Expert: Brenda Martin - 10/28/2008

Question
This passage talks about the festivals and the signs of the sun and moon. As a believing Christian, do we celebrate festivals like All souls Day? Or should we see believe the sunsigns? Please could you give a detailed explanation with supporting reason and verses. Thank You.. Flora

Answer
Hi Flora, you asked--"COLOSSIANS 2:16--DO WE CELEBRATE FESTIVALS LIKE ALL SOULS DAY?"

Well firstly; the scripture was written by the apostle Paul to the congregation in Colossae, he was telling them that; Christians are under NO obligation to join in such religious festivals and processions. In referring to festivals that had been required by God’s Law to ancient Israel, the apostle Paul wrote: “Let no man judge you in eating and drinking or in respect of a festival or of an observance of the new moon or of a sabbath; for those things are a shadow of the things to come, but the reality belongs to the Christ.” (Colossians 2:16, 17) The Christians in Colossae were to let no one judge their standing before God on the basis of observance of festivals of the Mosaic Law.

As for “all souls day”-- The 1910 edition of The Encyclopædia Britannica states: “All Souls’ Day . . . the day set apart in the Roman Catholic Church for the commemoration of the faithful departed. The celebration is based on the doctrine that the souls of the faithful which at death have not been cleansed from venial sins, or have not atoned for past transgressions, cannot attain the Beatific Vision, and that they may be helped to do so by prayer and by the sacrifice of the mass. . . . Certain popular beliefs connected with All Souls’ Day are of pagan origin and immemorial antiquity. Thus the dead are believed by the peasantry of many Catholic countries to return to their former homes on All Souls’ night and partake of the food of the living.”—Vol. I, p. 709.

The Encyclopedia Americana says: “Elements of the customs connected with Halloween can be traced to a Druid ceremony in pre-Christian times. The Celts had festivals for two major gods—a sun god and a god of the dead (called Samhain), whose festival was held on November 1, the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The festival of the dead was gradually incorporated into Christian ritual.”—(1977), Vol. 13, p. 725.

Such holidays honoring “spirits of the dead” as if they were alive in another realm are contrary to the Bible’s description of death as a state of complete unconsciousness.—Eccl. 9:5, 10; Ps. 146:4.

"OR SHOULD WE SEE BELIEVE THE SUNSIGNS?"

The Jews today celebrate the new moon with many detailed ceremonies and give it much importance. Christians, however, are shown that they are under no obligation to observe a new moon or a sabbath, which are only part of a shadow of the things to come, the reality being found in Jesus Christ. The festivals of natural Israel have a symbolic significance and a fulfillment in many blessings through God’s Son.

For the Colossians to identify their Christian belief with ritual would have been retrogression in their faith. Paul’s reasoning was, why follow only a shadow of truth? The real truth is in Christ. Therefore, to cling to a prophetic shadow is to obscure the spiritual reality to which those things pointed. Why? Because, as Paul said, “the reality belongs to the Christ.” Thus, such religious observances today are no part of true Christian worship.

Christians, then, are no longer required to observe these customs of divine origin, and certainly they should avoid festivals of pagan origin, which may involve the use of images and revelries. (Psalm 115:4-8) The apostle Paul warned: “Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial?” (2 Corinthians 6:14, 15) In other words, if we want to please God, we cannot mix true worship with false. How could we ignore God’s will and still please him?—Matthew 7:21.

No, God does not approve of pagan religious festivals with their processions. In fact, they will disappear together with all customs that dishonor Jehovah, as foretold in God’s Word. At Revelation 18:21, 22, false religion and its practices are linked to the pagan city of Babylon. It reads: “A strong angel lifted up a stone like a great millstone and hurled it into the sea, saying: ‘Thus with a swift pitch will Babylon the great city be hurled down, and she will never be found again. And the sound of singers who accompany themselves on the harp and of musicians and of flutists and of trumpeters will never be heard in you again.’”

All the best
Brenda