Where do We Get
Our "Easter Faith"?
By Dr. G.
Byrns Coleman
I remember
standing on the hillside in the cold darkness
waiting for the sunrise, even before I understood
the full meaning of Easter. Easter was a time to
celebrate the coming of light out of the darkness,
life out of death. The “sunrise service”
was a part of my childhood in Tennessee.
As I grew older I came to
understand the meaning of Easter. I feel that there
are three levels or stages in understanding its
significance. The first level is simply the
historical—the EVENT. Something happened a
little more than 2,000 years ago.
When we speak of Jesus, we
speak of a definite time and a definite
place—we read of this event in the Bible. But
on this level, the Bible becomes only a history
book, and the ministry, death, and resurrection of
Jesus become mere history. If we stop there,
Jesus’ death is seen in the same light as the
assassination of Abraham Lincoln or John F.
Kennedy.
It is imperative and very
natural that we move toward a second
level—DOCTRINE. When the early disciples
sought to understand and explain the meaning of the
event, they began to develop theological doctrine,
a teaching accepted and proclaimed within the life
of the church. (Read, for example, Romans 6:1-11
and I Corinthians 15:12-19.)
I can truthfully say that I
never had any trouble with the story of Jesus, his
death, his resurrection. I believe it because of my
church background. The historical event had now
taken on the dimension of “church
teaching.” My mind had no problem with this.
This intellectual acceptance, however, still does
not get at the genuine significance of the
“Easter faith.”
The third level is where the
meaning of the Easter event becomes real in our
lives as Christian EXPERIENCE. I think this is what
the apostle Paul was saying when he wrote to the
Galatians, “I am crucified with Christ,
nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ lives in
me” (Galatians 2:20).
To Paul, the crucifixion of
Jesus means nothing simply as an event in the past
or a doctrinal idea in our minds; it must become a
part of our experience.
I am so thankful for my
parents and my church. It was in my home and at my
church so long ago that I felt love and care. In
that human love and care I saw demonstrated
God’s love and care. They were sensitive to my
spiritual needs and longing, and through their
lives they were saying to me: “Somebody loves
you!”
When I was 9, I asked:
“Who?” They responded: “God
does.” In that moment of love and
understanding the event and the doctrine converged
into my very own personal experience. The meaning
of Easter is well expressed in that old church hymn
that declares: “You ask me how I know he
lives, he lives within my heart.”
Prayer:
Father, the mysteries of the cross and resurrection
and the deep riches of the gospel are far beyond
our comprehension. We thank thee that we have seen
the cross that gives life, and the resurrection
that gives hope, even though we understand little
of its meaning. Reveal to us more of its meaning
and may we live in its power through Jesus our
Lord. Amen.
About the
Author
G. Byrns Coleman is Professor
of Religion and Chair of Department of Religion
& Philosophy, Wingate
University, Wingate, NC
. He is also a member of Wingate
Baptist Church
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