The Meaning of Christ Death and Resurrection
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For Christians (like me) Jesus dying in the cross and His Resurrection has saved us from sins. Indeed this is true but the manner by which they had saved us from sins could be quite confusing to some - as the more popular belief about Resurrection.
In real life this confusion is manifested by the following:
1. Less attendance during Easter vigil relative to Good Friday service.
2. Decline in number of practicing Christians (cf. UK census).
3. When situation calls for, not very many are willing to take up the cross or willing to die for the sake of doing what is good.
Here are four more common misinterpretation of the saving power of Jesus death and resurrection:
1. It is necessary for Jesus to die on the cross in order to save us.
While Jesus death and resurrection brought about our salvation but His dying on the cross was only accidental, i.e. as opposed to essential. In other words he died on the cross because Judas betrayed him, and Pilate and the people' condemned Him to die on the cross.
Point number one. This is belittling God's power and wisdom. God in his infinite power and wisdom can save us even if Jesus did not die on the cross. Why? Because He is God and to God nothing is impossible.
Point number two: This is contradictory to Christian teaching of man's freedom. If it is necessary for Jesus to die on the cross then it is also necessary for Judas to betray Jesus, and it is necessary for Pilate to approve it, it is necessary for the people to demand for Jesus crucifixion, lest salvation would not be realized. So what could have happened to us if Judas did not betray Jesus, if Pilate did not approve his crucifixion, and if the crowd did not pressure Pilate to crucify Jesus? Does it mean that salvation would not take place? Do we have to thank Judas, Pilate and those people who demanded his death? Or what about if Judas did not betray Him or Pilate did not crucify Him? Would Jesus demand for his own death?
2. Jesus willingly died on the cross in order to save us.
If this is true, then Jesus committed suicide. And if Jesus committed suicide then he is no better than those suicide bombers of our present time. The truth is that Jesus was neither intimidated by his accusers nor resisted arrest when they went after him.
3. Everything that happened in connection with Jesus death had already been predicted in the Old Testament.
While an event in the future can be prophesied in general sense but this is not true with regards to specific or particular events. Such would again be contradictory to Christian teaching about man's freedom. If everything that happened to Jesus had already been prophesied in the Old Testament then everything was merely a puppet show in which each one was only doing the role assigned to him. If Judas was already destined to betray Jesus even before he was born (same thing with Pilate and the rest of all the casts) then we should venerate them for a job well done, lest if anyone of them did not do his role accordingly, e.g. if Judas did not betray Jesus then maybe up until today we are still not saved.
4. Jesus death and resurrection had saved us but it is up to us whether to accept it or not.
In other words you should stay away from sins, you should go to confession, you should do good things, etc in order to merit your salvation. In other words you will not be saved if you do otherwise. These are indeed correct. But still one may ask: where did Jesus death and resurrection come into the picture? In other words even if Jesus did not die on the cross still one has to decide for himself whether he should stay away from sin or not, whether he would choose to do good or bad, whether he would confess or not, etc. . . (more) http://www.helium.com/tm/258192
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