The Heart of Our Faith

. . . if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. (1 Corinthians 15:14)
 

The body has many components important to life. The spleen, kidneys, stomach, and lungs, are only a few. But without the heart, the body immediately dies. Christian faith has many components important to spiritual life. The virgin birth, Christ’s deity, the atonement, and His crucifixion, are only a few. But without the heart of Christian faith – the resurrection of Jesus – Christianity immediately dies.

That is why Christ’s enemies have for 2000 years tried to bring the reality of the resurrection into question. It is why Satan and his children promote lies and distortions about the resurrection at every opportunity. And it is why they try to keep the glorious truth of the resurrection from the forefront of the minds of Christians.

After I posted the last essay about my chat with that child about Jesus’ return from death (see my post here), I began to wonder how the very heart of our faith can be mentioned so rarely by Christians, and when we do speak of it we speak of it without much fervor.

I am as much an offender as the next person.

It’s as if the message of Christ’s resurrection is simply part of the background hum of the many things we believe, none of which is more important than the other. But after remembering how that child’s face lit up, how he pumped his fist and declared, “Yes!” I realized I need to become more like a little child.

And so, every day during my prayers -- every day --  I will ponder Jesus’ resurrection: What does it mean for my eternal soul that Jesus is alive? What difference does His resurrection make to how I live – or ought to live? What does the resurrection of Jesus from death have to do with whom I should fear, or stand boldly against?

And each time I consider those questions I plan to make a fist like that young child, pump it back and forward and declare “Yes!”

“Yes,” to the very heart of Christian faith.

Christ’s enemies want us to doubt the resurrection. Failing that, they want us to let it blend indistinguishably into our rituals and prayers. I am determined such a thing will not happen to me again.

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Here is something by the Second Chapter of Acts you might enjoy:
The Easter Song (click here)