What defines undue regard to the old pretended holy days like Christmas?

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On the subject of religious observance of Christmas, pick whatever defense you want that argues from adiaphora, here is my question. It is not as though there is not idolatry and superstition surrounding this observance. Do churches that claim justification hedge about this observance and appropriately warn against wrong views and abuses of the day or is it more the case, or overwhelmingly the case, that generally you cannot tell the worship services of those making this argument apart from those that see and treat the day as a holy time. Or if that is unfair; where is the line to define an undue regard for this long pretended holy day?
 
I’ve offered to observe some of the different elements of this day (that are adiaphora in themselves) on a different day and then call the day by a different name and divest it of any spiritual significance whatsoever. Oddly enough, I was laughed to scorn and had to sleep on the couch for the next couple weeks. So in my experience, it’s all about the alleged spiritual significance of the day. My 2 cents For what it's worth.
 
To me as long as the ordinary elements of worship are included and nothing is being added I'm okay with "topics." The problem I see is that on a day like today many churches that would ordinarily have evening service are cancelling it. During this season many churches add "carols and lessons" services, hymns with worse theology than what is sung the rest of the year, decorating with questionable origin items, or are even adding elements of worship (like advent wreaths). To me these are of much greater significance than a sermon (or Scripture reading, etc.) or two around the topic of the nativity or the incarnation. I'm happy to hear preaching and the word read from wherever in the Bible. I prefer primarily preaching straight through books of the Bible, but this is not commanded--simply a good practice.

Topics are okay once in a while, and I could be convinced that society is thinking about it is enough to warrant visiting a topic. I don't think a "Christmas sermon" has to be preaching against observance of Christmas, though it could be. Perhaps a better one for today would be Lord's Day observance. But also, it seems like it could be a good idea to show the true purpose of the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ on this day to strip away all of the platitudes and false ideas folks have about it since it is already on the mind, for example.
 
I emailed our minister about it and while I think he admits that it is a man made tradition, he views any opportunity to gather for worship as a glorious thing. In the Dutch scene, where the civil magistrate mandated the closing of businesses on so called holy days, the synods decided that the best place for the church goers to be was in church, learning the true doctrines. The holding of services on these days was not originally to "observe" them, but to make the best of a bad situation. In our modern context, I think there is too much of the tradition which influences our practices.

Personally I look at it this way. I have the freedom, and in fact ought to praise God for all his works. This includes the incarnation of Christ. I have the freedom to praise God for the incarnation of Christ on any day of the year, and that includes Dec. 25. It is just as valid to have a sermon series on the incarnation in June as it is in December. But I do not "observe" the day in the sense that I am under no illusion that I must keep some kind of festival as an act of religious faithfulness. I would have no qualms with doing away with Christmas, it would not bother me. But as it is my conscience is not troubled to gather with other believers and hear the gospel on Dec. 25th.
 
Do churches that claim justification hedge about this observance and appropriately warn against wrong views and abuses of the day or is it more the case, or overwhelmingly the case, that generally you cannot tell the worship services of those making this argument apart from those that see and treat the day as a holy time.
Just from my experience, it is as you suspect and fear.

I’ve never seen any hedging or warnings, which leaves a large majority of the congregation in their belief that it is indeed a special, holy day.

The way I often try to explain it is that if you are raising Christmas to the level of the Lord’s Day, you are in actuality, and by necessity, lowering the Lord’s Day to a place below holiness.

You can’t claim the Lord’s Day is particularly holy, then treat other days as holy days as well.

But, the only responses I get in return are about the freedom to do it, no concern that it’s devaluing the Lord’s Day in the eyes of the congregation, etc.

This and Exclusive Hymnody (I’m not even convinced of EP currently), cause me periods of grief year after year. The reforming has stopped.
 
The superstition and idolatry of the day within the visible Christian Church has just turned me sick about the man made holy day as a whole (religious or secular). I do my best to remain kind and even plan to use other’s sentiments to try to have discussions about Jesus with those who say Merry Christmas. I still attend family gatherings, but that is it. I also try to fight against feelings of judgment and division towards those whose conscience is not troubled by private observance, though I pull no punches for those who sanction and lead candle worship and the cancellation of public worship that would normally occur on the Lord’s Day (morning or evening).
 
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Just from my experience, it is as you suspect and fear.

I’ve never seen any hedging or warnings, which leaves a large majority of the congregation in their belief that it is indeed a special, holy day.

The way I often try to explain it is that if you are raising Christmas to the level of the Lord’s Day, you are in actuality, and by necessity, lowering the Lord’s Day to a place below holiness.

You can’t claim the Lord’s Day is particularly holy, then treat other days as holy days as well.

But, the only responses I get in return are about the freedom to do it, no concern that it’s devaluing the Lord’s Day in the eyes of the congregation, etc.

This and Exclusive Hymnody (I’m not even convinced of EP currently), cause me periods of grief year after year. The reforming has stopped.
In our church order, as well as in the Canadian Reformed Churches, the order requires the calling of serivces on the Lord's Day, but does not do that for services on other days or for prayer services. Such services are not required.
I would tend to agree that we should be ensuring we do not treat these days as "holy" (they are not). Just merely pointing out that some churches who do hold services on these additional days do make a distinction.
 
The superstition and idolatry of the day within the visible Christian Church has just turned me sick about the man made holy day as a whole (religious or secular). I do my best to remain kind and even plan to use other’s sentiments to try to have discussions about Jesus with those who say Merry Christmas. I still attend family gatherings, but that is it. I also try to fight against feeling of judgment and division towards those whose conscience is not troubled by private observance, though I pull no punches for those who sanction and lead candle worship and the cancellation of public worship that would normally occur on the Lord’s Day (morning or evening).
Yikes.
 
In our church order, as well as in the Canadian Reformed Churches, the order requires the calling of serivces on the Lord's Day, but does not do that for services on other days or for prayer services. Such services are not required.
I would tend to agree that we should be ensuring we do not treat these days as "holy" (they are not). Just merely pointing out that some churches who do hold services on these additional days do make a distinction.
Not disagreeing, but adding context. URCNA Church Order requires ("shall") Lord's Day Worship (and twice at that!) but that special services "may" be called. However, it does say that "Attention should also be given to Easter and Pentecost on their respective Lord's Days." which is unfortunate.

However, the URCNA version is softer than the original order of Dort on Xmas, which said "The congregations shall observe, in addition to Sunday, also Christmas, Easter and Pentecost...".
 
Not disagreeing, but adding context. URCNA Church Order requires ("shall") Lord's Day Worship (and twice at that!) but that special services "may" be called. However, it does say that "Attention should also be given to Easter and Pentecost on their respective Lord's Days." which is unfortunate.

However, the URCNA version is softer than the original order of Dort on Xmas, which said "The congregations shall observe, in addition to Sunday, also Christmas, Easter and Pentecost...".
Paul,

I don't know where you stand on this issue, but in our congregation, I think it is probably only myself and one other brother who get grinchy when it comes to Christmas. Our view is not popular and I try not to promulgate it too much. I still attend the worship service on Dec. 25 but I find myself enjoying Christmas less every year.
 
Paul,

I don't know where you stand on this issue, but in our congregation, I think it is probably only myself and one other brother who get grinchy when it comes to Christmas. Our view is not popular and I try not to promulgate it too much. I still attend the worship service on Dec. 25 but I find myself enjoying Christmas less every year.
I am against them, which (as you no doubt can appreciate) puts me in a tight spot as an elder. I do not attend the special services that do not fall on the Lord's Day, but try (outside of the consistory room) to keep my opinion to myself unless asked for it. However, since my family of ten takes up almost an entire row of chairs in the sanctuary, our absence is conspicuous.
 
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