"Easter", as remembered and celebrated today.

[Checkpoint]

I do not refer to its name but to the events that are believed to have happened 2000 years ago, and their significance.

Where do you stand, and why?

[Sojournerofthearth]

[Replying to post 1 by Checkpoint]

It's best not to refer to the name as the name is a goddess of fertility and the holiday rife with her emblems, eggs, bunnys, hot cross buns...

And the likelihood of the resurrection being on Sunday morning and the Crucifixion on Friday afternoon, pretty well kicks in the head the ONLY sign he gave as being the Messiah... as Jonah was in the belly of the whale 3 days and 3 nights, so will the son of man be in the heart of the earth, 3 days and 3 nights.

And if Christ is our example, then He kept Passover, not Easter.... and the Apostles also kept Passover and not Easter. Not to mention they kept the Sabbath and all the other Holy Days listed in Lev 23.

According to the Bible, if one is so inclined...

Soj

[Checkpoint]

[Replying to post 1 by Checkpoint]

It's best not to refer to the name as the name is a goddess of fertility and the holiday rife with her emblems, eggs, bunnys, hot cross buns...

And the likelihood of the resurrection being on Sunday morning and the Crucifixion on Friday afternoon, pretty well kicks in the head the ONLY sign he gave as being the Messiah... as Jonah was in the belly of the whale 3 days and 3 nights, so will the son of man be in the heart of the earth, 3 days and 3 nights.

And if Christ is our example, then He kept Passover, not Easter.... and the Apostles also kept Passover and not Easter. Not to mention they kept the Sabbath and all the other Holy Days listed in Lev 23.

According to the Bible, if one is so inclined...

Soj

So, what do you have to say about the events and their significance for you?

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 1 by Checkpoint]

As one of Jehovahs Witnesses I dont celebrate Easter due to its pagan origins. We commemortate Jesus death as per the bibllical instruction, we JWs refer to this as Christs evening meal and we commemorated it this year on Friday 19th April (see follow up post below for full explanation).
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 916#961916

I recognise of course that the ressurection of Christ was, of course a most happifying event.


JW




RELATED POSTS

• What lessons can Christians learn from the Passover?
  http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 22#p961422
  
  When was "The Passover"?
  http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 32#p893932
  
  Is there scriptural support for the commemoration of Christ's death?
  http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 17#p961417
  
  What is the Covenant for a kingdom?
  http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 73#p911573

[JehovahsWitness]

[Continued from post #4 by JehovahsWitness]




QUESTION Why do most Jehovah's Witnesses not eat the bread or drink the wine at their memorial commemoration?

ANSWER: Because most JWs Witnesses do not consider themselves born again* Christians. They believe eating/ drinking the memorial emblems is reserved for those included in a special agreement, namely to be part of His kingdom government.

* "born again" meaning spirit anointed as chosen by God to go to heaven.


A SPECIAL COVENANT

In the bible a "covenant" is a special agreement between at least two parties, like a contract. Jesus made a special agreement with his faithful disciples.

MATTEW 26:26-28 (NIV)

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take and eat; this is my body. Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins

1CORINTHIANS 11:25

After the meal, Jesus took a cup of wine in his hands and said, "This is my blood, and with it God makes his new agreement with you. Drink this and remember me." - Contemporary English VersionVarious other translations
https://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/11-25.htm

The COVENANT here mentioned is Christ's agreement that those present (and all those who will subsequently be chosen chosen, a total of 144, 000 men and women) would be taken to heaven to rule in God's Kingdom .

LUKE 22:29-30 - New International Version
I confer [diatith] on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred [diatith] one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

New World Translation
I make a covenant [diatithmi] with you, just as my Father has made a covenant with me, for a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and sit on thrones to judge the 12 tribes of Israel.

The "YOU" commanded to drink would obviously be all those that consider themselves chosen to be part of that covenent or agreement. While Most Jehovah's Witnesses today hope to be subjects of this kingdom which is a government, very few believe themselves chosen to be rulers in said government.

** In the first century it seems all Christians had this heavenly hope, while from the 20th century on many Christians began to enjoy an EARTHLY calling (hope of living in paradise on this planet earth).

For more on this please see the link : Does the bible support the idea of two different groups of Christians?
viewtopic.php?p=1022933#p1022933




QUESTION If the majority of Christians are not commanded to actually eat and drink the emblems (The bread* and the wine) , why do they attend the memorial at all?

• ANSWER: Because the Christ's sacrifice (and the special arrangement with the 144,000 included is the kingdom covenant) will benefit all humanity. The ceremony is in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice so ALL those that appreciate and value his sacrificial death should attend, either as participants or as respectful observers.
  

  
  LUKE 22:19
  Also, he took a loaf, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: “This means my body which is to be given in your behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me. - NWT

  The occassion also serves as a testimony of the unity enjoyed by the two groups, united as they are by their love of Christ and appreciation for the ransom sacrifice.
  
  * NOTE The memorial emblems should not be confused with Jesus reference to himself being the "bread from heaven" as seen in John 6:51. This was a metaphor to show that that all who receive everlasting life must exercise faith in the sacrifice.

CONCLUSION: Given the above, far from being disrespectful of Christ's sacrifice (as some critics have suggested) refraining from actually eating and drinking the bread, if one is not of the appropriate group, reflects an accurate understanding of the meaning of the emblems and respectful compliance to divine instructions.

JW

RELATED POSTS

When was "The Passover"?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 32#p893932

Is there scriptural support for the commemoration of Christ's death?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 17#p961417

What is the Covenant for a kingdom?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 73#p911573

Does the bible support the idea of two different groups of Christians?
viewtopic.php?p=1022933#p1022933

To learn more please go to other posts related to ....


MEMORIAL EMBLEMS, THE 144, 000 and ...THE RANSOM

[Sojournerofthearth]

[Replying to post 3 by Checkpoint]

So, what do you have to say about the events and their significance for you?

There is a question asked in the book of Job that I do believe has haunted mankind from time immemorial ....

If a man die, shall he live again?

The simplicity of the law of biogenesis tells us that life comes only from life and not from death... but people have it in their heads that somehow, the death of Christ imparts life. And yet, the Bible says that Christ came that we might have life, abundant life... eternally interesting, exciting and rewarding life. But why did Christ have to die? What does that have to do with it?

To explain the significance of the death of Christ, you'd have to go back to Adam and Eve or back to the creation of world, made to be inhabited by Angels and their rebellion against their creator and the war that ensued, and their being cast back down to the ruined Earth they were given. And how God recreated the Earth, cleaned up the atmosphere and prepared it for a new creation, a man, created in the image of God, after the god-kind... and yet, subject to death, but with the potential for rulership of the universe with God, a man given the opportunity to take from the tree of life but chose instead to usurp the right to decide for himself what was good and what was evil and thus, in dying, they should die... created for eternal rule, to inherit eternal realms, yet over and over, it is traded away for a bowl of soup.

God wanted to share eternity with mankind but they failed to grasp the significance of their creation, and from the moment they stole the fruit, the foundation of their world was set... because, a man is enslaved to whomever he gives his allegiance to... and so Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden to make their own way and to live and die as they chose fit. But from that very foundation of their new world of death, ruled over by the fallen angelic realm, it was determined that a ransom would be paid to rescue mankind from the rulership they had enslaved themselves to, and a way to reconcile mankind back to God.

The penalty of sin is death but the death of Christ pays that penalty for past sins that you can be reconciled back to God and by the resurrection of Christ, His spirit can be imparted to you to join with your human spirit, a new creation with the potential of life eternal as the spirit born sons of God.

That is the significance of the events to me... that God is going to bring all men back to Him, the living and the dead, those who didn't know, those who didn't care, those who were born blind and unable to hear in their lifetime will be given eyes to see and ears to hear and will inhabit eternal dwellings.

[Checkpoint]

[Replying to post 6 by Sojournerofthearth]

The penalty of sin is death but the death of Christ pays that penalty for past sins that you can be reconciled back to God and by the resurrection of Christ, His spirit can be imparted to you to join with your human spirit, a new creation with the potential of life eternal as the spirit born sons of God.

That is the significance of the events to me... that God is going to bring all men back to Him, the living and the dead, those who didn't know, those who didn't care, those who were born blind and unable to hear in their lifetime will be given eyes to see and ears to hear and will inhabit eternal dwellings.

I liked your post but want to clarify what is said in these last two paragraphs.

The first says "you can", but the second says "all men,"seeming to be saying that several groups of people will be saved by accepting an opportunity they get after they die.

Did I get that about right or have I misread those paragraphs?

[Sojournerofthearth]

[Replying to Checkpoint]

Bad habits... I confused my narritives.

It should read,


The penalty of sin is death but the death of Christ pays that penalty for past sins that one can be reconciled back to God and by the resurrection of Christ, His spirit can be imparted to that one to join with their human spirit, a new creation with the potential of life eternal as the spirit born sons of God.

And yes, 1 Cor 15:22, for as in Adam, all die; even so in Christ, (the second Adam) shall all be made alive. It is a reconciling of the world back to its creator.

[ttruscott]

I hate the word and the social events of secular easter and secular Christmas the same. I use the word Passion or Pessah (latin : Pascha ) to refer to the commemoration of His death and resurrection.

[Checkpoint]

[Replying to Checkpoint]

Bad habits... I confused my narritives.

It should read,


The penalty of sin is death but the death of Christ pays that penalty for past sins that one can be reconciled back to God and by the resurrection of Christ, His spirit can be imparted to that one to join with their human spirit, a new creation with the potential of life eternal as the spirit born sons of God.

And yes, 1 Cor 15:22, for as in Adam, all die; even so in Christ, (the second Adam) shall all be made alive. It is a reconciling of the world back to its creator.

Reconciliation has been made available to all, but not all will avail themselves of it.

Being "in Adam" comes by human birth; it is automatic; we have no more choice than we have of our parents or siblings.

Being "in Christ" comes by divine birth; it is not automatic but comes by opportunity and by personal choice.

No?