Man’s understanding is limited, and his heart is obstinate. The disciples had often heard their Lord’s declaration about himself while he was with them: who he was, why he came, and why he had to die. Yet no one can say that Christ is Lord except by the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. The disciples’ hearts remained cold, and their eyes did not shine, for they did not know the reason for and the necessity of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Yet, Jesus continued patiently, and taught them repeatedly that his principles might be refreshed in their breasts, even if they were stones. The great surprise, which his appearing gave them, shook their hearts, and made their minds listen to his words. He explained to them once again the diving duty in his death, and that his resurrection was necessary. Thus after his experiences in death and hell, and his triumph over the demonic powers, he did not teach his followers anything new, but guided them to the well-known holy scriptures which foretold them that his sufferings, death, and resurrection were necessary and inevitable, also that the account of his life was exactly as recorded in the Scriptures. The entire Law cried for redeemer who makes reconciliation with God, for no one could keep the law completely. All the faithful prophets longed for a savior, who renewed the foolish, lost hearts. In his Psalms, King David glorified the Coming One, and revealed, in God’s Spirit, the details of Christ’s sufferings and death until his ascension. Moreover, we see that the Holy Spirit indicated to the people of the Old Testament hundreds of years ago, without doubt, that the Savior coming to the world had to die. As the magnetic needle of a compass always points to the magnetic north, no matter how the compass is turned, so the Holy Spirit directed the believers’ thoughts and minds toward the cross as the center of the entire universe. Even today, the Holy Spirit guides you through the Law and the Gospel not to philosophy, laws, or rites, but directly to the person of the living Jesus, who was crucified and raised from the dead.
Jesus enlightened his disciples’ minds with exceeding patience, He made for them the redemptive plan of God, opened to them the written word of God, for no one can recognize God by himself, except by the grace granted to him by his Lord. Would that we involve this principle in Sunday schools, meetings, worships in churches, and in the midst of religious study, and consequently recognize that neither lessons, nor sermons, nor teachings can enlighten our hearers, even if we spoke with the tongues of men and of angels, unless the Lord’s Spirit immediately opens their hearts and converts them. He who observes this secret in preaching, prays insistently to the Lord, more than he speaks, until the Lord intervenes quickly and practically, brings down his power to those who long for him, and makes among us today resurrection to those that are dead in sins.
Our personal experiences in faith are not in vain. But the truths of Christ’s life from cradle to grave and resurrection, until ascension, are much more important than our personal experiences, for through this testimony faith grows causing everlasting life in the believer.
He who penetrates deeply into the mysteries of Christ’s life and death finds that his divine love is the great reason for his coming, crucifixion, and resurrection. Moreover, God is unable to forgive whoever wishes, wherever he wishes, for such unreasonable, superficial thoughts about God’s ability may be found in all the religions that are empty from the Holy Spirit. Thus the Torah and the Gospel intimate that:
Our God is holy, and his justice cannot leave a sin without punishment. Every sinner deserves death and destruction. For the sake of himself God must reward every injustice on earth.
But since God is love, and he loves the sinners, he preferred to die instead of us that we might live, for God’s mercy surpasses our understandings.
It is impossible for God to destroy himself, lest his universe vanishes. This is why his Son and his Holy Spirit proceeded from God
The Son determined to become embodied in human form, for no human could walk in holiness without sin. No one could die for others as the Lamb of God, for we are all corrupt except the Holy One who was born of the Holy Spirit. Christ alone is worthy to die as the Lamb of God. He was the strong and mighty one who could lift the heavy sins of the whole world, and died on the cross instead of us.
Because Christ continued holy and pure, though he lifted our sins, death could not overcome him or catch him, but was enforced to leave him, for he who is free from sin lives forever.
When he had fulfilled all God’s righteousness on the cross, the Holy One was determined, able, and required to forgive all men all their sins, if they believed in the Lamb of God, his unique Son. Yet he who does not believe in this divine sacrifice refuses and curses God’s grace, and condemns himself by himself.
This complete salvation for all men has another condition: he who experienced the forgiveness of sins through his faith in Christ, and received everlasting life, must tell others about this grace, for the love of God poured out in our hearts is the motive in preaching. Christ demanded his disciples in the end to preach the whole world. Thus he pulled down their Jewish narrow-mindedness. He who was crucified forgave men all their sins at all times. Therefore he does not have to die once again on the cross. The peoples do not know this great privilege. Yet every true Christian is required, as of the Holy Spirit, to testify the way of salvation when telling others about the life of Christ. This good news produces in the hearers conversion, believing in the Son of God, receiving forgiveness, and fullness of eternal life.
Did you recognize God’s righteousness in him who had been crucified? Did you understand the reason and the motive in Christ’s death and resurrection? Then tell your friends that our Redeemer lives and gives out forgiveness freely that every man may receive everlasting life through his faith in him.