Anything Wrong With A Happy New Month Greeting?

Anything Wrong With A Happy New Month Greeting?

Some christians think a happy new month or a happy new year greeting is out of place.

Some even quote scriptures like Galatians 4:10 to condemn such as observance of days and months.

The truth however, is that a happy new month or happy new year greeting is not in anyway an observation of days, months or years in the context of which Paul speaks in Galatians 4:10.

Paul was speaking against religious legalism; observing sacred times/Jewish feast days & months as a requirement for justification before God.

Applying Galatians 4:10 to condemn saying "Happy New Month" or "Happy New Year" is not consistent with the context of Paul's argument.

Let's look at the passage:

"You observe days, and months, and times, and years." -Galatians 4:10.

What was Paul talking about?

Paul was writing to Christians in Galatia who were being persuaded by some teachers that they needed to observe aspects of the Jewish law such as special feast days, new moons, Sabbaths, and religious festivals, to be fully accepted by God. His concern was not with recognizing the passage of time but with returning to a system of religious observances as a means of justification or spiritual standing before God.

This is clear from the surrounding verses (Galatians 4:8-11), where Paul says they were turning back to "weak and beggarly elements" and expresses concern that his labor among them might have been in vain.

A greeting like "Happy New Month" or "Happy New Year" is simply an acknowledgment that a new month or year has begun, usually accompanied by good wishes or prayers. It is not, in itself: a religious ordinance, an act of worship, an attempt to earn God's favor, or an observance required for salvation.

If we cannot say happy new month, we also cannot say happy birthday as observing or marking our birthdays and we also cannot observe Sunday as a day when to a general extent, most Christians assemble/gather in fellowship.

Romans 14:2-6 throws more light on this issue, so we can have a better understanding of what scripture is saying 👇🏽

"For one believes that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eats only herbs. Let not him that eats despise him that eats not; and let not him which eats not judge him that eats: for God has received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he stands or falls. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 

One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He that regards the day, regards it unto the Lord; and he that regards not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he that eats not, to the Lord he eats not, and gives God thanks."

In context, what the apostle sets forth in this matter, is that conscience must be before the Lord. He is the Governor of the conscience and He alone. We must leave each one, therefore, to his liberty in this. We must fear to become or make ourselves a conscience to another christian no matter how seemingly good our intent. 

A simple "Happy New Month" greeting is of no religious connotation or implication. Whether a christian uses it or not is largely a matter of personal preference and conscience, not a test of faithfulness to the gospel of Christ.

In Colossians 2:16-17 the same apostle writes thus👇🏽

 "Therefore let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ."

This is a clear admonition to christians to avoid judging one another over such matters, provided they are not treating them as requirements for salvation or righteousness(acceptance before God). 

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