Easter is a Pagan Holiday!

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He shall bruise your head
And you shall bruise His heel."

Genesis 3:15

The beginning of the Jewish Creation narrative describes the fall of humanity and the subjection of the cosmos to the curse of death and decay. Adam and Eve choose to listen to the serpent, despite the God's commands. Romans echoes this beginning when it refers to the unrighteous who "worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator..." (Rom. 1:24). Adam and Eve were subjected to the curse because they chose to obey the creature rather than the Creator. The promise in Genesis is that, through the seed of Eve, one is coming whose heel will be bruised, but who will crush the head of the serpent. Throughout the historical narrative, YHWH has been reconciling the world to Himself (I Cor. 5:16-20). Through the death and resurrection of Messiah the head of the serpent (the curse of sin) has been defeated.

Again and again, those who oppose Christianity say that Easter is a stolen holiday. The truth is they could be right. There were pagan holidays centered around the Spring Equinox. The Christian celebration of resurrection takes place during Jewish Passover. Christians historically believe that Jesus was crucified and rose during this time of year. It may be true that Jews began to celebrate Passover during the pagan holidays, the intention would have been clear to the pagan nations surrounding them: Worship your gods, but we will use your celebrations as vehicles to worship the One True God who brought us out of exile from Egypt. The God who saves his people and laughs in the face of other gods (as He did with the Egyptian plagues). In addition to this, Christians can say our God has conquered death and will one day enact his power over death by raising all of those who are in Christ and by restoring the cosmos. This is our hope!!!

On this Easter Sunday we celebrate one thing and one thing alone: The resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. The resurrection is not a story about some ghost-like spirit coming out of the tomb. It is not a claim guaranteeing that those who have faith in Christ will have entrance into heaven. It does not mean our souls will be saved and our body will be destroyed. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the power of God displayed in and through Creation. It is the promise of the bodily resurrection of all (Dan. 12:2- some to life and some to damnation). It is the beginning of God's reconciliation of the entire earth to Himself through the reign of His Messiah and people (Romans 8). It is the wedding of heaven and earth. Death has been defeated and the grave has been swallowed up in victory (I Cor. 15:54-55)!

When those who oppose our faith tell us the holiday was "stolen", we simply respond "That may very well be true. And if it is, the point is clear: Our God will be worshipped over and above any others, because He is the ONLY God. Worshipping on a pagan holiday is a slap in the face of paganism. It is YHWH knocking over the idols of stone and wood and taking His rightful place as King."

For more information on the power of the resurrection visit:
http://www.roanoke.edu/crs/audio/TomWright-3-16-07.mov

"Now if Christ is preached that He rose from the dead, how do some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are then liars regarding God, because we have said that God raised up Christ, who He did not raise up - if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have died with faith in Christ have perished. If in this life we have put our hope in Christ, we are of all men the most foolish. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep! For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death."

I Corinthians 15:12-24