Days, Months, Times and Years - Why Is It So Important?
by Mitch Kuhn
I have been wrestling with the topic of "Days, Months, Times, and years" for quite awhile now. I realized that I needed to confront this doctrine head on, given that it is currently a controversial topic within the body of Christ.
I know that this is a really tough issue to deal with when it comes to family. A lot of people really value one day above another and will be angry or hurt if we do not do the same. I have thought about my family a great deal as I've wrestled with the scriptures on this topic. There are many conversations that must be had and probably a lot of rejection to be experience if we choose not to observe these days.
As I have wrestled with the fear of dealing with this issues, I have come to see how God views issues like this.
Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Gal 1:10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Fear of rejection from our family is not a good reason to do anything. This is in essence denying Christ and loving someone more than God himself. We are to seek to please God in all we do, not man. I have come to see that to Love God is to obey his commandments.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
Clearly we will all deny Christ many times in our lives as we live out every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. However, we are to strive for the prize of the high calling and to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. When we see the truth in the scriptures we must strive to obey it and encourage each other to do the same. So the question regarding days months times and years is simply, "What does the sum of God's word have to say?". If the sum of God's word says that we should esteem all days alike then that is what we must strive to do. Keeping God's commandments on our own is impossible to do, yet through Christ in us, we can overcome the beast and Christ can be on the throne of our lives.
With this being said let's consider what the scriptures have to say on this topic. We all start of as babes in Christ, enslaved to the "elementary principles of the world".
Gal 4:1 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything,What are the elementary principles of the world?
Gal 4:2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father.
Gal 4:3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.
Elements- G4747 -
Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments (principles) of the world, and not after Christ.
Gal 4:9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
The elements of this world are the traditions of men and weak and worthless. The scriptures do not speak well of the traditions of men.
Tradition G3862Mat 15:6 ...So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.
Mar 7:8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.
Mar 7:9 And he said to them, "You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!"
Paul chastises the Galatians for returning to the "elementary principles" of the world and specifically mentions "Days, months, times and years".
Gal 4:9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
Gal 4:10 You observe days and months and seasons and years!
We were under these principals as children (babes in Christ), but we are now commanded to move beyond them. We are no longer under these principles. They will be melted away and we will die to them.
Gal 4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Col 2:20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations--
I hope you can see from the scriptures that we are to move beyond the "principles of the world", which includes observing days, months, times and years. If you think that I have not rightly handled the Word of God in relation to this doctrine, then please show me the scriptures and help me see my fault. If you do see what I'm seeing, then let's talk about how we can live according to the doctrine of Christ regarding this topic. I have become convicted of this truth and Lord willing will take the steps to live this out. The scriptures teach that if we are not in agreement in this topic then we are not to despise one another, but to continue on in our study of God's word together. If you are open to discuss this topic further then I will be happy to do so, if not then I will wait patiently until you are.
With Love in Christ,
Mitch Kuhn