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Celebrating Secular Holidays in the Church: Biblical Perspective

The Bible describes various types of feasts and festivals, primarily within the context of ancient Israelite religious and social life. These events served multiple purposes, ranging from expressions of hospitality and domestic joy to significant religious observances [1, 2].

In ancient Israel, feasts were held for occasions such as births, marriages, and the weaning of children [1, 2]. They also marked agricultural cycles like sheep-shearing and vintage [2]. Hospitality was a common reason for feasting, as seen in Genesis 19:3 and 2 Samuel 3:20 [1]. Religious festivals, however, were central to Israelite life, with specific days, months, and years set aside for holy convocations and offerings [3, 4]. These included daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly observances, with strict guidelines for their practice [4].

The major religious festivals included:

These religious festivals were not merely social gatherings but were deeply intertwined with the sacrificial system and the covenant relationship between God and Israel [1, 22]. They were meant to foster national unity and remembrance of God's acts [1].

In the New Testament, the emphasis shifts from the observance of specific days and festivals to a more spiritual understanding of worship and community. Paul, in Galatians 4:10, warns against a return to observing "days, and months, and times, and years" as a means of merit, which he associates with a legalistic mindset [20, 21]. While this does not preclude the Christian observance of the Lord's Day, it highlights a distinction between Old Covenant ceremonial law and New Covenant freedom [20].

The early Christian community is depicted as a unified body in Christ, where distinctions based on ethnicity or social status are transcended [16, 18]. The church is described as one body with many members, each having a unique function, emphasizing harmony and mutual care [12, 13, 14, 17]. This unity is rooted in Christ, forming a holy temple where God dwells [15, 19]. The call for believers is to present their bodies as a "living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God," which is their "spiritual service" (Romans 12:1) [7]. This suggests that Christian devotion is not confined to specific days but encompasses the entirety of one's life.

Sources

  1. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Feast — As a mark of hospitality (Gen. 19:3; 2 Sam. 3:20; 2 Kings 6:23); on occasions of domestic joy (Luke 15:23; Gen. 21:8); on birthdays (Gen. 40:20; Job 1:4; Matt. 14:6); and on the occasion of a marriage (Judg. 14:10; Gen. 29:22). Feasting was a part of the observances connected with the offering up of sacrifices (Deut. 12:6, 7; 1 Sam. 9:19; 16:3, 5), and with the annual festivals (Deut. 16:11). "It was one of the designs of the greater solemnities, which required the attendance of the people at the sacred tent, that the oneness of the nation might be maintained”
  2. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Entertain — Entertainments, "feasts," were sometimes connected with a public festival (Deut. 16:11, 14), and accompanied by offerings (1 Sam. 9:13), in token of alliances (Gen. 26:30); sometimes in connection with domestic or social events, as at the weaning of children (Gen. 21:8), at weddings (Gen. 29:22; John 2:1), on birth-days (Matt. 14:6), at the time of sheep-shearing (2 Sam. 13:23), and of vintage (Judg. 9:27), and at funerals (2 Sam. 3:35; Jer. 16:7). The guests were invited by servants (Prov. 9:3; Matt. 22:3), who assigned them their respective places (1 Sa”
  3. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Festivals — I. The religious times ordained int he law fall under three heads: + Those formally connected with the institution of the Sabbath; + This historical or great festivals; + The day of atonement. + Immediately connected with the institution of the Sabbath are-- a. The weekly Sabbath itself. b. The seventh new moon, or feast of trumpets. c. The sabbatical year. d. The year of jubilee. + The great feasts are-- a. The passover. b. The feast of pentecost, of weeks, of wheat-harvest or of the first-fruits. c. The feast of tabernacles or of ingathering. On each of ”
  4. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Festivals, Religious — There were daily (Lev. 23), weekly, monthly, and yearly festivals, and great stress was laid on the regular observance of them in every particular (Num. 28:1-8; Ex. 29:38-42; Lev. 6:8-23; Ex. 30:7-9; 27:20). (1.) The septenary festivals were, (a) The weekly Sabbath (Lev. 23:1-3; Ex. 19:3-30; 20:8-11; 31:12, etc.). (b) The seventh new moon, or the feast of Trumpets (Num. 28:11-15; 29:1-6). (c) The Sabbatical year (Ex. 23:10, 11; Lev. 25:2-7). (d) The year of jubilee (Lev. 23-35; 25: 8-16; 27:16-25). (2.) The great feasts were, (a) The Passover. ”
  5. STEPBible TIPNR “Biblical proper name: [email protected]=H6453 — Name of a feastival (refs: #Name of a feastival; <br>called <strong="H6453">Passover or Passover lamb or Passover offering</str)”
  6. Numbers “Numbers 29:12 (Geneva1599) — And in the fifteenth day of the seuenth moneth ye shall haue an holie conuocation: ye shall do no seruile worke therein, but yee shall keepe a feast vnto the Lord seuen daies.”
  7. Romans “Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. -- Romans 12:1”
  8. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Weeks, Feast of — See [665]PENTECOST.”
  9. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Solemn meeting — (Isa. 1:13), the convocation on the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:36; Num. 29:35, R.V., "solemn assembly;" marg., "closing festival"). It is the name given also to the convocation held on the seventh day of the Passover (Deut. 16:8).”
  10. 2 Chronicles “Kill the Passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare for your brothers, to do according to Yahweh’s word by Moses.” -- 2 Chronicles 35:6”
  11. Leviticus “For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You shall eat of its increase out of the field. -- Leviticus 25:12”
  12. 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 12:12: 12:12-31 The church is like a body (see 12:27) composed of many different parts, each with its own function as determined by God (see 12:11, 18, 28; Rom 12:4-5).”
  13. 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 12:27: members in particular--that is, severally members of it. Each church is in miniature what the whole aggregate of churches is collectively, "the body of Christ" (compare Co1 3:16): and its individual components are members, every one in his assigned place.”
  14. 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 12:20: But now are they many members,.... Of different make and shape, in different parts and places, and of different use and service: yet but one body; all are united together, and make up one complete body, and which without each of them would not be perfect: so there are many members in the body of Christ, the church; some are teachers, others are hearers; some give, and others receive; but all make up but one church, of which Christ is the head; nor can anyone of them be spared; was anyone wanting, even the meanest, there would be a deficiency, and the church ”
  15. Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 3:15: 3:15 Just as Christ is one, so there can be only one body of Christ (see 1:18; Eph 4:4-6). Allegiance to Jesus as Lord must transcend differences and will result in peace (harmonious relationships).”
  16. Galatians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Galatians 3:28: 3:28 There is no longer: Everyone comes to Christ and receives God’s promises in exactly the same way (cp. 1 Cor 12:12-13; Eph 2:14; Col 3:11). • male and female: Cp. Gen 1:27. • you are all one: The community of believers is one body, the body of Christ (see Rom 12:4-5; 1 Cor 12:27; Eph 2:15-16, 19-22). • in Christ Jesus: See Col 2:6–3:11.”
  17. 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 12:25: 12:25-26 The church is a unified body, so harmony and care for each other in the church is essential.”
  18. 1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 12:14: For the body is not one member - The mystical body, the Church, as well as the natural body, is composed of many members.”
  19. Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:21: 2:21 Joined together in Christ, Gentile and Jewish Christians become a holy temple for the Lord, because the Lord himself is among his people (see Matt 18:20; 28:20; 1 Cor 3:16; 1 Pet 2:4-5).”
  20. Galatians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Galatians 4:10: To regard the observance of certain days as in itself meritorious as a work, is alien to the free spirit of Christianity. This is not incompatible with observing the Sabbath or the Christian Lord's day as obligatory, though not as a work (which was the Jewish and Gentile error in the observance of days), but as a holy mean appointed by the Lord for attaining the great end, holiness. The whole life alike belongs to the Lord in the Gospel view, just as the whole world, and not the Jews only, belong to Him. But as in Paradise, so now one portion of tim”
  21. Galatians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Galatians 4:10: Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. Lest the apostle should be thought to suggest, without foundation, the inclination of these people to be in bondage to the ceremonies of the law, he gives this as an instance of it; which is to be understood, not of a civil observation of times, divided into days, months, and years, for which the luminaries of the heavens were made, and into summer and winter, seedtime and harvest, which is not only lawful, but absolutely necessary; but of a religious observation of days, &c. not of the lucky and unlucky days, or o”
  22. Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 13:10: Christianity and Judaism are so totally distinct, that "they who serve the (Jewish) tabernacle," have no right to eat our spiritual Gospel meat, namely, the Jewish priests, and those who follow their guidance in serving the ceremonial ordinance. He says, "serve the tabernacle," not "serve IN the tabernacle." Contrast with this servile worship ours. an altar--the cross of Christ, whereon His body was offered. The Lord's table represents this altar, the cross; as the bread and wine represent the sacrifice offered on it. Our meat, which we by faith sp”
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