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| <~~~BACK * Being just and righteous, God can't stand by and see sin go undisciplined or unpunished. Sin is a word that often gets a bad rap today, but all it means is "disobeying God." God warned Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:17) that disobeying Him would bring them death--physical and spiritual (1 John 1:7-9). In the Biblical sense, spiritual death means eternal separation from God. * Jesus died for a very specific reason: to pay the penalty for sins of the world (1 John 2:2). * Jesus Christ died in the physical sense only; his spirit lives on. * Like the Jew's Passover lamb, Jesus was a sacrifice to atone for our sins. His death made right what was wrong between us and God. (Lev. 17:11; Rom. 5:9;1 Pet. 2:24). (For more on the "Passover lamb" concept, see "Jesus in the Passover," Light of Messiah Ministries, http://www.light-of-messiah.org/pages/passover.htm ) * Jesus went through all he did so that we wouldn't have to. * When Jesus died, he didn't deserve the penalty that he withstood. He was sinless. Therefore, Jesus "earned" the right to forgive others, and take on the penalty for him. In other words, while we deserved God's discipline, Jesus stepped in and said "No, punish me instead." Jesus was a substitute. (Romans 3:25-26) * The result of Jesus' stepping in is this: All we have to do is accept the situation, and Jesus' authority to create it, and we'll no longer be separated from God (John 3:16). Additionally, you might be interested in the annotated article "Why did Jesus have to die for our sins?" by Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry: http://www.carm.org/doctrine/Jesusdieforsins.htm GOT A QUESTION? I invite you to ask it. What stumps you? I'll do my best to find an answer! To ask a question, email me at [email protected]. More Thoughts on The Passion This is the kind of movie that makes you want to go home and email your friends about it. Actually, I've never known any other movie to be that way, but following that impulse, I thought I'd share what I did email out: I don't normally see movies early in their runs; Alexei and I can't stand the crowds. However, we made an exception for The Passion. Last night we braved the crowds--and it was well worth it. I was almost afraid to see the film because a number of critics had emphasized that it was "violent;" I normally can't sit through very violent films. However, don't miss The Passion out of this fear. I've seen many films that were much more violent and gory. And a film this stirring to your soul could have been accomplished no other way. The Passion does not go overboard; but it's as close to watching a documentary as any film could probably be. Don't miss the movie because you fear it's anti-Semitic, either. It actually does an excellent job of showing both good and bad people--Roman and Jewish. This movie is the most astounding film I have ever seen. It's a masterpiece. But more important than it's artistic qualities, The Passion speaks to your secret self. That self that you don't let anyone else in on. You'll probably have a hard time speaking when you leave the theatre, but you'll have much to ponder. And when you do recover your tongue, you'll be having many good conversations with others who've seen the film. The Passion made me think about aspects of Jesus' crucifixion that I'd never considered before. It brought to light the many amazing ways the Lord paved the way for Jesus' torture, death, and resurrection. It reminded me that even Jesus Christ did not look forward to--was even fearful of--his cross. It reminded me that to him, my sins feel like those Roman whips on his back. It reminded me that if Jesus can pray for and forgive the men who so cruelly and unjustly tortured him, I can certainly forgive any human being on this planet....I could go on and on. Don't walk, don't run...Sprint to the theatre to see it. Kristina (c) 2004 by Kristina Seleshanko. |
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