Paganism and Easter celebration
According to history (Britannica, Wikipedia, and church history), there was an annual celebration in the pagan world called the spring equinox. This celebration was always observed during the spring season, precisely on March 21st, to honor the goddess of spring and fertility. It was one of the most popular events in the pagan world, especially in Rome. This goddess is known by different names in different regions and cultures across the globe. In England (Anglo-Saxon), it was known as Eostre or Eastre. This might be where Easter got its name. In the Romans, it was known as Cybele, the mother of gods, whose son {Attis} died and resurrected. So, the period has also been celebrated as a period of rebirth and a new life. They demonstrated this concept by painting eggs, rabbits, and eating chocolate. They also share these items with others as symbols of new life and love.
God raised Constantine as the Roman Emperor, who eventually became a Christian. It happened that in 325, in the council of Nicaea, there was an agreement by the Emperor and church leaders that Easter should always be celebrated during the full moon, on any Sunday between the 22nd of March and April of every year. This is to say that Easter can be fixed during this period. This was done because no one knows the exact day of the birth of Christ, and this is why Easter is known as a movable feast. They also agreed that Easter cannot be celebrated together with the pagan feast on the 21st of March. The main purpose of this celebration was to use the period to commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This, they believed, would replace the pagan celebration of Attis.
From this historical background, we know that the Pagan people have been using these two periods to celebrate their deity. We also know that Jesus was not born at Christmas. No one really knows the exact date, though the angels make us think it was during the spring. However, as said, this period was appointed by Emperor Constantine and the church leaders to commemorate the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Christ. The Emperor, who was converted to Christianity because of his dream and victory in the war, declared Christianity a state religion and made himself a political leader. He made a lot of reforms during his time.
As a result of this, many pagans’ methods have been brought into the church, like Easter celebrations and Christmas. It is against this background that many denominations today do not celebrate Easter and Christmas. They see them as pagan celebrations, and once you celebrate them, you are indirectly worshipping their gods. Besides, since no one knows the real day that Jesus was born, it is therefore not scriptural.
Now, let us look into the scriptures. The Bible says:
”Verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again, I say unto you, If two of you agree on earth to touch anything that they ask for, it shall be done for them by my Father, who is in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of {Matt 18:18–20}.
Constantine was a political leader in the church. He gathers up the church leaders at Nicaea. They chose the period and agreed upon it to commemorate the death and resurrection of Christ, since no one knows the date. Their major reason was that, through this celebration, the love of Christ for humanity will always be remembered. Therefore, as long as they have agreed together, it was established in heaven according to the word of God above. The day has been approved in heaven to be celebrated, especially for the remembrance of the Lord till He come again {1 Corinthians 11:24}.
Moreover, the Bible says, ‘’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” (Col. 4:17). This scripture has given us the guarantee to celebrate Easter or Christmas in the name of the Lord with thanks. This means everything we say or do during this period should be to the glory of God. If we follow this scripture, Easter or Christmas is worth celebrating. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it as long as the following are concerned:.
- It makes the name of the Lord remembered and known all over the world.
- It gives Christians the opportunity to spread the gospel and win souls.
It helps Christians to reassess and rededicate their lives to Christ through his atoning blood.
- The love of Christ is rededicated among Christians.
The question now is, how do we celebrate it in the name of the Lord?
The Bible says Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). And this happened when he was on the cross (Col. 2:15–18), when he rose up and established his kingdom and glory upon the church. He has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light so that we may be the praise of his glory. He has destroyed all the works of the devil and restored all things he has stolen for his own glory, including the Christmas season and Easter in particular.
So, as holy people of God called for his own glory, when we celebrate any of these seasons, we should not follow the pagan way of celebrating them but with holiness, contentment, and great thanks from our hearts. We should re-examine our lives and make changes where necessary. We should also demonstrate Christ-like love to others and reach out to the pagans with the gospel. This is how we ought to celebrate the seasons—not by just eating, drinking, and dressing exorbitantly, but by placing Christ at the center of our celebration.
Enough of all these arguments! Imagine a pastor who says he cannot buy land to build his ministry just because it is an evil spirit spot or belongs to witches and wizards. How then will the kingdom of God be expanded here on earth? God has called us out of darkness, and we are now children of light full of divine power to exploit. For this reason, everything the devil has taken for his own glory, we are to reclaim it for the glory of God.
Therefore, let anyone who does not celebrate it say it is better than the one who celebrates it, and the same for the one who does.