A number of my special friends celebrated their birthdays recently. I did so also.
I was just thinking about how even birthday celebrations came under our scrutiny when we were raising our children. We wanted to make absolutely certain that what we were teaching our little ones had a Biblical foundation.
Many things changed in our lives during those years such as the day we worshipped on; discarding holidays which weren't sacred; wearing and then not wearing the head covering; which foods we eat; using natural healing methods; choosing to home school; even where we lived and what we did for a living.
A number of our fellow home schooling parents chose to discard birthdays at that time. We pondered this even as our children kept dying to miscarriages. We sought the Lord's will about honoring our births and found no reason for us to throw out birthdays with the bath water. I know that others have come to other conclusions and I respect that. However, we know that God leads each family where He wants them to be in all areas of our lives--physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
I'm sad to say that some friends did not wish to affiliate with us as we made these changes in our family. We decided to take one day a year to thank God for our special family members. Others did not wish to do that in their families. That's fine. What was hurtful was when solid Christian believers refused to communicate with us on the basis of things we DID or DID NOT discard. BIG SIGH!! I will write a disclaimer that ONE Christian family came to us saying that they were hoping we'd agree to disagree with them and they left our community with peace between us. Thanks much Hamiltons!
We kept following the Lord's plan for our family acknowledging that His plan for other families IS different than what He has planned for ours. What right do we have to judge His plan for another family? Even more necessary to ponder--what right do we have to reject other families if God's plan for them isn't just like what He has planned for us?
It is in this spirit of openness that I share the article that Father just asked me to read. I think it is VERY well written but others may not agree. I see often how satan uses these differing plans God has for families to divide and conquer the communion our Father in Heaven desires for us. How this must grieve the heart of our Father who loves all of us and who has a plan for EVERY SINGLE LIFE to be fulfilled and happy.
I pray that the article below blesses everyone who has taken the time to read my thoughts today. To all who have birthdays around the holidays, I wish a very blessed belated birthday greeting. If you are following Christ, you're not getting older--YOU'RE GETTING BETTER!!
Happy birthday!!
Dawn
Should Christians celebrate birthdays?
Question: "Should Christians celebrate birthdays?"
Answer: There is no prohibition against a Christian celebrating birthdays in Scripture, nor is there anything to indicate we are required to celebrate them. Scripturally speaking, a Christian’s celebrating a birthday is a non-issue. The Bible does mention two individuals celebrating birthdays: the Egyptian Pharaoh in Joseph’s time (Genesis 40:20), and King Herod in Jesus’ time (Matthew 14:6; Mark 6:21). Some point to these references as evidence that celebrating birthdays is wrong; since both men were non-believing individuals, their birthday celebrations are seen as some form of pagan ritual. However, that conclusion is not readily drawn from either passage. The Bible does not even hint that it was wrong for Pharaoh or Herod to celebrate his birthday. Neither does Scripture anywhere discourage a Christian from celebrating a birthday.
In his epistle to the Romans, Paul addresses the issue of which day should be the day of worship, but perhaps we could also apply this to Christian birthday celebrations: “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord” (Romans 14:5–6). If a Christian celebrates a birthday as a special day, that’s all right; if a believer does not celebrate birthdays, that’s all right, too. Let each be “fully convinced in his own mind.”
Of greater importance than whether or not a Christian celebrates birthdays is how he or she glorifies the Lord in all activities (1 Corinthians 10:31). If a Christian throws a birthday party, the party should glorify the Lord; sinful behavior should not be part of a birthday celebration. If a Christian skips birthdays, he or she should fill his time with things that glorify the Lord.
Whether or not a Christian celebrates a birthday, he should strive for a clear conscience and love of his brothers and sisters in Christ. Those who celebrate birthdays should not despise those who don’t, and those who don’t celebrate birthdays should not look down on those who do. As with all issues not specifically addressed in Scripture, we have the freedom to celebrate or not celebrate birthdays, according to personal preference. Recommended Resource: Balancing the Christian Life by Charles Ryrie
Answer: There is no prohibition against a Christian celebrating birthdays in Scripture, nor is there anything to indicate we are required to celebrate them. Scripturally speaking, a Christian’s celebrating a birthday is a non-issue. The Bible does mention two individuals celebrating birthdays: the Egyptian Pharaoh in Joseph’s time (Genesis 40:20), and King Herod in Jesus’ time (Matthew 14:6; Mark 6:21). Some point to these references as evidence that celebrating birthdays is wrong; since both men were non-believing individuals, their birthday celebrations are seen as some form of pagan ritual. However, that conclusion is not readily drawn from either passage. The Bible does not even hint that it was wrong for Pharaoh or Herod to celebrate his birthday. Neither does Scripture anywhere discourage a Christian from celebrating a birthday.
In his epistle to the Romans, Paul addresses the issue of which day should be the day of worship, but perhaps we could also apply this to Christian birthday celebrations: “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord” (Romans 14:5–6). If a Christian celebrates a birthday as a special day, that’s all right; if a believer does not celebrate birthdays, that’s all right, too. Let each be “fully convinced in his own mind.”
Of greater importance than whether or not a Christian celebrates birthdays is how he or she glorifies the Lord in all activities (1 Corinthians 10:31). If a Christian throws a birthday party, the party should glorify the Lord; sinful behavior should not be part of a birthday celebration. If a Christian skips birthdays, he or she should fill his time with things that glorify the Lord.
Whether or not a Christian celebrates a birthday, he should strive for a clear conscience and love of his brothers and sisters in Christ. Those who celebrate birthdays should not despise those who don’t, and those who don’t celebrate birthdays should not look down on those who do. As with all issues not specifically addressed in Scripture, we have the freedom to celebrate or not celebrate birthdays, according to personal preference. Recommended Resource: Balancing the Christian Life by Charles Ryrie
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