Thoughts on Easter

What would it actually mean if someone, say, a semi-divine Son of God, were to die for our sins? What if it were true that the blood of another could wash all our sins away?

Think of it. You commit a sin; you stole music from the internet, say. You know it. The people around you know it. God, being God, knows it. You're all ready to face your punishment. But then...bam...here's Jesus Christ, dying so that you can be forgiven. What's this? But I was ready for my punishment. God says, No punishment. You are forgiven.

Lots of people say that they "accept Jesus as their personal lord and savior." But what if it's not about "accepting" Jesus? What if the forgiveness itself is the point? What if, when you steal that music from the internet, you don't have to feel guilt or shame, because you have been forgiven?

Well, that would be terrible. People would be free from guilt, so they'd do whatever they wanted. They would sin as much as they cared to. Don't we need to keep the guilt and shame as part of our religion, so that we can stop people from behaving badly? Why would God want to take away that useful tool, guilt, by showing us such forgiveness?

But Christianity is not about preventing people from doing bad things. Which is good, because if that's what it's for, it's been doing a lousy job for a long time. Well, you might ask, what's the point of a religion that has no rules that need to be followed?

The point is not that you shouldn't follow the rules. God made the rules and surely wants us to follow them. The point is that, after you break the rules (and you will), you don't need to wallow in your sinfulness. That's not what God wants. God wants you to follow the rules, but hey, you're only human. When you sin, don't go around beating yourself up over it; just stop sinning. Do something else, like maybe feed the hungry, clothe the naked. There's a long list.

Incidentally, this would also mean that you shouldn't waste your time condemning other sinners. They're forgiven, too, by the way. Tell people right and wrong all you want, but don't waste your breath on the fire and brimstone condemnations. God says, Get over it. Get over yourself. I took care of it already, says God. Go. Do.

We get all hung up on our feelings of guilt and shame, and our feelings of superiority over those who are more guilty and shameful than we are. We like to talk about our feelings, and we like to do it in church. But what this forgiveness says to me is, Our feelings are valid but talking about them does not make us good Christians. Talking about what we did or what other people did does not make us good Christians. It's fine, but it's not the point. Talk is cheap. Doing the right thing is holy.

Happy Easter.