God created man in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27) from the dust of the ground with the great purpose of making him part of His Kingdom as spirit beings. Man was in harmony with God until Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sin entered into the world. All have sinned (Romans 5:12). As we know, the penalty of sin is death and every human would be doomed to die without God’s intervention.
How can man be saved from this sure death? This is what we know as God’s plan of salvation. Jesus Christ started His ministry with the message “repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand” opening the door to His kingdom and thus offering it to more people than ever before.
Further instruction was given by Peter to repent, be baptized and receive God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). These steps are related to spring festivals (Passover, Days of Unleavened bread and Pentecost) which show the conversion process of man from physical to spiritual beings. These three festivals describe God’s plan of salvation. They show that any human, with God’s calling and help, can become converted and then become spirit beings in God’s Kingdom.
Passover
John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). In this plan, Jesus paid the death penalty for all mankind with His own blood. He died as the sacrifice to reconcile man to God.
Days of Unleavened Bread
God’s payment for the death penalty does not happen automatically. Every human should avail themselves of it by repentance, baptism and receiving God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).
The Days of Unleavened Bread describe our part in God’s plan of salvation. Here we are instructed to remove leavening from our homes and to eat unleavened bread for seven days (Exodus 12:15). During that time, leaven represents sin and therefore we are instructed to remove sin out of our life. This is done through repentance and baptism for the remission of our sins. The instruction to not eat leavened bread represents overcoming sins. Then the instruction to eat unleavened bread during the seven days shows that we must grow in God’s grace and knowledge. In other words it means replacing our sinful life with God’s way of sinless life.
Pentecost
Jesus Christ died to pay for the death penalty that results from man’s sins. But His help did not stop there; it continues with the Feast known as Pentecost.
We need His Spirit in order to understand spiritual things (1 Corinthians 2:11). In addition, God also knows that we are helpless against our enemies (Satan, our carnal nature and the world) because we are missing one of the main ingredients that will help us follow and obey God – His Holy Spirit.
We believe that all who truly repent of their sins are willing to obey God, and who, by faith, accept Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour can have their sins forgiven by an act of divine grace. Such individuals are justified, pardoned from the penalty of sin and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, which literally abides within them and supplies the divine love that alone can fulfill the law and produce righteousness. They are baptized into the body of Christ, which is the true Church of God. We believe in a true change in life and attitude. Only those who have the indwelling presence of and are being led by the Holy Spirit are Christ’s (Romans 8:9). Pentecost also describes the first harvest for those whom God called to be part of the first resurrection.
The spring festivals (Passover, Days of Unleavened Bread and Pentecost) portray God’s plan of salvation. They show that Jesus paid the penalty for mankind. They also show the need for forgiveness of sins, the receiving of the Holy Spirit and the need to continue overcoming and living God’s way of life.