Question:  You believe that it is ok to celebrate Christmas and Easter and knowing the pagan origins.  These holidays were not instituted in the early church.  It came about after the death of Christ.  Why didn’t Jesus instruct the disciples to keep these days?  We as Christians are to participate in Holy Communion in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, correct?  We as true followers of Christ are to take a stand for truth in God’s Word, not be followers of man.  Indeed, they are pagan holidays and should not be observed.

            Sister in Christ,

            Denise

Answer:  Dear Denise,

1.      There was no early church before the death of Christ.  All the history of the church is after the death of Christ.

            2.  If you mean no mention of Easter or Christmas is given in the New Testament, you are correct.  It is also true that the early church recorded for us in the New Testament was primarily a Jewish Christian church.  Christianity adopted times that celebrate the birth and resurrection of our Lord a little later.  It is true that in the case of Christmas they deliberately chose a time that was previously dedicated to paganism (not in the case with Easter, for Jesus was crucified and resurrected in the spring).

            But when the vast majority of Christians celebrate the birth of Christ, they do not do so in a pagan manner.  In fact, most Christians celebrate Advent, which takes place all during the month of December, not just on one day.

            In Christ,

            Greg Albrecht