Why don't Christians observe Yom Kippur?

Carol has left a comment on my last blog entry and mentioned the fact that today our Jewish brothers and sisters are celebrating Yom Kippur. Her comment was slightly off-topic, but -as always when Carol has something to say- very thought provoking. I decided to write a special blog post about this subject and I invite you all to join the discussion if you have something to add.

This is what Carol wrote:

Today is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement set out in Leviticus and elsewhere. Traditionally this marks the day Moses received the second set of the Ten Commandments and marks the point at which the Israelites were exonerated for making the Golden Calf (hence the “Atonement”). I’ve always been curious as to why Christians don’t note this observance. I’m sure it has something to do with the idea that we are “free of the Law” (which is in itself somewhat suspect). I’m not set up to observe it; I have to work today, as does Doug. However, I am going to give some thought today to what I have to atone for.

This is what Jews for Jesus have to say about Yom Kippur:

Yom Kippur can be somewhat of a conundrum to Jewish believers in Y'shua. Do we fast and confess our sins like the rest of the Jewish community or do we rejoice in the knowledge that we're forgiven in Messiah? Many Jewish believers view Yom Kippur as a time for identification with our Jewish people, introspection for ourselves and intercession for loved ones, knowing all the while that Jesus is the One that makes us at one with God.

And this is my personal reflection on Carol's comment:

For me, as a publisher, the second set of the Ten Commandments sounds like the first REPRINT ever. But in this case the reprint was not by popular demand but by human disobedience and divine interference. We have a merciful God, a God of second chances!

I've been reading Paul's letter to the Galatians this week - in different translations. I like to read Eugene Peterson's the Message and Rob Lacey's Street Bible - because the old words have a strong impact if you read them in contemporary language. I am not suggesting that we all should replace 'official' bible translations by modern paraphrases, but sometimes there seems to be too much distance between the ancient sacred texts and us, modern readers in 2007. We must also read a letter in one go - not in fragments - if we want to get the whole message...

Paul stressed that we should NOT go back to the old testament rules and regulations, because Jesus has liberated us from the law. He didn't abandon the law, but he fulfilled it by his perfect life, perfect sacrifice and glorious resurrection. Yes indeed, we are FREE of the law. Mind you, God's standard was not replaced, but raised by Jesus! Read Matthew 5 if you want to know the rules and regulations of the new contract. This is not an updated version of the Law, this is the new edition - revealed to us by Jesus who shows us how merciful and loving his Father is!

I think that we can still learn a lot from our Jewish heritage as believers (descendants of Abraham), but there is always this risk of falling back into old patterns, sticking to old rules and trying to add something to what Jesus has completed for us. This is why many Christians stay away from old testament rules and celebrations, I suppose. But in the new testament we can also read that the history of the people of Israel is an example for us (often an example of how NOT to act in disobedience - like with the golden calf).
Read 1 Corinthians 10 if you want to know more about this.

Our day of atonement was the day that Jesus died for all sins of all people of all times. With such a celebration on Good Friday there is no need for a Christian version of Yom Kippur, just like Easter has come to succeed Pesach.

Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. Hebrews 7:26-28

This is what Paul teaches us in Romans 3:21-31

"But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law."

By the way, don't forget to have a look at Dry Bone's Yom Kippur confession. Yes, may you all be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life! Blessings to all children of faith, all sons and daughters of Abraham.

And if you have some time left, check out this blog entry by Jews for Jesus blogger Chad Elliott.