Jesus Died & Freed me from Christmas

[NaphtaliPress]

Article from last year I think I missed, and you may have too.
"
Not to change your mind, but to inform you of fellow believers, three types of Christians emerge during the Christmas season:

The first Christian is bright-eyed and filled with holiday cheer.

The second is the stone cold curmudgeon that wants everyone to know that he or she hates Christmas and everything merry and bright. [I do have to ask though, does this person actually exist? I know folks are accused of this, but, --C.C.]

The third type of Christian that emerges at the end of December is that which cannot in good conscience keep Christmas, but attempts to not destroy Virginia’s longing to know the meaning of the day....."

https://gentlereformation.com/2021/12/23/Jesus-died-freed-me-from-christmas/

 

[Jeri Tanner]

I saw this last year. I noticed when I read itthat Rev. Eshelman spoke of himself as “the weaker brother,” apparently for holding the view he holds? That was a bit disconcerting; but not sure what he meant by it unless he were to clarify.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

I saw this last year. I noticed when I read it right that Rev. Eshelman spoke of himself as “the weaker brother,” apparently for holding the view he holds? That was a bit disconcerting; but not sure what he meant by it unless he were to clarify.

He's a member here; maybe he can comment: @N. Eshelman

 

[Eyedoc84]

I saw this last year. I noticed when I read it right that Rev. Eshelman spoke of himself as “the weaker brother,” apparently for holding the view he holds? That was a bit disconcerting; but not sure what he meant by it unless he were to clarify.

I saw that, too. The weaker brother in Rom 14 is the one who feels bound to the feasts and diet laws, not the one freed from them.

 

[CJW]

Thank you. I had not seen it, and it was extremely well written. I shall share it with my children, who suffer slightly from ‘greener grass syndrome’ at missing out on the shiny baubles and tinsel so prevalent this time of year. It’s a much more kindly worded article than my curmudgeonly diatribes against the day usually descend into!

 

[MChase]

When I read the article last year, I took the Romans 14 bit as a rhetorical bit and not an exegetical conclusion. Nevertheless, many took issue with it. I think it is a good piece.

 

[Pergamum]

Yet the torments of Mariah Carey remain whilst I still live in this mortal frame!

 

[VictorBravo]

Yet the torments of Mariah Carey remain whilst I still live in this mortal frame!

I really don't want to do a websearch--I acknowledge cultural illiteracy. But it does sound like a trial.

 

[N. Eshelman]

I changed the rhetorical line concerning weaker brother to say, I must admit that you see me saying, "I am the weaker brother, although I wish I were strong." Hope that improves the article.

 

[Tree]

If I am correct that the weaker brother is the one who's conscience is more restrictive than nesesary, then if celebrating x-mas is not a sin in and of itself, the stronger brother is the one who feels free to celebrate or not as long as it doesn't violate God's commands about the Sabbath. Right?

 

[Parakaleo]

If I am correct that the weaker brother is the one who's conscience is more restrictive than nesesary, then if celebrating x-mas is not a sin in and of itself, the stronger brother is the one who feels free to celebrate or not as long as it doesn't violate God's commands about the Sabbath. Right?

You are on the right track here.

Yes, the weaker brother is someone whose conscience is overly tender and they can also be judgmental and/or censorious when spying out others' liberty. I think of myself when I was a fairly new believer around 18 or so, thinking anyone who had alcoholic beverages in their fridge was probably not a believer at all. My conscience had not yet been instructed by the whole word of God and I was judging others based mostly upon my own standard.

The stronger brother is not only someone who has been well informed by the word of God and is more discerning, but they are also happy to forego their own liberties at a moment's notice if doing so will assist a weak believer in their walk with the Lord. This is what makes him "strong" and not just "knowledgeable". Just because the strong brother is willing to forego liberties willingly, it doesn't mean he has to come under permanent bondage to the tyranny of the weak brother's ill-formed conscience. The strong brother is able to seek to instruct the weaker brother's conscience with patience and arguments from the word of God. Lord willing, the weaker brother's conscience will be instructed and the issue will be removed.

One problem is that (usually) no one thinks they are the weaker brother. I suppose someone might suspect they are the weaker brother if they are dealing with an issue they know they have never investigated, but to say you are actually the weaker brother after investigating a matter is like saying you are convinced on an intellectual level but are still waiting for your tender conscience to "catch up" with what you know in your head to be the truth.

Typically, the weaker brother is the one who says, "I cannot do ___________ because it wounds my conscience and ties me up in knots thinking I am sinning against God," and the stronger brother is the one who says, "I have liberty to do ______________ if it won't destroy my brother, it's expedient, I won't come under its power, etc."

 

[Eyedoc84]

If I am correct that the weaker brother is the one who's conscience is more restrictive than nesesary, then if celebrating x-mas is not a sin in and of itself, the stronger brother is the one who feels free to celebrate or not as long as it doesn't violate God's commands about the Sabbath. Right?

In Romans 14 the weaker brother is the one who still feels bound to what God had commanded in the shadows, even though the substance has come and in reality he is no longer bound. Paul is instructing this church, with whom he had no previous personal relationship, to bear with one another patiently. We know from elsewhere in the NT (Col, Gal, Heb) that the weaker brother is not free to remain in his weakness once more fully instructed. Furthermore, no one, neither the stronger nor the weaker, is at liberty to approach God however he pleases.

 

[Northern Crofter]

I changed the rhetorical line concerning weaker brother to say, I must admit that you see me saying, "I am the weaker brother, although I wish I were strong." Hope that improves the article.

Thanks for taking the time - maybe also update your place of ministry in case people are visiting FL and looking for a place to worship?

 

[N. Eshelman]

Thanks for taking the time - maybe also update your place of ministry in case people are visiting FL and looking for a place to worship?

Not smart enough to do that.