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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Resurrection or Easter sunday? | 1 Cor 15:32 | DocTrinsograce | 240224 | ||
Hi, justme... I do not believe that the origins of holiday has much to do with how it is commemorated ages later. Nobody sees a Christmas tree in someone's home thinks, "Oh, that family must be Druid." :-) Nonetheless, I have attached a response by R. C. Sproul, Jr. that might be of interest. In Him, Doc Question: "Should Christians celebrate eggs, bunny rabbits and candy with the risen Christ on Easter?" Answer: "No, though it is possible that Christians ought to celebrate the risen Christ in and through colored eggs, chocolate bunny rabbits and candy. At least candy. Before we even begin to try to answer questions like these we need to be sure we are on solid ground on foundational issues. This particular application or that is less important than this bedrock commitment or that. The first principle here is that the resurrection of Jesus is something worth celebrating. This is why we celebrate it each and every Lord’s Day. All of our lives should be marked by joy in light of this reality that changes everything. "I would argue in turn that there is nothing wrong with devoting a particular Lord’s Day to a particularly strong focus on this reality. It is true enough that the Bible does not command that the church set apart a solemn holy day each year to commemorate the resurrection. And it would be wrong for the church to impose such a thing. But there is nothing at all wrong with a service focusing on this event or that in the life and ministry of Jesus. I’m allowed, though not required, to preach from a resurrection text in the Spring, just as I am allowed, though not required to preach from texts regarding the birth of Christ in December. "If we, either as a family, or as a church, do give peculiar attention to the resurrection of Christ in the Spring, it is fitting and proper that said attention should be marked by joy and feasting. We are not remembering a somber occasion, but the great definitive victory over the serpent, and the vindication of our Lord. This is why I suggest that candy may be perfectly fitting. It is a time to feast. We ought not let any concern over the way the rest of the world marks the day make us so reactionary that we are left being grumpy because they are having fun. "What I would warn against, on the other hand, is an attempt to replace or fill in for the more secular versions of the world’s holidays. That is, I don’t like the idea of Bible egg hunts or chocolate Reformers. One reason is that we don’t want to take our cues from the world. The second is that our celebrations are genuine and purposeful, and so ought to shame theirs rather than mimic them. This, as we argued in a previous ask RC, is why we don’t celebrate Halloween. We have something far more significant to celebrate in the Reformation. In like manner, though this may be picking at nits, we don’t celebrate nor observe “Easter” but rather we feast on Resurrection Sunday. "Finally, remember this. While it could be argued that the birth of Christ is good news to all men, and thus it may be fitting that their celebration and ours has some overlap, the resurrection of Jesus is only darkness to those outside the kingdom. To join them in their “celebration” is to be, in my estimation, unequally yoked, and to fail to love our enemies. "To celebrate as we ought, on the other hand, is to recognize that the resurrection of Jesus has set us apart from the world. He will come again to judge both the living and the dead. For those found in Him, we will without shame or fear, rejoice to behold His appearing. They will cry out for the mountains to cover them. The difference is the resurrection." --R. C. Sproul, Jr (2012) |
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2 | Resurrection or Easter sunday? | 1 Cor 15:32 | justme | 240225 | ||
Doc: You are a wealth of great information, thank you, and blessings to you. justme |
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