Firstly, I want to thank you for taking the time to write a very thoughtful reply. 

Like Flip, you have also imparted some knowledge to me in the past that has proven to be very edifying -- knowledge for which I am very thankful!  For example, you correctly pointed out that the notion of a pre-tribulation rapture is, in fact, "Jesuit futurism" made popular by John Nelson Darby.  This knowledge, once proven, was pivotal to understanding exactly what the mark of the beast is, which very germane to this discussion regarding Christmas.  I am writing about the mark of the beast now and will send out an article on the topic soon. 

All knowledge must be carefully scrutinized against the authority of Scripture, yet sadly, human tendencies sometimes reject knowledge because the knowledge is perceived as inconvenient.  This perceiving of knowledge as inconvenient is called hardness of heart, and we see it all the time at the abortion mills as young moms refuse to acknowledge the truth that they are about to commit the heinous act of murder.  Hardness of heart causes men to be blinded to the truth, and the fact is, Christmas has become so ensconced in to our culture that standing against it is very inconvenient. 

Our exchange has been made very public by Flip's posting on his web site at http://www.operationsaveamerica.org/466.htm, which is a good thing.  Many must see the dangers they are in!  As a result though, this message is being sent to everybody on my email list as well to keep as many people as possible apprised of the conversation.  It is important that people understand the fallacy in defending Christmas.

Let us go through your email point by point.

1.  You wrote, 'observing or not observing the holy days is not a "salvation issue."' 

You then site Romans, Acts, Ephesians, and Colossians, but please allow me to deal with your citations of Romans and Colossians, as they are more specifically pertinent to the question at hand. 

For example, we read in the Scriptures that refusing to keep the Sabbaths of the Most High was indeed a salvation issue. Consider for example the following from Ezekiel 20:23-26 (without verse breaks).

"But I took a solemn oath against them while they were in the wilderness. I vowed I would scatter them among all the nations because they did not obey my laws. They scorned my instructions by violating my Sabbath days and longing for the idols of their ancestors.  I gave them over to worthless customs and laws that would not lead to life.  And I defiled them by their own sacrificial offerings, as they passed all their first-born through the fire, so that I might devastate them and show them that I alone am יהוה."

The words of YAH as spoken through Ezekiel indicate that this is a very serious matter, as the threat of being "devastated" by our Creator would constitute a salvation issue in my estimation.  Therefore we must find in Paul’s writings the meaning that does not in any way contradict any other Scripture.  The meaning that does not present a contradiction with any other Scripture and is supported by the context is the correct interpretation.

 Paul cannot authorize what he has not been commissioned to authorize by law and the prophets otherwise he would be in error per Deuteronomy 13:1-5, which reads

"When there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he shall give you a sign or a wonder,
and the sign or the wonder shall come true, of which he has spoken to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other mighty ones – which you have not known – and serve them,’ do not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for יהוה your Elohim is trying you to know whether you love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being. “Walk after יהוה your Elohim and fear Him, and guard His commands and obey His voice, and serve Him and cling to Him. “And that prophet or that dreamer of dreams is put to death, because he has spoken apostasy against יהוה your Elohim – who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim and redeemed you from the house of bondage – to make you stray from the way in which יהוה your Elohim commanded you to walk. Thus you shall purge the evil from your midst."

Nobody -- including Paul -- is authorized to change our Creator's code of ethics as described in Scriptures, as doing so is the very definition of apostasy per the text.  The fact is, I see no evidence that Paul is committing apostasy, but I do see plenty of evidence of men twisting Paul's writings to fit into a lawless agenda, and it is this twisting of Paul's writings – as well as other Scriptures – that constitute apostasy.

For example, go back and very carefully re-read the citation you provided of Paul's epistle to the Colossians, and you will see that Paul is advising the Colossians not to become prey to the traditions of men.   Chapter 2 verses 16 and 17 read,

"Let no one therefore judge you in eating or in drinking, or in respect of a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths – which are a shadow of what is to come – but the Body of the Messiah." 

This verse is specifically referring to none other than the commanded feast days codified in Leviticus 23, which are

the Passover,
the Festival of Unleavened Bread,
the Feast of First Fruits,
the Feast of Harvest,
the Festival of Trumpets,
the Day of Atonement,
the Feast of Tabernacles,
and the seventh-day Sabbath. 
 

The last 4 festivals mentioned are not yet fulfilled and are certainly shadows of things to come. 

Without getting too far off topic, consider the meaning that is attached to the last 4 commanded feast days.

It saddens my heart to see so many who will not differentiate between what is commanded by men and what is commanded by YAH.  We are to simply eschew commandments of men and obey the commandments of YAH.  To do less or more is lawlessness.

Peter wrote this caution regarding Paul's writings in 2 Peter 2:14-18,

"So then, beloved ones, looking forward to this, do your utmost to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and reckon the patience of our Master as deliverance, as also our beloved brother Sha’ul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him, as also in all his letters, speaking in them concerning these matters, in which some are hard to understand, which those who are untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do also the other Scriptures.  You, then, beloved ones, being forewarned, watch, lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the delusion of the lawless, but grow in the favour and knowledge of our Master and Saviour יהושע Messiah. To Him be the esteem both now and to a day that abides. Amĕn."

Paul's writings can be misinterpreted out of the context of the rest of Scriptures to condone lawlessness, and Peter saw this and thankfully warns us!  Paul's writings are not easy to discern and must be interpreted within the context of the rest of Scriptures, and we must apply to Paul’s writings the meaning that does not contradict any other scripture. 

Romans chapter 14 would appear to be the best defense for your position, but even Romans chapter 14 must be considered in light of the rest of Scripture and cannot be interpreted out of context.  What meaning can be applied that is (1) supported by the context and (2) does not contradict the rest of Scriptures?

Two moral issues are addressed here by Paul: eating and observing a particular day.  Now, I believe it is foolish to think that Paul herewith vacates all of our Creator's teachings regarding our diet, as our Creator knows best how to make us function.  Paul indicates that the source of the contention on this topic comes from those advocating that we should eat only vegetables per verse 2, and Paul, being a Hebrew, would certainly have not included an abomination such as pig as food.  Therefore the debate is between those who would eat all clean foods including clean animals and those who would eat only vegetables, but for the sake of staying on topic, let us deal with regarding the day.

Could Paul have had in mind customary days that would not have violated the commandments not to follow the ways of the heathens?  Paul was not specific about what observance was causing the dispute, so is it then right to assume that Paul is referring to the observance of any day?  Absolutely not, as we are commanded to observe YAH's appointed times in Leviticus 23.  Therefore, consider Deuteronomy 12:28-32, which reads

"Guard, and obey all these words which I command you, that it might be well with you and your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the eyes of יהוה your Elohim. “When יהוה your Elohim does cut off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, guard yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire about their mighty ones, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their mighty ones? And let me do so too.’1 “Do not do so to יהוה your Elohim, for every abomination which יהוה hates they have done to their mighty ones, for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their mighty ones.  “All the words I am commanding you, guard to do it – do not add to it nor take away from it."

(Footnote: 1  See also Deut 18:9, Lev. 18:3, Jer.10:2, Ezek. 11:12 & 20:32, Eph. 4:17, and 1 Peter 4:3)

Christmas is an example of how Baal-worshippers served their deity, therefore Christmas qualifies as an example of how the nations served their mighty ones.

What customary observances do not meet this criterion?

We have two scriptural examples: Purim and Hanukah.  Both of these days are not examples of how the nations served their mighty ones, yet they are not commanded holy days per Leviticus 23.  They are however customary as they mark the anniversaries of (1) the victory over Haman's nefarious plans found in the book of Ester and (2) the rededication of the tabernacle at Jerusalem after the military revolt that overthrew the occupation of the villainous Greek general Antiochus Epiphanies (also interestingly born on December 25th) respectively.  These two observances are customary and are traditions of men; they are not commanded.  Purim and Hanukah are examples of observances that meet the Scriptural criteria of observances that Paul could have been addressing.  Paul is not doing what he is not authorized to do.

But to suggest that Paul is hereby nullifying the commanded feast days is a notion that is simply not supported by the text.

Beyond this reasoning, I must say that staking out a theological position to support the nullifying of the Sabbath days and condoning distinctively pagan rituals with this vague reference by Paul in Romans chapter 14 seems to be not a firm, well supported platform -- supported by an abundance of Scripture, that is -- but rather a tenuous, rickety ledge overlooking a fiery pit reserved for all who have been led away by the delusion of lawlessness.  Be assured that I will not stake my anchor on this misinterpretation!

Just a few years after writing to the Romans, Paul, while in a Roman prison, penned a letter to the Ephesians and said this about the topic (Ephesians 4:17-19).

"So this I say, and witness in the Master, that you should no longer walk as the gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having been darkened in their understanding, having been estranged from the life of Elohim, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart, who, having become callous, have given themselves up to indecency, to work all uncleanness with greediness."

Paul herewith reveals a diligent attention to what is profane from the ignorance of the gentiles.  Christmas, because so much of it is false and untruthful, certainly falls into the category of what Paul is commanding us not to walk therein.

Also in 1 Corinthians 12:2, Paul wrote the following.

"You know that you were gentiles, led away to the dumb idols, even as you might be led."

Paul again cautions against the "dumb idols" of the gentiles indicating that we are saved from such things.

So, we see that Paul, by writing the 14th chapter of Romans would not be contradicting the rest of scriptures nor would he be contradicting himself by condoning distinctively pagan rituals such as Christmas nor would he be vacating the commanded feast days of YAH as described in Leviticus 23; quite the contrary, as we see evidence that Paul and his companions observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread as recorded in Acts 20:6.

“And we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas in five days, where we stayed seven days.”

(The Feast of Unleavened Bread is particularly dear to my heart, as we are commanded to remove the thing that symbolizes the traditions of men from our houses, leaven.  Leaven, according to the Scriptures, is a symbol of man's attempt to inflate the laws of Elohim through man's teachings, interpretations and traditions.  As we rehearse this special feast day, we physically remove the leaven from our homes, a symbolic act of removing the traditions of men from our hearts and renewing our minds to obey only the voice of our Creator.  This rich meaning is not found in man's traditional holidays such as Christmas.)

In his first epistle, Peter also mentions the importance of differentiating ourselves, as believers, from the gentiles when he wrote in 1 Peter 4:1-5.

“Therefore, since Messiah suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so that he no longer lives the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but according to the desire of Elohim. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the desire of the gentiles, having walked in indecencies, lusts, drunkenness, orgies, wild parties, and abominable idolatries, in which they are surprised that you do not run with them in the same flood of loose behaviour, blaspheming, who shall give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”

Therefore, we must be cautious and discerning regarding our decisions to participate in “holidays” and thoroughly avoid those that have distinctively pagan origins.  Certainly, Christmas is of distinctively pagan origin, and we can conclude, based on his writings, that Paul would not participate in such an observance.

It is important to understand the simple truth of the matter: Christmas is not the truth, as our Messiah was not born on December 25.  This fact alone, being an “untruth,” should be enough to cause us to steer clear, since we, as believers, desire to know and do only what is true. 

In his epistle to the Thessalonians, Paul describes clearly the fate that awaits those who do not love the truth but have pleasure in lies.  As we read in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12,

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power and signs and wonders of falsehood, and with all deceit of unrighteousness in those perishing, because they did not receive the love of the truth, in order for them to be saved.  And for this reason Elohim sends them a working of delusion, for them to believe the falsehood, in order that all should be judged who did not believe the truth, but have delighted in the unrighteousness.

John, the apostle of Messiah, had these words on this topic in his third epistle (3 John 3-8)

For I rejoiced greatly when brothers came and witnessed of the truth in you, as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear of my children walking in truth.  Beloved ones, you are acting trustworthily in whatever you do for the brothers and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the assembly. If you send them forward worthily of Elohim, you shall do well, because they went out for the sake of the Name, receiving naught from the gentiles.  Therefore we ought to receive such, so that we become fellow workers for the truth.

Notice here that John uses the word “truth” and does not use the word “half-truth.”  John will receive nothing from the gentiles and encourages his beloved Gaius in the same.  Certainly, Christmas is a half-truth at best given to us by the gentiles.

2.  You assert, ‘Attempting to discredit something by supposedly showing a “pagan origin” is biblically and historically inaccurate.’

That Satan was able to use existing messianic prophesies at the time and formulate false-messiahs such as Mithra illustrates only that he is a deceiver of those whose are hearts are hard and who do not carefully consider what YAH has said, but this does not give us license to blatantly adopt pagan worship rituals as our own, in violation of our Creator’s instructions. 

Consider the following bit of rhetoric.

I shall from henceforth observe Protestant Reformation Day on October 31, the anniversary of the nailing of the 95 thesis to the church door at Whitenburg by Martin Luther, by dressing as witch and going door to door begging for candy.  The candy shall be referred to as the "fruits of the spirit."  I shall also be adorned with a face carved into a pumpkin illuminated by a candle and shall tell everybody that it is the face of Jesus.  The bat, which will represent the Holy Ghost, shall descend upon me to complete the ensemble. 

And the one advantage that I will have over Christians who observe Christmas is that the nailing of the 95 thesis actually happened on October 31.  Practically every person on the planet realizes that Yahushua Messiah was not born on December 25.

Just as you are shocked and appalled by this illustration, so is the Christmas observance for all who know the history of it.  Just like Halloween, Christmas and all of its props are utter non-sense and abominations.

3. You wrote, “’Christmas Trees’ are not condemned in Scripture.”

Neither do Scriptures condemn abortion, yet we know abortion is wrong because we are commanded not to murder.

Similarly, we know Christmas trees are wrong because we are not supposed to learn worship practices from the gentiles.

Furthermore, YAH condemns the practice as recorded Jeremiah 10:2-10.

Thus said יהוה, “Do not learn the way of the gentiles, and do not be awed by the signs of the heavens, for the gentiles are awed by them.  For the prescribed customs of these peoples are worthless, for one cuts a tree from the forest, work for the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. They adorn it with silver and gold, they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it does not topple.  They are like a rounded post, and they do not speak. They have to be carried, because they do not walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they do no evil, nor is it in them to do any good.  There is none like You, O יהוה. You are great, and great is Your Name in might.  Who would not fear You, O Sovereign of the nations? For this is Your due, for among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their reigns, there is none like You.  They are both brutish and foolish, an instruction of worthlessness is the tree.  Silver is beaten into plates; it is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the smith; draped in blue and purple; all of them are the work of skilled ones.  But יהוה is truly Elohim. He is the living Elohim and the everlasting Sovereign. At His wrath the earth shakes, and nations are unable to stand His displeasure.

Christmas trees are a very old custom reserved specifically for the winter solstice celebrations, as they represent, according to legend, the life-giving blood of Tammuz, who was worshipped as Baal.  When Tammuz was gored to death by a wild boar in a hunting accident, some of his blood, as the story goes, spilled onto an evergreen tree thus making the tree forever green, unchanging with the seasons.  For this reason, evergreen trees were common symbols of Baal-worship, and Scriptures confirm this in many places.

Deu 12:2 “Completely destroy all the places where the nations which you are dispossessing served their mighty ones, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.

1 Kings 14:22-23 “And Yehudah did evil in the eyes of יהוה, and they provoked Him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, more than all that their fathers had done.  For they also built for themselves high places, and pillars, and Ashĕrim on every high hill and under every green tree.”

2 Kings 16:2-4 “Aḥaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Yerushalayim. And he did not do what was right in the eyes of יהוה his Elohim, as his father Dawiḏ had done.  But he walked in the way of the sovereigns of Yisra’ĕl, and he also made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the gentiles whom יהוה had dispossessed from before the children of Yisra’ĕl.  And he slaughtered and burned incense on the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.”

Isaiah 57:1-6 “The righteous one has perished, and no one takes it to heart. And kind men are taken away, while no one understands that the righteous one is taken away from the presence of evil, he enters into peace. They who walk in integrity rest on their beds. But come here, you sons of the sorceress, you offspring of the adulterer and the whore! Against whom are you sporting? Against whom do you make a wide mouth and stick out the tongue? Are you not children of transgression, offspring of falsehood, being inflamed with mighty ones under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? Among the smooth stones of the stream is your portion; they, they, are your lot! Also to them you have poured a drink offering, you have offered a grain offering. Am I comforted in these?”

Jer 2:20 “For of old you have broken your yoke and tore of your bonds. And you said, ‘I am not serving You,’ when on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down, a whore.”

And my personal favorite:

Eze 6:11-13 "Thus said the Master יהוה, “Strike with your hand and stamp your feet, and say, ‘Alas, because of all the evil abominations of the house of Yisra’ĕl who shall fall by sword, by scarcity of food, and by pestilence! ‘He who is far off shall die by pestilence, he who is near fall by the sword, and he who is left over and is besieged die by scarcity of food. And I shall complete My wrath upon them. ‘And you shall know that I am יהוה, when their slain are among their idols all around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, under every green tree, and under every thick oak, wherever they offered sweet incense to all their idols."

And there are plenty more examples of this in Scriptures.

So, certainly ever-green trees were used for Baal worship and are held in great disdain by the author of Scriptures.  Now, I understand perfectly that YAH made all of these ever-green trees, but to use them in such a way that so closely resembles the manner in which Baal-worshippers used them must truly grieve our Father’s heart.  It really is simply inexcusable.

4. You affirm, “attempting to use a ‘false-dilemma’ argument is a logical fallacy.”

A false dilemma is a logical fallacy, so you are correct in stating as such yet incorrect to assert that you can participate in this pagan ritual not be guilty, for the reasons stated above.  Just a little leaven leavens the whole lump.  Paul wrote the following to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 5:6-8).

“Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the entire lump? Therefore cleanse out the old leaven, so that you are a new lump, as you are unleavened. For also Messiah our Passover was offered for us. So then let us observe the festival, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of evil and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”

Again, leaven is a symbol of men’s traditions and men’s commandments, and Paul is here admonishing the Corinthians to purge the teachings of men and do what they have been commanded by YAH and by Yahushua to do. 

Furthermore, to an earlier point, Paul is reminding the Corinthians to observe the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread.

5. You wrote “one who erects walls of division between believers over non-essentials is a wicked abomination to Jesus.”

In principle, you are correct to point out that those who create strife are an abomination.  Proverbs chapter 6 points out:

“These six matters יהוה hates, And seven are an abomination to Him:

[1] A proud look,

[2] A lying tongue,

[3] And hands shedding innocent blood,

[4] A heart devising wicked schemes,

[5] Feet quick to run to evil,

[6] A false witness breathing out lies,

[7] And one who causes strife among brothers.”

Yet, I am not creating strife for the sake of strife but so that some of you might be saved.  I reason and contend with you, as love demands no less.

Consider what my end would be if I did not issue this warning.  Am I not obligated for the sake of love to issue this warning?  Ezekiel was commanded of such in this way as recorded in Ezekiel 3:17-21.

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Yisra’ĕl. And you shall hear a word from My mouth, and shall warn them from Me.  When I say to the wrong, ‘You shall certainly die,’ and you have not warned him, nor spoken to warn the wrong from his wrong way, to save his life, that same wrong man shall die in his crookedness, and his blood I require at your hand.  But if you have warned the wrong and he does not turn from his wrong, nor from his wrong way, he shall die in his crookedness, and you have delivered your being.  And when a righteous one turns from his righteousness and shall do unrighteousness, when I have put a stumbling-block before him, he shall die. Because you did not warn him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done is not remembered, and his blood I require at your hand. But if you have warned the righteous one that the righteous should not sin, and he did not sin, he shall certainly live because he has been warned, and you have delivered your being.”

Although you may perceive that this is merely an attempt on my part to be divisive, understand that I have no interest in being divisive for the sake of being divisive.  This issue is profoundly important, and the need to address it is very urgent.

Christmas is also under attack by atheists, I believe, because Christmas is simply an easy target.  It is wrong and deep down everybody knows it.  That it is condemned by Scriptures is not difficult to prove with a simple, cursory examination of the Word and history.  Simply put, despite the emotional exuberance expressed by its adherents, Christmas makes Christians look ridiculous, as it is a blatant imitation of paganism.  Christians are reluctant to give up Christmas because of the emotional baggage they attach to it, such as melodious Christmas carols, beautifully decorated homes, twinkling lights, generous gifts, the mouth-watering turkey roasting in the oven, memorable moments with loved ones and so on all done under the false pretense that it is “Jesus’ birthday”, and such is the stirring seductiveness of the serpent in his quest to cause you to forget what the Most High has commanded!  “Hath Elohim said?”

Our pilgrim forefathers knew this and outlawed observance of Christmas.

For all who have the desire to diligently seek the heart of their Creator, there is only conclusion to make regarding Christmas: give it back to the devil. 

Yours in Yahushua Messiah,

Tim

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Thank you for further explaining your views.

Based upon what you have written, I think the reason why we see things so differently is because you and I do not share the same scriptural foundation.  Specifically, I believe that,

1. The N.T. teaches that Old Covenant rituals are not binding on New Covenant Christians.

We Christians affirm that Old Covenant rituals and ceremonies have nothing to do with New Covenant salvation.  Christians, whether Jew or Gentile, now have peace with God simply through our faith in Jesus Christ, Who,

Eph 2:14  ...hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man...

The apostle teaches that the Old Covenant-required rituals and ceremonies that had so long separated Jew from Gentile have now been abolished by God. You say that they are binding on Christians and you imply that we Christians are lost because we take the apostle's teachings at face-value.  By doing so, you have re-built a wall of separation between us, and this is an abomination to God.

We Christians firmly believe the inspired apostles when they teach that in no sense whatsoever are Old Covenant rituals necessary to observe in order to be saved.  Rather, both Jews and Gentiles alike are saved by faith in Christ alone.

2. The N.T. teaches that Christ Himself is the fulfillment of the ritual and ceremonial observances of the Old Covenant.

I'll leave it to you to speculate about whether there is also some future prophetic fulfillment of the Old Covenant feast days.  In the meantime however, we already know from Scripture that the coming of Christ Himself is the primary spiritual fulfillment. 

Please consider again,

Col 2:10  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Col 2:13  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 
Col 2:14  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col 2:15  And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Col 2:16  Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Col 2:17  Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

The reasoning of the apostle in this place is that:

These ritual and ceremonial observances were merely symbolic and transitory, like a shadow being cast on a wall by a man's approaching body.

They merely pointed to various aspects of Christ's salvation ministry, (which at the time was yet to come), but which He has now been completely won for us.

Since Christ has indeed already come and has succeeded spectacularly in "purchasing us with His own blood", we naturally set aside the unnecessary rituals that merely pointed to that, and fully embrace Him instead, just as we would naturally set aside our attention from a man's shadow, once the man himself comes into our view...

By faith alone we NOW have Christ and by faith alone we are NOW made COMPLETE in Him.  Rituals and ceremonies that once pointed to him have been made obsolete.   The writer of Hebrews says plainly that  these ritual observances had come to end.  They,

Heb 9:10  ...stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

Thank God!  We have now entered into a new and glorious time where God has not only freed us from these carnal ordinances but has also,

Col 1:13  ...delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

And this,

Rom 14:17  ... kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

The New Testament writings clearly affirm that there is a change in God's requirements concerning rituals and ceremonial observances, but if you will not hear the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, perhaps you will you hear the prophets of the LORD instead:

3. The O.T. teaches that God Himself would be the One to alter His Own Word.

When Israel ignored the necessity of true heart-holiness, God Himself became sick of the appointed ceremonies and rituals:

Isa 1:13  Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
Isa 1:14  Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.

God found this fault to be so consistent with them as to be detestable.  He later spoke through the prophet Jeremiah:

Jer 31:31  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33  But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

You confidently assert that God's "ethical" requirements can never be changed; that scripture in the New Testament can never contradict scripture in the Old Testament.  You then quote verses to prove that men cannot change God's requirements.  This is good and right and true, but who are you to say that HE Himself CANNOT change His Own requirements?   Didn't you notice that "YAH" says in the text: "I will" make a change regarding my covenant with the House of Israel?

4. Consider further:

The Old Covenant (along with it's ritual and ceremonial observances), is has been replaced by the New Covenant, and it wasn't any mere man that did this, but God Himself :

Heb 10:9  ...He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

How can you have set yourself up to be a "teacher in Israel" when you don't even know "YAH's" mind?  How can you boast of being a "watchman over Israel" when you are so totally ignorant of His purposes?

God Himself has changed the nature of our covenant with Him.  He has changed the requirements and He has revealed a truly "new and living way."  And truly, "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty!"  Through Christ alone we have,

Heb 10:19  ... boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Heb 10:21  And having an high priest over the house of God;
Heb 10:22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

The New Covenant is a "new way", but our knowledge of it is not new.  It had already been heralded by the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel, but its fulfillment has been fully explained by the apostles.  Truly we are,

Eph 2:20  ... built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets!

No, you are greatly mistaken Tim. The apostle Paul couldn't have been commanding Christians to "observe days, and months, and times, and years..."  He couldn't have been commanding Christians to "touch not, taste not, handle not", as you would have us to believe. 

Consequently rather, we Christians know with the fullest assurance that,

5. The Bible says that the observing or not observing of holy days is not a “salvation issue”:

We Christians can take the simple teachings of the apostles at face-value:

Rom 14:4  Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 
Rom 14:5  One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Rom 14:6  He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.

Col 2:16  Let no man therefore judge you.

Even so, Lord Jesus. Amen.

6. The Judgment to Come:

Because you have arrogated to yourself the position of "teacher" and have taken it upon yourself to damn your fellow servants at will, you have already brought upon yourself an even more severe judgment to come:

Jas 3:1  My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

Please! Consider Christ your judge; set aside your misplaced attacks against His own body, and judge your own heart in the inspired light of His holy requirements.  You make much of outward appearances, but don't you know that Christ says,

Rev 2:23  ...I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

What then do you think is Jesus Christ's estimation of your heart in all that you have been doing to His Church? 

Consider: When you perform your ritual of cleansing leaven from your house, you are merely "shadowing a good thing to come."  That good thing comes in the New Covenant, where Christ begins to cleanse the leaven of sin from the heart, replacing it with His moral Law and holy character, (which is summed up by love.)    

Tim my friend, I have known you for a few years now, and knowing you as I do, the most loving thing I can say to you now is this: 

Shut your mouth; stop looking down at everyone else; plant your nose firmly in the dust where it belongs, and let Jesus begin to "clean house." 

Then you will come to know the "better covenant with better promises." 

I truly wish you well my friend. 

Sincerely,
Douglas Huband