Why Do I Celebrate the Feast Days?

Wasn't that something done away with?

The Feast days of God are part of the Torah, and many believe the commands in the Old Testament have been done away with, so why do I follow them? After all, Romans 8:1 and 2 states, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death."

I am not one to ignore verses that disagree with how I interpret scripture. The Bible is God's Word, and there are no contradictions, so how does this scripture fit in with obeying the law that says to celebrate feast days?

I have been asked more than once why I still follow the feast days of God and the Sabbath on Saturday. Those well-meaning pastors have pointed out to me that there are “ceremonial” laws and “moral” laws, and the ceremonial ones have been done away with. I do ask where this separation of ceremonial and moral laws comes from because there is no mention of the separation of laws in the Bible. Remember, following God’s commands (works) is not how one is saved. If you are reading your Bible and praying, and God is not convicting you to follow his feast days or eat Kosher, I’m not telling you to do it. The Bible mentions that everyone is at different points in becoming like Christ, and unity among believers is more important than different viewpoints on the same scripture (however, heresy or following another Gospel is condemned).

 If you are reading your Bible and praying, and God is not convicting you to follow his feast days or eat Kosher, I’m not telling you to do it.

Psalm 119:159 and 160 state, “Consider how I love your precepts! Give me life according to your steadfast love. The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.” Psalm 119 is a must-read for anyone saying the law given by God is bad or a burden before commenting on Torah as not being positive, and when does forever mean "not forever?" Going back to Paul's statement in Romans 8:1 and 2 about being set free from the law of sin and death, this is about not being bound to sin. We become new creations, Yeshua conquered death, and we are to strive to become more Christ-like (He lived a perfect life and followed Torah). We desire not to be sinful, which leads to death, and this is impossible without following the one who conquered sin and death.

We desire not to be sinful, which leads to death, and this is impossible without following the one who conquered sin and death.

Matthew 5:18 and 19 “For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” I do not want to be one of those that teaches others to relax even "one of the least of these commandments." Much less tell anyone that they are done away with. In Revelation 21:1, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.” And then the scripture tells us God makes all things new. If the law was done away with, then there is a problem because the heaven and earth we live in are not the new heaven and earth.

If one wishes to explain that parts of the law of God is not for today, they need to incorporate these scriptures into their explanation.

Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

I want to reiterate that God’s grace saves us through faith in Jesus Christ. We are all sinners and can never measure up to the holiness of God, and we need Christ. The law pointed out the sin. Paul asked: Since we are saved, do we keep sinning? Romans 6:15-23. Of course not.

I hope this blesses you and gives you something to think about and discuss!

After I wrote this and scheduled its publication, I noticed a similar article by David Wilber titled Matthew 5 DOES Prove We Should Continue Following the Old Testament. I found this interesting because he uses some of the same scriptures I used above, and I thought I would include the link.