Christianity and Judaism Do Not Mix

One of the basic problems that the apostle Paul had to deal with as he moved among the congregations of his day was that many Christians were trying to hold hands with the dictates and ceremonies of the Old Law and the teachings of Jesus Christ as pertaining to the new and living way. This problem is clearly dealt with in his letters to churches of Galatia and the church in Colossae. In Galatians 4:9-11, he wrote, “But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.” Undoubtedly, the “weak and beggarly elements” to which he had referenced in verse 9 referred to the rituals and ceremonies in the Law of Moses. He plainly stated that for them to engage in such would place them again “in bondage”. Paul specifically mentioned the observing of special “days and months and seasons and years”. This would definitely include the observance of the Sabbath days and special feast days required of faithful Jews under the Old Covenant. Those Galatians who were trying to hold on to portions of the Old Law and follow Jesus at the same time were causing Paul to be greatly perplexed in his heart and caused him to think that his labors among them had been in vain. In Colossians 2:14 Paul wrote that Christ “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (NKJV). He had reference to Jesus abolishing the Old Law that had governed the children of Israel for some fifteen hundred years. Having fulfilled the Law and the Prophets, He has given us His last will and testament (Matthew 5:17, 18; Hebrews 9:15-17). However, some in the early church were slow about removing themselves from observing portions of the Law of Moses, namely what Paul mentions in verse 16, “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths.” Why, you may ask and Paul then gives the reason in verse 17, “Which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” You see, the Law with all of its special days, festivals and ceremonies were not the real thing. They all pointed down the stream of time when the real substance would become a reality, that is, Jesus Christ and Christianity.

May I say very kindly and with deep sorrow in my heart that one of the aspects of the present digression in the church today is the observance of special days and events. It is heart rendering to read of brethren having special services wherein they observe festivals that belonged to the Mosical dispensation and/or were begun by the Roman Catholic Church. In the Montgomery Advertiser, Friday, April 14, 2006, page 4D, we read that the “GracePointe Church, 1565 Ray Thorington Rod, will have a Passover service from noon-12:45 p.m. today.” “The service will feature the seven last words of Christ.” This’ Church of Christ’ has, in times past, observed the Passover Supper on a Wednesday night. Why are Gentile Christians observing the Passover when it was never meant for the non Jew in the first place and was limited to the Old Testament period? The Passover does not have the same significance to Gentiles as it did to the Israelites who observed it in celebration of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage (See Exodus 12). We understand that it was during the Passover that the Lord instituted the Lord’s Supper but it is the latter and not the former that we are to observe in this dispensation. It is in this sense that the expression “The Christian Passover” is a contradictory term as is “The Christian Sabbath”. Yes, we do have a Passover and that is Jesus Christ by whose blood our sins have been forgiven and are constantly covered if, as Christians, we “walk in the light as He is in the light” (I Corinthians 5:7; I John 1:7).

Then there is the large influential Highland church in Abilene, Texas that had a special service on Sunday night, April 9, 2006. In his PreacherMike blog, dated April 11, 2006 and under the heading, “THE PROBLEM OF MARKETING EASTER, Mike Cope writes: “The Taize service at Highland on Palm Sunday evening was such a meaningful way to launch this week. The services have always been moving when I’ve attended; but somehow they really resonate during Passion Week.

Growing up I always heard that Easter Sunday is no different than every other Sunday because we always celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. I appreciate much of that insight.

And yet . . . the church has also known for 2000 years the power of the calendar — of remembering that there was a Sunday in the spring (tied to the Jewish Passover) when the actual, historical event took place.

He was killed and buried. Then God raised him from the dead. So we believe by faith.”

One of the persons making comments on his article inquired as to what the church did in their Taize service. Brother Cope answered, “Well, we started our Palm Sunday service like we have for the last several years: with a reading from the gospels and all the children walking down the aisle waving their palm branches.

The Taize service is in our atrium with everyone gathered around a cross and Palm branches. The worship “style” is typical for Taize (resources are online), with an invitation from the leader at the end, to write something on a card that we’d like to “leave in the shadow of the cross” as we left in silence (with the Taize choir singing). It was, for me, both refreshing and convicting.”

Another person commenting on his article related how he (or she) had observed Lent last season and it meant much to him (or her). It appears that more and more members of the church are copying the culture/traditions of the Catholic Church in observing these special festivals and days.

I read in the local newspaper where a brother who preaches for a large congregation was going to explain the meaning of Easter. It is amazing how much criticism the King James Version has received because of it’s antiquated language and for mistranslating the passage of scripture in Acts 12:4 that uses ”Easter” instead of the correct word “Passover” (NKJV, ASV). Yet many of these brethren are using Easter in their vocabulary when referring to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We know that the resurrection of Jesus occurred during the time frame of the months of March – April. Over the years I have usually preached a lesson on His resurrection because most people have this thought on their minds. However, every Sunday when we observe the Lord’s Supper when we meditate on the death of Jesus for our sins, we usually consider in our thoughts that our Savior did not remain in the tomb but arose again the third day, that is, on the first day of the week (Luke 24:1, 21). The fact that we “proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (I Corinthians 11:26) necessarily infers that He did not remain dead or in Joseph’s tomb since He has promised to come again.

No comments: