Source: progress-index.com

Question: Is Thanksgiving a Christian holiday and, if so, why?

– Dr. Don Crain, Mechanicsville, Va.

Answer: Christianity is actually a Judeo-Christian faith, rooted in the Old Testament and expanded in the New Testament. Any old covenant precedent that isn’t set aside in our new covenant is available for Christian use. So, we ask, “Is Thanksgiving biblical?”

Although not a holiday, the first mention of thanksgiving in the Bible is found in Leviticus, chapter 7, where Moses gave instructions for an offering to restore peace with God. There, Israel was told they might include an offering of thanksgiving with their peace offering. This was optional, because in chapter 22, God said sacrifices of thanksgiving were to be self-initiated and of free will.

In Psalm 35 David said he would offer thanks before the congregation in public worship. In fact, the giving of thanks is the theme of many Psalms, such as 30:4; 50:14; 69:30; 95:2; 100:4; and the many other times they enjoin us to “Give thanks unto the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.” This was also Daniel’s habit to offer thanks 3 times every day. But, is it continued in the New Testament?

Yes; eight times in the gospels Jesus, himself, gave… continue reading at progress-index.com