Discerning Between the Holy and the Unholy # 3

Discerning Between the Holy and the Unholy # 3

Then where do the Christmas and Easter holidays (derived from "holy day"_ come from? Both traditions started hundreds of years after the apostles. The Roman Catholic Church, in its efforts to bring in heathen converts, adopted pagan festivals and labeled them as belonging to Christ. In the case of Christmas, a drunken pagan festival in celebration of the winter solstice (celebrated as the birth of the sun god) was absorbed and relabeled as Christ's birthday. Easter derived from a celebration in honor of Ishtar, the goddess of spring and fertility, which accentuated her quality of fertility with eggs and rabbits. From the beginning these holidays were a mixture of unholy things with holy things. Is the celebration of these days of God or of man? Is it holy or unholy?

Let us think for a minute how these three examples act to profane God, to make Him appear unholy or quite common. In the case of clerical titles, a hierarchy is erected in the realm of God's church, displaying His assembly as just another worldly organization with one or more layers of superiors who have higher ranks and titles, give the orders, and perhaps have special privileges. Jesus pointed this out when He stated: "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them and those who exercise authority over them are called (by the title) "benefactors." (Luke 22:25). This thought is in utter contrast to the reality of Christ's life and the way of service to one another in His body. Jesus went on to say: "But no so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among us, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves." (Luke 22:26-27). Rather than special title, rank and privilege, the elders are not to be lords over others, but examples of godly living and serving. And, they are to serve willingly, not for the purpose of monetary gain for themselves, but for the benefits of those served (1 Peter 5:2-3; Acts 20:32-35).

Now let us think about the forming of denominations. All the people of the world are divided from one another by culture, race, class, etc. This is simply the reality of fallen humanity. But the one new man in Christ is completely different. It does away with all differences and natural divisions (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:10-11). The body of Christ is one (Romans 12:5), and God desires that the world see this oneness (Jn. 17:20-23). God is glorified (His holiness is expressed) when Christians assemble in a testimony of oneness (Jn. 17:22-23). Any divisive standing, practise, or attitude is condemned by the word of God (1 Cor. 1:10-13; 3:1-4; 11:17-19). Therefore, when we divide from another by taking a name for some exclusive grouping, we profane God (make Him appear common, natural and worldly) by our way of assembling. The wonderful testimony of oneness accomplished by the work of Christ is lost, and the world just sees another example of man's divisive ways.

In the two major Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter we see a great debasing of God. Many Christians long for Christ to be wonderfully testified by these times, and they may even look upon these times as "positive", in spite of all the "non Christian" holiday trappings, because Christ's name is put forth in public. Yet, I beg you to see God's perspective. Because these days have been from their beginning, filled with unholy things such as partying, drinking, and decorations having demonic and idolatrous meanings, instead of God being exalted by being mentioned, He is debased by being associated with these unholy things. A holy God is brought down to days of revelry, fleshly indulgence, Santa Clause, symbols of sexual fertility and the like. And, sad to say, the spirit of fleshly fun and indulgence is strongly present even among God's people in these celebrations. All of this is offensive to a holy God. Brothers and sisters, God wants holiness and purity, not a mixture of Himself with the things of the flesh and the world.

These are only three examples. There are other practices in Christendom that call for discernment and scrutiny. Those Old Testament priests serving in the tabernacle and the temple had no discernment. Now, we are the New Testament priests serving in the house of God, His church (1 Peter 2:5; 1 Tim. 3:15). If we would serve in a way that pleases a holy God, then we must learn to distinguish between the holy and the unholy. In our service, we should only serve in ways that are holy before a holy God.

We must realize that there are many traditions of men which contradict the word of God. This is a basic problem with the unholy practices that exist today in Christendom.

"He answered and said to them, 'Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, "This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men.' " (Mk. 7:6-8).

Spiritually speaking, any tradition we will not give up that violates the word of God is really an idol. An idol does not have to be something tangible carved out of wood or stone. There is also idolatry that is just a matter of the heart, where the person worships something in his heart, which thus becomes an idol (Ezek. 14:3). It is here that we begin to touch the real principle of idolatry. An idol replaces the true and living God for us (Ex. 20:3-5; 1 Thess. 1:9). An idol replaces God by competing with God for our devotion. An idol can be anything that competes with the honor, the love, the devotional, the allegiance, the attention or the service that belongs to God alone.

Given this spiritual understanding of idols, we may say that one of the most common idols is religious tradition. Man made traditions exist today that are unsupported by the Bible, yet these are permitted and followed with devotion by Christian churches. If one tries to point out that a tradition is unscriptural, you can be assured that most probably such a correction will be met with resistance or outright antagonism. No one may dare touch these revered idols! They hold a sacred place in the hearts of their adherents.

May the Lord open our eyes to this matter of traditions. May we see how offensive unbiblical traditions are to a holy God. To mix unscriptural traditions with scriptural practices in the house of God is one example of a New Testament equivalent of what the priests in Ezekiel's day did by placing idols in the sanctuary.

~Tom Finley~

(continued with # 4)