WHAT MESSAGE ARE YOU SENDING??? Rev. Charles J. Paul

1 John 2:15 tells us, Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

The Word of God also tells us not to conform to this world any longer.


My sole purpose in writing this article is to set the record straight. After doing some research I have found that there are well over 30 churches and Christian groups in the Philadelphia and Bucks county area that are having the children come to their churches and having their pictures taken with the Easter Bunny, one church is even going to have the Easter bunny teach children's church on Sunday. In some very sad cases the church has become so much like the world that you can not tell them apart. They will do anything they can to bring people into their buildings, even going as far as letting a rabbit, games and prizes being the reason to come to church. This has broken my heart, and if it has broken my heart, what do you think it has done to the heart of God.

My appeal today is to the Pastors, and to the countless believers who sit in the pews, to you I say stand up for the truth of the Gospel and stop compromising with the world. Yesterday we celebrated the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, this Friday we will reflect on what our Lord did for us on the cross, and Sunday we will rejoice at the fact that He rose from the grave. It is because He lives that we also who believe in Him will live. As you can see this is not a game, and most of all nothing to be played with.

What we must teach to our children is the message of the cross, not just in words but also by our actions; too many adults today tell their kids not to smoke while smoking in front of them. Sadly the motto today is do what I say not what I do. The Word of God teaches us that there will be a complete transformation, a renewing of the mind of the believer, we will no longer do the things we used to do.

What we must do is pray for the lost, and let them see us worshiping our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, let them be exposed to our new life. But sadly in too many cases we show the them that they can have Jesus and the world.

Remember the Lord will add to the numbers, what people are won by, is what they will have to be kept by.

If they are won to the church by entertainment and prizes, and yes even a person dressed as the Easter bunny, then to keep them you will always have to give them more of the same and better each week.

But if they are Drawn in by the sprit of the Lord and their hearts of stone are changed to flesh, then the scales will fall from their eyes and for the first time they will see that they are a sinner and Jesus is their eternal Savior, then nothing will be needed to keep them but the Word that drew them.

Hear are some facts to consider………..
Eggs, Egg Hunts and Easter
Eggs have always been associated with the Easter celebration. Nearly every culture in the modern world has a long tradition of coloring eggs in beautiful and different ways. I once examined a traveling display of many kinds of beautifully decorated egg designs that represented the styles and traditions of virtually every country of modern Europe.

Notice the following: “The origin of the Easter egg is based on the fertility lore of the Indo-European races…The egg to them was a symbol of spring…In Christian times the egg had bestowed upon it a religious interpretation, becoming a symbol of the rock tomb out of which Christ emerged to the new life of His resurrection” (Francis X. Weiser, Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs, p. 233). This is a direct example of exactly how pagan symbols and customs are “Christianized,” i.e., Christian-sounding names are superimposed over pagan customs. This is done to deceive—as well as make people feel better about why they are following a custom that is not in the Bible.

Notice: “Around the Christian observance of Easter…folk customs have collected, many of which have been handed down from the ancient ceremonial…symbolism of European and Middle Eastern pagan spring festivals…for example, eggs…have been very prominent as symbols of new life and resurrection” (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1991 ed., Vol. 4, p. 333).

Finally, the following comes from Egyptian Belief and Modern Thought, James Bonwick, pp. 211-212: “Eggs were hung up in the Egyptian temples. Bunsen calls attention to the mundane egg, the emblem of generative life, proceeding from the mouth of the great god of Egypt. The mystic egg of Babylon, hatching the Venus Ishtar, fell from heaven to the Euphrates. Dyed eggs were sacred Easter offerings in Egypt, as they are still in China and Europe. Easter, or spring, was the season of birth, terrestrial and celestial.”

What could be more plain in showing the true origin of the “Easter egg”? An “Easter” egg is just an egg that pertains to Easter. God never authorized Passover eggs or Days of Unleavened Bread eggs, but there have been Easter eggs for thousands of years!

It naturally progressed that the egg, representing spring and fertility, would be merged into an already pagan springtime festival. Connecting this symbol to Christ’s Resurrection in the spring required much creativity and human reasoning. However, even highly creative human reasoning has never been able to successfully connect the next Easter symbol to anything Christian, because there is not a single word about it anywhere in the New Testament!

The Easter Bunny
Here are two additional quotes from Francis Weiser about the origin of the “Easter bunny”: “In Germany and Austria little nests containing eggs, pastry and candy are placed in hidden spots, and the children believe that the Easter bunny, so popular in this country, too, had laid the eggs and brought the candy” (p. 235) and “The Easter bunny had its origin in pre-Christian fertility lore…The Easter bunny has never had religious symbolism bestowed on its festive usage…However, the bunny has acquired a cherished role in the celebration of Easter as the legendary producer of Easter eggs for children in many countries” (p. 236).

Here is further proof of the origin of Easter eggs and rabbits. It demonstrates how no one has ever been able to connect the Easter bunny to anything Christian, let alone to the Bible: “The Easter bunny is not a true Christian symbol” (John Bradner, Symbols of Church Seasons and Days, p. 52), and “Although adopted in a number of Christian cultures, the Easter bunny has never received any specific Christian interpretation” (Mirsea Eliade, The Encyclopedia of Religion, p. 558).

None of this will stop scores of millions of professing Christians from decorating their lawns and houses with Easter bunnies each spring.

Consider this last quote: “The hare, the symbol of fertility in ancient Egypt, a symbol that was kept later in Europe…Its place has been taken by the Easter rabbit” (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1991 ed., Vol. 4, p. 333).

Even in modern times, rabbits have remained common symbols of fertility. While their rapid rate of reproduction is well known, another problem arises with rabbits—they do not lay eggs! While both are clearly fertility symbols, there is no logical way to connect them. In a world filled with pagan tradition, truth and logic can be lost. Merging these symbols with Christianity makes an already idolatrous practice worse.

There is nothing Christian about any of these symbols. The true history of these fertility symbols, rabbits and eggs, is completely unknown to all the unsuspecting children who have been led by adults to think them so special.

The entire concept that these are Christian is a lie foisted on innocent children who will believe that “the moon is made of cheese” just because someone tells them so. While these are shocking facts, they are true nonetheless.

Fellow believers let's be true not only to our children but also to the world, let us celebrate this weekend, the resurrection of our King, without the influence of the world telling us how we should do it. To the churches and organizations planning to do these events, I say to you boldly do not depart from the Truth of God's Word that saved you. And tell the Rabbit to stay home.

May God bless you as you grow in His truth.