Posted on 04/10/2009 10:32:45 AM PDT by DouglasKC
I eat Christ’s Body and drink His blood, as he commanded us to do.
But I don’t - for instance - celebrate Passover. That was a commandment from God to the Jews. It is not a commandment from God to the gentiles. That’s because we were never slaves in Egypt.
I also don’t observe the dietary restrictions of the Old Testament. They were commandments from God to the Jews: but we can eat what we want - as revealed by Christ.
And I can walk across unmarked graves without contracting ritual impurity. And I don’t have to bring doves to the temple as an offering for sin. Why? Because God became Man and has become our Sacrifice for Sin.
We imitate Christ by being Christ-like, not by being Jewish.
Where or when did Jesus ever supposedly "observe" Easter?
Avoid personal attacks and mind-reading on Religion Forum threads. Thank you.
>>The 40-day pre-Easter practice of fasting and penance did not originate in the Bible.<<
I would have thought--hoped--it unnecessary to have to point out again that heretical tradition of men known as sola scriptura did not originate in the Bible either.
I believe scripture. The book of Hebrews plainly tells us that for those under the new covenant Christ's sacrifice is sufficient. Reference Hebrews, especially chapters 8, 9 and 10.
But under no circumstances are we to commemorate or celebrate it!
lol!
While there are undoubtedly Christians, or at least potential Christians, within the Catholic church, there is nothing but tradition to suggest that this organization is indeed the church that Christ founded.
The Church that Christ founded is characterized not by which organization one belongs to, but it is a spiritual entity. It's members are those who have the spirit of Christ dwelling in us.
Not according to the writers of scripture.
But the Old Testament says you have to sacrifice goats and stuff. Back up the thread you were saying that the Old Testament was as binding as the New?
Well God bless you: I'm not picking a fight on Good Friday. Anymore than I have done already :0)
There's an important point raised in the article concerning timing.
Mat 12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."
Mat 12:39 But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
Mat 12:40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
This is a reference to the timing of the resurrection of Christ. It is the only SIGN that Jesus said he would give. It's significant and it's a technical detail that proves who is the messiah and who is not.
Passover, the day that Christ himself spared the Israelites first born, was also the that the Christ himself gave the command to partake of the bread and wine in memory of him:
1Co 11:23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
1Co 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
1Co 11:25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."
Christ established the bread and wine, on his Passover, as a memorial service to him. Passover is a yearly observance.
I also don’t observe the dietary restrictions of the Old Testament. They were commandments from God to the Jews: but we can eat what we want - as revealed by Christ.
Where?
And I can walk across unmarked graves without contracting ritual impurity. And I don’t have to bring doves to the temple as an offering for sin. Why? Because God became Man and has become our Sacrifice for Sin.
Absolutely. This is made clear in Hebrews.
We imitate Christ by being Christ-like, not by being Jewish.
Absolutely.
Just out of curiosity, do you eat shrimp?
Incorrect. Jesus told us to remember his death on Passover.
I think that one of the main points Jesus tried to make is that the spirit of the Old Testament is just as binding as it ever was -- but that people can use the letter of it the wrong way.
The problem with the Pharisees was that they substituted the letter of the Old Testament for the spirit of it. Lots of folks still do that -- all too often I do it myself. As Jesus put it, You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. (John 5:39-40)
Scripture does not confer eternal life; it "only" points to Him who can confer it.
St. Paul made that distinction, too, when he talked about those who were subject to the Law, and those who are justified by faith.
I didn't make that statement. Scripture makes clear that under the new covenant there have been changes in the administration and application of the law. Chiefly among these is the fact that the Levitical priesthood and animal sacrifices are not needed under the new covenant.
Well God bless you: I'm not picking a fight on Good Friday. Anymore than I have done already :0)
I don't consider it fighting to discuss the Lord and I don't think you've done so. :-)
No.
Do you wear clothes made from more than one type of fabric?
But I don’t - for instance - celebrate Passover. That was a commandment from God to the Jews. It is not a commandment from God to the gentiles. That’s because we were never slaves in Egypt.
I also don’t observe the dietary restrictions of the Old Testament. They were commandments from God to the Jews: but we can eat what we want - as revealed by Christ.
And I can walk across unmarked graves without contracting ritual impurity. And I don’t have to bring doves to the temple as an offering for sin. Why? Because God became Man and has become our Sacrifice for Sin.
We imitate Christ by being Christ-like, not by being Jewish.
You completely miss the importance of Passover and Jewishness.
First Christ himself celebrated Passover and never commanded a ceasation of it. The Apostles continued Passover, even though they were "Christians". As Christians they were no longer under the law but under grace, which would trump their being Jews and "having" to observe the law of obseving Passover.
Christ didn't come to START a NEW religion, it is a continuation, a fulfilment of the one true one.
Today there are 2 different religions by different names. We call the Judaism and Christianty. When in reality there is only one true "religion" and instead of having a name or title we should be called followers of the one true God, and that God is Jehovah, Yahweh.
True "Judaism" never ended. And "Christianity" never started at the end of Judaism. True Judaism started with Abraham, who looked for a coming Messiah, and continues with embracing Jesus as that Messiah.
What makes todays followers of Christ special, is that Christ has opened the doors to Gentiles also.
The shame for todays "Christians" is our arrogance in thinking we are better than our Jewish brethren, and that we don't need or shouldn't celebrate Jewish Holydays.
The exact opposite is true. God himself instituted these feasts and celebrations. God instituted these feasts because HE wanted HIS PEOPLE to CELEBRATE HIM and what HE had done for THEM.
We, todays "Christians", are like the ancient Jews, in that we are HIS people. But God has grafted in, included Gentiles. We, as Gods People, should be celebrating the things God has done for HIS People, whether Jew or Gentile. Or whether before Christ or After.
The importance is remembering and CELEBRATING God, and ALL HE has done. Past, present and future.
The God who protected HIS People, and Passedover Israel, and judged Egypt, is the same God protects HIS People today.
Gods people today NEED to remember Gods faithfulness and his provision in the past, so we can have hope and expectation in the future.
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