Q:
I'm a graduate student here in America, but I don't come from a Christian country. What is your holiday of Easter? Is it religious, or is it like a festival we have in my own country celebrating the arrival of spring?
A:
Easter does not mark the arrival of spring, nor is it simply meant to give us a break from work or school (although many see it this way). Instead, Easter celebrates what Christians believe is the most important event in human history: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
According to the Bible (which I hope you’ll read for yourself), Jesus Christ was more than a great religious teacher or worker of miracles. The Bible says He was God in human flesh, who came into the world to make it possible for us to go to heaven when we die.
He did this by becoming the final and complete sacrifice for our sins. Jesus was without sin, but when He died, something happened that’s almost beyond comprehension: all our sins were transferred to Him, and He took upon Himself the judgment we deserve. Because of Christ, we can be cleansed of our sins and given the gift of eternal life. How do we know this is true? We know it because Jesus came back to life by the power of God, and even now He sits at the right hand of God in heaven.
I hope you’ll learn more about Jesus during your time here. But most of all, I pray you’ll discover who He really is and how much He loves you, and then commit your life to Him. Jesus said, “This is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3).