Which is it?
Written by
Christopher Mentzer
I received and e-mail from my “friend” Ryan Hoover, a young man I hadn’t spoken to since he was ten. Now at 22, he’s married and recently had a daughter named Rachel. All his e-mail said was: Which is it? Ryan was known for asking a question out of the blue with no foreknowledge to what her was asking. Some things never change.
After responding to his note and an exchange of pleasantries he elaborated on his question:
RYAN: I noticed on The Easter Page of your website that you have two pictures. One is a picture of a bunny in an Easter basket and the other, a picture of Jesus (actor Robert Powell, Jesus of Nazareth) carrying the crosspiece of the cross across his back. You also have the word “OR” in between the two pictures. So which is it?
This was my reply:
CHRIS: Ryan, the holiday of Easter is a man-made invention developed for “Christians” to have a day to celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Primarily it was created to deter the pagan celebration of spring. According to the bible, we are to remember His death, burial, and resurrection ever first day of the week when we partake of the Lord’s Supper. Here’s some passages to study: Acts 20:7; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Cor, 11: 23-26. There is no day that is more important than the next (Rom. 14: 5-6). Also please read Col. 2: 21-23, 3:1-2 for further help.
He later wrote back:
RYAN: Wow, Chris!
It all seems so clear after reading those passages. I tried talking to Regina’s father about the
holiday. He’s a pastor at the local
church. He simply showed me Col. 3:17,
“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the
name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
Here is my reply:
CHRIS: All too often the denominational churches
will hide behind Col. 3:17 as a universal verse to allow all practices they
do. Col. 3:23 says, “whatsoever ye do,
work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men.” And that means, if it’s not in the scriptures then you shouldn’t
practice it.
His next e-mail he asked:
RYAN: You sure know a lot about the Bible,
Chris. Can you help me study the truth?
My reply:
CHRIS: We’ve already started. J