Is it alright for Christians to join their friends to celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Since the Bible does not say definitely whether it is right or wrong, we will have to examine the roots of the celebration as well as its practices.
Valentine’s Day does not have deep-rooted, dark spiritual connotations like pagan feasts or Halloween. * Since it is positive in that it seeks to build the relationship between spouses or lovers, believers should not be barred from celebrating Valentine’s Day.
It is up to the individual Christian to decide whether he or she should participate in Valentine’s Day in light of the following references:
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“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12).
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“To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled” (Titus 1:15).
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“Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence” (Colossians 2:21-23).
We need to act based on our personal convictions—with the help of the Holy Spirit—after having searched through scripture. We do not need man-made laws or moral policemen to tell us what to do.
The caveat is that believers should practise moderation. We should not go overboard in our spending on gifts or use the occasion as a license for sexual immorality—if the couple is not yet married.
While there is nothing wrong with a romantic evening over candlelight dinner, fornication is clearly wrong in God’s eyes. The couple should pray beforehand to determine the limits to their level of intimacy before it passes the ‘point of no return’.
The following is mainly directed to young courting couples:
When you are young you have lots of energy. You can make many varied choices in life. You can choose the good or bad. You can mix with the right or wrong crowd. You can go to places that build your character or to sleazy joints. Make sure you choose well.
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“Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment” (Ecclesiastes 11:9).
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“Stop offering the parts of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness. Instead, offer yourselves to God as people who have been brought from death to life and the parts of your body as instruments of righteousness to God” (Romans 6:13).
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“For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:5-6).
If we choose to fear God and glorify Him, He will honour our commitment and bless our life abundantly—so that we will, in turn, bless many people.
It’s not going to be easy. But with God’s help and godly company, we will succeed in maintaining our moral purity. “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22).
If Valentine’s Day draws couples closer to one another, Christians should have no qualms celebrating the occasion with the above conditions and safeguards in place.
For we have been called to freedom. Only do not turn our freedom into an opportunity to gratify our flesh (Galatians 5:13).
Footnote:
* “St. Valentine’s Day began as a liturgical celebration of one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus. The most popular martyrology associated with Saint Valentine was that he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were persecuted under the Roman Empire.” – source: Wikipedia
RELATED POSTS
RESIST, FLEE, CELEBRATE, BE EMPOWERED, RECOGNISE THE HEAVY PRICE OF SEXUAL SIN.
Why does the Bible single out the young—especially young men—when it comes to keeping ourselves morally pure?
While few are called to celibacy, all believers are called to be morally pure (chaste). And chastity is not “no sex” but “no unlawful sex outside marriage”.
Note: Dr Lim Poh Ann is a medical practitioner. He was the former editor of Asian Beacon magazine (Dec 2008 – Oct 2011). He can be reached at his Facebook page, www.facebook.com/AskDrLi
SOURCE OF ARTICLE: http://limpohann.blogspot.my/2015/02/should-christians-celebrate-valentines.html
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Dr Lim Poh Ann
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