Atonement

A few months ago, publishers of SEVEN magazine asked me to write a cover article entitled ”Easter: Is it for Real?” for their March 1, 2009 issue. You can read the full article, and the whole issue, online. Scroll down the page for the appropriate PDF of the magazine. Below is a brief overview of the article.

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“Could you come over and explain the real meaning of Easter to our boys? I don’t want them to think that Easter is only about the Easter Bunny and chocolate eggs.” Though expressing no open commitment to the Christian faith, this young couple instinctively knew that the story of Jesus dying and rising again was at the heart of Easter, that it was something important for their young boys to know.

Christians, at least in the evangelical branch in which I was raised, tend to make a great deal of fuss over Christmas, while observing the surrounding events of Jesus’ death and resurrection with relatively little fanfare. And yet, Easter presents a great opportunity to talk about the heart of Christianity - that Jesus lived, died and rose again to make atonement for our sins. 

A couple of years ago, while discussing Judaism and Christianity with an orthodox rabbi, he challenged me: “Prior to his crucifixion and alleged resurrection, why would a first century Jew have believed that Jesus was the Messiah?” In calling the resurrection “alleged,” my rabbi friend was stating he did not believe it to be true. However, though I doubt he meant to do so, his comment underscored the importance of the resurrection as the crucial, watershed issue in establishing the credibility of Christianity.

Given its vital importance, are there reasonable evidences for believing Jesus actually rose from the dead? There are four common lines of evidence for the physical resurrection of Messiah Jesus.

The Old Testament Scriptures clearly predicted the death and resurrection.
Jesus really died. It may seem strange to raise this as evidence, but many refute the resurrection by claiming that Jesus never really died.
The empty tomb - Where is his body? To this day, no one has ever produced the body of Jesus.
Jesus appeared to many people in different places.

Aside from the factual evidence above, the circumstantial evidence for Messiah’s resurrection is simply too great to ignore. As Christians we are committed to the truthfulness of Scripture - both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament scriptures. It is God’s Word - we believe what it says. But not everyone shares our commitment to the veracity of Scripture. So is there anything else to which we can appeal? There are several matters demanding plausible alternative explanations, if we are to deny the resurrection of Jesus. Here are just a few.

The radical change in behavior of the disciples must be explained.
The conversion of hardened skeptics is significant.
The worldwide existence of the Christian church cannot be ignored.

However, as valuable as apologetics is, I believe one of the best defenses for the reality of the resurrection is the testimony of a transformed life. The New Testament says “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17). Just as Jerusalem’s citizens marveled at the bold witness of the early Christians, our culture also takes note of those who live authentic lives. When Christian faith truly informs a believer’s life - in marriage and family relationships, in one’s work ethic, in one’s interests and ambitions - the surrounding community takes note that something powerful is at work in that life.

This was surely true in ancient Thessalonica, for Paul wrote to them: “…your faith in God has become known everywhere…we do not need to say anything about it … they tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead - Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath” (1 Th. 1:8-10).

As important as it is to be informed about the reasons for believing in the resurrection, Christians must also be transformed by that resurrection power residing in them through God’s Holy Spirit. It is that empowering presence of God’s Spirit in one’s life that compels the Christian to share the great news that Jesus really did rise from the dead.

Please read the full article . And as always, I welcome your comments and questions.

New Covenant Forum encourages conversation about Jesus. We believe that humankind’s only hope of salvation, forgiveness of sins and right standing with God, is found only through faith in Jesus.

We believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is the Messiah of Israel - the one of whom the ancient Hebrew prophets spoke. The Apostle Peter, a first century (CE) Jewish fisherman who became a Jesus follower spoke of this in his first epistle. In an extended discussion about the living hope Jesus followers have, he says:

Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was reavealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven - things which angels desire to look into. [1 Peter 1:10-12 New King James Version]

We believe the New Testament scriptures when they record that Jesus voluntarily laid down his life as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of all who will believe in Him. We also believe that it is our responsibility to take this good news - salvation and freedom from the guilt of sin is available in Yeshua - to the entire world.

We also believe that this message is critically important for the worldwide Jewish community. Jesus was born a Jew, lived a Jewish life, and included Jewish people in his atoning sacrifice on that cursed tree. This gospel that has been embraced by millions the world over is a good news message for Jewish people too.

The Apostle Paul emphasizes the importance of keeping the Jewish community in mind when declaring the gospel message of salvation in Jesus. In his letter to the believers in Rome, he writes:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek (gentile). For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’. [Romans 1:16-17 New King James Version - emphasis mine]

Generally speaking, Jewish people are conditioned to reject the messiahship of Jesus, to view Him simply as the gentile god. But that is not how the first century Jewish followers of Jesus saw things. It is certainly not how the Bible (e.g. New Testament) speaks. The gospel message must go to the entire world - the Jewish community included.

Because there is so much misconception about Jesus among contemporary Jews, we are committed to encouraging conversation about Jesus. As far as is humanly possible, we want Jewish people to respond to Jesus out of a clear understanding of who He is, why He came, and what He did on our behalf.

We welcome your comments.