An Unfair Trade: Death for Life

Today is Easter. Most people know that there is a deeper meaning to Easter than bunny rabbits and Easter egg hunts, but not everyone lives their lives to reflect that.

Simply put, God sent his one and only Son to die on the cross many years ago, to save the world from their sins. Three days after the perfect, innocent son of God died on the cross, He was raised from the dead so that those who believed in Him could have eternal life. (John 3:16)

So what does this mean? It's not too difficult of a concept to understand, but often times it is a concept that many people have difficulty believing. Christians who believe in the death and resurrection might believe that they are saved from Hell, but they might have a difficult time believing that their sins, ALL of their sins - past, present and current - have been washed away through the death of Jesus Christ. So...

• If you have ever gossiped, lied or cheated...that has been forgiven.
• If you have ever struggled with addictions such as alcohol, drugs, pornography, etc...those addictions have been forgiven.
• Do you have a rough past that you feel as though you can never escape that old self? That past is gone. If you have accepted Christ as your Saviour, then you are a NEW life.
  
• Was your childhood filled with difficult times - were your parents abusive? Were your parents just flat out absent? Scars from that type of upbringing can be healed through Jesus if you believe in Him. You are not bound to the mistakes of your parents, you are a NEW creation through Jesus Christ's death.
• Anything that you think is impossible...has been made possible through Jesus Christ.

But you might be thinking that even though you know these things to be true, you just don't understand how someone could love you so much and how someone could forgive you for such terrible things in your past. I understand that. And if we're being honest, it's true. We are so undeserving of such a great love and life that Christ has given to us. It really is an unfair trade: death for life, but that's the beauty and greatness of our God.

This is the meaning of Easter. No matter what we've gone through or where we've been, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ - the old has gone and the new has come for anyone who believes in this great promise. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" -2 Corinthians 5:17

Believe it. Live it. Happy Easter!