Question about Easter...

[Rinji]

Okay, here it goes.

It started out as a discussion with my husband's mom yesterday. She thinks that we should celebrate Easter. We have no problem with this, however it is when we celebrate Easter that got all our shirts bundled into a knot.

She knows there is the passover and how Jesus was killed during that week and rose from the grave on the day of Easter. She also understands that prior to Jesus' death and resurrection there was a pagan holiday called Easter, and that he just to happened to rise from the grave on that day.

What she doesn't understand (or want to admit) is that pagan Easter is based on another calendar, and passover hasn't happened yet for this year, and neither has the day of Jesus' resurrection. I'd think, if Jesus was a Jew, you'd think if someone were to celebrate his death and resurrection it should be based on the Jewish calendar.

I consider his mom a very book smart person, but when it comes to religion, it just seems like it all goes out the window!

Anyone else having a similar problem? Am I wrong?

[Timothy]

Let me bring this up: if you have a concern with the date of Easter being used to "celebrate his death and resurrection," then similarly you should have the same concern with the date of Christmas (December 25th) to celebrate the birth of Christ, if the same principle is applied. Just as the name Easter and dating of the holiday have pagan origins, the name Christmas ("Christ's Mass") is of Catholic origination. The Catholic church overlayed pagan winter festivals. The holidays are what they are - created by man, most with religious thems placed over pagan themes. Here's something that I wrote a while back, which may help.

What do Halloween, Christmas, and Easter all share in common? Halloween has obvious pagan ties and origins. The smallest amount of research will also determine that Christmas and Easter have had a "Christian" meaning re-applied over what previously was a pagan holiday, with many of the pagan customs carried forward.

People can get EXTREMELY emotional and defensive over holidays, so it is important to have a scriptural context and a practical (personal) context. This whole issue boils down to law vs. grace, legalism vs. grace living, and which you are going to place yourself under. The whole problem with the law, and the reason that it is a curse to us, is that we can never fulfill it. If one puts themself under law, "he is a debtor to do the whole law" (Galatians 5:3), and further:

James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Obviously, there are some that condemn the entire Halloween holiday, and everything associated with it, because of the "ties" to witchcraft, paganism, etc. This condemnation may include literally everything associated, including children dressing up in costumes, trick or treating for candy, carving a pumpkin, etc. Under the law, a righteous judgement would dictate that the same measure should be applied to all things. When someone condemns all things Halloween related in this way, the measure used is that "one part spoils the whole," which is the law (i.e. offend in one point, guilty of all).

What about witchcraft? If all things Halloween related are to be condemned for ties to witchcraft, that same measure ("one part spoils the whole") requires condemnation of countless other things including Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, etc. as they all have witchcraft oriented elements. Note - I am being dead serious, and not making light. For example, there are episodes where Bugs Bunny casts "hocus pocus" spells, etc. Therefore, all Bugs Bunny episodes must be condemned entirely by that same measure ("one part spoils the whole"). Again, I am not making light, so please don't either.

What about paganism? If we use that same measure as Halloween ("one part spoils the whole"), and condemn all things associated with Halloween because of ties to paganism, the same measure must be applied to Easter and Christmas. The pagan originating customs alone would dictate condemning those holidays using that measure. Even the names of these holidays are taken for granted. Easter means "Eostre," goddess of spring, whose festival was celebrated at the Vernal Equinox. So when you utter the word "Easter," are you paying tribute to this goddess? Should the entire holiday be condemned because of the name? Christmas comes from the Old English "Christes maesse", which is literally "Christ's mass." When you utter the word "Christmas," are you impuning the sufficiency of the cross?

As you can see, the problem with the law and this type of measure, as you can see, is that it never ends - the bondage of the law will go on and on and on. So what is the practical application under grace? This passage is a great summary of grace living in practice.

Colossians 3:16-17 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Surely, under grace we are to abstain from all appearance of evil, and we are to have a good reputation amoung the unsaved, etc.

I Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

I Timothy 3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

As we are not under the law, but under grace, we need to ask ourselves grace-based questions from the "new man" such as:

* Does your unsaved neighbor purposely dress up their children, carve pumpkins, and send them out trick or treating in a conscious celebration of witchcraft, etc.?
* Is dressing up in a costume, carving a pumpkin, or giving/receiving candy a celebration of witchcraft, etc.?
* To your unsaved neighbors, does the child of a Christian doing these activities have any appearance of evil? Does the particular costume?
* If you think all things Halloween were evil, how would your unsaved neighbor react when they hear this?
* What kind of "report" would your unsaved neighbor give if your house did not hand out candy?

Under grace, you are entitled to make your own decision on an issue like this. What about "Christian" holidays like Easter and Christmas? Regardless of what "Christian" meaning has been applied to a holiday, under grace is someone required to celebrate any holiday, including sabbath days? No, that would be bondage.

Galatians 4:9-10 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.

Under grace, a person could esteem one day differently, while someone else could esteem every day to be the same. Note that there is no difference between these two people, if both are regarding it unto the Lord, genuinely, giving thanks.

Romans 14:5-6 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 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. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

If someone is genuinely regarding a day unto the Lord, that is not something that another member of the body of Christ should be judged for. If someone wants to genuinely celebrate the birth of Christ unto the Lord, go ahead. As a reminder, yes, we are SUPPOSED to judge other members of the body of Christ on certain things, and judge in a certain way.

Colossians 2:16-17 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: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Now what is the practical application for us, in the dispensation of grace? If someone wants to take a day and genuinely "regardeth it unto the Lord" (from their "new man"), they are freely entitled to do that under grace. For example, Thanksgiving is also holiday (one day a year), but "Thanksgiving" is something we should have every day and "abound" in.

Colossians 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

[JoelH]

I remember reading somewhere that the Gregorian calendar-based Easter date is way off from the truer dates. The Eastern-rites Catholic church, Eastern orthodox church follow the older Julian calendar that matches the Easter date each year with Passover on Jewish calendar, which makes the date in theory much more accurate.

And in addition, even the dates of Jesus's death and resurrection are off: one source says Jesus died on a Wednesday and resurrected on Saturday. <><

[Scripture Alone]

The Jews were told when to celebrate certain holy days (Passover, Day of Atonement etc... see Lev. 23) There is nothing in the NT about setting aside a certain day of the year to celebrate his resurrection, rather Christians celebrate it every Sunday!


We honor the Lord’s resurrection by gathering together every Sunday.
The New Testament teaching takes it for granted that believers assemble with other believers on Sunday. See “first day” gatherings: Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2; Rev. 1:10
Acts 20:7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul {began} talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.
1 Cor 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also.
1 Cor 16:2 On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.

The early church believers said that Christians meet on Sunday because of his resurrection:
Justin Martyr on Christian worship** c. 150 AD
"And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs and exhorts to the imitation of these good things.

But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ, our Saviour, on the same day rose from the dead. For He was crucified on the day before that of Saturn (Saturday); and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the sun, having appeared to His apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have submitted to you also for your consideration." (The First Apology of Justin, Chap. xlvii)


Didache 80-90 A.D. "And on the day of our lords resurrection, which is the Lord’s day meet more diligently.“
The Teaching of the Apostles 160 AD (Volume 8, Page 668). "The Apostles further appointed: On the first day of the week let there be service and the reading of the Holy Scriptures, and the oblation: because on the first day of the week our Lord rose from the place of the dead, and on the first day of the week He arose upon the world, and on the first day of the week He ascended up to heaven." 


If some believers attend church on Sundays and then celebrate another time of the year to celebrate the resurrection---that is fine if they do that. But it is also fine if believers say "I honor the resurrection every Sunday and i don't think that the modern day 'Easter Sunday' is some special day."

[Lynn]

If some believers attend church on Sundays and then celebrate another time of the year to celebrate the resurrection---that is fine if they do that. But it is also fine if believers say "I honor the resurrection every Sunday and I don't think that the modern day 'Easter Sunday' is some special day."
Satan has always tried to destroy Christ. In USA, every spring, when Easter is celebrated, the distractions are abundant and the focus is not on Jesus. Oh, He gets a 'mention' of course. Churches regularly sponsor egg rolls, egg hunts, Easter breakfasts, and typically cancel evening services on Easter. Dh & I honor Christ's resurrection on the day referred to as Easter, of course, but we also celebrate Passover and speak of how Jesus is our Passover Lamb. This is a good lesson for our grandchildren, and the focus is on JESUS, not on Easter bunnies, etc. :rolleyes

[Rinji]

I'm starting to feel a little better now. Personally we don't believe in celebrating Easter as a separate holiday, and that Christmas is approx. when Jesus was conceived, but not actually given birth to.

We would tell her about that too, but we can only lead her in baby steps. I'm glad we're not the only ones who believe this.

She also said at the communion when Jesus said "Do this in remembrance of me." thing and said that's why we must celebrate Easter. To me, it's just not even in the same context.

There's just a lot of things she does and says that off. I guess the majority of people who claim to be Christians wouldn't notice them. I have to contain myself at times, I want to tell her the truth so badly, but if I get her angry once then she'll never listen. Actually she turns almost viper like when anything challenges her version of Christianity. The basics are there, just represented wrong sometimes, ya know?

on another topic, I did run across a cute saying the other day,
"JESUS IS BACK! QUICK! HIDE THE EGGS!"

[Lynn]

Rinji, from another thread you started, I know that you are a new bride. You probably want so badly to be able to 'agree' with your new mother-in-law, especially since she, too, is a professing Christian. In our family, we, too, have a lot of professing Christians, and there are some areas of our understanding that we don't mention in conversation to them, because it would only serve to divide us. Family is too precious for this to happen.
This year, part of our family celebrated Easter in the traditional way with all the trappings, but we did not. We are, however, (all of us) getting together for Passover, and it will be a joyful time for the entire group. :)

We do, however, witness to another group that live elsewhere that we believe are self deceived, but in the end, it's up to them. We just don't want to be a stumbling block to their finding Christ for real due to our style of interacting with them.

[Scripture Alone]

Every Sunday is resurrection Sunday in our church. We don't celebrate Passover, although I may preach on it sometime or mention it when we take communion.

There is nothing in the NT about Sunday evening service. If you have services great! If you normally have them but you cancel them at different times....that is fine as well. We can't stand in judgment on the issue of church canceling its Sunday evening service when Scripture does not proscribe it!

Romans 14:4-6 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.

Colossians 2:16-17 16 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day-- 17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.

[JoelH]

The Scriptures teaches us we can remember our Lord Jesus on any day of the week for the purpose of service - that's entirely believers' liberty. Besides, in Asian countries the concept of week only became popular after contacts with the West, and different from the Western countries, they regard Sunday as the seventh and last day of the week. If we use the logic of the "first day of the week" this would push church services to be on Mondays. (!)

But having said this, it must be noted during the NT times, as opposed to the post-NT early church father period, "first day of the week" as in Acts etc are on Saturday nights - Acts used Jewish timing of the day.

[scrappergirl]

This is an interesting conversation.
My sister has started going to a Messianic church, and since then has decided that Church on Sunday, Easter, Christmas, eating pork, etc., are all huge no-no's. She sent me a link to a website called Too Long in the Sun, regarding pagan stuff that's influenced christianity...
in essence, this website promotes a works-based salvation, and insinuates that anyone who does not celebrate the Sabbath on Saturday as was commanded in Exodus is basically NOT saved and will be told to 'depart from me you workers of iniquity, for I never knew you'.

So after my sister sends this website insinuating that I am bound for hell, she calls me up and asks if i checked out the link she sent. ANd then asks what I thought..so I Told her that it was works based and also told her to read Col. 2 and Gal 2...she didn't take kindly to that, and insisted that those versers were misinterperited.

funny thing...she never mentions the laws about TITHING, though....

:doh
sigh....
totally frustrating....