creativity to worship God. Note that there is no clear commandment from God that Cain WAS NOT to offer fruits and vegetables. However, Cain is told that had he done well, he would have been accepted (Genesis 4:7). Abel's sacrifice was made with faith, and was a more excellent sacrifice (Hebrews 11:4). Cain's sacrifice, on the other hand, is called an evil work (1 John 3:12). What can be done in faith except that which God has commanded? What is evil except that which is contrary to what God commanded? Therefore, I suggest that God commanded the sacrifice of animals, but can, while not directly breaking a “thou shalt not offer fruit to the Lord thy God” commandment, nevertheless broke the commandment by offering something other than what was commanded. If God doesn't ordain the element of worship, it is forbidden.

The Second Commandment

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (Exodus 20: 4-5; Deuteronomy 5:8-10). What is this commandment commanding? What is it forbidding? Surely it's not simply another way of stating the First Commandment that forbids the worshipping of other gods. While the first commandment speaks of Who we may acknowledge as True God, this Second Commandment speaks of how we may worship the True God. See how the Westminster Shorter Catechism deals with the Second Commandment:

Question 50: What is required in the Second Commandment?

Answer 50: The Second Commandment requireth the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed in His Word.

Question 51: What is forbidden in the Second Commandment?

Answer 51: The Second Commandment forbiddeth the worshipping of God by images, or any other way not appointed in His Word.

Thus the Second Commandment forbids us from worshipping God according to our own inventions and imaginations. We must have warrant from the Word of God to worship God in this or that way.

The Pattern of the Tabernacle

“And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it” (Exodus 25:8,9; cf. 40:16-32). God gave the blueprints for His worship. The Jews were not to invent anything or to get creative, but only to follow instructions. Moses built the instruments of worship “as the Lord commanded Moses.”

Nadab and Abihu's Strange Fire

“And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord” (Leviticus 10:1,2). Why did they die? Because they did something that “the Lord commanded them not.” God did not exactly forbid it, it simply wasn't commanded. This is not to say that God suddenly strikes dead all that worship with their own imaginations, but only that God does not approve of worship according to our own cool ideas, as inventive and sincere as they may be. Before we go offering something to God in worship of Him, we should make sure it was something He commanded us to do.

The Forbidding of Adding or Subtracting

“When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it” (Deuteronomy 12:29-32). God's people are not to worship the true God the same way the heathens worship their gods. God's people are to stick with what God told them. If God commands us to worship Him in one way, we may not add to it, nor may we subtract from it. We must do what is commanded, nothing more, nothing less, nothing different.

Pulling the Ark with Oxen

“And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. . . . And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God” (2 Samuel 6:3-7).

“Smote him for his error”? What's going on here? Killed for trying to save the ark? Surely this was a sincere effort to safely deliver the ark back to Jerusalem where it belonged. While it is true that Uzzah did violate a commandment to not touch the holy things (Numbers 4:15), we find more information about this from David who explains it this way: “For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order. So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord” (1 Chron. 15:13-15). So we see, that the problem is that they did not carry the ark “after due order.” The only way to move the ark is “according the word of the Lord.” The instructions David refers to are found in Numbers 4:5,6,15, where, search as you might, you will not find the commandment “Do not carry the ark with an ox” or “Do not try to catch the ark if it tips over.” But there is not need for such commands as these. If God tells us what is required, we are not to add or take away, but we are to stick to what is prescribed.

Jeroboam's Feast

“And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense” (1 Kings 12:32,33). Naughty Jeroboam offered sacrifices “in the month which he had devised of his own heart.” Shall we make religious feasts in months which we devise in our own hearts?

“Which I Commanded Them Not”

“And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart” (Jeremiah 7:31). John Calvin on Jeremiah 7:31:

"Which I commanded them not, and which never came to my mind. This reason ought to be carefully noticed, for God here cuts off from men every occasion for making evasions, since he condemns by this one phrase, "I have not commanded them," whatever the Jews devised. There is then no other argument needed to condemn superstitions, than that they are not commanded by God: for when men allow themselves to worship God according to their own fancies, and attend not to his commands, they pervert true religion. And if this principle was adopted by the Papists, all those fictitious modes of worship, in which they absurdly exercise themselves, would fall to the ground. It is indeed a horrible thing for the Papists to seek to discharge their duties towards God by performing their own superstitions. There is an immense number of them, as it is well known, and as it manifestly appears. Were they to admit this principle, that we cannot rightly worship God except by obeying his word, they would be delivered from their deep abyss of error. The Prophet's words then are very important, when he says, that God had commanded no such thing, and that it never came to his mind; as though he had said, that men assume too much wisdom, when they devise what he never required, nay, what he never knew."

Learning the Way of the Heathen

“Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not” (Jeremiah 10:2,3). When it comes to worshipping God, we are not to learn how to do so by the heathen. They do silly things like bring trees into their houses and decorate them (sound familiar?), but God wants to be worshipped according to His Word, not according to pagan ideas.

"God will not be honoured according to man's fantasy, but detesteth all good intentions which are not grounded on His Word."

The Geneva Bible (1560), note on Matthew 15:9.

The Traditions of Men

“Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 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 15:1-9).

Jesus says that teaching tradition instead of God's Word makes you someone who worships with lips, but not with the heart. True worshippers worship according to God's Word, and not according to man-made tradition. Why else would Christ object to the washing of hands before a meal, unless the Jews were requiring the hand washing as religious ceremony? In vain do they worship Him.

Spirit and Truth Worship

“The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:20-24).”

Here a Samaritan (Samaritans' center of worship was at Gerizim, according to their own tradition, and not at Jerusalem according to God's Word)is told by Christ that she doesn't know what she's worshipping, salvation is of the Jews (i.e., her worship is false because it is not according to the lawful form commanded by God to the Jews). Worshipping in Spirit and in truth then, is to worship according to God's revealed will, not according to our own traditions or inventions.

Observing What God Commanded

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:20). Christ did not say “teach them to observe all things whatsoever I command you, plus any other good stuff you might come up with using your creative skills.” The disciples were to teach what Christ taught, period. No room for man-made tradition in the worship of God.

Worshipping With Men's Hands

“Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25). God does not need you to worship him, nor does he benefit from it. If you say he gains anything by your worship of Him, then you are saying He was imperfect or incomplete to begin with. So, then, He is not worshipped according to man's work, but only according to His own prescribed means. He created man, man therefore does not tell God how man will worship Him!

Desiring to Be Back in Bondage

“But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain” (Galatians 4:9-11). Paul is either talking about man made pagan holy-days, or of the Jewish holy-days instituted by God Himself, but now done away along with the rest of the ceremonial/sacrificial worship system. If he meant the latter, does the same not apply so much more for the former? If the New Testament Church is not to go back to the holiday’s instituted by God under the Old Covenant, what makes you think we can invent our own holy-days and place ourselves in bondage to them?

Respecting Holidays

“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh” (Colossians 2:16-23). “Will-worship”? Now what do you suppose that is? Apparently, according to Paul, it is any self-imposed religious practice like refraining from meat, wine, worshipping angels, observing the now obsolete Holy days and Sabbaths (note, plural, meaning the Jewish high Sabbaths), and similar things. This is not worship which is according to God's will, but man's will… according to the commandments and doctrines of men, hence, “will-worship.”

The Reformation Principle of Sola Scriptura

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). God's Word is our standard. It alone is profitable for our doctrine (including our doctrine of worship), for reproof (how will we know false worship if we don't know what real worship should look like?), for correction (how can we correct our false worship practices if we have no standard?), and instruction in righteousness (including how we may worship God righteously). God's Word only, not God's Word plus our neat ideas and creative juices, but God's Word alone, is our standard.

"In short, every chance invention, by which men seek to worship God, is nothing but a pollution of true holiness."

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, IV.X.26

So What?

Ok, we have briefly touched on some of, but not all of, the Scripture proofs which establish what we call the Regulative Principle of Worship. So what does this have to do with Christmas and Easter? The way we figure, it means that in order to demonstrate that it's ok for Christians to celebrate Christmas, you must,

A) Prove from the Bible that the regulative principle of worship is hogwash, and that God says we can worship Him any old way we please without any rules. Or,

B) Prove from the Bible that God intends for Christians to annually celebrate Christmas and Easter as an act of religious devotion. Or,

C) Prove that celebrating these holidays (holy-days) is not related to worship, and therefore is not a violation of this regulative principle of worship.

We've yet to see anyone prove any of the above. And so, we will refrain from celebrating these holydays.

"Men cannot, without sin, appoint any holy days."

John Brown of Haddington, A Compendious View of Natural and Revealed Religion.

Does God Require that Christian's Celebrate Christmas and Easter?

Having demonstrated that God will be worshipped only as He Himself ordains, we now move on to see whether or not we have command or approved example of celebrating these holydays. This does not require much space or time, because there simply is no command to celebrate Christmas or Easter. Nor is there any example of Christ or the Apostles celebrating these holydays. This is for the simple reason that Christmas and Easter did not exist yet! Christmas was not celebrated until the 4th Century. Admittedly, Easter was observed earlier on due to it's close association with the Passover, though not observed by Christ or the Apostles or by anyone else in the Bible. Without command or example, we are left with no biblical warrant for celebrating these days, and therefore no reason to suppose that God intends for Christians to celebrate them.

Are Christmas and Easter Holydays?

Well, of course they are. You don’t even have to sing five words of “Silent Night” before you are calling Christmas Eve a “holy night.” The question then is, are they God ordained holydays or the traditions of men. This was answered already immediately above, but let’s look at these two holydays for a bit. The word Christmas comes from “Christ-Mass.” The Mass is the gross abomination the Roman Catholic Church uses to replace the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper to be avoided by all True Christians. The Roman Catholic Church has plenty of Masses and Feasts for various Saints and Angels… the one on December 25th happens to be one they have for Christ. So, who cares? Think about why you celebrate Jesus’ birthday on December 25th. Did you get that from the Bible? Where is the date of Jesus birthday documented in the Bible? So, why December 25th? That date wasn’t taken from the Bible, but it wasn’t pulled out of a hat either. It is the date of the Winter Solstice and of the decadent Roman feast of Saturnalia. The date is a pagan holyday, friends. It was “Christianized” along with the rest of the Roman Empire in the 4th Century. Yes, December 25th is a holyday, a pagan holyday, with Christ added to it by decree of the Pope. Should this day be observed by Christians?

And what of Easter, or Ishtar, or Eastre, or Astarte (variations on the name of the Teutonic goddess of Spring)? You guessed it. Easter has it’s roots in pagan worship as well, and once again, we can thank the Roman Catholic Church for mixing a little bit of Jesus into the pagan festivities. Every wonder why all the bunnies and eggs during Easter time? Where do you suppose we got the idea for these bunnies and eggs? They are both pagan symbols of fertility, and are associated, not with Christ and His resurrection, but with pagan springtime festivities. But wait a minute! Despite the pagan bells and whistles, isn't it true that Christians are celebrating the resurrection of Christ on this day? Can't we just forget the bunnies and eggs and call it "Resurrection Day?" In answer to this we ask you, what need of this one-day-a-year holyday do we have if we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ weekly, on every Lord's Day?

"All festivals should be abolished, and the Lord's day alone retained."

Martin Luther, To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation

Conclusion

Why did we stop celebrating Christmas and Easter? Quite simply, we did so for the glory of God, and in obedience to Him. God commanded us to worship Him only as He Himself has appointed. Christmas and Easter are not appointed by God, but by the traditions of men. We are not to worship God according to the traditions of men. And so the question is not so much why we do not celebrate Christmas and Easter, rather...

Why do you continue to celebrate these pagan holydays under the guise of Christianity? And what fellowship does Christ have with Belial?