Every time we come around the "holidays," we see a division amongst Christians. There are those who are against the holidays, because the holidays are pagan (and they ARE), there are those Christians who are clueless, and then there are those Christians who know the holidays are pagan, but they celebrate anyways, clinging for dear life to the below two Scriptures:

"One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks." -Romans 14:5-6

and

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days" -Colossians 2:16

I posit to you that when people who refer to themselves as Christians run to the above Scriptures to justify their committing spiritual adultery, via keeping pagan holidays, that they are committing the atrocity of massively taking Scripture out of context, and manipulating the bible to say what they want it to say.

I can show this to be the case. Simply read the whole chapters, and surrounding chapters that the verses in question come from.

The verses preceding Romans 14 says:

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." -Romans 13:8-14

Clearly, we see arguments here that show we should be against partaking in pagan holidays and festivities. It says we are to cast off the works of darkness, and not to make provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. Notice, though, that the above started out by talking about the Torah/the law. THIS is the context and the subject! It is saying that Christians are no longer under the law, but fulfill the law, by loving their neighbor. Keeping this in mind, we now move on to the very next verse, which is chapter 14, verse 1:

"Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations." -Romans 14:1

He that is "weak in the faith," is referring to a Christian who has weak faith. Stronger faithed Christians are told to receive the weaker faithed Christians, but NOT to doubtful disputations. Therefore, we receive them, but we don't partake of their weaked-faithed errors, but rather show them, by example, how a mature Christian is to walk. Doubtful disputations of the weak Christian, under the context as we saw from the verses before this, would be a Christian who thinks they need to keep the full Torah. However, the earlier verses already explained to us that love is the fulfillment of the law. Therefore, we fulfill the law, by receiving the weak Christians, but we don't fall for their doubtful disputations, about the law.

"For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand." -Romans 14:2-4

The weak Christian is unsure of the meat at your table. Is it Levitically ceremonially clean or unclean, according to the Torah? Notice it's the non-weak believer who believes all meats have been made clean for him, but the weak believer resorts to eating just the vegetables at the table, because he's afraid of breaking one of the ceremonially clean/unclean Levitical laws of the Old Testament. This weak believer doesn't yet understand that the Christian's food is sanctified, and made ceremonially clean by prayer and thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4:3-5), and that the Christian is dead to the law (Romans 7:1-4), and is a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Notice the above doesn't say that the stronger faithed Christians are not to judge the weak Christians. It says we are not to despise them. Despise is the Greek word exoutheneō, which means despise, set at nought, esteem less, or hold in contempt. Keep this Greek word in mind, for it will come up again in this chapter. Yet, for those weak in the faith, they are instructed to not judge us - the ones who eat the meat. Why? Logically, how could a weak Christian judge a strong one? This makes perfect sense, as proper judgement requires knowledge. What's funny, is this means that those who twist this Scripture, into trying to use it for them to justify celebrating pagan holidays, also must see that they are 1) Weak, and 2) Not allowed to judge us Christians who know better, and therefore who refuse to partake in the pagan festivities. However, there is nothing here that says the stronger (more mature, knowledgeable) Christian can't judge the weaker one. It only says we are not to despise them. We automatically see (judge) that they are weak in the faith, after all, and then is it not our duty, as the more mature Christians, to help them grow, by showing them the Scriptures, and where they are in error?

"One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living." -Romans 14:5-9

The weak Christian esteems the Torah feast days (found in Leviticus 23), while the strong Christian esteems every day a holy day unto the Lord. The weak Christian is not to be despised by the strong Christian for keeping the Torah feast days, and the strong Christian is not to be judged by the weak Christian for keeping every day holy unto the Lord. This passage again also re-iterates the eating aspect. The weak Christian does not partake of certain meats, because he fears they are Levitically ceremonially unclean. The strong Christian follows 1 Timothy 4:3-5, and eats the food.

The above passage of Scripture in Romans 14 says "For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself." This is reminding us of the context. No Christian in their right mind keeps a pagan holiday, thinking that it brings them in higher esteem in God's eyes. Yet, a weak-faithed Christian may think they need to keep the Torah Feasts to gain Godly esteem. A true Christian has an urgent push and desire to love and serve the Lord. We want to do what is right, and pleasing to God. The weak Christian just hasn't gotten strong enough in their faith yet, to know how, so some fall into Torah Observancy, until they mature past that.

As a side note, even Peter was beginning to fall for the weak ones' doubtful disputations, and he had to be rebuked by Paul:

"But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." -Galatians 2:11-16

Continuing through Romans chapter 14...

"But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." -Romans 14:10-12

Judging, above, is referring to the weak Christian's reaction to the stronger Christian's not partaking of the Torah feasts and laws. "Set at nought," above, is the exact same word in the Greek for "despise," from verse three, which is exoutheneō. This shows us that "but why dost thou judge thy brother" is referring to the weak Christians judging the stronger Christians, and "why dost thou set at nought (exoutheneō) thy brother" is referring to the stronger faithed ones despising the weaker faithed ones.


And now for the rest of Romans 14:

"13 Let us not therefore judge {weak Christians judging stronger Christians} one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way {that the stronger faithed Christian not cause the weaker Christian to stumble in their walk}.

14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin."

"There is nothing unclean of itself." This is why under 1 Timothy 4:3-4, all meats are clean for the Christian. However, if the weak Christian deems a meat unclean, and he fears that eating it will hurt his walk with God, then the weak Christian shouldn't partake of the meat, because to him it is unclean. Remember, this is referring to the one weak in the faith.

The above says "but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." This is referring specifically to eating meats that have been dedicated to, or sacrificed to idols. We know this, because of 1 Corinthians 8:9-13. Take a look:

"But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." -1 Corinthians 8:9-13

If the weak Christian sees the meat at your table, and knows it was sacrificed to idols, and they think it'll be a sin for them to eat it, then you shouldn't eat it in front of them. Why? Because: "shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols?" Otherwise, the strong Christian can eat that meat, because they sanctified it to the Lord before consuming it, and the strong Christian knows that the meat being sacrificed to an idol means nothing:

"As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one." -1 Corinthians 8:4

But the Christian weak in the faith does not yet possess that knowledge:

"Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled." -1 Corinthians 8:7

The stumbling block for the weak Christian, is that if they see a strong Christian eating meat that was previously dedicated/sacrificed to an idol, the weak Christian thinks that the strong Christian is partaking of that idol, and then the weak Christian thinks it's okay to partake of that false god, and begins falling into spiritual adultery. Often, the case may be that this is a good time for the stronger Christian to turn to the Scriptures, such as those I'm showing you today, to help the weaker Christian, and perhaps the weak Christian's faith will increase, since: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." -Romans 10:17

Wrapping up Romans 14: The weak Christian thinks they have to keep the Torah feast days, the Levitical ceremonial clean eating laws, and that they can't eat meat sacrificed to idols. The strong Christian knows they are dead to the law, and born again as new creatures in Christ, that the law is fulfilled in love, and that meat sacrificed to idols has no power over the strong believer. However, should a weak believer see a strong believer eating meat sacrificed to idols, it can cause the weak believer to stumble in their walk, because they are already weak. The strong Christian isn't to despise the weaker Christian, and the weaker Christian is not to judge the stronger Christian.

As you hopefully see now, Romans 14 is not referring to if it's okay for Christians to keep pagan holidays. It is talking about weak Christians thinking they need to keep Torah, and judging the stronger Christians who know they are dead to the law, as per Romans 7. This topic is set in Romans 13:8-9. If one still insists on trying to use Romans 14 to justify their keeping pagan holidays, then they must also admit that they are weak in the faith, and are not allowed to judge those Christians who do not partake of the pagan festivities (and are stronger in the faith). Furthermore, Romans does not say that the Christians who don't partake of the pagan festivities cannot judge those that do. However, context is clear that the days in question are the feast days of Leviticus 23, NOT pagan holidays, past, or current, etc.

The verses preceding Romans 14 do warn against keeping pagan holidays and more, when they say:

"The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying." -Romans 13:12-13

A sadly large amount of people who call themselves Christian partake of up to several pagan holidays each year. Some being: Halloween, Christmas, and Easter. Pagan religious customs are to be avoided by the people of God, as laid out more times than I can count, in both Testaments. We are called to "cast off the works of darkness," and to "walk honestly." The Bible tells us that Jesus was born around September 29th, not anywhere near Winter Solstice: the "death" and resurrection of the sUn. Baal was born around December 25th, and all Christmas festivities are actually unto him, but the names and reasons have been changed to "Christian" sounding ones. Therefore, Christmas is not of the TRUTH. Halloween is a no-brainer. Any Christian celebrating Halloween has some serious praying to do. Easter - it's in the very name! Easter is English for the word Ashtoreth. Ashtoreth is the pagan false god, female deity that the Bible talks about. Ashtoreth (Easter) SUNday involved adoring Ashtoreth and her resurrected son/sun, sunrise services, dying eggs, and much, much worse. In the Bible, the people of God were continually reprimanded for going after Ashtoreth (Easter) and Baal (Christmas), and sadly, that has not changed. Multitudes of Christians do it, every year. Easter and Christmas are not at all Christian! It's a lie to say otherwise, and God is to be worshiped in TRUTH:

"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." -John 4:24

Well, we blew the Romans 14 excuse out of the water, of Christians trying to justify keeping pagan holidays, so what about their other pet verse?

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days" -Colossians 2:16 KJV

"Let no one, then, judge you in eating or in drinking, or in respect of a feast, or of a new moon, or of sabbaths" -Colossians 2:16 YLT

Colossians chapter 2 is great, because it touches on Torah Observancy, pagan holidays, and new age practices. The very chapter that people run to, to justify keeping the pagan holidays, is the same chapter that says Christians are NOT to partake of these things! Take a look:

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." -Colossians 2:8

Pagan holidays are built up from traditions that man has created, to celebrate his false deities. The above tells the Christian to not partake in these traditions of men.

The verses right before the passage in question, clearly lay the context, for what types of "days" Colossians 2:16 is referring to:

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." -Colossians 2:13-15

The above is talking about how through Christ, we are no longer under the law: Circumcision/uncircucision of the flesh, the ordinances, etc. It is referring to the ordinances given to the Israelites in the Torah:

"And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do." -Exodus 18:20

Right after these verses, about the ordinances being nailed to the cross, we come directly to the verse that many Christians abuse, and take out of context:

"Let no one, then, judge you in eating or in drinking, or in respect of a feast, or of a new moon, or of sabbaths" -Colossians 2:16 YLT

The above is saying to the stronger Christian to not the let weaker Christian judge them, for not keeping Torah. The meat is referring to what is Levitically ceremonially clean, the holyday is refering to the Torah feast days, as laid out in Leviticus 23, as are the new moon, and sabbath days. In case one is still unclear on this, the very next verse clinches it, and wraps this up:

"Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." -Colossians 2:17

The Torah was a shadow of things to come, which things were and are fulfilled in Christ. The ones partaking in these "shadows," are the weak Christians described in Romans 14. Clearly, Colossians 2, like Romans 14, is referring to the weak Christians thinking they have to keep the Torah feast days. Neither chapter is saying it's okay to keep pagan holidays. That's not even close to context. Quoting either of the first two scriptures in this article in order to justify one's celebrating pagan holidays, is a deceptive, manipulative, and a gross misuse of the Holy Word of God.

The next verse gives a little reminder to not fall for New (old) Age philosophy, either, such as angel worship:

"Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind" -Colossians 2:18

As you should now clearly see, both the Romans 14 passage, and the Colossians 2 passage are not at all saying it's okay for Christians to partake of the pagan holidays, such as Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc. No! It's saying that some Christians, weak in the faith, may think they have to keep Torah, and the Torah Feast days. Both passages, contextually refer to the Jewish Feast days, NOT pagan holidays.

In fact, both areas clearly tell us NOT to partake of the pagan festivities:

"The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying." -Romans 13:12-13

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." -Colossians 2:8

Meanwhile, what about those weak Christians who feel they have to partake of the Torah feast days? As we've already seen in some of the previous quoted Scriptures, we are not to despise (exoutheneō) them, but we should reprove them, which means show them the Scriptures, and teach them.

In Galatians, Paul says to those Christians he had to reprimand:

"Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" -Galatians 4:16

The divisive Christians are not those who are sounding the alarm, and calling Christians back to their First Love. The divisive Christians are the ones standing in our way. If you are a Christian, sounding the alarm, trying to awaken the sleeping Christians from their worldly slumber, I salute you. Good job, and keep the faith. You are making a difference. God is working through you, to awaken His children.