Whose idea, God's or Man's?

General Christian Theology
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Valerie
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Whose idea, God's or Man's?

Post by Valerie »

John Hurt asks a legitimate question- I realize he wrestles with pleasing God, as we all should want to please God.
If one sees celebrating the birth of Christ or Pascha (Passover, or commonly referred to as Easter or Resurrection Sunday) as man's idea and not God's then would you consider that a 'man made doctrine'? As in John's referral to 'teaching as doctrine the commandments of men'. Would these celebrations fall into that category? Commanments of men as doctrine, to celebrate these?
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Valerie
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Re: Whose idea, God's or Man's?

Post by Valerie »

Perhaps it's important to dig into the past lest anyone feel they are offending God by instituting new feasts-
My husband said if man came up with these, perhaps they are "God inspired". Thoughts?

Pascha:

I would suggest that Apostle Paul does refer to keeping Passover, but in a new way:

7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

God instituted the Passover, and feast- to the Jews- Israel
The Church became the Israel of God- with Christ as the Passover Lamb- it SEEMS to me, by this passage, the observance of Passover remained- I know the Orthodox Church calls it "Pascha"- which would be keeping with the Old Testament name but applying Christ as the Passover Lamb for the New Testament observance of this 'feast'- which seems in keeping with what God would have had in mind-
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Valerie
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Re: Whose idea, God's or Man's?

Post by Valerie »

There are references that go back to the early days of the Church regarding keeping the feast-
These are a handful of quotes from David Bercot's "A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs"
David gives description:

"The Paschal controversy concerned the day on which the Christian Passover (Gr. Pascha) known today as Easter, was to be celebrated. In the pre-Nicene church, the main issue about Easter was whether it was to be celebrated on a fixed date each year, Nisan 14, or whether it was to be celebrated on the Sunday following Nisan 14-regardless of the date on which that Sunday falls. In Asia Minor, Christians celebrated Easter on Nisan 14, and they testified that they received this custom from the Apostle John. In most other places, the Christian Passover was celebrated on the Sunday following Nisan 14. Another minor paschal controversy concerned the calculation of the spring equinox under the Julian calendar-which ultimately affected the date that Easter would be observed."

Apparently Apostle John, who as we know, was over the churches of Asia (which is why Jesus addressed those Churches in Asia in Revelations 2,3 to Apostle John) had taught to observe a Christian Passover- Pascha- (later called Easter by many) so him being an Apostle- doesn't that validate the observance of Easter or Pascha or whichever? Plus in 1 Cor 5:8 Apostle Paul makes reference in 'keeping the feast'- so it seems that this is something that started with the Apostles- they perhaps didn't write alot down in the Bible about doing this, but as we see it has been done for 2000 years now in one way or another-

I will add some of the quotes about it later- but it is obvious to me, that this was done long before the more recent 'scholars' want to suggest as invented by man, influenced by pagans.
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Josh
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Re: Whose idea, God's or Man's?

Post by Josh »

People like to celebrate things and remember historic events.

Some people want to remember significant events in the life of Jesus. I cannot imagine how doing so displeases Jesus. We are called to follow him and to worship God.
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KingdomBuilder
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Re: Whose idea, God's or Man's?

Post by KingdomBuilder »

I think these verses deals with fleshly, godless commands disguised a proper doctrine.

Is anyone really claiming that is Easter a command?

On another note, I know plenty of people who would apply this verse to Mennonites.
I think, as Valerie touched on, that it is the inspiration that makes a difference. Are we inspired by God and things above or by the carnal, fleshly desire?
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Hats Off
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Re: Whose idea, God's or Man's?

Post by Hats Off »

These days are not "commandments" of men but rather attempts at remembering significant events in the life and teaching of Jesus who we desire to follow.
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cmbl
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Re: Whose idea, God's or Man's?

Post by cmbl »

If I recall correctly, Jesus talked about "teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" and "setting aside the law of God in favor of your traditions" using the example of men who could declare things given to God as Corban rather than honoring their father and mother.

I'm not sure how that applies to religious holidays. Maybe it applies to something like dishonoring one's parents over family squabbles when one gathers together. Maybe it applies to engaging in glutttony over Easter. To me that would represent holding dubious traditions over obedience to the NT.

It's possible to perform word association on the word "tradition," get excited, and start applying that text against religious holidays themselves, irrespective of people's conduct, but that seems like a stretch to me. Not that I find a problem with treating all days alike.
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