Is Romans 14:5 About Fasting or the Sabbath?

This post examines the meaning of Romans 14:5 and what it means by saying that one person considers certain days more sacred than another, and specifically if it's talking about Sabbath keeping or celebrating Bible holidays. We will take a look at correct understanding of this New Testament passage to see that it's talking about fasting.

"One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind." -Romans 14:5

People often take this verse to mean:

-It doesn't matter what day we keep the Sabbath.

-That the Sabbath day is not more sacred than the other six days of the week.

-That Biblical holidays like Passover are of no consequence, because all days are the same.

-It's up to us to decide if anything related to the Sabbath or Bible holidays matters.

And if this one verse was all I had to go by, I'd have to say, all of those ideas would make sense...but we have 31,000 other verses of Scripture that we can check these beliefs against. It is reckless to pull one verse out of the Bible and insistent that it somehow undoes many other parts of the word of God. 

These interpretations are only possible when we yank the above verse grossly out of context. I had a science teacher with a somewhat defective skeleton in his classroom. There was a way he could grab the spine and it would completely separate from the rest of the bone structure. It was disconcerting to watch even a fake spine move like that. And that's basically what's happening to Romans 14:5.

People are quick to yank the fifth verse out and claim it's about the Sabbath, but the entire rest of the chapter is about food and eating! Look at the context: the passage starts with talking about how some people eat meat, but some stick to vegetarian diets, it talks about fast days, and the importance of not distressing others with what you eat.

Doesn't it seem rather odd to say that this verse is positively dealing with the Sabbath and/or Biblical holidays when it doesn't once mention them, and the entirety of the chapter is focused on eating? It wouldn't make a lot of sense for Paul to jam another topic in the middle of his thoughts on food...especially when we don't see that idea expressed anywhere else in the Old or New Testaments. Actually, Scripture repeatedly tells us the opposite of this thought...it says that the seventh day is holy. If the point of Romans 14:5 is to say that the seventh day is not holy, then that's totally out of line with many parts of Scripture.

So what does Romans 14:5 actually mean?

While there isn't any evidence suggesting that "one person considers one day more sacred than another," is supposed to mean, "You get to decide when the Sabbath is, or if there's even such thing as a Sabbath day." We know this cannot be what the Bible means, because the Bible many times says the opposite. One of the ten commandments is to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.

But if we look at this comment in light of the very next verse, we see that it's about fasting.

"Whoever regards as special does so to YHWH. Whoever eats meat does so to YHWH, for they give thanks to God, and whoever abstains does so to YHWH and gives thanks to God." -Romans 14:6

Romans 14:6 shows us that Romans 14:5 means that it's not a Biblical issue if you think one day is more sacred for fasting, than another. 

While Scripture speaks often of fasting, and the Messiah's words in Matthew 6:16 (When you fast, not if) imply fasting as a given in the lives of his followers, it does not specify certain days as especially good or not for fasting.

(A lot of people will bring up Yom Kippur and the directive in Leviticus 23:29 directive to 'deny yourselves.' Note that the word used for 'deny' is a different one from what Scripture uses for fasting. A case could certainly be made that fasting can be part of denying or humbling oneself, but it is not an explicit call for all Israel to fast. This could have been in debate at the time, and could even be what Paul is seeking to address in this part of Romans.)

Note that while Paul is validating differences between believers, he is doing so only in regards to actions that fit within Biblical law. Fasting and not fasting are both permissible in Biblical law, as are vegetarian diets and non vegetarian diets. Paul is not saying that actions don't matter at all and that believers are now free to cast away commandments of God. He's saying that certain differences are okay. There may be days when you feel especially called to fast, but it's okay if other believers don't feel this same call, because Scripture does not command all believers to fast on any specific day.

Romans 14:5 is saying that some people consider certain days more sacred...for fasting from food. Paul is saying that it's okay to think this or not, because while the Bible speaks of the significance of fasting, it doesn't say that any certain days are for fasting. 

Related posts:
Romans 14 Explained (Key to Understanding New Testaments Verses on Food)
Veganism is Not a Biblical Commandment
What Does Romans 8:28 Actually Mean? (God Works All Things Together For Good)

Why Some Christians No Longer Celebrate Christmas

There is a growing movement in the body of Christ that is setting aside the holiday of Christmas and no longer taking part in its festivities. These aren't people that are walking away from the faith or who no longer believe in the Messiah, but people growing their faith who are no longer compelled to participate in this widely loved custom. Some who have gone this route might refer to themselves as Torah observant, Hebrew roots, or whole Bible believers, but most don't give themselves any sort of special denomination - they are followers of the Messiah, who have chosen to step away from Christmas.

In this post we will discover:

-Why more and more Christians are no longer participating in Christmas

-What the Bible says about this traditional holiday

-The origins of Christmas

-How believers are instead honoring the Messiah

Maybe you've noticed this trend in your community. Long-standing members of church no longer showing up for the Christmas Eve service. Maybe your in-laws have let you know they won't be celebrating Christmas or buying gifts for the grandkids. Neighbors no longer putting a tree in their front window. Friends sharing that Christmas makes them uncomfortable and dialing back.

It's easy to assume they are no longer believers in Jesus since they aren't celebrating his birth in this traditional way. When I stopped celebrating Christmas, people assumed I no longer had faith in God, and when acquaintances hear that I don't celebrate, they assume I have a Jewish background. But for a large proportion of Christians, neither of those are the case! More and more people who love the Messiah - and are thankful he was born - choose to no longer take part in this holiday that commemorates his birth. We are going to explore why this is.

Why are people no longer celebrating Christmas?

A little research into Christmas reveals some concerning truths:

-This holiday was not created in Jesus's honor.

-Christmas does not come from the Bible, but is rooted in practices that were never intended to glorify YHWH.

-We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Savior was not born in December.

-Many parts of modern celebrations have their origins in ungodly things or are even expressly forbidden by Scripture.

-You'd have to turn several blind eyes to pretend that modern Christmas celebrations are not focused on consumerism.

Yes, Christmas can be fun and even spiritually meaningful, but that does not negate the concerns listed here. 

What does the Bible say about Christmas?

Precisely nothing.

Many people believe that Christmas is in the Bible, but no, only the story of the Savior's birth is. It's important to recognize that the word Christmas is never used in Scripture, and there are no Biblical directives to commemorate the birth of Jesus. If the Bible did direct us to celebrate the Messiah's birth, then it would be inappropriate to ignore that directive. But Jesus never requested we celebrate his birth, and there's no mention of the disciples or early church ever doing so. The modern emphasis on celebrating birthdays in general is a relatively new idea - in the Bible, there are only two or three birthdays mentioned and the events correlated to those are not good. It's not truthful to act like Christmas is the 11th commandment, just because it's something we like to do.

Whether or not it was created with intent to honor God, Christmas is still a manmade holiday. I could create a holiday to commemorate Jesus feeding the 5,000. It could be fun and meaningful, but it would hardly be appropriate to say you don't love God if you don't keep it along with me.

What problems are there in modern Christmas celebrations?

It's also obvious that there are some major problems with the Christmas holiday today. Luke 2 is a wonderful part of Scripture...but nowhere does it mention Santa Claus, decorating trees, elves, holiday lights, mistletoe, yule logs, or any of the symbols we most associate with this holiday. Most of these things are linked to practices not from the Bible and not intended to honor God, but even if we choose to ignore all those things, we are left facing rampant consumerism and greed.

Gift giving is out of control.

Consumerism is the god that is most glorified in the Christmas season, at least in western society today. People are going into debt, spending huge sums on products that are mostly unethically made and profiting unethical corporations. Things that mostly aren't good for mental health (looking at you, smart phones, laptops, tablets, and devices), physical health (candy, 'beauty' products), or the earth (wrapping paper destined for landfills, electronics, plastic items). And by doing so, we create a culture of shame and despair for poor families or individuals in hard times who are unable to buy Christmas gifts for their kids. Collectively we spend hundreds of millions of dollars on things for our loved ones that mostly aren't needed, while knowing full-well there are billions of poor people around the world without clean water or enough to eat. We give children designer clothing and the latest toys and gadgets, well aware that this leaves some of their classmates feeling like lesser-thans or have-nots come January. I deeply struggle to see how we can pretend this honors the Living God.

What are the origins of Christmas?

There's a lot of evidence that points to Christmas being connected to an ancient Roman holiday known as Saturnalia, and many common Christmas traditions originated from that. It's important to note that Saturnalia was kept before the birth of the Messiah. The festival was in the honor of the Roman god Saturn, who was thought to rule over time, wealth, and agriculture. Festivities included sacrifices at the temple of Saturn, gift giving, parties, and feasts.

Most people today have no intention of worshipping Saturn by taking part in Christmas, but is this really the best possible way we can honor the Savior of the world? By borrowing heavily from the festival dedicated to a Roman god? It's a bit like attending a second wedding for someone, and realizing that all the details from the location to the flower choices to the vows and the dress are the same as from their first wedding. That's no way to honor and celebrate a new marriage.

What are people doing instead of Christmas?

There's been a huge influx in the number of believers that are celebrating the holidays that YHWH created - the Biblical holidays listed in Leviticus 23. Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, Trumpets, the Day of Cleansing, and Tabernacles. These are holidays that God created and then commanded believers to celebrate "for all generations." These holidays have the spiritual depth and meaning that many of us have so longingly looked for in Christmas and Easter.

Christmas often emphasizes appearances - did you decorate your house? your tree? bake 15 kinds of cookies? make elf themed lunch boxes for kids? buy ugly sweaters? - the Biblical holidays put far less emphasis on how things look, but actually deliver spiritual connection, and are physically and spiritually restorative. These are true gifts to anyone who has ever felt like they were drowning in the pressure of holiday 'musts'.

It's been more than 15 years since I stopped participating in Christmas, and you know what? I don't feel like I'm missing out. I am not isolated from my family and have figured out other ways and times to connect with loved ones. I don't look at the holiday seasons of my friends with envy, because most of them are getting very little joy from this time of year. When I compare the stress and pressure of Christmas with the peace and joy I've gained from keeping the Biblical holidays instead, I would never want to go back.

What to do with friends who no longer celebrate Christmas:

They could use your support, because they have made a hard decision that few people understand. Even if you don't agree with their choice, you can still encourage them and show kindness.

Rather than shaming friends and family with comments like, "You must not love Jesus if you don't celebrate Christmas," give them credit for studying and working to honor God in all of their lives. Or ask them about how their faith has grown.

Choosing to no longer celebrate Christmas is not an easy choice to make or one made lightly for most people. Most of us have really great memories of worship and family time during this holiday season, and no one wants to be the bad guy for ruining the family tradition. Admitting to loved ones that you feel like God is calling you to stop keeping Christmas is difficult, and no one makes that choice because they don't care about their family or want to be left out of the fun. And it's not a choice made because they don't serve the Messiah - plenty of people and cultures around the world take part in Christmas festivities without any thought to remembering the Savior's birth.

If you have loved ones making this choice, please know that it is not because they don't care about you, and they certainly don't want to miss out on connection with you! Chances are they've worried considerably over hurting your feelings or offending you. They are simply doing their best to honor God after learning that Christmas is not from the Bible.

Not only is Christmas not something the Bible gives us instruction to do, but it has been mixed with ungodly customs and behaviors, and in keeping it many things are done that dishonor YHWH. Yes, there are people who manage to keep Santa and blind greed out of their festivities, but by taking part in Christmas you are actively mixing the Biblical truth of the Messiah's birth in Luke 2, with lies. At the worst we can say that Christmas is blatantly pagan, and at best we can say it's settling for less than God's best for us.

More posts on Christmas:
Five Things Every Believer Should Know about Christmas
Quitting Christmas - Questions and Answers
Are Christmas Trees in the Bible?

What Jesus Said about the Sabbath

What did the Messiah say about the Sabbath? The Sabbath day holds a significant place in Judeo-Christian tradition. It symbolizes rest and spiritual renewal, and is mentioned well over 150 times in the Bible. This post takes a look at the words and teachings of Jesus about the Sabbath, examining his perspective on Sabbath rest, healing, and Biblical law. We will take a look at his words in the New Testament, and explore what that means for believers today.

Many people say that the Sabbath day is insignificant because it 'doesn't come up much,' in the New Testament, but that is not the case. If we remember that the Old Testament is three to four times the size of the New Testament, then it's actually the New Testament that brings it up more frequently! Jesus himself talks about the Sabbath at least 10 times, and it is mentioned about 50 times just in the Gospels.

The Messiah's words on the Sabbath:

"The son of man is master of the Sabbath." -Luke 6:5, Mark 2:28

Here the Messiah establishes that he has a deep relationship with the Sabbath, because you can only be master of something that matters to you. Sometimes people take this to mean he rules over the Sabbath, and therefore it's obsolete, but a good King does not do away with his kingdom. Rather, he rules over it with justice. So when Jesus says this, he's calling attention to the fact that he is the one who decides what is and is not appropriate Sabbath behavior. He does this because religious leaders at the time had added on all sorts of rules about what you couldn't do on the Sabbath. He's saying that we can get our Sabbath laws from him, and not abide by the traditions we grew up with.

"It is lawful to do good deeds on the Sabbath." -Matthew 12:12

Here's Jesus once again explaining what is actually permissible to do on the Sabbath, because at the time the religious leaders had placed significant restrictions on Sabbath keeping. The Bible's directions for keeping the Sabbath are focused on resting, not working, and worshipping YHWH. Nowhere in the Bible does it give nitpicky rules about the Sabbath, and it certainly never says that we can't help people or creation on this day.

"Sabbath was made for mankind." -Mark 2:27

The Messiah taught that Sabbath was made for us. It was created to be a gift to mankind. Because a day of rest is the gift that the world desperately needs right now. This passage of Scripture demonstrates that Jesus didn't intend for this to go away so that we could just be 'free' to work all the time. He's reminding us that it's a good thing to have the freedom to rest each and every week.

What Jesus said about healing on the Sabbath:

"Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" -Mark 3:4, Luke 6:9

"Shouldn't this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day?" -Luke 13:16

"Why are you angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath?" -John 7:23

"If any of you has a sheep that falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?" -Matthew 12:11, Luke 14:5

"If a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses is not broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man's whole body on the Sabbath?" -John 7:23

Healing on the Sabbath was a major debate in Jesus's day. The Messiah frequently healed people on the Sabbath, which greatly offended the Pharisees and other religious leaders of that time. The Pharisees went as far to say that Jesus wasn't a Sabbath keeper and not from God because he did so. In fact, this was one of the main reasons they plotted to kill him (John 5:18). This was simply because they had decided it wasn't lawful to heal on the Sabbath. This is not a directive of Scripture. So when the Messiah healed on Shabbat, it was a violation of manmade religious law, not Biblical commandments. 

One of the key takeaways we have from this ongoing debate in the New Testament is that Jesus approved of stripping away tradition and religious customs in favor of what the word of God says. 

It's also noteworthy that he did a huge amount of healings on the Sabbath. This speaks to the simple truth that Sabbath is healing. It also demonstrates that God is not legalistic. Many people have the impression that YHWH would rather have people suffer than to have a healing happen on the Sabbath, and that is absolutely false! The Messiah often railed against the religious leaders for lacking mercy and compassion, and he purposefully healed on the Sabbath to show that God's nature is that he cares for people and wants them healed.

Related posts:
Did Jesus Break the Sabbath? The Meaning of John 5:18
What Jesus Said about Biblical Law
Five Things the Messiah Taught about the Sabbath

What Does the Bible Say about Veganism? (It's Not a Commandment)

This post explores what the Bible really says about veganism and whether believers must adhere to a vegan diet or not. Discover Biblical perspectives on dietary choices.

Does the Bible say that believers have to or "should" have vegan diets? What does Scripture say about veganism? If you're not familiar, veganism is a diet that only allows for plant based foods. No animal products, including meat, fish, eggs, honey, or dairy products such as milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, etc. are to be eaten by vegans. There are people who will tell you that the only way to truly eat Biblically is to have a vegan diet, but this belief is not consistent with Scripture. To cut to the chase, to say that the Bible says that believers have to be vegan is blatantly against the teachings of Scripture. It is Biblically permissible (and sometimes a requirement) to have animal products in our meals.

Many people look at YHWH's directive to Adam and Eve to eat the fruit of the trees of the garden of Eden as a sign that this was God's original plan for mankind, and therefore his preferred option for us now. It's true that Adam and Eve were initially on a vegan diet, but it was very different than modern veganism. Adam and Eve ate only tree fruit. Since the ground wasn't tilled until after the fall, there would have been only perennial plants in the garden of Eden. Today the majority of most of the food we eat is made up of annual plants, not perennials. Annual plants include things like most grains, corn, soybeans, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, melons, beans, and a substantial portion of foods commonly eaten today. In order to truly eat like Adam and Eve, you would have to eat only tree fruit that is in season in your area. (You could also make the case that you would need to tend and harvest this fruit yourself.) Unless you live in the tropics, the season for tree fruit is only a few months of the year.

Adam and Eve were also naked in the garden of Eden. That does not mean going around nude is an appropriate choice for believers today. In cold temperatures exposure can be deadly. While nakedness may very well have been ideal at the time, we can all agree that that would not serve us well today.

If we look at the whole of Scripture, it quickly becomes apparent that while Adam and Eve may have eaten only plants, that's not a requirement for others. And since it's not a commandment of the Bible, it is wrong to act like or tell others that veganism is something that God expects of people today. Way too many people have been told that a vegan diet is the only way to please God. This is no different than the Pharisees claiming that before eating you had to do a ritual hand washing that they invented in order for food to be clean (Mark 7, Matthew 15). Neither is a commandment of Scripture. We know that the Messiah did not tolerate any stand-ins for Biblical instruction.

We will take a look at Bible verses that demonstrate that veganism is not a commandment.

Biblical evidence that veganism is not required of believers:

-The Bible articulates in concise language which animals can and cannot be eaten. If all animals were forbidden to believers, Leviticus 11 would be a much shorter chapter. It would simply say not to eat animals or animal products. But it doesn't say that. It tells us which animals are appropriate for food.

-Abraham and Sarah served milk, curds, and meat to their supernatural visitors - and weren't reprimanded for it. (Genesis 18:8)

-All believers were given the directive to eat lamb or goat on Passover. (Exodus 12:8)

-YHWH provided quail for the Israelites when they wandered the desert. (Numbers 11:31)

-The promised land is repeatedly described as a land of milk and honey...neither product is vegan. (Exodus 3:8, Leviticus 20:24, Numbers 13:27, Jeremiah 11:5)

-The Levitical priests were provided with meat from certain animal sacrifices, as directed by Scripture. (Leviticus 7:8)

-Animal products are frequently spoken well of throughout Scripture. The Torah is compared to both milk and honey...how crazy would it be for the Bible to liken the word of YHWH to something forbidden, or considered less than ideal?

-The Messiah's example of a "good gift" was an egg. (Luke 11:12)

-The Messiah himself served fish both before and after his resurrection. (Matthew 14:19, John 21:9)

-In Acts 10 when Peter had the vision of animals being lowered on a sheet and heard the words, "Kill and eat," his response wasn't that he had never eaten any animals, but that he hadn't eaten unclean animals.

-The shepherding culture of Israel...and before anyone tells you that they just kept sheep around for the wool, see 1 Corinthians 9:7, "Who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?"

These are just a few of many examples in the Bible about why veganism is not necessary or required for believers.

Balancing dietary choices with Scripture:

Now you can make an argument that you could eat only plant based products because the Bible doesn't say that you can't (although note that in Exodus in order to keep Passover, you ate lamb), and that choice is up to you. If you're eating at a restaurant, dinner party, or event where abominable animals are being served, sticking with vegan options can be an appropriate way to eat Biblically, as Daniel did when he was captive in Babylon. However, there being certain situations where only plants are eaten does not mean that this is a commandment of God. Whether or not you are a vegan, it would be wise to be mindful of the problems that have sprung up from this diet today.

Causes for concern about believers adhering to a vegan diet:

-Many vegans perpetuate the lie that veganism is a commandment when it is not. Veganism is a personal choice, nothing more.

-Often vegans emphasize how sad they find it that animals are being harvested for food. Acting like animal-consumption is cruel is an affront to the character of God who said this was okay. Dread of animal death is also a good way to skew the meaning of sacrifice in the Levitical priesthood, which can ultimately lead to misunderstanding the Messiah's sacrifice.

-The virtue-signaling is nauseating. I've met believers who are vegans who will talk about very little besides veganism. I've been excited to connect with others only to have the conversation be nothing but moral posturing and put-downs as people believe they are somehow above others and earning extra points with God for their veganism. To be clear, veganism does not get you extra points with God, just as Jesus did not give extra points to the Pharisees for their pre-meal rituals. Focusing too much on a specialty diet in conversations is a poor witness to others.

-Many people who claim to be vegans are not. Many "vegans" will talk continually of their diet and it's supposed superiority to what others eat, and then may knowingly help themselves to a dessert or other dish that is filled with dairy or meat at a congregational potluck. If you tell people that you don't eat animal products, and then you intentionally eat animal products, you are not a vegan. In fact, you are a liar. Again, this is a poor witness to those who already see people of faith as very hypocritical. 

-This is a self centered belief. Sure, if you're doing well in America today, it's relatively easy to go to a corporate grocery store and fill your cart with ready-to-eat vegan foods, and subsist only on them. But for most of history, it was simply not possible to survive, let alone thrive, without including any animal products in your diet. This is still true in many parts of the world today. It should give us pause if this supposed instruction of Scripture is only obtainable to those of a certain socio-economic status or geographic location!

-It places a huge stumbling block in front of others! We need to be careful that we do not place unnecessary obstacles in front of other believers or, as the Messiah said, "weigh them down with heavy burdens and not lift a finger to help them." We have no right to burden others with extra rules that are blatantly against what the Bible teaches - Jesus took issue with the Pharisees for doing just that in Mark 7. Just cutting pork and shellfish out of meals is extremely challenging for most people - and it's an effort that deserves to be celebrated! We should not treat a Biblically clean diet with meat and dairy as some sort of lesser option.

Eating only plants is not a commandment and should not be treated as such. The Bible does not call for a vegan diet. This creates the opportunity for people of all cultures and locations to honor YHWH by eating how he says, in a way that also makes sense with their local ingredients. According to Scripture, we are free to eat meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products from the animals in Leviticus 11.

Related posts:
Understanding Mark 7 (Jesus Made All 'Foods' Clean)
What the Bible Says about Meat and Dairy - And If They Can Be Mixed
How to Eat Biblically Clean
Why Daniel Refused to Eat the King's Meat