{"id":1332,"date":"2010-12-02T01:04:09","date_gmt":"2010-12-02T01:04:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/is-advent-biblical.html"},"modified":"2010-12-02T01:04:09","modified_gmt":"2010-12-02T01:04:09","slug":"is-advent-biblical","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/is-advent-biblical.html","title":{"rendered":"Is Advent Biblical?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Earlier in this series I mentioned the fact that many
\nProtestant Christians reject Advent because they consider it to be a
\nRoman Catholic practice. For most of these people, it isn’t so much the Roman
\nCatholic aspect of Advent that is truly problematic, but the fact that
\nAdvent is not taught in Scripture. You can’t turn to a place in the
\nBible and find teaching on Advent or a command to set aside four weeks
\nprior to Christmas as a season of waiting, hoping, and yearning. <\/p>\n

Does this mean that biblically-oriented Christians
\nshouldn’t observe Advent? For some, the answer is “Yes.” If it’s not
\nexplicitly taught in Scripture, then Christians shouldn’t do it. You’ll
\nfind that kind of argument among non-instrumental Church of Christ
\nbelievers, for example. Since instruments are not explicitly mentioned in
\nthe New Testament teachings about worship, then we shouldn’t use
\ninstruments today.<\/p>\n

So what about Advent? Does its absence from Scripture mean we shouldn’t observe it?<\/p>\n

If you buy that argument, then you must also abstain from
\nChristian celebrations of Christmas and Easter, which also aren’t found
\nin Scripture. You might as well throw out Mother’s Day, Father’s Day,
\nIndependence Day, and Thanksgiving too, since none of these are mentioned
\nin Scripture. (I suppose you could find a way to derive Thanksgiving
\nfrom the Jewish festival of Sukkoth<\/em> (Tabernacles), though it
\nwouldn’t fall on the fourth Thursday in November and it wouldn’t involve
\neating Turkey or watching football.) Moreover, if you really believe
\nthat Christians can only do that which is explicitly taught in
\nScripture, then you shouldn’t go a to a church building for worship, or
\nsit in pews or chairs, or use microphones, or wear pants, or use
\nhymnals, or use digital projectors, or . . . .  Honestly, I don’t know
\nany Christian who actually lives consistently by the “I don’t do it if
\nit’s not in Scripture rule,” though I admire the intent of those who
\ntry. <\/p>\n

I believe that we are free in Christ to do many things that
\nare not specifically taught in Scripture. To a certain extent, I agree
\nwith those who argue that if something is not prohibited in the Bible,
\nthen it’s okay for Christians. (Of course this argument has limits. I
\nhad a Christian friend in high school who used this argument to defend
\nher use of marijuana, since it wasn’t mentioned in the Bible. The rest
\nof my Christian friends and I were persuaded that the analogy of
\ndrunkenness applied to getting high on pot. Thus we believed marijuana
\nuse to be sinful.) Surely there is nothing in Scripture that prohibits
\none from observing Advent. No matter what you think of it, Advent surely
\ndoesn’t fall into the “illegal drugs” category of no-nos. <\/p>\n

But I’m not concerned merely with whether Advent is not
\ndisallowed in Scripture. I want to know if observing Advent is
\nconsistent with biblical themes and priorities. Is Advent biblical in
\nthis grander sense? Could the observance of Advent help one to grow in
\nfaith in a way that aligns with biblical faith?<\/p>\n

\"Advent-tree-inside-5.jpg\"<\/form>\n

Yes, I think so. For a moment, forget about Advent itself, and answer the following questions:<\/p>\n

\n

\u2022 Is it a good thing for us Christians to set aside a
\nspecial time in the year to focus more on God and grow in our
\nrelationship with him?<\/p>\n

\u2022 Is it good for us to get in touch with just how much we need a Savior?<\/p>\n

\u2022 Is it helpful for us to wait on the Lord and to learn to wait upon him more faithfully?<\/p>\n

\u2022 Is it helpful to remember our hope in God and to be refreshed in that hope?<\/p>\n

\u2022 Would it be a valuable thing in your life to be prepared to celebrate the true meaning of the Incarnation?<\/p>\n

\u2022 Would you like to experience more of God’s peace and presence during the often hectic weeks prior to Christmas?<\/p>\n

\u2022 Would your faith be enriched if you were to read,
\nstudy, and meditate on biblical texts that speak of the first and second
\n“advents” of Christ? <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\"deer-office-window-4.jpg\"<\/form>\n

I
\nthink most biblically-oriented Christians would answer these questions
\nin the affirmative. Does that mean we all should observe Advent? Of
\ncourse not. We are free to do so or not to do so, according to our
\nconsciences and sense of God’s leading. But it’s not hard to see how
\nAdvent (or something like it) could be beneficial for most Christians.
\n(Photo above: I’m not actually expecting many people to imitate my
\nAdvent tree, with its purple lights and purple and pink ornaments. This
\ntree was in my office at Irvine Presbyterian Church, and could be seen
\nby thousands of people driving by each day. I don’t put an Advent tree
\nin my office anymore, partly because I don’t have the space, and partly
\nbecause the only beings who would appreciate it are of the four-legged
\nvariety. Photo to the right: The view out of my office window. To my knowledge, these deer do not pull Santa’s sleigh.)<\/p>\n

If you’re looking for biblical passages that express Advent themes, you might think of such texts as:<\/p>\n

\n

Wait for the LORD;
\n        be strong, and let your heart take courage;
\n        wait for the LORD! (Psalm 27:14)<\/p>\n

For God alone my soul waits in silence,
\n        for my hope is from him.
\n He alone is my rock and my salvation,
\n        my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
\n On God rests my deliverance and my honor;
\n        my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. (Psalm 62:5-7)<\/p>\n

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
\n        and in his word I hope;
\n my soul waits for the Lord
\n        more than those who watch for the morning,
\n        more than those who watch for the morning. (Psalm 130:5-6)<\/p>\n

O Israel, hope in the LORD!
\n        For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
\n        and with him is great power to redeem.
\nIt is he who will redeem Israel
\n        from all its iniquities. (Psalm 130:7-8)<\/p>\n

[T]hose who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength,
\n        they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
\n    they shall run and not be weary,
\n        they shall walk and not faint. (Isa 40:31)<\/p>\n

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are
\nnot worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.  For the
\ncreation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of
\nGod;  for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will
\nbut by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation
\nitself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the
\nfreedom of the glory of the children of God.  We know that the whole
\ncreation has been groaning in labor pains until now;  and not only the
\ncreation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit,
\ngroan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our
\nbodies.  For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope.
\nFor who hopes for what is seen?  But if we hope for what we do not see,
\nwe wait for it with patience. (Rom 8:18-25)<\/p>\n

Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline
\nyourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring
\nyou when he is revealed. (1 Peter 1:13)<\/p>\n

The one who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Rev 22:20)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Of course then there are lots of biblical passages that
\nfocus even more specifically on Advent themes and hopes associated with
\nthe coming of the Messiah. You can find these in my Advent Devotional Guide<\/a>. <\/p>\n

So, though it’s correct to say that Advent itself is not
\ntaught in Scripture, and therefore Christians are free to observe it or
\nnot, it is equally correct to say that the emphases of Advent are
\nthoroughly biblical. If the traditions of Advent help us to focus more
\non the Lord, to get in touch with our need for him, to replenish our
\nhope, and to celebrate Christmas with greater meaning and depth, then I’m all fer it<\/em>, as we say in Texas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Earlier in this series I mentioned the fact that many Protestant Christians reject Advent because they consider it to be a Roman Catholic practice. For most of these people, it isn’t so much the Roman Catholic aspect of Advent that is truly problematic, but the fact that Advent is not taught in Scripture. You can’t…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[198],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-advent"],"yoast_head":"\nIs Advent Biblical? - Mark D. 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Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1332","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1332"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1332\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1332"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}