The Date for Easter

The question "Why not?" is just as easily asked.

No one is forcing you to celebrate Easter.

 

Two small things.

First, it's important to understand that the Roman Catholic Church as we know it today didn't exist until 1054.

Second, we were a part of that church.

I think, a lot of times, people get confused about this for two reasons. The first being that we're so reluctant to do anything that might look "Catholic" that we throw a couple of babies out with the bathwater. The second being that I don't believe most people understand the differences between what we know as the Catholic Church today and the Catholic Church then.

Remember, there is about 1400 years of Christian history that's our history, too. Don't let Catholics or your (easily justifiable) desire to be seperate from Catholicism steal your history from you.

There's no rule that says you have to celebrate it on any specific day (or at all, for that matter). You're free to celebrete Easter whenever you like. Just don't become a legalist about it.

 

:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:

 

Not true, but you're certainly welcome to your opinion.

That's true. However, the Catholic Church in which he was a bishop was very different than our modern understanding of the Catholic Church.

No, I never said the Baptist Church existed in 1054 (something tells me that talking to you is going to be as bad as trying to talk to DHK). What I said was that there was only one Church and that all Christians, including the Christians who later became what we know as Baptists, were a part of that church.

Yes. There was one Church, alright. And Baptists eventually sprang out of that one Church.

 

Ding, ding, ding! Exactamundo!

 

Oh come on, the Trail of Blood has been so thoroughly refuted that it isn't worth the paper the original tracts were printed on.

Baptists began in the late 1500s and early 1600s from English separatists who were heavily influenced by Dutch Anabaptists. You absolutely cannot trace Baptists back to the days of Jesus.

 

I don't think he is. I think he's saying that's what I believe.

 

OK you have convinced me. So now you do not have to celebrate Easter on that day, you pick your own or don't pick one. I will celebrate Easter with my family and church and it will not be because we are pagan. I hope I don't offend you and I will not be offended by you.

 

Jesus arose from the dead three days and three nights following the Passover on which he died.

 

Happy Resurrection Day, Y'all!

The day and time we set aside to celebrate the birth, death and resurrection of Christ is not as important to me as the desire to have a special day set aside to celebrate His presence for the meaning behind that special day.

Does anyone truly think the Lord is going to punish followers for coming together to commemorate His birth, or resurrection on the wrong day?

If this is the case, then ALL of should be following the lead of the Seventh Day Baptist, and worshiping God on the Sabbath, not Sunday.

In fact, it may be a great idea to worship on both the Sabbath and Sunday just to cover our bases. :smilewinkgrin:

Shalom,

Pastor Paul :type:

 

I'm not going there.

 

Where is it first recorded that any of the ones God called out, that is his church celebrated his birth or resurrection and in what way did they do so?

 

I agree with the implied negative of your question. As far as I know, there is no scriptural instruction to celebrate the Incarnation on one particular day of the year. Jesus calls His followers to remember His death, but does not specify a particular day of the week/month/year. Christians in the New Testament met on the first day of the week, because that was the day He rose, but there is no biblical record of them have set a aside one particular day each year to remember or celebrate the Resurrection.

Having said all that, the fact that Easter and Christmas are special times in the secular calendar can be used in a way similar to that in which Paul used the altar "To the Unknown God" in outreach at Mars Hill.