Published March 2, 2004 - 'Passion' is a movie about the truth
"The Passion of the Christ" has arrived. This is a movie which is going to change people all around the world. Whether you are a devout Christian or someone who has not yet accepted Christ as your savior, you will be touched by this movie. It depicts the truth about who Christ is and what He went through for us. Although there are some minor deviations from Scripture, the message is clear: Christ suffered and died on the cross so that anyone who believes in Him could be saved from their sins.
"The Passion" is based on the four gospels at the beginning of the New Testament. It is not anti-Semitic; it is not designed to promote violence or hatred; and it is not some fictional story about an evil empire from the past. It is a vivid account of the truth as stated in God's word. In the movie, Christ himself says, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." God may have used the people of that time to crucify His Son, but Jesus made it very clear that His life was not taken, rather He gave it freely.
Spielberg did not make the movie "Schindler's List" in an attempt to get everyone to hate Germans because of the Holocaust. Alex Haley did not write "Roots" to promote hatred and violence on account of the slavery of Africans. And Mel Gibson did not make "The Passion" as an anti-Semitic movie. Each of these men simply took truth and created movies to help people learn and understand the truth.
Approximately 82 percent of all Americans claim to be Christians. However, only about 64 percent believe the Bible to be totally true. After seeing this movie, maybe those who don't accept the Bible as God's truth will change their minds. The Bible is 66 books of God's word, written by God himself through the hands of approximately 40 different writers. The Bible is God's revelation of Himself to us. It tells us who God is and what His plan is for the world.
In the Bible, God reveals His plan to save people from the eternal consequences of sin, and His plan is revealed in "The Passion." God is all-knowing and ever-present. God knew what would happen before He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, down to Earth. He knew that the people of that time would turn on Him and call for His crucifixion. Jesus knew that He would have to give His life to pay for the sins of all people. If God knew beforehand that Christ would bear our sins on that cross, how could we presume to hold the Jews accountable for His sacrifice? The crucifixion of Christ was always part of God's plan.
As we watch "The Passion," we need to seek the Lord and open our hearts to His message. This is a movie about love and sacrifice. It is a movie about death and resurrection. It is a movie about sin and forgiveness. It is a movie about our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. The true lasting effect of this movie will come only to those who receive this word from the movie and put it into practice.
The Bible says, "Faith comes through hearing the very words of Christ." We know from the parable of the sower that the word (represented by the sower's seed) falls on many different types of soil. It must take root in order to grow. This is the critical impact point for this movie and will be its lasting effect.
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