Of those that have been, what convinced you not to observe at least some aspect of today?

[NaphtaliPress]

Just curious since it is sometimes surprising what makes people jettison it, but when and by what means were you convinced to reject in whole (holyday and holiday) or in part (one or the other) the observance of this day today? For me it was just before the day (how rude!) in 1983 or 1984, and it was Kevin Reed's historical work on the subject (Christmas: A Historical Survey {Dallas: Presbyterian Heritage Publications, 1983}). I built on that with Gillespie's arguments in English Popish Ceremonies which I first published in 1993 and likely Calderwood and other Scots Presbyterians featured in Naphtali Press's Anthology of Presbyterian & Reformed Literature (1988–1993). Person, tract, article, book, confession, history, etc.

 

[Stephen L Smith]

the observance of this day today?

Does this apply to a specific country. In South Africa, the UK, Australia, NZ etc it is the 26th Dec.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Does this apply to a specific country. In South Africa, the UK, Australia, NZ etc it is the 26th Dec.

No; if it is tomorrow already; read December 25th.

 

[JH]

For me personally, directly through Naphtali Press works and "memes" and Westminster Directory. Gillespie's work has been chief (brought it with me upon Christmass vacation visiting the family), then a mixture of RPCNA/Free Church Continuing sermons, followed by prayer and a faithful searching of the scriptures and the historic positions of the Reformed faith. It was thanks to you that I found out the Continental Reformed were not as monolithic in support of holydays as people painted them to be, and it appears most of them who did support them, was due to the civil magistrate's peer pressure. Gillespie settled for me that no man, no matter how high ecclesiastically or civilly can make a day holy, but God alone.

Gillespie has chiefly convinced me that even if it's not considered obligatory by ministers, it is still not expedient.

 

[Tom Hart]

Not even sure what finally convinced me of the badness of man-made holy-days. It was a few years ago, anyway, not long after I turned Reformed, Sabbath-keeping, and psalm-singing.

Like the Sabbath and psalmody, the rejection of man-made holy-days was something I could not argue against. It was not easy at the time; I grew up very fond of Christmas and Easter traditions (and I admit to being somewhat nostalgic for the food and the smells of the cultural observance.) I was convinced of the RPW, and, as I saw it, there was no room for man’s invention. Christmas was another domino that couldn’t be left standing.

It was probably made easier for me to reject Christmas and Easter since I had moved to East Asia. Those days are not such a big deal here; though Christians observe them, they are still foreign imports lacking the cultural weight of the local traditional holidays. I have a Canadian friend who is an atheist, and he is still very attached to Christmas traditions, and I can see that he doesn’t quite grasp my rejection of them, but Koreans won’t be bothered if your home is not decked out in Christmas stuff. (Although Korean Christians will certainly take issue if you explain something like the RPW.)

 

[VictorBravo]

It was Scripture for me. Truth be told, I was open to any reason not to observe it. Without going into gruesome details, my family history inclined me to want to avoid the season altogether.

I credit two other experiences. For a while we worshipped in a Brethren (closed) assembly. For all the odd ideas they had, one thing they were firm on was a form of the regulative principle. They didn't observe any days but the Lord's Day.

The other, earlier, experience was a dream I had while I was an unbelieving church organist for a Roman Catholic church in my late teens. It was after a Christmas mass with all the bells and incense, candles and chants. I slept that night and dreamed of a false Jesus standing in dirty robes behind a velvet roped-off area. You had to pass a reservation desk if you wanted a blessing from him. On the registration desk was a little sign: "Mastercard and Visa accepted."

Boom chink. Christmas was tied into the whole ball of wax for me.

 

[Afterthought]

Primarily through Schwertley's book on the matter (for all his faults, it was helpful!). I then had some doubts about the secular observance later, which some emails with some ministers helped persuade me to avoid and navigate the season better.

 

[Joshua]

Scripture and meditating on the concepts well-expressed in Jeremiah Burroughs’ Gospel Worship. Over the years, reading through the OT story of the LORD’s people -with much emphasis on the northern kingdom (Israel/Ephraim) - and how the LORD’s severe correction of them took place for their idolatries, were instrumental in rooting out even the “cultural” aspects of it. I still have so very far to go in the more subtle corruptions of idolatry that yet reside in this idol self.

 

[Jeri Tanner]

I can’t remember all the specific ones but it was the cumulation of threads and articles linked to on the PB that began germinating, and each year for about the past five I was more and more troubled by my participation. However it was only this year that the final cut was made in any tie that still attached me to it; I think I mentioned in another thread that family scheduled a party last Lord’s day, and I saw the hateful competition the season is to the Lord’s interests. (And next year the day falls on the Lord’s day!) A friend had pointed me to Rob McCurley’s sermon A Holy God and Holy Days. I saw the idolatry of the day much more clearly than I had been able to before. The threads we’ve had on it here have been a comfort to me as I’ve navigated tender feelings of children and grandchildren.

 

[83r17h]

I read through The Church of Christ by Bannerman with a friend, and the portion in there about holy days convinced me. Since then, I've had people try to persuade me otherwise in discussion. I usually ask "what's so important about December 25th," and that question is really the thing that clinches it for me. If it was truly just circumstantial, then the exact date wouldn't matter. I'm supposed to rejoice because of the incarnation every day in private worship, and particularly on Sundays in public worship! From there, it becomes a matter of trust in God's sufficiency. If he thought I needed more, then he would have given me more. Since he hasn't, and since I already keep daily private worship and the Sabbath imperfectly, then wouldn't keeping a holiday for spiritual benefit be more than just an act of distrust, but also an aggravation of my failures in the worship he has assigned? That's an unsettling question.

 

[CJW]

Someone made a comment at a ladies Bible study that their family only did the secular, but not the religious, observations of the day. Being an Anglican at the time, I thought “what a ridiculous statement!! We are to bring all of culture to Christ and sanctify it.” So I set about to find some Biblical warrant to help her escape from such foolish notions. Instead I found the Puritan board, met the RPW, and had that bit of hubris and false notions fairly jerked out from under me! I was gobsmacked well and truly that there were Christians with biblical warrant not celebrating the whole ‘reason for the season!’ Also happened providentially to be reading Exodus and the building of the tabernacle at the time, which is full, full, FULL of statements to do all things as God has commanded. So…. I gleefully abandoned Dec. solstice stuff (which I always guiltily loathed), left the Anglican Church, found a Presbyterian church, and here I am. Next came head covering and EP. It was a momentous year for me . Birthdays got the axe a couple of years later.

I saw the dear lady who had made the statement some years later, and told her the story, and how very much I appreciated her statement, and apologised for thinking she was so far off base

Might have been 2009 or thereabouts.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Herald]

For me there was a separation between an ecclesiastical view of Christmas and a civil/home view. The references provided by the Puritan Board went a long way to convincing me that the church has no business creating a holy day that is not supported by scripture. Outside of church environs has been different. Trying to wean my family away from all the accoutrements that go with the holiday have been for naught. Considering that few in my family are amenable to any aspect of Reformed theology has caused me to pick my battles wisely.

 

[Ben Zartman]

A.N. Martin's series "Christmas and the Christian" on Sermonaudio was the beginning. I always felt awkward as a child, wanting in myself for Christmas to be about gifts and trees and anticipation (of gifts), and being told that Christmas was really "about Jesus." How terrible to try to force a religious affection where it doesn't belong! But Martin points out that freedom to keep days also means freedom FROM keeping days that are not commanded.
It was a great day when I saw that I can celebrate a (any) cultural, secular holiday in whatever way I choose, so long as I don't make an idol of it, and am free from HAVING to celebrate Christmas or Easter or Thanksgiving as religious days, even if my church tries to fetch them into the regulated services.
So now I celebrate Xmas as a time to give and receive presents; to have decorations and paper and candy, as a commercialized, secular, cultural holiday; rejecting all the mushy, sentimental, idolatrous, and blasphemous aspects of it, just like I celebrate Independence day (who doesn't like fireworks?) or Guy Fawkes' day (same), or Cinco de Mayo (tacos), none of which I try to make into religious events.
For those who can't separate the origin of the day from what it's morphed into, or what I have made of it, I hope this does not cause you distress. I understand your point of view, and respect it.

 

[Christopher Robin]

While I "take advantage" of the fact that the whole world is talking and singing about the birth of Christ, I cannot in good conscience accept a "holy day" that Christ did not appoint. The same goes for Resurrection Sunday. I celebrate the resurrection of my Lord, and my part in Him on the cross, in the tomb, and in the world to come, the same principle applies.

 

[Grant]

Firstly, becoming a parent. Reflecting back on my time as a child (typical Santa and baby Jesus), I saw how my heart and joy were geared more towards gifts and Santa. I knew I did not want to make the same environment for my own kids, but did not really know “how” or “why”. Secondly, and thankfully, the reformed understanding of the 1st table of the the law gave me so much peace about my dislike about the weirdness of how our culture (inside and outside the church) observes Halloween, Easter, and Christmas. These are large idols. For many they have become the only days to go to church and the only days to gather with family, as if being more scared than the commandments given by our Lord. “You can cheat on your wife and absent your membership vows, but just make sure you come to mawmaws for fruit cake and attend the hand bell service with candles lighting and carols!!”

 

[Johan Mortensen]

As a child I found that gift giving didn't tend to foster a god-fearing spirit in myself. I found the increase of envy and a worldly spirit. I am not altogether against giving gifts, but we have decided to minimize that aspect in our own family. Similarly with a christmas tree, it having a pagan origin, we have decided not to have it (at least at present).
After having thought it through, I have however come to the conclusion that celebrating a feast in godliness is not against the law of God - which is why we still do celebrate this time of year - as well as other days throughout the year.

 

[therussellhome]

Like @Smeagol becoming a parent started me on the path to questioning how my faith integrated with how I live and thus discipled my children.

What is missing in the poll is the yearly discussion on PB which has, each year, challenged me afresh.

 

[JimmyH]

I find no command in Scripture to celebrate the birth of our Lord with a 'holy' day.
Reading the many threads on PB over the years had convinced me.

 

[ADKing]

Interestingly, for me, it wasn't initially any of the options listed in the polls. Growing up, we would always attend a "Christmas Eve" service. As I grew older, I remember experiencing a general unease with this. These services were always superficial and tacky. They introduced elements that typically these churches would never have had any other time of the year (like standing in semi-circles and lighting each other's candles). The songs were full of biblical inaccuracies, but people didn't seem to care even though they acknowledged this to be true. Meeting places were decorated with things that had no biblical justification. And although we were always told 'Jesus was the reason for the season' the practical outworking was to "tip the hat" to Jesus, so to speak, and then get on with what everyone "really" knew this time was all about. I think that it was primarily observing these things and being turned off by them that made me search out more information on the topic. I cannot remember what article I first found online now. But whatever it was, I was refreshed to know I was not the first person to think or feel this way. I was ready to be persuaded of the rationale for what experience had already taught me.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Interestingly, for me, it wasn't initially any of the options listed in the polls. Growing up, we would always attend a "Christmas Eve" service. As I grew older, I remember experiencing a general unease with this. These services were always superficial and tacky. They introduced elements that typically these churches would never have had any other time of the year (like standing in semi-circles and lighting each other's candles). The songs were full of biblical inaccuracies, but people didn't seem to care even though they acknowledged this to be true. Meeting places were decorated with things that had no biblical justification. And although we were always told 'Jesus was the reason for the season' the practical outworking was to "tip the hat" to Jesus, so to speak, and then get on with what everyone "really" knew this time was all about. I think that it was primarily observing these things and being turned off by them that made me search out more information on the topic. I cannot remember what article I first found online now. But whatever it was, I was refreshed to know I was not the first person to think or feel this way. I was ready to be persuaded of the rationale for what experience had already taught me.

The church I landed in after leaving the liberal PCUS I grew up in was an evangelical PCUS (which eventually lost its property when they left the PCUS for the PCA). The pastor had all the children come up and gave them a message and then made the blunder of asking, "we know what this time of year is all about, right?" (or words to that effect) One little boy excitedly screamed out "presents!" (I remember that word vividly!).

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

My experience was similar to that of Adam. The whole "Jesus is the reason for the season" argument never sat right with me. It just seemed like religious fanatics were trying to highjack the season in order to spoil everyone else's fun. When I began studying the regulative principle, it convinced me that my suspicions were correct.

 

[Grant Van Leuven]

We have on our website worship services page heading, "Jesus is the Reason for the Sabbath".

For me it was learning about the Regulative Principle of Worship in seminary and that affected a lot of changes for our trajectory with where we served/worshipped in formal covenant over time. And then studying the Westminster Standards and Presbyterianism more, and the Appendix to the the Directory for the Publick Worship of God on Holy Days (myself and our Session considering ourselves fully subscribing to this document and the Form of Presbyterial Church Government as well as the WCF and catechisms).

If interested, when Dec. 25 fell on a Lord's Day a few years ago here were our "Christmas Sermons" series for that morning and evening: https://www.sermonaudio.com/search....istmas&seriesOnly=true&sourceid=puritanchurch

 

[aaronsk]

I had not considered the topic prior to this year. Some threads on here sparked it in my mind. I then purchased @C. Matthew McMahon book on the subject and read that (there is a bundle available with his book and some older works) on my kindle https://www.puritanpublications.com/product/xmas-bundle-3-books-by-mockett-cawdrey-and-mcmahon/. I read some more threads on here and listened to the "infamous sermon" posted in one of the recent threads https://www.sermonaudio.com/saplayer/playpopup.asp?SID=1225111136427. Overall though it is scripture that convinced me as I tested the sermons, books and posts against what I found the scriptures to say. I will say coming from a Roman Catholic upbringing that saying no to the Christmass this year when visiting family (none of whom are Catholic anymore thankfully but are not reformed... yet) was something I had to chose my battles carefully with. Easter is up to bat now...

This discussion of Christmass for me was part of a bigger study I am doing on RPW that really started with the question "Is there a Christian Sabbath?" (so that I can prove out these doctrines myself with scripture). This has stemmed all kinds of rabbit trails and Xmas was one of them. I have a friend with whom I regularly debate theological topics - each taking a side, researching it and trying to discern the truth Sabbath, Xmas, RPW, Covenant Theology, Baptism have all been recent topics and very intertwined.

 

[hammondjones]

Probably a few things, in no particular order.

0. Threads on PB like "Annual Presbyterians Do Not Celebrate Lent" brought the very idea to my attention.

1. Having lived overseas a god bit, both my wife and I were used to critiquing others' customs and festivals for syncretism, but began to wonder if our own practices could withstand that same scrutiny.

2. Our increasingly robust (confessional) view of the Sabbath, without which, I think, the idea is a non-starter for most. In particular, it was a thanksgiving a few years ago when my wife remarked how much of a shame it was that the grocery store was so eager to proclaim themselves closed on a Thursday for the sake of their employees, but of course would be open every Sunday.

 

[Jeri Tanner]

Our increasingly robust (confessional) view of the Sabbath, without which, I think, the idea is a non-starter for most.

Great point.