[3086] Editorial: Easter is much more important than Christmas

Editorial: Easter is much more important than Christmas

Translated by Lydia Ma

The term “Christmas and Easter Christian” has been widely used to refer to Christians who go to church only for Christmas and Easter – the two most important holidays of the Christian calendar.

Because Christmas is often celebrated with more creativity and publicity than Easter, American novelist John Irving once pointed out that even the dumbest fool feels like a Christian during Christmas. However, Easter is really much more important because one cannot be a real Christian unless one believes in Easter.

Yes, Easter is far more important than Christmas because everything a Christian believes in would be for naught if Christ had not ultimately risen from the dead – including the significance of Christmas. It is as the apostle Paul wrote, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith…. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” (1 Cor. 15:14-17).

So, what is Easter about? It proclaims not only that Jesus died to save humanity, but also rose from the dead 3 days later. Through Jesus’ resurrection, he declares that he can give every human being a new life.

The kind of new life Jesus is able to give us through his resurrection isn’t merely physical regeneration, but also peace for our souls and salvation for our spirits. We can be certain of this promise from the first words he said to his followers after he rose from the dead: “Greetings. Do not be afraid.”

Confident of this promise and of the significance of Easter, the apostle Peter wrote in his epistle, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him, you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.” (1 Peter 1: 18-21).