To Die For

I believe that Jesus and His death, burial and resurrection to be the most significant thing to believe in scripture. It is the central theme of the Bible. It is what Jesus came ultimately to do. All things are "plugged in" to these three facts. Nothing holds any weight except that it ties to these facts.

The real significance is found directly connected with the resurrection. Without this, we have no hope. Without this, Jesus is still a dead man and that's all. Paul's resurrection passage in 1 Corinthians spells it out or us. (1 Corinthians 15:17-22 NCV) "And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith has nothing to it; you are still guilty of your sins. {18} And those in Christ who have already died are lost. {19} If our hope in Christ is for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone else in the world. {20} But Christ has truly been raised from the dead--the first one and proof that those who sleep in death will also be raised. {21} Death has come because of what one man did, but the rising from death also comes because of one man. {22} In Adam all of us die. In the same way, in Christ all of us will be made alive again."

Just think of the doctrines that are most important to us and their importance is found directly important because of Jesus' death burial and resurrection: Baptism, Communion, and the essence of God "love." All of these and an other teaching all center on Jesus and His death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus could not be deity without it. God could not save us without it. The Trinity would not have the significance without it.

So, what can I learn from all this. Start living for that which I said I would die for. The core of the gospel and all that it is to any of us is founded upon the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus--live for Him!!