What is Easter all about?

The Easter story is a historic story of the end of Jesus' life on earth. It is also a spiritual story, where Jesus showed His followers that His love was more powerful than the crucifixion that his enemies brought upon Him. He offers all people the power of His love as they seek His spiritual guidance to solve the many problems encountered in life in this world.

What did Jesus Accomplish by His Death on the Cross?

Traditional Christianity teaches that the human race had turned away from God and God was angry and ready to destroy the human race. Jesus interceded and offered the sacrifice of Himself, to die, to appease the wrath of the Father. They teach that we are saved by acknowledging that Jesus, by dying on the cross, took upon Himself all the sins of the human race, and by a confession of belief in His sacrifice all of our sins are washed away and we are saved - made acceptable to God and able to enter into heaven. This is why an emphasis on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is stressed by traditional Christian theology. It is, in their eyes, the way, and the only way, to heaven.

New Christianity teaches that God saved the human race by coming on earth, but He didn't come to die. He came to restore freedom to human beings so we could again be free to choose. Before the Lord came to earth, the influence of hell had risen to such a level that it was essentially choking off the life from God with the human race. It was like a completely cloudy and polluted atmosphere which needed to be purified. The Lord cleared the way by taking on the attacks of the hells with His vulnerable humanity, and by His own strength putting them under lock and key so that they didn't over extend their influence and cause an imbalance. The final battle was the one on the cross - it was not the only battle. When Jesus proclaimed on the cross, "It is finished," He was declaring that He had accomplished all the work He came to do against the hells. On Easter morning His body was no longer in the tomb because all that was human was unified with the Divine, and made Divine.

“The Lord came into the world to subjugate the hells and glorify His Human, and that the passion of the cross was the last combat by which He fully conquered the hells and fully glorified His Human.” Doctrine of Life, 34

What is the New Church Perspective on Holy Supper/Communion?

“Anyone who has received enlightenment from heaven can perceive for himself that flesh here does not mean flesh, neither does blood mean blood, but that both in the natural sense mean the passion on the cross, of which they are a memorial. Therefore Jesus said when He instituted the Supper as the last celebration of the Jewish passover and the first of the Christian Easter.” True Christian Religion, 704

If there is only on God, why does Jesus ‘pray to the father’ on the cross as if it is someone else?

“The Lord in the world prayed to the Father as if to another, and humbled Himself before the Father as if before another, because this was to conform with the order established from creation; for this is the immutable order which controls everyone's progress towards being linked with God. This order lays down that as order of God's commandments, so God links Himself to him, and makes him spiritual instead of natural. In the same way the Lord united Himself with His Father, and God the Father united Himself with the Lord. This shows plainly why the Lord in His state of emptying out, which was His state while advancing towards union, prayed to the Father.” True Christian Religion, 110

Does Faith Alone Save?

At times it seems like the Bible seems to say we are justified or saved by our works, not by faith (Matthew 7:21). And yet at other times we are justifited by faith, and not by works (John 3:16). Which is it?

A favorite New Church quotation is, “Religion is of Life, and the Life of Religion is to do good“ Doctrine of Life 1. True faith is trust and confidence in the Lord which is reflected in one's life. One can find salvation not through works alone or faith alone, but through a life of faith and charity together.

What does the New Church teach about Salvation?

The Lord by His life on earth made the way clear so that we may do the work, with Him, of changing our character from one that is selfish, self-centered, inconsiderate and fearful (living in a hellish way). This is a process and it takes time. As we make choices to turn away from selfishness and mere worldly gratification, and in turn make choices that are based on the truth and inspired by generosity and kindness, we develop a desire for what is good. It is that desire, or 'will,' or 'dominant love' within us that determines our place after the death of this body. If we primarily love what is kind, good, and true, we take ourselves to heaven where we can continue to live this way with others of a like mind and heart. If we primarily love what is selfish, hateful and deceitful, we take ourselves to hell where we can continue to live this way with others of like mind and heart. We therefore judge ourselves - or choose our own eternity.

This truth leads to another truth of this New Christianity: the teaching that all people of all faiths will go to heaven if they believe in one God and live in charity and kindness according to the principles of their religion's persuasion. It is what is in your heart that determines you eternal condition, not what is in your mind only, or the words on your tongue, or the membership card in your wallet. When people arrive in the spiritual world after the death of the physical body, they are not asked, “What is your religion?” but rather, “What is your life?”

Read More:

Gospel of Easter Morning (PDF)
Educational Resources about Easter
Reviews of the Passion