"He Who Observes the Day Observes it to the Lord"

Today's M'Cheyne readings included Romans 14—favorite recourse of those who would include manmade religion in Christ's church, and demand that no one challenge it. But, it occurred to me, that v6a couldn't possibly have been used to justify following the calendar of Jeroboam I, even though it was modeled after God's own calendar, had precedent in the providentially postponed Passover for those who were unclean on the proper day, and was purportedly in worship of YHWH, Who had brought the people up from Egypt.

And yet, it cannot be legitimately claimed that anyone kept Jeroboam's calendar unto the Lord. Why? Because it was Jeroboam's calendar, not the Lord's calendar.

The only way to "observe" a day "unto the Lord" is if the Lord Himself had appointed that day. This cannot be claimed for any of the annual feast days of contemporary evangelicals (or any other branch of the visible church). 

In other words, Rom 14 cannot be used to justify any manmade religion, any idolatry. And it must not be used as a cudgel, with which to beat the strong (gospel age) believers who, by reason of understanding the implications of Christ's priesthood, and by purpose of love unto God and eternal souls, challenge the manmade religion that grieves them.

Even if it were the case that Rom 14 covered such observances, these observances must not be permitted to alter the doctrine or practice of the apostolic church which, unto the Lord, Who obsoleted it in Christ, does "not observe the day." To permit the day-observers to alter the teaching or practice of the church would be to welcome them in a way that invited debate over the things that were doubtful to them, contra v1.

Praise God, our hope is not in our "not observing the day" unto the Lord. Our hope is only in Christ, Who died and rose again.

But, since He is our hope, let us see what He has done to His former calendar, and let it be "unto Him" that we do not observe the day.