Christian author Tom Gilson expounds on the significance of Jesus' resurrection. He said that only through it can the world make sense of purpose, justice, and hope.
For his commentary post for Easter, the "Too Good To Be False: How Jesus' Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality," author claims that Jesus' resurrection is "the only thing that lets life make sense." Below is a summary of his compelling explanation.
"Everyone but the most pessimistic agrees there is purpose to life."
Starting with "purpose," Gilson declares that Jesus' life, death, and resurrection for mankind is a demonstration of God's infinite love. He wanted them "to have a place in His great plan."
"We are forever sorts of people, so our actions matter forever. What we do for others will last forever. Now, that sounds like genuine purpose to me," wrote Gilson.
This was in response to what he has heard from atheists who embraced the "purposeless beginning and purposeless end" outlook in life.
"'I can create my own purpose,' they say. Usually they explain it as 'living a full and meaningful life, and helping others.' I say, 'Sure, but then in a blink of an eye it's over. The same eye blink soon catches up with the others we've helped along the way,'" comments Gilson.
The Ohio-based columnist also takes a jab at Eastern religion's assumptions like the concept of reincarnations until one reaches "Nirvana."
"But Nirvana isn't paradise," he pointed out. "In Nirvana your individuality is extinguished, your personality is absorbed. Your purpose, then, is to reach something like personal extinction in the fewest possible lifetimes. In the end it's hard to tell that future from the one the atheists tell us to expect. The only real difference is that getting there is much slower and much harder."
"Everyone wants justice, and everyone knows it isn't served very well on earth."
Acknowledging that bad guys often get away with their crimes, and that sometimes, they also "win big," Gilson states that "real justice just doesn't happen in this world." He contends though that it's definitely achievable, but only in the realm of eternity. This requires patience on the part of the believers.
"In Christ, though, there is the promise of real justice," reasoned Gilson. "Jesus taught that He himself would sit on the final seat of judgment over all the world. He has qualifications for it like no one else. If you think judgment should belong to the wisest of all humankind, He meets that test. If you think it should belong to God, He is God, too. By His power and wisdom, He will judge as all with true justice."
"But this requires His resurrection," Gilson added. "Jesus is no bony skeleton judging the world from a slab in a stale tomb. He is the risen King reigning on His throne at the right hand of God the Father. Final justice could never happen without His resurrection."
This truth about the Judge of the earth executing justice at the end of time is a far cry from atheism which offers none, and is a far superior compared to the concept of "karma."
Jesus as the reason for hope.
Upholding that hope is not destroyed, Gilson highlighted that it's only through the merit of Jesus' sacrifice can a man stand on judgment day and be acquitted from all his wrong doings.
"Only God could carry all of humanity's guilt," said Gilson noting that since "what we do for others will matter forever...what we do against others is bound to matter forever, too."
"You won't find any hope like that in atheism," remarks the Thinking Christian writer. "All it has to offer is poof - you're gone. Other religions will tell you some people will make it to Paradise or reach Nirvana, but that's a thin hope for all of us who want to how good we have to be to measure up. Jesus' hope is for people who aren't good enough for heaven - He brings His people there through His own goodness."
