PAGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH....Easter vs Resurrection Sunday

[VioletReigns]

I was a fairly new Christian living in Ohio when I first heard the Christian group, "Harvest." (Jerry Williams, Paul Wilbur & Ed Kerr) They came to our church a few times, too. Their music was so inspiring to me! This particular Harvest song gave me so much joy in my heart that I began to refer to Easter as "Resurrection Morning." It was not out of condemnation or fear that Easter meant something evil. It was just out of sheer rejoicing in my heart. In fact, nobody else that I knew personally called Easter "Resurrection Morning." To me it does not matter. God's Word tells us that He sees our heart and knows who His children are. And He does not condemn them.

[video=youtube;AoBRkymUdZg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoBRkymUdZg[/video]

Interestingly enough, Jerry Williams, the lead singer of Harvest helped to lead Paul Wilbur to the Lord. As most of you may know, Paul Wilbur is an Israeli-American singer/worship leader/pastor in the Messianic music genre.

 

[prove-all]

Before Constantine

The first recorded official persecution of Christians on behalf of the Roman Empire was in AD 64,
Emperor Nero attempted to blame Christians for the Great Fire of Rome. According to Church tradition,
it was during the reign of Nero that Peter and Paul were martyred in Rome

Their refusal to participate in Imperial cult was considered an act of treason and was thus punishable by execution
During the Great Persecution (303–311), the emperor ordered Christian buildings and the homes of Christians torn down and their sacred books collected and burned. Christians were arrested, tortured, mutilated, burned, starved, and condemned to gladiatorial contests to amuse spectators

Edict of Milan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
the February 313 CE agreement to treat Christians benevolently within the Roman Empire.

-they stop killing the jews outright, but still continued to torture or kill till they turned from Gods oracles.
they combined there pagan religions customs to spread to the whole world.

synonymous with the Roman Empire;"he convoked an Ecumenical Council"
Constantine the Great - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337

- A persone that made his subjects worship him as a god,
and himself worshiped the sun and many other created things,
is in control of these meetings and does not have Gods back or ways.

On 7 March 321, Constantine I, Rome's first Christian Emperor (see Constantine I and Christianity),
decreed that Sunday would be observed as (the Roman day) of rest:[5]

On (the venerable Day) of (the Sun) let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits; because it often happens that another day is not so suitable for grain-sowing or vine-planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost.[6]

In 363, Canon 29 of the Council of Laodicea (prohibited observance) of the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday),
and encouraged Christians to work on the Saturday and rest on the Lord's Day (Sunday).

- ther is no bible verse that says saturday the sabbath, changed to the lords day to sunday.

[8] The fact that the canon had to be issued at all is an indication that adoption of Constantine's decree of 321 was still not universal, not even among Christians. It also indicates that Jews were observing the Sabbath on the Saturday.

He took Christs name and made christiatanity as we see today.

 

[prove-all]

First Council of Nicaea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This first ecumenical council was the first effort to attain consensus in the church
through an assembly representing all of Christendom

Ecumenical council - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
were convoked by Christian Roman Emperors, who also enforced the decisions
of those councils within the state church of the Roman Empire.

-it was not a fair councel or a consesus at all but of romes will inforced.

they changed the nature of the Son of God and his relationship to God the Father
establishing uniform observance of the date of Easter,
and promulgation of early canon law

all but two agreed to sign the creed and these two, along with Arius, were banished to Illyria.

-there was some serious politics back then, the good guys never had a chance.
Arian controversy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

-these controversies concerned the relationship between God the Father and Jesus Christ.
Nicene Creed - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Nicene Creed was adopted in the face of the Arian controversy

The Nicene Creed of 325 explicitly affirms the co-essential divinity of the Son,
The 381 version speaks of the Holy Spirit (as worshipped) and glorified with the Father and the Son.
The Macedonians denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit.
This was also known as Pneumatomachianism.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macedonians_(religious_group)
Macedonius I of Constantinople - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

- they were an anti-Nicene Creed sect that had Gods true words.

Another result of the council was an agreement on when to celebrate Easter which is simply stated:

We also send you the good news of the settlement concerning the holy pasch, namely that in answer to your prayers this question also has been resolved. All the brethren in the East who have hitherto followed the Jewish practice will henceforth observe the custom of the Romans and of yourselves and of all of us (who from ancient times) have kept Easter together with you.[13]

- was changed to easter to observe a roman custume that dates way before Christ born of a virgin ?
they did everything they could to stamp out or incorperate into roman ways and change Gods.

Because the celebration of Easter was tied to the spring equinox,

-the Roman Catholic Church considered this steady drift in the date of Easter undesirable
Roman calendar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Julian calendar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
by Julius Caesar in 46 BC, was a reform of the Roman calendar.

Gregorian calendar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The calendar was a refinement in 1582 to the Julian calendar

The motivation for the reform was to bring the date for the celebration of Easter
to the time of the year in which the First Council of Nicaea had agreed upon in 325.


-The Phoenician name was Astarte, the wife of the sun god,
Astarte - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Baal, the worship of whom is continually denounced in
the Bible as the most abominable of all pagan idolatry (1 Kings 22:53;

-and is a mystery going way back to the tower

 

[Galahad]

Easter came into the English Language from the German Oester meaning Goddess of the East.

Commemoration of the Resurrection (which was originally called Pascah) was moved by Constantine fron the Sunday after Passover to 2 Sundays after the Equinox, to coincide with the feast of Ishtar, Astarte-Aphrodite-Venus: a fertility goddess.

I believe that Resurrection Sunday should be called Resurrection Sunday, or Firstfruits; because it should not be associated with eggs, bunnies, or public orgies to honor a fertility goddess!

Of less importance, I believe that it should be observed on the Sunday after Passover, as it will be this year.

Interesting. Very much so. Was in a craft store with my wife. The store had a cross with Easter eggs glued to it. Amazingly pathetic. Another ploy at marketing Christianity.

 

[VioletReigns]

Glory to God, where is the JOY in here? Don't you people get tired of lugging your miserable, heavy pagan exegesis around?! For crying out loud, proclaim the GOOD NEWS of the RESURRECTION instead! I see 5 guests at the bottom of this page. Tell them how the SAVIOR JESUS is ALIVE! \/

 

[MarcR]

Glory to God, where is the JOY in here? Don't you people get tired of lugging your miserable, heavy pagan exegesis around?! For crying out loud, proclaim the GOOD NEWS of the RESURRECTION instead! I see 5 guests at the bottom of this page. Tell them how the SAVIOR JESUS is ALIVE! \/

View attachment 100410

Violet,

You are certainly correct that uplifting conversation presents a better witness!

There are however, valid issues worthy of discussion and the forum is ideally suited to that purpose.

If you can suggest a way that will allow a forum to fulfill both functions I will implement it at once.

 

[VioletReigns]

There are however, valid issues worthy of discussion and the forum is ideally suited to that purpose.

If you can suggest a way that will allow a forum to fulfill both functions I will implement it at once.

I have no problem with discussing valid issues. It's just that all this emphasizing of pagan beliefs is getting to be ridiculous. What difference does it make what pagans did or are doing? The whole carnal world is lost and are we not God's vessels of honor whom He has chosen to shine His light to the world??

I Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.

[video=youtube;0b6dT80Mz8Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b6dT80Mz8Q[/video]

 

[MarcR]

Violet,

It is not my intent to emphasize pagan beliefs! My intent is to REMOVE pagan influence from Christian practice.

If I am correct that it detracts from our worship and compromises our witness; then it is important to discuss.

If you can show me that it does not compromise our witness, I will never talk about it again.

 

[Ugly]

Violet,

It is not my intent to emphasize pagan beliefs! My intent is to REMOVE pagan influence from Christian practice.

If I am correct that it detracts from our worship and compromises our witness; then it is important to discuss.

If you can show me that it does not compromise our witness, I will never talk about it again.

All pagan influences? Do you wear a wedding ring? If so it needs to go.
Do you use the names of the days of the week? Because they're all named after pagan gods.
Celebrate birthdays?

Culture is inundated with pagan roots that you use on a daily basis, yet have no qualms about. This is the issue i have with people so eager to label things pagan and therefore wrong. They always pick and choose which pagan things are wrong.

 

[ChristInUs]

Ugly but I keep the Passover and I eat lamb with biter herbs and hide the bread and my kids look and find it. I think they call it a Sader. Therefore I am righteous.

 

[keepitsimple]

Violet,

It is not my intent to emphasize pagan beliefs! My intent is to REMOVE pagan influence from Christian practice.

If I am correct that it detracts from our worship and compromises our witness; then it is important to discuss.

If you can show me that it does not compromise our witness, I will never talk about it again.

Go get em' Violet ! He's nuthin' without his chompers

 

[MarcR]

All pagan influences? Do you wear a wedding ring? If so it needs to go.
Do you use the names of the days of the week? Because they're all named after pagan gods.
Celebrate birthdays?

Culture is inundated with pagan roots that you use on a daily basis, yet have no qualms about. This is the issue i have with people so eager to label things pagan and therefore wrong. They always pick and choose which pagan things are wrong.

I would NEVER be so foolish as to try to remove pagan influence from the world, or its culture.

I strongly advocate removing it from Christian worship

 

[Karraster]

I will never understand the logic..unless we can get everything right we must not attempt to get anything right. Wedding rings most likely have roots in pagan rituals, but how is that valid in a discussion about the resurrected Messiah? And who says finding out truth is a downer? Nothing is more enjoyable to me than finding error in what I think I know, and correcting it.

 

[VioletReigns]

Well I ain't no scholar, the entire forum knows that. But I'm wondering how come those of you who continue to discuss (argue, strive, debate) paganism continue to ignore this simple truth of God:

Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

The Bible Discussion Forum has earned itself a bad reputation to many who won't even venture in this forum because of all the references to paganism, the ungodly debates about law, the self-righteous attitudes and the constant conflict about the simple truths of God's Word. Doesn't that concern you? Or do you still believe it's more edifying to continue posting pagan references on a Christian board?

 

[VioletReigns]

I will never understand the logic... unless we can get everything right we must not attempt to get anything right. Wedding rings most likely have roots in pagan rituals, but how is that valid in a discussion about the resurrected Messiah? And who says finding out truth is a downer? Nothing is more enjoyable to me than finding error in what I think I know, and correcting it.

The reason you don't understand the logic is because:
1. That statement is illogical "unless we can get everything right we must not attempt to get anything right"
2. Logic has nothing to do with walking in the liberty of the grace of Jesus Christ

And why converse about paganism rather than glorify our resurrected Messiah?

And why is it the most enjoyable thing for you to find error? Fault finding is no fun, brother. Why not seek truth instead! That's more joyful, isn't it?

 

[MarcR]

Eph 4:11-15
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
KJV


I am both a scholar and a teacher. Whether that is a good thing about me, you, the forum, are better able to determine than I. I can assure you that my motivation is right. I will continue to believe my teaching is right until one of you show me from Scripture where I am mistaken.

 

[VioletReigns]

Oops! I better take my own advice. I'm done debating now. Goodnight, friends! ♥

Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

 

[A_Friend_In_Christ]

Is it too early to lecture on the pagan Christmas trees?

Why not just rerun the forums from last year or the year before? They are all the same.

 

[MarcR]

Someone else opened a Christmas thread and I responded; but not about trees. There has been no mention of Christmas or trees on this thread; so what brought that on?

 

[Karraster]

The reason you don't understand the logic is because:
1. That statement is illogical "unless we can get everything right we must not attempt to get anything right"
2. Logic has nothing to do with walking in the liberty of the grace of Jesus Christ

And why converse about paganism rather than glorify our resurrected Messiah?

And why is it the most enjoyable thing for you to find error? Fault finding is no fun, brother. Why not seek truth instead! That's more joyful, isn't it?

Messiah is the truth, and the way, and the life. He was always saying.."I tell you the truth..." and believe you me, when I realized to what extent I'd been lied to all my life concerning the Church..after I got over the shock, picked myself up off the floor and repented, I thanked Father for allowing me to see. I believe we are all offered a love for the truth, and that it's up to us to accept it or not, it is a gift. I gladly accept it. It's not a small thing to admit what you've believed is wrong, however, once you've been given the love of truth and got a good taste, it's what you crave.

No man/woman has all the truth, so to some extent we are all deceived. If we can't trade a dirty old lie for truth any day of the week and be glad about it, we need to ask ourselves why.