Every year, we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on Easter. Since we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on Easter, many of us wonder why we do this. Many individuals condemn Easter as being pagan, and they are confused as to why Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ on Easter.
It is important to understand the “why” behind every question, including this one, in order to avoid holding on to an incorrect view of the concept at hand.
Celebrating Jesus’ Resurrection
Christians celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on Easter because it is the traditional day Jesus was raised from the dead. Christians normally call this day “Resurrection Sunday” rather than Easter. The day of Easter changes each year, but it is about 40 days after Ash Wednesday.
Easter is the anniversary of when Jesus was resurrected. During the early church and the days of the church fathers, they would have seen it as the anniversary of Jesus’ resurrection; however, in the present day, many individuals only look at it as Easter instead of Resurrection Sunday.
With commercialism and materialism being rampant in the modern day, it is impossible for all people to separate Easter from its true meaning.
While this is sad, it is a reality. Even for myself, I grew up without any knowledge of the true meaning of Easter. Rather than associating Easter with the resurrection of Christ, I connected it with Easter egg hunts, candy, and wearing pastel dresses.
While this can be fine in and of itself, it’s important that we know the true meaning of Easter and why we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. We wouldn’t have the holiday of Easter if it wasn’t for Jesus’ resurrection.
While Easter has pagan origins, Christians are not celebrating the pagan aspects of it. Christians are celebrating the resurrection of Christ, and we are giving Him praise for how He defeated death and now gives us all eternal life by placing faith in Him.
Many people can be picky with the overuse of the term “Easter” because of its pagan roots, but there is nothing wrong with using this word. Easter and Resurrection Sunday can both be used interchangeably to refer to the resurrection of Christ.
Easter is the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. If we look at the order of events, Good Friday is the day when Jesus was crucified and died. On Saturday, Jesus was dead, and on Sunday, He rose again.
This was the day the women came to Jesus’ tomb and found it empty (John 20:1-18). This is why we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on Easter — because it is the anniversary of Jesus’ resurrection.
Jesus’ resurrection is one of the most important parts of the Christian faith. In fact, it is a key part of our salvation. Through Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, we are given the chance to be forgiven of our sins, have a right relationship with God, and given eternal life.
If we place faith in Jesus by believing that He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again, then we are given the great gift of salvation (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
We celebrate Jesus’ resurrection because of who He is and the great love He has for us. Jesus’ love for us is so amazing and incredible that He endured the pain of the cross to redeem us from our sins. There is no greater love than dying for your friends (John 15:13).
Jesus displayed His great love for us by dying on the cross for us. If Jesus was just a mere man, He wouldn’t have been able to come back from the dead. The very fact of His resurrection points to the truth that Jesus is God in the flesh.
In fact, Jesus says that He and His Father are one (John 10:30). We wouldn’t be celebrating the resurrection of Jesus unless He wasn't, in fact, God. As it is, He is God, and since He is God, He was able to redeem us and give us eternal life through His death, burial, and resurrection.
Each Easter, we celebrate the anniversary of this monumental event of history. Never before was there anything like it, and never again will there be anything like it.
The resurrection of Christ deserves its own special holiday, which we know now as Easter. We celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on Easter because of how important it is. In truth, there is nothing more important than the resurrection of Christ.
Without the resurrection, we would not have any hope at all. Paul tells us, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:17-19). As Paul tells us, we have no hope if there was no resurrection of the Lord.
However, as it is, Jesus was resurrected from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20-22). Since the Lord has been resurrected, we can now have hope for the future and for our eternal home with Him in heaven. The resurrection of Jesus gives our weary hearts, and minds hope in a dark world.
During Easter, we have the chance to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection and give Him the praise He deserves. Every day we should be celebrating Jesus, but Easter is the special day when we are celebrating Jesus’ resurrection. Similar to how we celebrate Jesus’ birth on Christmas, we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on Easter.
Can I Celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection on Easter?
As mentioned, many are not sure about celebrating Easter because of its pagan roots. However, if you are celebrating Jesus’ resurrection, which all Christians do, then there is nothing wrong with it. The pagan practices linked with Easter are not practiced by Christians today.
Rather, Christians celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on Easter because it is the yearly anniversary of this great event in history. Therefore, yes, you can celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on Easter because the entire holiday is meant to celebrate Him.
Jesus’ resurrection has nothing to do with the pagan practices of the past. Easter had been linked with some of these practices; however, the resurrection of Christ is not connected with these pagan practices in any way.
If you are not comfortable with calling this day “Easter,” you can always call it “Resurrection Sunday,” which would be more accurate to the true meaning of this special day.
Whether you choose to call this day Easter or Resurrection Sunday, you can celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on this day. His resurrection attests to His divinity, shows He conquered death and the grave, as well as it shows us we can have eternal life and forgiveness of sins by placing faith in Him.
What Does This Mean?
Thus, Easter is a holiday unlike any other. It is unique among the rest of the holidays because it is on this day that we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. Even though Easter has pagan roots, Christians’ celebration of Easter has nothing to do with these pagan practices.
Christians celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on Easter because it is the yearly anniversary of His resurrection. This is why we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on Easter — there are no underlying meanings.
It is simple and straightforward. Remembering the day of Jesus’ resurrection is very important and can bring hope to our own souls. It reminds us of Jesus’ power and that one day, we will also be with Him for all eternity.
For further reading:
What Part of Easter Is Resurrection Day?
6 Ways to Celebrate Easter This Year
Should Christians Celebrate Easter?
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