Why Do I Celebrate Easter?

I celebrate Easter because of the story of redemption. How God sent his one and only son to die for the sins of the world and that whoever believed in him will have eternal life (John 3:16). I celebrate his death and the fact that he has risen.

To explain the death and resurrection of Christ, one would have to start at the beginning.

In the book of Genesis, God created the Garden of Eden, man, and woman. Man and woman lived in the presence of God. They were reconciled with God and in a relationship with him. God gave Adam access to everything in the garden, except the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God forbade Adam to eat of this tree because if he does, ‘he would surely die” (Genesis 2:17).

In Genesis chapter three, the serpent creates confusion about God’s command not to eat the fruit of this tree. In the end, the serpent convinced Eve that the fruit of this tree was good and she desired to have its wisdom and the knowledge of good and evil. I think this knowledge is about being in control of your own destiny or the desire to be in control of your own life. To become the center of your own life, worship your plans and achievements. This inevitably leads to self-worship. Many followers of Christ still fall into this trap to this day.

Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree. In doing so, they placed their trust and faith in the fruit of this tree and not Gods way. They sinned against God. This first sin of disobeying Gods command is what is known as the fall of man. Man is separated from his Maker and Creator.

Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden because of their sin. God is a holy God and cannot be in the presence of sin. The Bible uses the word holy more than 600 times to describe God. Holy in the Bible refers to a state of being set apart from defilement. Defilement is when the purity of something or someone has been damaged. Holiness has also been said to be the natural state of God. Holiness is the state of perfection, being fully sanctified, and set apart. This is the opposite of man’s sinful nature, which inevitably makes it difficult to explain or understand. An abstract and unachievable concept to man.

Adam and Eve and therefore man, were no longer reconciled with God. They no longer had access to God.

The lonely path of our existence begins. We also become vulnerable to the schemes and attacks of the enemy of man, Satan.

However, throughout the Bible, I have learned of God’s extraordinary efforts to come close to man and be reconciled with man. God made provision for man to atone for his sins through animal sacrifices.

As I’m writing this, the chorus I learned as child in Sunday school plays in my mind. “Father Abraham had many sons and many sons had Father Abraham…”. Rightly so, as the story of redemption begins with God’s call to Abraham. It is through his lineage that the Savior of the world came and Abraham would become the Father of many nations (Matthew 1; Luke 3). God made this covenant with Abraham.

God later made a covenant with Moses which was a covenant between God and the Israelites. Moses also delivered the laws and the ten commandments (Exodus 20). This covenant was conditional, meaning that God would bless Israel and make them a special treasure and a kingdom of priests to the rest of the nations if they obeyed His voice and kept His covenant. However, God would curse them and exile them if they disobeyed. This covenant was an extension of God’s covenant with Abraham.

The aim of these covenants was Gods way of reconciling with man. It also foreshadowed the new covenant that God would establish through Jesus Christ, who would offer salvation to all who confess their sins and obeyed Him.

As the wages for sin is death (Romans 6:23), Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice to redeem us from this death. In that he took our sins upon Him. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of this world (John 1: 29).

Although, he died on the cross, he rose on the third day. Defeating the outcome of sin and the sting of death (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

Because of He’s sacrifice, I am now in right standing with God the Father. I also have access to God. I speak directly to Him. I have eternal life in heaven. This earthly death is not the end for those who put their hope and faith in Jesus Christ. I have access to all the promises in the Bible and life abundantly in Him (John 10:10).

To followers of Christ, Jesus means, God is with us (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23). He is the way, the truth and life and only through him can you access God the Father (John 14:16). Followers therefore become living sacrifices (Romans 12:1) and daily deny themselves (Luke 9:23). We do not lean on our own understanding but trust God, who takes care of us (Proverbs 3:5).

Being one with God also means that I am also never alone. Before ascending to heaven, Jesus explained to his disciples that he had to leave because if he does not, the Helper would not come (John 16:7). The Helper is the Holy Spirit. God’s gift to believers is His Holy Spirit that dwells within followers of Christ. The Holy Spirit helps us overcome the schemes and attacks of the enemy.

I celebrate Easter because it is good to be a friend of God, who is with me through the ups and downs. It is good to have the Holy Spirit always, an ever-present help, a Helper, and an Advocate. A Wonderful Counsellor and I am never alone.

Zelna

Zelna Jansen is an ex officio board member of BE ✝️HE CHANGE

BE ✝️HE CHANGE vision is “Empowered communities where every young woman and child has self-agency.” Be ✝️he Change is a non-profit organization, facilitating change within society by improving and enhancing the lives of young women and children through education support, advocacy work, skills for life and other empowerment programmes.

Zelna Jansen is also the Executive Director of Zelna Jansen Consultancy, a lobbying and advocacy firm with the aim of bringing people together to find solutions and helping people to have a more effective conversations with their law- and policymakers.

She is an admitted attorney of the High Court, with an especially keen interest in public policy, trade law and constitutional law. She has a Bachelor of Arts (prelaw), a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Commerce degree specializing in trade law and policy. Through her volunteerism in leading roles in several organizations she actively engages the community and social spirit necessary to uplift many in South Africa today. This includes writing opinion editorials, news and radio interviews and educational workshops with community organizations and schools on how to conduct advocacy on law and policy reform.