Much of the world is celebrating Easter this weekend. So why exactly is Easter so important? What is the explanation for its enduring significance the world over? Please allow me to explain from the perspective of conservative Biblical Christianity (all Scripture quotations in the following are from the NASB the New American Standard Bible Updated Edition unless otherwise noted).
From beginning to end it is all centered upon the reality of resurrection from the dead.
There would be no Easter without the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
There would be no Resurrection of Christ from the dead on Easter Sunday unless there was a Good Friday upon which He died.
There would be no death at all if there were no sin because through one man sin entered the world and death through sin (Romans 5:12) sin resulting in death (Romans 6:16) because The soul who sins will die (Ezekiel 18:4) and The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) because the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (Romans 1:18).
There would be no death of Jesus Christ the Son of God (Mark 1:1) who committed no sin (1 Peter 2:22) unless He was suffering that death on behalf of someone elseand indeed He was pierced through for our transgressions He was crushed for our iniquities...the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him...He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due (Isaiah 53:5-6 8).
There would be no death of the Son of God unless He would render Himself as a guilt offering (Isaiah 53:10) and thus He said He came to give His life a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28). I am the Good Shepherd...I lay down My life for the sheep...No one has taken it away from Me but I lay it down of My own initiative (John 10:14-15 18).
There would be no voluntary death on my behalf without a good reason on the part of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20) For Christ also died for sins once for all the just for the unjust so that He might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18) and so it was predicted by God that the Righteous One My Servant will justify the many as He will bear their iniquities (Isaiah 53:11).
There would be no Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead unless He had triumphed over the guilt He was atoning for but God raised Him up from the dead putting an end to the agony of death since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power (Acts 2:24) who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead according to the Spirit of holiness Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 1:4).
There would be no importance to me of the Substitutionary death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ unless there was a way for me also to be raised from the dead. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29)how can I have Him take my sins away? He Himself gives the answer: Truly truly I say to you he who hears My Word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and does not come into judgment but has passed out of death into life (John 5:24). Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Furthermore If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you (Romans 8:11).
But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ he does not belong to Him (Romans 8:9). How does one receive the Spirit and with Him the guarantee of a resurrection from the dead? In Christ...you also after listening to the message of truth the gospel of your salvationhaving also believed you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise who is given as a pledge of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:12-14). Jesus said This is the will of My Father that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life and I Myself will raise him up on the last day (John 6:40).
To procure such an incomprehensible benefit what meritorious price could I possibly pay either for myself or someone else? For no man can by any means redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for himfor the redemption of his soul is costly (Psalm 49:7-8) But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God; not as a result of works so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). Jesus Christ is the only one who could and did pay the price as the heavenly chorus of praise will affirm to Him: Worthy are You...for You were slain and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation (Revelation 5:9).
And so Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved (Acts 16:31). But what does it mean exactly to believe in the Lord Jesus? It is not merely an intellectual assent to the information that has just been presented. It is the total commitment you have when you Trust in the Lord with all your heart (Proverbs 3:5). We are to believe in the totality of who Jesus isand God has made Him both Lord and Christ (Savior) this Jesus (Acts 2:36). Thats why it says If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved (Romans 10:9).
To confess Jesus as Lord begins with repentance a turning away from sinfor nobody truly believes in the Savior who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood (Revelation 1:5) unless they have renounced sin and desire to be free from not only its penalty but also its power and presence. Thats why Jesus the Lord said Repent and believe in the gospel (Mark 1:15)it is an impossible contradiction to believe in a gospel of salvation from sin if we are still clinging to and loving our sin for How shall we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:2). It was only the man who cried out God be merciful to me the sinner! that Jesus identified as being justified (Luke 18:13-14). He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion (Proverbs 28:13). And so Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord and He will have compassion on him and to our God for He will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:7).
Nobody is able to walk in sinless perfection in this life for there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins (Ecclesiastes 7:20). However If we confess our sins He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). To confess our sins is not just a verbal admission but it is agreeing with God that what we have done is sinful wicked and wrongin so doing we have acknowledged Gods justice (Luke 7:29).
To wrap it all up: The person who truly believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and thus shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him (Romans 5:9) is the person who has the attitude expressed by Paul the Apostle who affirmed the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord...that I may be...found in Him not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law but that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection (Philippians 3:8-9).
And so it comes back around to Resurrection once again and that is why Easter is so important. Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27) and the perfectly righteous God will bring every act to judgment (Ecclesiastes 12:14) the resurrection from the dead becomes the most vitally important consideration we can possibly have. Your eternal destiny will be determined by whether you are justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24)in which case your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven (Isaiah 6:7)OR as the Lord Jesus warned I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me (John 14:6) for unless you believe that I am He you will die in your sins (John 8:24). He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the son will not see life but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3:36). On the contrary He is to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation (Hebrews 5:9).
To those who cling to their sin and refuse the Saviors offer of forgiveness He will say on the Day of Judgment: Depart from Me you who practice lawlessness (Matthew 7:23); Depart from Me accursed ones into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). The devil who deceived them will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone...and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever (Revelation 20:10). Be assured that God has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17:31).
So the ultimate and final question will be this: Has Jesus Christ paid the just penalty that we deserved for our sin against the perfectly righteous and infinitely majestic Almighty God of the universe having forgiven us all our transgressions (Colossians 2:14)? Or will you die in your sins (John 8:24) and thus pay the penalty of eternal destruction (2 Thessalonians 1:9) suffering the punishment for your own sins on that dreadful day when the dead...standing before the throne will be judged...according to their deeds (Revelation 20:12)? It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31)However whenever God is the one who justifies who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died yes rather who was raised who is at the right hand of God who also intercedes for us (Romans 8:33-34).
May God open your eyes and hearts and according to His great mercy cause you to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3). Only then will you have a truly Happy Easter!
