THE PASSION OF CHRIST

The Passion of Christ – Mel Gibson’s Powerful Film
The truth about the passion of Christ is revealed in the Bible in Matthew 26:36 – 28:10. Why was it necessary for Christ to die on the cross? Mel Gibson’s powerful new film about the last twelve hours of Jesus Christ is making quite an impact on people. What is the “Passion” of Christ? As the Bible reveals, it is His intense love for every person and desire that all will spend eternity with Him in heaven. This is the reason Christ came to earth and went to the cross to die a horrific death.

The Passion of Christ – Why did Jesus have to die on the Cross?
The Passion of Christ is tremendously powerful. But why did Jesus have to die this way? God’s Word to humanity — the Bible — says that all people have sinned against God by breaking His commandments (i.e., lying, stealing, wishing you had what someone else does, sex outside of marriage, etc.). Even one sin committed against God is enough to separate us from Him for eternity. The Bible says in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and fall short of the Glory of God.”

God knew that there was only one way to redeem mankind to Himself — once and for all. That could only be done through sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to live a sinless life and die on the cross as a once-and-for-all sacrifice for all of mankind’s sins. Romans 5:8 states, “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

The Passion of Christ – The Ultimate Love Story
The Passion of Christ is really about a love story — the love that Christ has for you and me. He was willing to go to the cross, take all the humiliation, extraordinary pain and suffering, and most of all, the sin of the entire human race — past, present and future — upon Himself. He was willing to allow Himself to be separated from His Father, God, when He bore my sins and yours. He did it because He loves us, and He so desperately wants you and me to spend eternity with Him in heaven.

However, that will not be possible if we refuse to accept the sacrifice He made for us. Refusal to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and receive Him into our heart will leave us responsible for all the sins we have ever committed against God. When we die, we will be judged by those sins, and we will be given a sentence. The sentence will be death and eternal separation from Jesus Christ and God the Father. The Bible says that all of those who do not personally know Jesus as Lord and Savior will spend eternity in hell, a place of weeping and eternal torment. This does not have to be the case for you!

The Passion of Christ – What must I do to be saved?
The Bible is clear in John 3:3 when Jesus says, “unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” First, you must believe that you are a sinner and that your sin has separated you from God. Second, you must acknowledge that there is nothing you could ever do, say, pay, that would reconcile this sin debt you have with God. Third, you must acknowledge that Jesus Christ came to this earth to live a sinless life and died in your place for your sins. Lastly, you must receive Him into your heart as your Lord and Savior.

All of this can be done through a simple prayer to God that you can say right now. This is the most important decision of your life. Jesus Himself will come to live inside your heart through His Spirit, and He will not only give you eternal life with Him in heaven, but will also give you a fulfilled life here on earth as well. If you would like to receive Jesus now as your Lord and Savior, discovering what true love is, just say the following prayer to God and mean it in your heart.

“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”