BEYOND GOOD FRIDAY: EMBRACING THE FULLNESS OF THE GOSPEL THROUGH EASTER
In today’s Christian context, there is a tendency to solely focus on Good Friday, reducing the Gospel to that single event. Consequently, the concept of grace is also limited to one theme: atonement. It is seen as Christ bearing and ultimately reversing the wrath of God.
However, it is crucial to recognize that the Gospel narrative must encompass Easter Sunday as well. Without the resurrection, there can be no Kingdom. Jesus’ life leads to his crucifixion, which in turn leads to his resurrection. This resurrection then leads to his exaltation, ultimately providing us with a new perspective on the entirety of his life.
The resurrection of Jesus held such significance for Paul that he goes as far as to state that without it, our preaching is in vain, our faith is rendered useless, our message becomes false testimony, our hope is shattered, and our sins remain unforgiven (1 Corinthians 15:13-17, NIV).
In a Gospel that focuses solely on Good Friday, the Cross is the key player. In this traditional view, forgiveness and justification stem solely from Christ’s death, while the resurrection and other aspects of Jesus’ life are considered mere add-ons. However, the apostle Paul’s words in Romans 4:25 tell a different story: ” He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”
Redemption, much like a Celtic knot, is intertwined with Jesus’ life and death. While His life and death bring forgiveness, the death cord seamlessly transitions into the resurrection cord, which ultimately leads to “justification.” This term signifies God’s declaration that Christians are in right standing with Him, accepted, and reconciled. The foundation of this relationship with God lies in Jesus’ death, which was then triumphed over in His resurrection. The problem is death, and the solution is life. By conquering death and rising again, Jesus paves the way for Christians to embark on a new life.
In a person’s union with Christ, dramatically enacted in the body at baptism, they enter into the death of Christ and into the resurrection of Christ and it brings them into a “new life.” The cord of resurrection means Christians begin a new life in the here-and-now.
It’s truly a beautiful thing when someone joins with Christ, symbolized through baptism. This act signifies their participation in Christ’s death and resurrection, leading them into a fresh start, a “new life.” The concept of resurrection allows Christians to embrace a new beginning in their present reality.
