Is Reformation Day a Protestant Saints' Day?

[earl40]

It is not parallel because we are to reject taking our cues from monuments of idolatry. The pretended holy days are monuments of past and present idolatry and are idols themselves as Gillespie shows in his EPC.

The parallel would not be unlike the rejection of Christmas Monday-Sunday. I understand the RPW is a guard for Sunday, though the connection to how we are not to observe "days,months or years" is appropriate in my opinion.

 

[Joshua]

I would reply "yes" but this would be unbefitting. Think of what I am trying to say (obviously poorly) with the idea of having a sacred event, like Christmas, outside of Sunday. Replace any admonition to reject Christmas Monday through Sunday here on the PB, and replace it with the words Reformation Day. You will find how well this works many times.

I'm denying the [lawful] existence of "Saint's Days," period. I am not supporting a day of religious devotion not instituted by the Lord. On the other hand, a voluntary gathering with the Lord's people -not for a worship service- in remembrance of a great day in history, celebrating with games, food, etc., I am not sure how that can be forbidden. Nothing official. Nothing particularly special. Just a time to get together and have fun . . . like 4th of July, like Bob's Birthday, like . . . well, you get it.

 

[earl40]

I'm uncomfortable (to put it mildly) with the church engaging in any recurring, annual observances of a religious nature. If a date on the calendar (other than the Lord's Day each week, of course) would have us, as the church, say, "It's time we gather for a solemn assembly, a holy convocation," or even, "an uplifting time of prayer, singing, and attending upon the preached word," I'm going to say, "On whose authority?"

Church power is declarative, not enactive. This is why it is right for the church to announce a day of thanksgiving in response to God's extraordinary works of providence; that would be declaratory. This is also why it would be wrong for the church to establish a recurring feast day. That would be to drift into the realm of enactive power.

This is what can happen to a reformed church as posted below by a congregation I love dearly.


It's the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation!
This Sunday, join us for a service of worship and celebration! Bring a friend!
It's an exciting Sunday:

• Pastor "...." will preach a message entitled, 500 Years of Peace.
• Our new Director of Student Ministries, "....", will assist in worship leadership.
• Our choral group will lead a musical offering.
• We will hear more about our fall generosity campaign.
• We'll continue our new five-week Sunday seminar celebrating the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation in Room 604 at 9AM.
• Right before the sermon, we will invite children, K-5th grade, to enjoy a special teaching time designed just for them.

 

[earl40]

I'm denying the [lawful] existence of "Saint's Days," period. I am not supporting a day of religious devotion not instituted by the Lord. On the other hand, a voluntary gathering with the Lord's people -not for a worship service- in remembrance of a great day in history, celebrating with games, food, etc., I am not sure how that can be forbidden. Nothing official. Nothing particularly special. Just a time to get together and have fun . . . like 4th of July, like Bob's Birthday, like . . . well, you get it.

I'm denying the [lawful] existence of "Saint's Days," period. I am not supporting a day of religious devotion not instituted by the Lord. On the other hand, a voluntary gathering with the Lord's people -not for a worship service- in remembrance of a great day in history, celebrating with games, food, etc., I am not sure how that can be forbidden. Nothing official. Nothing particularly special. Just a time to get together and have fun . . . like 4th of July, like Bob's Birthday, like . . . well, you get it.

On Sunday?

 

[Joshua]

On Sunday?

I just answered the question posted in the title. Obviously, what I mentioned above could be misused, perverted, and made something that it is not. That does not make it a "Saint's Day," which cannot lawfully exist, as there is but one day in seven that the Lord has appointed as a holy day, the Lord's Day, the Sabbath Day, the first day of the week. Of course we should not have petty parties on the Lord's Day, when we get to take part of the delectable gifts of the King at His palace. I don't celebrate Bob's Birthday on the Lord's Day. I don't gather for an historical remembrance of our independence on the 4th of July if that falls upon the Lord's Day. I am not willing to call the Lord's Day "Reformation Day" if it happens to fall on October 31st, etc. etc. But none of those was the question in the title of the thread. Has a remembrance of the Reformation become abused? Maybe. I don't know. I don't pay much attention to what all the other churches are doing. But their abuse, misuse, or perversion of an indifferent matter does not mean I may not lawfully take part in my aforementioned activities (not on the Lord's Day, duh).

 

[jwithnell]

Well, we come together in the evening to enjoy fellowship with four surrounding OPC churches and many others too. We have a worship service from call to benediction with four (count 'em) sermons around a particular text or topic. Seems like an extraordinary Lord's day to me!

 

[Parmenas]

That was precisely my point: it is not celebrated as a day of thanksgiving, so it cannot be classified as a day of thanksgiving. I don't know of examples in the Reformed church of celebrating it as a religious holy-day, but the example of assigning "Reformation Sunday" and viewing that Sunday or Reformation day as an extra special day for worship does raise eyebrows. (You can google for it; maybe I will later; I found something from the PC(USA). And then of course, there's the Gospel Coalition link and others that call it a "religious holiday.")

Thank you for your response. I understand what you are saying; I agree with you. Such practices are very questionable.

 

[earl40]

I'm denying the [lawful] existence of "Saint's Days," period. I am not supporting a day of religious devotion not instituted by the Lord. On the other hand, a voluntary gathering with the Lord's people -not for a worship service- in remembrance of a great day in history, celebrating with games, food, etc., I am not sure how that can be forbidden. Nothing official. Nothing particularly special. Just a time to get together and have fun . . . like 4th of July, like Bob's Birthday, like . . . well, you get it.

I understand I am pressing here and only would like for you to clarify the above. If one wishes to celebrate a past providential event Our Lord did why would one classify it as it as "nothing particularly special"?

 

[Steve Curtis]

Every "event" - past, present, or future - is providential. Thus, by definition, they cannot all be "particularly" special!

 

[VictorBravo]

It's funny. I didn't realize it was the 500th anniversary of Luther's posting until I read this thread. I've been way too immersed in the pressings of my local life, apparently.

Our church isn't doing any sort of thing like an observance. We plow on through Scripture regardless of the world's time-keeping.

This anniversary's on a Tuesday, right? I don't drink beer, but I'm tempted to find a nice doppelbock and crack open my copy of Bondage of the Will for an evening read this coming Tuesday. Just 'cause. Like Josh said, it's like a birthday.

 

[Joshua]

I understand I am pressing here and only would like for you to clarify the above. If one wishes to celebrate a past providential event Our Lord did why would one classify it as it as "nothing particularly special"?

Less like “pressing,” Brother, and more like “reaching.” Nothing “particularly special” in context of “holy” special. I’m a little surprised that such is not understood, given the context, and pretty much anything I’ve said on this forum concerning pretended holy days and the 4th Commandment. The sabbath day is the only holy day appointed by God under the NT administration of the Covenant of Grace. The Lord brooks no competitors in that regard. If one is remembering, recognizing, propping up or otherwise comparing the value of October 31st, 1517 instead of or alongside the sabbath day, then one is wrong to do so. If one is attaching religious devotion to it, then one is wrong to do so. This, however, is not to say that there cannot be a thankful remembrance of it (again, NOT on the Lord’s Day) as a turning point in history with joy, food, drink, and with the Lord’s people. If this be the case, let us turn aside from any planned gatherings with the Lord’s people that do not fall upon the sabbath day. Unlike silly Santa day, and Ishtar, this was never a day set up for co-opting pagan forms under the guise of Christian “holy days” to bring in said pagans and call them Christians. Just a wonderful day in the history of providence, and lawful to be remembered and celebrated, but not as a holy day, or a religious worship, or on the sabbath day.

 

[BG]

Gentlemen what do you think about the following: suppose the civil magistrate declared the last Thursday in October to be an official state celebrated holiday called reformation day, would it be wrong to celebrate this day?

 

[earl40]

Not wanting to associate Reformation Day with the RC idea of Halloween. People will express to many a happy Reformation Day, that is not officially recognized by the church, but is set apart by many members in the church, and of which is not any type of religious celebration of any sort.

How in the world do we do this with "Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years." Knowing that the observance of days, months, seasons, and years were set apart outside of the official function of the church of Israel.

Allow me to beat a dead horse to death.

 

[OPC'n]

It's not nice to beat dead horses to dead.

 

[earl40]

It's not nice to beat dead horses to dead.

No doubt many will think that is exactly what I am attempting to do. Sort of like winning The Triple Crown which is very difficult.

As a side note I believe the part I posted "which is not any type of religious celebration of any sort" should be addressed, because to think of this day as not a type of "religious celebration" is the part many justify setting apart that day as some type of holy holiday. in my opinion the Y or I on holyiday makes no difference. The fact of the matter is many are setting apart a day which I wholeheartedly agree Our Lord used in His providence.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

What is the difference between marking today some way for a time, maybe no more than giving thanks that God sent Reformation during one's normal prayer time, or in marking someone's birthday or the first of the year as well making appropriate prayers in relation thereto? If there is no sacred significance attached to the day, how does the apostle's warning apply? Is your objection that some are formally calling this day Reformation day?

 

[Steve Curtis]

And a hearty Happy Reformation Day to you, too - and from Wittenberg, no less.
[Actually, in Berlin now. We concluded our conference in Wittenberg yesterday.]

 

[Joshua]

The new thread that is essentially asking the same question asked before has been merged with the thread in which the newly minted thread originator had before asked essentially the same question. Please note, also, that the question had been answered; thus, there was no reason to create a new thread essentially asking the same question.

Likening a voluntary non-religious celebration of an historical event does not equate to religiously observing a day that the Lord has never appointed. It is freely and happily admitted that a religious observance of a day, essentially appointing it as holy, by the inventions of men is a violation of -at the very least- the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, and 10th commandments (and tied to all of them, in one way or another). That is not what is being argued.

The freedom for men -apart from the Lord's Day, and not in a holy or religious manner- to have a day of remembrance for a significant positive historical event is lawful, is what is being argued. This is not difficult, or -at least- shouldn't be. The reference to Galatians 4, wherein the Apostle gives reproof for observing days, months, and years is a reference to Leviticus 23, all which once "holy convocations" had been abolished. Celebrating/remembering the pivotal event nailing of the 95 theses on the door of Wittenburg chapel:

1. Is no such religious convocation formerly appointed by the Lord to his people.
2. Has no ties to a particular religious worship service, and no association with any monument of past idolatry.​

This is no Christ-mass. This is no Ishtar. This is not meant to be some religious celebration taken up in the church, on the Lord's Day, as a religious service.

 

[earl40]

What is the difference between marking today some way for a time, maybe no more than giving thanks that God sent Reformation during one's normal prayer time, or in marking someone's birthday or the first of the year as well making appropriate prayers in relation thereto? If there is no sacred significance attached to the day, how does the apostle's warning apply? Is your objection that some are formally calling this day Reformation day?

Yes I would see a problem with calling it Reformation Day, and this is the same as calling Dec. 25th Christmas...In other words, one should not connect any day of the week with "religious significance" which has passed with the coming of Jesus. I understand the thought of not attaching religious significance but I know this stretches credulity. I am attempting to be consistent on how we ought to live our lives according to The Word which as has been quoted before in this paraphrase....."If Our Lord forbids past religious observance of prescribed days that were given in the OT how can one not understand the connection with current man made holi-holydays which are set apart".

 

[earl40]

The freedom for men -apart from the Lord's Day, and not in a holy or religious manner- to have a day of remembrance for a significant positive historical event is lawful, is what is being argued. This is not difficult, or -at least- shouldn't be.

The "apart from the Lord's Day, and not in a holy or religious manner" is impossible. Just saying.

 

[Joshua]

The "apart from the Lord's Day, and not in a holy or religious manner" is impossible. Just saying.

"Just saying" does not make it so, my Friend. We hold remembrance and observance of things all the time "apart from the Lord's Day, and not in a holy or religious manner." Civil days of remembrance. Birthdays. So on, so forth. I am truly baffled that you cannot ascertain this nuance. But I will help you. Thread is closing. Do not bring up any more threads or posts about this matter. It is just silly.