DAY OF WORSHIP

“But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:15) In speaking the truth in love, we grow up into Christ in all things. As expected, this theme "Easter"has generated a lot of controversy in the past few days, just like it did in days of yore. When a lie has been in office for several centuries, it shouldn’t be surprising that the masses have come to accept it as the truth. Nevertheless, a lie can never become the truth, despite the number or caliber of people who believe it as the truth. For those whose heart are open to the truth, a few of the questions raised are answered in this article.

It is evident that, in a bid to defend Easter Celebration by most Christians , a lot of issues have been raised concerning Sunday Worship, as being traced to Constantine, who made it a day of Christian worship, so it will "agree with" the pagan converts who worshiped "their sun god" on that day. There is no doubt about this fact.

However, the scriptures do not teach that Saturday or any other specific day should be observed as "the day of worship" for believers either. Understanding from a Biblical point of view and not from a pagan point of view, On the first day of the week, being a Sunday, we see the disciples assemble to break bread, in fellowship. Paul, the Apostle engaged them in word study till midnight. “And upon the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.” (Acts 20:7). Read 1Corinthians 16:2. We see the believers of the early church engaged in all forms of spiritual activity on the first day of the week.

Here are a list of scriptures that talk about the first day of the week pertaining to the Lord Jesus whom we serve, and the early church (not the one the Romans infiltrated) : Mark 16:2, 9, John 20:19, Matthew 28:1-7, Luke 24:1, John 20:1...

The Lord Jesus whom we serve resurrected(resurrection, the means by which we become born again: 1 Peter 1:3 AMP) on the First day of the week and that day was termed by the Early Church as the Lord's day.

Revelation 1:10 "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,"

A question may be asked to those who attribute Sunday worship to paganism; would you say that the early church meeting on the First day of the week to worship ,which is Sunday, was an act of paganism because, a sect of pagans also worshiped their gods on that day? Emphatically No!!!

The Sabbath is a concept before it was a day in the Old Testament. It is a period of intermission or repose instituted by God for his children. In the New Testament, Christ has initiated us into the eternal Sabbath of God. “For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said…” (Hebrews 4:3). Thus, it would be very erroneous to contend that all believers must observe the Sabbath on Saturday and also relate the day which congregations decide to meet to paganism, unless that is the reason for which your congregation meets on the day it chooses to.

We are at liberty to choose our days of cooperate worship.

NB: Sunday has in no where in the bible been commanded by God to be used as a day of worship, neither has any of the days, hence Sunday is not the Day of worship for the church. You cannot therefore use the Day of worship as a counter information against the Apologetic for Christ against Easter, to say that any congregation that worships on a Sunday has paganism in it. That is absurd, looking at scripture.

A matured church does not venerate any day as special over the other, and can hold meetings on any day of the week irrespective of the times they meet. Countless times in the scriptures, God spoke against practices associated with Easter, which are the same practices introduced in the church. Paul admonished, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:17). Beloved, understand that we cannot choose the way to worship God; he has shown us in His word how we ought to worship him. “He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it…” (Romans 14:6) It is rather unfortunate that several believers use this verse to allude to the notion that Easter Celebration is godly. How unfortunate? Paul quoted this verse in his bid to draw the Jews’ attention from vain and shadowy traditions, unto the reality which is Christ. Regarding a service unto "Easter" which has no biblical or godly roots, is a clear indication of a sacrifice unto idols..If a person claims that Easter is to remember the death and resurrection of Jesus, this is for you, We are in the days of resurrection where every believer's "LIFE" is of the order of the resurrection of Jesus from the Dead. It is therefore an error to set apart a day or an event not demanded by God to remember the resurrection, It is the way of babies who do not have understanding of the concept of the resurrection. Concerning the death of Jesus, He showed us how we should remember his death- by the communion and by no other means.

A clear picture of a section of the church and Easter is seen in 2 Kings 17:33 "They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought" NIV.- .

In the priesthood and priestly service, we offer unto God what he demands in the spirit and consecrate it as Holy unto God. Thus anything that has not been commanded or demanded by God cannot in any way be used as an instrument of worship unto him. we are serving God and not the opposite and the order is from above and not per our emotions and decisions. Leviticus 1:10-11, " And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not, And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD". It is a spot in the church to go in the way of Cain. God utterly rejected his offering, even though Cain, had God in view as his object of worship.Many Christians today may object to the celebration of Easter, as idolatrous to them, since in their heart of hearts, it is Jesus they are honoring. However, RIGHT MOTIVES DON’T JUSTIFY WRONG ACTIONS.

Many also use Colossians 2:15-17 as a scripture to defend Easter. You must understand what was going on in those days to appreciate what the apostle wrote. Colossians 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. The key of this scripture is verse 17. That means the only meats, drinks, and holidays he was referring to are the shadow of things to come. Ask yourself if Easter a shadow of things to come? Hebrews 10: 1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. This clearly shows that the shadow of the things to come is of the law of Moses. Galatians 3: 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. So now, the question is, why did the apostle have to tell them not to be judged? Paul, the apostle, had the gospel to the gentiles, whereas Peter and many others had the gospel to the Jews. But the Jews that got born again had been trying to impose the traditions of the law of Moses on the gentile converts, and this was a serious issue. But knowing that it was not necessary to go back to those traditions, Paul had to reassure his members that they didn't stand to be judged. Acts 15: 1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. (just read the whole of Acts 15)In conclusion, just know that Easter is not in the Law of Moses, thus is not a shadow of things to come. You cannot defend Easter with Colossians 2:15-17

This calls for repentance; a change of mind and heart, to an acknowledgement of the truth.Colossians 2:8 "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ". Acts 17:30 declares, “Those times when men had no knowledge were overlooked by God; but now he gives orders to all men in every place to undergo a change of heart” (BBE). Give yourself to the truth of the word for therein is life and throw away the lies and deception of men which make the word of God of null effect!