Churches Celebrate Easter with an egg Hunt

[Scarletprayers]

Unless you're worshipping a pagan god, it's not wrong to use eggs, trees, or whatever you use. It all boils down to your heart/intentions/motives. Two people can do the exact same thing, and use the exact same objects...yet one can be worshipping God and another worshipping an idol. The sin isn't in the object, it's in the use of them.

Exactly right Tess!

[darkest_red]

Unless you're worshipping a pagan god, it's not wrong to use eggs, trees, or whatever you use. It all boils down to your heart/intentions/motives. Two people can do the exact same thing, and use the exact same objects...yet one can be worshipping God and another worshipping an idol. The sin isn't in the object, it's in the use of them.

I agree.

I was taught from a young age (as were all of my Christian friends, as far as I remember. And I think we were taught it in Primary School too) that the eggs were to symbolise the stone covering the tomb of Jesus and also that we have new life in Jesus.

I have never believed in the Easter bunny or anything. It isn't that it just didn't wash, my parents never told us anything about it because they had no reason too. We were always taught that Easter wasn't just about eggs and chocolate, it is about the resurrection of Christ and all that He has done for us by suffering the pain and humilation of the cross. That is what Easter has always been about for my family and my Christian friends.

[Zildja]

From Sacred Origins of Profound Things, page 204 -

"It just so happened that Eastre, a fertility goddess (the ancient word eastre means 'spring'), had as her earthly symbol the prolific hare, or rabbit. Hence, the origin of the Easter bunny."

From The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1936, volume 2, page 570 -

"Astarte - a Semitic goddess whose name appears in the Bible as Ashtoreth. She is everywhere the great female principle, answering to the Baal of the Canaanites and Phoenicians and to the Dagon of the Philistines.

"As the great nature-goddess, the attributes of fertility and reproduction are characteristically hers, as also the accompanying immortality which originally, perhaps, was nothing more than primitive magic."

From The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, James Orr, gen. Ed., Volume 2, page 889 -

"The English word comes from the Anglo-Saxon Eastre or Estera, a Teutonic goddess to whom sacrifice was offered in April, so the name was transferred to the paschal feast.

"There is no trace of Easter celebration in the New Testament, though some would see an intimation of it in I Corinthians 5:7. The Jewish Christians in the early church continued to celebrate the Passover, regarding Christ as the true paschal lamb, and this naturally passed over into a commemoration of the death and resurrection of Our Lord, or an Easter feast.

"Differences arose as to the time of the Easter celebration, the Jewish Christians naturally fixing it at the time of the Passover feast which was regulated by the paschal moon. According to this reckoning it began on the eve of the fourteenth day of the moon of the month of Nisan without regard to the day of the week, while the gentile Christians identified it with the first day of the week, i.e. the Sunday of the resurrection, irrespective of the day of the month. The latter practice finally prevailed in the church, and those who followed the other reckoning were stigmatized as heretics. But differences arose as to the proper Sunday for the Easter celebration, which led to long and bitter controversies. The Council of Nicea, 324 AD, decreed that it should be on Sunday, but did not fix the particular Sunday. It was left to the bishop of Alexandria to determine, since that city was regarded as the authority in astrological matters and he was to communicate the result of his determination to the other bishops.

"The rule was finally adopted, in the seventh century, to celebrate Easter on the Sunday following the fourteenth day of the calendar moon which comes on, or after, the vernal equinox which was fixed for March 21. This is not always the astrological moon, but near enough for practical purposes, and is determined without astrological calculation by certain intricate rules adopted by ecclesiastical authority.

A man made Day, not a Setapart Day setapart By our FATHER Like passover and the feast of unleaven are.

I will never Lie to my children. and Santa and the easter bunny are lies, You can try and tell me that they are harmless lies But the truth is What you are teaching your children is that Mommy and Daddy are liers. If you lie to your children about this what else do you lie about.

I always thought that Easter Eggs, were a symbol of our new birth in Christ. Traditionally, new Christians were baptised and confirmed in faith, on Easter Sunday.

I always thought that a Christmas Tree, represented the tree of life in the birth of Christ.

Did they come out of paganism? Perhaps, but then, what a great transformation to remove them from paganism and bring them into worship of the one true God, in Jesus Chirst.

Let's face it, the world was pagan before it was Christian. So, naturally various traditions that were once used in paganism, have been transformed into Christian observances.

[Kabowd]

From Sacred Origins of Profound Things, page 204 -

"It just so happened that Eastre, a fertility goddess (the ancient word eastre means 'spring'), had as her earthly symbol the prolific hare, or rabbit. Hence, the origin of the Easter bunny."

From The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1936, volume 2, page 570 -

"Astarte - a Semitic goddess whose name appears in the Bible as Ashtoreth. She is everywhere the great female principle, answering to the Baal of the Canaanites and Phoenicians and to the Dagon of the Philistines.

"As the great nature-goddess, the attributes of fertility and reproduction are characteristically hers, as also the accompanying immortality which originally, perhaps, was nothing more than primitive magic."

From The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, James Orr, gen. Ed., Volume 2, page 889 -

"The English word comes from the Anglo-Saxon Eastre or Estera, a Teutonic goddess to whom sacrifice was offered in April, so the name was transferred to the paschal feast.

"There is no trace of Easter celebration in the New Testament, though some would see an intimation of it in I Corinthians 5:7. The Jewish Christians in the early church continued to celebrate the Passover, regarding Christ as the true paschal lamb, and this naturally passed over into a commemoration of the death and resurrection of Our Lord, or an Easter feast.

"Differences arose as to the time of the Easter celebration, the Jewish Christians naturally fixing it at the time of the Passover feast which was regulated by the paschal moon. According to this reckoning it began on the eve of the fourteenth day of the moon of the month of Nisan without regard to the day of the week, while the gentile Christians identified it with the first day of the week, i.e. the Sunday of the resurrection, irrespective of the day of the month. The latter practice finally prevailed in the church, and those who followed the other reckoning were stigmatized as heretics. But differences arose as to the proper Sunday for the Easter celebration, which led to long and bitter controversies. The Council of Nicea, 324 AD, decreed that it should be on Sunday, but did not fix the particular Sunday. It was left to the bishop of Alexandria to determine, since that city was regarded as the authority in astrological matters and he was to communicate the result of his determination to the other bishops.

"The rule was finally adopted, in the seventh century, to celebrate Easter on the Sunday following the fourteenth day of the calendar moon which comes on, or after, the vernal equinox which was fixed for March 21. This is not always the astrological moon, but near enough for practical purposes, and is determined without astrological calculation by certain intricate rules adopted by ecclesiastical authority.

A man made Day, not a Setapart Day setapart By our FATHER Like passover and the feast of unleaven are.

I will never Lie to my children. and Santa and the easter bunny are lies, You can try and tell me that they are harmless lies But the truth is What you are teaching your children is that Mommy and Daddy are liers. If you lie to your children about this what else do you lie about.

I always thought that Easter Eggs, were a symbol of our new birth in Christ. Traditionally, new Christians were baptised and confirmed in faith, on Easter Sunday.

I always thought that a Christmas Tree, represented the tree of life in the birth of Christ.

Did they come out of paganism? Perhaps, but then, what a great transformation to remove them from paganism and bring them into worship of the one true God, in Jesus Chirst.

Let's face it, the world was pagan before it was Christian. So, naturally various traditions that were once used in paganism, have been transformed into Christian observances.

Just curious, do you also avoid using modern language for the days of the week and the months of the year? (considering these have pagan origins)

According to Romans 14, there is no day that should be regarded over the next. Each and every day has been created by God, and no day is evil in and of itself. It's what a person chooses to do with and in that day that can become sin. So what if pagans distorted what God made? Do we let them have it? We surrender a day that the Lord has made simply because they tried to steal it? Heavens no. We take it back! One of our highest callings as believers is to redeem culture, to bring God's kingdom principles to the earth now. We can't do that by retreating and isolating ourselves from our culture.

[Zildja]

If this were the case, we would need to classify Peter as one who is 'weak in faith'! When The FATHER gave him a vision in Acts chapter 10, Kepha said "I have never eaten anything common or unclean." This was many years after The Messiahs resurrection. So was Kepha weak in faith? I think not. Look at Kepha here:

Acts 3:6 (NKJV) Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Yahushua the Messiah of Nazareth, rise up and walk." 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted [him] up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

Hardly a man lacking faith! It was through faith that this man was healed. (see verse 16).

Consider also Paul himself would have to be classified as 'weak in faith' if this were the proper interpretation. For his custom was to observe the Sabbath:

Acts 17:2 (NKJV) Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

It can be shown that the disciples all kept the Sabbath 83 times in the New Testament. Were they all weak in faith also? I think not!

From Sacred Origins of Profound Things, page 204 -

"It just so happened that Eastre, a fertility goddess (the ancient word eastre means 'spring'), had as her earthly symbol the prolific hare, or rabbit. Hence, the origin of the Easter bunny."

From The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1936, volume 2, page 570 -

"Astarte - a Semitic goddess whose name appears in the Bible as Ashtoreth. She is everywhere the great female principle, answering to the Baal of the Canaanites and Phoenicians and to the Dagon of the Philistines.

"As the great nature-goddess, the attributes of fertility and reproduction are characteristically hers, as also the accompanying immortality which originally, perhaps, was nothing more than primitive magic."

From The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, James Orr, gen. Ed., Volume 2, page 889 -

"The English word comes from the Anglo-Saxon Eastre or Estera, a Teutonic goddess to whom sacrifice was offered in April, so the name was transferred to the paschal feast.

"There is no trace of Easter celebration in the New Testament, though some would see an intimation of it in I Corinthians 5:7. The Jewish Christians in the early church continued to celebrate the Passover, regarding Christ as the true paschal lamb, and this naturally passed over into a commemoration of the death and resurrection of Our Lord, or an Easter feast.

"Differences arose as to the time of the Easter celebration, the Jewish Christians naturally fixing it at the time of the Passover feast which was regulated by the paschal moon. According to this reckoning it began on the eve of the fourteenth day of the moon of the month of Nisan without regard to the day of the week, while the gentile Christians identified it with the first day of the week, i.e. the Sunday of the resurrection, irrespective of the day of the month. The latter practice finally prevailed in the church, and those who followed the other reckoning were stigmatized as heretics. But differences arose as to the proper Sunday for the Easter celebration, which led to long and bitter controversies. The Council of Nicea, 324 AD, decreed that it should be on Sunday, but did not fix the particular Sunday. It was left to the bishop of Alexandria to determine, since that city was regarded as the authority in astrological matters and he was to communicate the result of his determination to the other bishops.

"The rule was finally adopted, in the seventh century, to celebrate Easter on the Sunday following the fourteenth day of the calendar moon which comes on, or after, the vernal equinox which was fixed for March 21. This is not always the astrological moon, but near enough for practical purposes, and is determined without astrological calculation by certain intricate rules adopted by ecclesiastical authority.

A man made Day, not a Setapart Day setapart By our FATHER Like passover and the feast of unleaven are.

I will never Lie to my children. and Santa and the easter bunny are lies, You can try and tell me that they are harmless lies But the truth is What you are teaching your children is that Mommy and Daddy are liers. If you lie to your children about this what else do you lie about.

I always thought that Easter Eggs, were a symbol of our new birth in Christ. Traditionally, new Christians were baptised and confirmed in faith, on Easter Sunday.

I always thought that a Christmas Tree, represented the tree of life in the birth of Christ.

Did they come out of paganism? Perhaps, but then, what a great transformation to remove them from paganism and bring them into worship of the one true God, in Jesus Chirst.

Let's face it, the world was pagan before it was Christian. So, naturally various traditions that were once used in paganism, have been transformed into Christian observances.

Just curious, do you also avoid using modern language for the days of the week and the months of the year? (considering these have pagan origins)

According to Romans 14, there is no day that should be regarded over the next. Each and every day has been created by God, and no day is evil in and of itself. It's what a person chooses to do with and in that day that can become sin. So what if pagans distorted what God made? Do we let them have it? We surrender a day that the Lord has made simply because they tried to steal it? Heavens no. We take it back! One of our highest callings as believers is to redeem culture, to bring God's kingdom principles to the earth now. We can't do that by retreating and isolating ourselves from our culture.

[Iryssa]

I don't think anyone's saying that obeying laws and following custom is what makes you weak in faith. It's the reasons for it that make the difference. If Kepha believed that eating unclean food would lose him his salvation, then yes, I would say that his faith WAS weak in that area!

If this were the case, we would need to classify Peter as one who is 'weak in faith'! When The FATHER gave him a vision in Acts chapter 10, Kepha said "I have never eaten anything common or unclean." This was many years after The Messiahs resurrection. So was Kepha weak in faith? I think not. Look at Kepha here:

Acts 3:6 (NKJV) Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Yahushua the Messiah of Nazareth, rise up and walk." 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted [him] up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

Hardly a man lacking faith! It was through faith that this man was healed. (see verse 16).

Consider also Paul himself would have to be classified as 'weak in faith' if this were the proper interpretation. For his custom was to observe the Sabbath:

Acts 17:2 (NKJV) Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

It can be shown that the disciples all kept the Sabbath 83 times in the New Testament. Were they all weak in faith also? I think not!

From Sacred Origins of Profound Things, page 204 -

"It just so happened that Eastre, a fertility goddess (the ancient word eastre means 'spring'), had as her earthly symbol the prolific hare, or rabbit. Hence, the origin of the Easter bunny."

From The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1936, volume 2, page 570 -

"Astarte - a Semitic goddess whose name appears in the Bible as Ashtoreth. She is everywhere the great female principle, answering to the Baal of the Canaanites and Phoenicians and to the Dagon of the Philistines.

"As the great nature-goddess, the attributes of fertility and reproduction are characteristically hers, as also the accompanying immortality which originally, perhaps, was nothing more than primitive magic."

From The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, James Orr, gen. Ed., Volume 2, page 889 -

"The English word comes from the Anglo-Saxon Eastre or Estera, a Teutonic goddess to whom sacrifice was offered in April, so the name was transferred to the paschal feast.

"There is no trace of Easter celebration in the New Testament, though some would see an intimation of it in I Corinthians 5:7. The Jewish Christians in the early church continued to celebrate the Passover, regarding Christ as the true paschal lamb, and this naturally passed over into a commemoration of the death and resurrection of Our Lord, or an Easter feast.

"Differences arose as to the time of the Easter celebration, the Jewish Christians naturally fixing it at the time of the Passover feast which was regulated by the paschal moon. According to this reckoning it began on the eve of the fourteenth day of the moon of the month of Nisan without regard to the day of the week, while the gentile Christians identified it with the first day of the week, i.e. the Sunday of the resurrection, irrespective of the day of the month. The latter practice finally prevailed in the church, and those who followed the other reckoning were stigmatized as heretics. But differences arose as to the proper Sunday for the Easter celebration, which led to long and bitter controversies. The Council of Nicea, 324 AD, decreed that it should be on Sunday, but did not fix the particular Sunday. It was left to the bishop of Alexandria to determine, since that city was regarded as the authority in astrological matters and he was to communicate the result of his determination to the other bishops.

"The rule was finally adopted, in the seventh century, to celebrate Easter on the Sunday following the fourteenth day of the calendar moon which comes on, or after, the vernal equinox which was fixed for March 21. This is not always the astrological moon, but near enough for practical purposes, and is determined without astrological calculation by certain intricate rules adopted by ecclesiastical authority.

A man made Day, not a Setapart Day setapart By our FATHER Like passover and the feast of unleaven are.

I will never Lie to my children. and Santa and the easter bunny are lies, You can try and tell me that they are harmless lies But the truth is What you are teaching your children is that Mommy and Daddy are liers. If you lie to your children about this what else do you lie about.

I always thought that Easter Eggs, were a symbol of our new birth in Christ. Traditionally, new Christians were baptised and confirmed in faith, on Easter Sunday.

I always thought that a Christmas Tree, represented the tree of life in the birth of Christ.

Did they come out of paganism? Perhaps, but then, what a great transformation to remove them from paganism and bring them into worship of the one true God, in Jesus Chirst.

Let's face it, the world was pagan before it was Christian. So, naturally various traditions that were once used in paganism, have been transformed into Christian observances.

Just curious, do you also avoid using modern language for the days of the week and the months of the year? (considering these have pagan origins)

According to Romans 14, there is no day that should be regarded over the next. Each and every day has been created by God, and no day is evil in and of itself. It's what a person chooses to do with and in that day that can become sin. So what if pagans distorted what God made? Do we let them have it? We surrender a day that the Lord has made simply because they tried to steal it? Heavens no. We take it back! One of our highest callings as believers is to redeem culture, to bring God's kingdom principles to the earth now. We can't do that by retreating and isolating ourselves from our culture.

[Kabowd]

Zildja, let's just take a look at what you're saying:

If this were the case, we would need to classify Peter as one who is 'weak in faith'! When The FATHER gave him a vision in Acts chapter 10, Kepha said "I have never eaten anything common or unclean." This was many years after The Messiahs resurrection. So was Kepha weak in faith? I think not.

First, I never said anything about being "weak in faith", however, why would it be a stretch to think Peter was sometimes weak in faith? He was human, and afterall the same man who denied Christ three times. But that's beside the point. If we look to the text, in context, we see that God sends Peter a vision (in verse 11 it describes the various animals and creatures he sees). Then, the voice speaks and tells him to kill and eat. According to the next verse (which you quoted), Peter immediately interjects because, to him, eating one of these creatures would be sin (i.e. his reference to them being "unclean"). Let's stop here and consider our options. Either a) Peter is correct in his belief that these are "unclean" or b) Peter is incorrect in his belief that these are "unclean". If the answer is A, this inevitably means that the Lord tempted Peter to sin. Well according to James 1:13, God does not tempt us to sin. Therefore, we have to conclude that it was Peter's perception that was wrong, not the Lord.

Secondly, have you forgotten to read the rest of the story? In case you aren't aware, the Lord was preparing Peter for an encounter with Cornelius, a Gentile. The Lord had a plan to bring salvation to the Gentiles but this was a brand new concept (especially to the Jews who were not even supposed to associate with those considered "unclean"). If you would've followed the story further, you would've seen that Peter himself rethinks his previous assumptions (he has to in order to obey what God is calling him to do). He not only goes to see Cornelius, he puts himself on common ground, refusing to be treated as anything superior to them. In fact, Peter's prior beliefs had so been stretched that he announces to Cornelius in verse 28:

"..."You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean."

Do you see what has happened? God has re-shaped Peter's theological box. In fact, much of what Peter says from veres 39-43 is basically him professing how God has educated him and corrected him regarding his thinking. He announces that God has shown him that forgiveness is for the Jew and the Gentile, which is an extremely radical concept that blew their minds. So much so, that Cornelius and the others present immediately believe and God's Spirit fills them. They become the very first Gentiles to be baptized and marked as one of Christ's disciples.

In summary, do you see the impact of having a proper perspective and belief about the things that God has created? Had Peter refused to correct his preconceived beliefs (regarding certain people and things as "unclean"), he would never have been able to minister to the house of a Gentile ... his previous beliefs would've told him it was wrong.

Consider also Paul himself would have to be classified as 'weak in faith' if this were the proper interpretation. For his custom was to observe the Sabbath:

Acts 17:2 (NKJV) Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

It can be shown that the disciples all kept the Sabbath 83 times in the New Testament. Were they all weak in faith also? I think not!

I'm glad you bring up Paul as well. Here is what Paul taught us in Romans 14:1-14 :

"Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, "AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD." So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this--not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way. I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean."

In other words, Paul is stating what I have been stating all along: no particular day or thing is "unclean" in and of itself...it's how a person perceives it and what they do with that day/thing that can make it a sin. Paul even seems to say that it's those who are "weak in faith" who regard one thing over another, or one day over another.

Back to Peter for a minute, as I think about it further, this event in Acts 10 really is a wonderful example of fulfilling the cultural mandate and laying aside some of our preconceived religious "codes". What if we subsitituted "easter eggs" in place of the "unclean meat"? What if we substituted Cornelius for someone we know who celebrates Easter with a bunny and eggs? Which is more important: holding to our "codes", or redeeming the culture around us?

[Zildja]

There are alot of things here that we view very diffrently. (((((First, I never said anything about being "weak in faith", )))))

I know but it has alot to do with Romans 14.

Take note that Peter never Killed and eat the animails that he was told to Kill and eat. That is because Peter was right. And you are right for pointing out the rest of the story. Unclean food has nothing to do with what peter is learning here. The FATHER did not make the gentiles unclean. They were just as clean as Peter, Because Peter was a sinner also. This is the main lesson here. Peter had been taught to treat Gentiles as Dogs. At this point I guess I need to explain My veiw of who the Jews who say they are Jew and are not are. And also what the meaning of gentile is to my understanding.

That is another thread to start maybe I will come back to this topic I can see that I must explain some of my Understanding of scripture first.

[apothanein kerdos]

Do you believe the Law has anything to do with our salvation?

[Kabowd]

There are alot of things here that we view very diffrently. (((((First, I never said anything about being "weak in faith", )))))

I know but it has alot to do with Romans 14.

Take note that Peter never Killed and eat the animails that he was told to Kill and eat. That is because Peter was right. And you are right for pointing out the rest of the story. Unclean food has nothing to do with what peter is learning here. The FATHER did not make the gentiles unclean. They were just as clean as Peter, Because Peter was a sinner also. This is the main lesson here. Peter had been taught to treat Gentiles as Dogs. At this point I guess I need to explain My veiw of who the Jews who say they are Jew and are not are. And also what the meaning of gentile is to my understanding.

That is another thread to start maybe I will come back to this topic I can see that I must explain some of my Understanding of scripture first.

How can you say Peter was right? If Peter was right, then God tempted him to sin. Is that what you are suggesting? Also, in the following verse, the Lord rebuked Peter for calling anything He made unclean. In this situation, both cannot be right. Either God was right, or Peter was right. And I'm not understanding what being Jew or Gentile has to do with anything?