Days ….
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3. Should we Christians celebrate the feast of Passover? |
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No, we are
not bound to keep the feast of Passover because this feast, like the other
Jewish feasts, is a shadow of something that was to come and that came
through Christ Jesus. Passover is a feast that foreshadows the atoning
sacrifice of Jesus Christ because as at Passover – by God’s command – a lamb
without defect was slaughtered and some of his blood was put on the sides and
tops of the doorframes of the houses of the Israelites in Egypt in order to
prevent the destroying angel from killing the firstborn of the Israelites and
thus to deliver the Israelites from the judgement of God (which consisted in
killing all the firstborn of the Egyptians), so now, in these last times, by
God’s set purpose, the Lamb without blemish and without spot, that is, Jesus
Christ, foreordained before the foundation of the world, was slaughtered so
that we might be sprinkled by His blood and thus delivered from the judgement
that God will inflict on this wicked world, that is to say, so that we may be
delivered from the wrath to come. The apostle Paul, who was well acquainted
with Judaism and who was the apostle and teacher of the Gentiles, says first:
“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath
he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting
out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to
us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled
principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over
them in it” (Colossians 2:13-15), and then: “Therefore do not let anyone
judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a
New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that
were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ” (Colossians |
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Therefore,
if anyone, whether Jew or Gentile by birth, comes to you and wants you to
keep the feast of Passover, you know what you must tell him. Let no one
deceive you with empty words. |