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Has it ever occurred to anyone to ask where the New Year celebration comes from and whether it is appropriate for Christians to engage in these celebrations.
Suppose you go to a river of what appears to look like sparkling water to quench your thirst. But when you look up the stream, however, you find pollutants being pumped into the river. Would you still want to drink that water? I think the same can be said of the customs of the New Year's celebrations. It may seem innocent and fun to men, but just how would God look at it.
The New Year's Celebration originates with a number of pagan holidays from ancient Rome. The 1st of January was a holiday dedicated to the pagan god Janus, and the name of the month comes from his name. Images of Janus had two faces on opposite sides, which meant that he saw both the past and the present. There was a saying that whoever greeted January 1st with fun, laughter, and plenty would pass the entire year in happiness and well-being. The very same superstition accompanies the celebrating of the new year for many. During the Janus holiday, there were excesses in eating, drunkenness, fertility rites and sometimes immoral orgies.
So, this celebration is based on pagan false god worship and behavior that can be listed as the works of the flesh. (Galatians 5:19-21) That being said, just how much should a Christian get involved in these celebrations that honor a pagan god and who's customs are far removed from what the bible calls the Christian way. (Galatians 5:22, 23) You could dress it up as something else, like many do with Christmas, but God remembers where it comes from and how it was celebrated, no matter how you try to re-brand it.
I Don't want to sound like a buzz-kill, but I am sure these facts do not escape God's attention, nor should they escape our attention! So, what will you be doing this New Year's Eve? Although, as the start of a new year it is a good time to think about new personal projects like loosing weight, sticking to a bible reading schedule, etc. I for one will not be toasting the new year or going to any parties that celebrate this pagan event, what do you plan to do???
Suppose you go to a river of what appears to look like sparkling water to quench your thirst. But when you look up the stream, however, you find pollutants being pumped into the river. Would you still want to drink that water? I think the same can be said of the customs of the New Year's celebrations. It may seem innocent and fun to men, but just how would God look at it.
The New Year's Celebration originates with a number of pagan holidays from ancient Rome. The 1st of January was a holiday dedicated to the pagan god Janus, and the name of the month comes from his name. Images of Janus had two faces on opposite sides, which meant that he saw both the past and the present. There was a saying that whoever greeted January 1st with fun, laughter, and plenty would pass the entire year in happiness and well-being. The very same superstition accompanies the celebrating of the new year for many. During the Janus holiday, there were excesses in eating, drunkenness, fertility rites and sometimes immoral orgies.
So, this celebration is based on pagan false god worship and behavior that can be listed as the works of the flesh. (Galatians 5:19-21) That being said, just how much should a Christian get involved in these celebrations that honor a pagan god and who's customs are far removed from what the bible calls the Christian way. (Galatians 5:22, 23) You could dress it up as something else, like many do with Christmas, but God remembers where it comes from and how it was celebrated, no matter how you try to re-brand it.
I Don't want to sound like a buzz-kill, but I am sure these facts do not escape God's attention, nor should they escape our attention! So, what will you be doing this New Year's Eve? Although, as the start of a new year it is a good time to think about new personal projects like loosing weight, sticking to a bible reading schedule, etc. I for one will not be toasting the new year or going to any parties that celebrate this pagan event, what do you plan to do???
