Christmas and Romans 14:5-6a

by Joe Garnett

One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth

every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own
mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and
he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it
Romans 14:5-6a

Proponents of Christmas often appeal to these verses1 to defend their

celebration2 of this pagan holy day. At first glance this scripture
appears to support their position. But the Bible student should look
closer, determining the context and whether this passage can have
application to the syncretistic festival of Christmas.

Most commentators teach that Romans 14 deals with Christian

liberty. It does, by way of interpretation, only narrowly. By way of
interpretation merely two problems are covered, that of whether or
not to eat certain meats and whether or not to observe certain days.
With regard to Christmas, it is needful that we deal only with the
observing of days.

The disputes in this passage take place not because there are simply
differences of opinions. The disputes arise because some in the
church are weak (immature) and others are strong (mature). This is
important to keep in mind because in time one should expect the
problem to be solved by the immature becoming mature. (Of course
we understand that there might be others coming into the church
continually with the same problem, thus protracting the dilemma for
some time).

The goal of Biblical instruction is to make the saint a mature person in

Jesus Christ (Col. 1:28). Thus in regard to this passage, we need to
understand that if all the believers in the church had reached a
certain degree of maturity, the problem would not have existed. The
solution that Paul gives should be considered a temporary solution for
these weak brothers and not a permanent one. (No one would
disagree that Christians should always respect and love each other).
We should expect these who are now weak to one day become
strong as they reside under proper instruction.

The specific problem in verses 5-6a concerns the keeping of days. It

appears that the majority of commentators understand the problem to
arise from young Jewish converts to the Christian faith. These
converts feel obligated to continue to observe Jewish holy days. This
should not surprise us for these were proper days for them to observe
prior to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. They have not at this time
received the understanding that it is no longer necessary for them to
observe these days under the new covenant. We find them in a
transition period in which they are confused. If they were to not
observe these days they would feel that they were not being obedient
to God. They don't have a grasp on the glorious truth that the work of
the Lord Jesus Christ is complete and the days that they observe are
only shadows of His fullness (Col. 2:17).

To summarize, I make these observations:

• The dispute involves different understandings between weak

and strong brothers in Christ.

• The weak feel that they must observe the Jewish holy days as
they were previously commanded to do.

• The strong understand the completed work of Jesus Christ and

the new covenant make these days obsolete.

• These different understandings cause dissension.

• The only possible solution at this time is for both groups to

accept one another in love.

• In time we should expect the weak to become mature after they

have been instructed in the truth and come to an understanding
of what Jesus Christ has accomplished.
This is believed to be the interpretation of this passage or its proper
understanding. Thus we must expect anyone making application from
this passage to keep this understanding in mind at all times.
This is the question which now comes before us: Is the Christian
observance of Christmas protected by way of application in this
passage? To determine this let us consider the circumstances
involved in both cases and see if there are any likenesses.

Situation addressed in Romans Situation of present day X-mass

14
The young Jewish believers observed a
day.
The Jewish converts were keeping days
that they were previously obligated to
observe.
When the weak Jewish convert kept a day,
there were disciplines that he performed.
For instance, if he felt he needed to keep
the sabbath, he had instruction from the
scripture with regard to his activity (Deut.
5:12-14).
The observances of these young Jewish
believers did not take place in the church.
The day that the weak brother regarded, he
regarded it unto the Lord. The observance
that he performed he rendered without the
presence of those who did not wish to take
part in the observance. For certain
observances he most likely went to the
synagogue. The strong brother was not
celebrants
Those who celebrate Christmas are
celebrating a season and a festival. Although
they claim to celebrate a day, their actions
betray them. Long before the day arrives they
will be putting up trees, shopping for presents
(not for Jesus), building and placing creches,
decorating with lights and other objects
(many of occultic background), planning and
going to parties and endlessly talking about
these activities.
The Christmas celebration has never been
sanctified by scripture. It is built upon the lie,
which is acknowledged by most everyone,
that Jesus Christ was born on December 25.
Rather than having support from the word of
God, it is man made religion which is
condemned by Jesus (Matt. 15:9).
The celebrants of Christmas adhere to no
spiritual disciplines. If they were to spend the
day in the scripture with fasting and prayer
they could at least be commended. However,
the day will be spent by most in a festive
atmosphere, eating, exchanging gifts and
doing whatever they choose to do. These are
the same "spiritual disciplines" that the
pagans have done as this Babylonian festival
evolved.
The Christmas celebration takes place within
the church as well as in the world. In most
churches the celebration generally consumes
the month of December with decorations in
the church building, parties, programs and
some emphasis in all the services. If there is
one who does not desire to celebrate, he
must choose between being absent or
enduring the festival.
required to endure the observances of the
weak.
The weak Jewish brother could be expected The celebrant of Christmas expects to
in time to mature and be released in continue in a syncretistic fable originating
conscience from observing obsolete holy from Babylonian mystery religion on a day
days. when the now glorified Son of God was not
born.
Thus, this writer concludes that Romans 14 does not exonerate the
practice of Christmas from scriptural condemnation. The day that the
weak Jewish convert observed was a day formally warranted by
scripture with designated disciplines. It was observed outside the
church without involving the strong.
The weak brother could be expected in time to mature in conscience
and no longer feel obligated to observe it.
In contrast, the "day" the Christmas celebrant celebrates is a pagan
originated festival of unknown duration having no basis in scripture
nor God-ordained disciplines. It is celebrated in the church and
considered immutable. Thus we see that there is no relationship
between the two "holy" days.
The scripture condemns such practices as Christmas. Jeremiah
10:2,3 tell us to "learn not the way of the heathen" and that "the
customs of the people are vain." In Matthew 15:9 Jesus explains that
men worship Him in vain, "teaching for doctrines the commandments
of men." In Colossians 2:8 we are told to beware lest someone
should spoil us "through philosophy and vain deceit, after the
traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world." I Timothy 1:4
instructs us to "neither give heed to fables ... which minister
questions."
Jude 3 exhorts us to "earnestly contend for the faith which was once
delivered unto the saints." The "faith" is the body of truth contained in
the scripture. Matthew 28:20 reveals that what is to be taught and
observed are "all things whatsoever I (Jesus) have commanded you."
Titus 2:1 commands us to "speak thou the things which become
sound doctrine."
Christmas is a deceitful Babylonian fable with assorted heathen
traditions added through the centuries. You cannot mix it with
Christianity and call it "worship in spirit and truth" any more than you
can mix skunk manure with honey and call it a feast.
Christmas is not part of the faith for which we are to contend. It is not
that which the Lord Jesus Christ has commanded us to observe. It is
not sound doctrine. Christians should abhor it for the demonically
inspired Babylonian myth that it is.

1
Another verse often used by the proponent of Christmas is
Colossians 2:16, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink,
or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath
days." They interpret this to mean that they can eat and drink what
they want and celebrate any day they wish. However the context
shows that evil men were demanding that the Christians keep certain
laws. Paul instructs them that they do not have to adhere to these
commands and that they shouldn't. His instruction is not that they can
keep a certain day, but that they are not obligated to do so by those
who would make them.
2
Celebrate has become a memorialized word in current Christianity.
One celebrates Jesus, the Lord's supper, Christmas, etc. The
common biblical term is keep with the idea of observe or do. I'm not
sure whether these words should be interchangeable. The 1966
College Edition of Webster's New World Dictionary makes some
distinction. "Celebrate implies the marking of an occasion or event,
especially a joyous one, with ceremony or festivity. Observe and the
less formal keep suggest the respectful marking of a day or occasion
in the prescribed or appropriate manner." There may likely be other
distinctions that have become clouded as our language degenerates.
However, I have not done the homework to know for sure. But for the
purposes of this paper, observe will be used to refer to the day found
in scripture and celebrate will be used when referring to the festival of
Christmas.