A few years ago a group of ill-advised folks (Christians?) verbally attacked Jewish people, calling them "Christ Killers." It was a terrible thing to do because it was unkind, but especially wrong because their allegation is completely untrue! Jewish leaders of today, thinking of those attacks, object to Mel Gibson's film, The Passion of the Christ, because they are afraid the film will trigger a renewal of these anti-Semitic attacks. Historically, these charges have come up from time to time since Calvary. Because I sincerely hope that this does not happen again, and because I consider anti-Semitic activities to be un-Christian, I am directing you to passages in the Bible which prove that the Jewish people did not kill my Lord Jesus Christ!
"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do..." Luke 23:34.
The Roman soldiers were nailing Jesus to the cross, setting up the cross, performing the actual fatal deeds that killed Jesus. But He prayed His Father to forgive them! They were only doing what they were commanded to do. They didn't know Him whom they were crucifying. They were not the ones killing Jesus.
"Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself...." John 10:17,18.
Jesus forgave the soldiers. But how about Pontius Pilate, the Roman judge who sentenced Him to death? How about those who brought the charges, and who testified against Him? Jesus said He laid down His life; no man took it from Him! Pilate and the Jews were not responsible. He laid down His life of Himself! But why? Was there anyone who caused Him to lay down His life?
"But God commendeth his love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. 5:8.
It was Jesus' love for us that motivated Him to lay down His life for us. He loved us too much to send us to Hell to die for our sins. It was our sins that took Him to the Cross. Every time we sin we add to His penalty!
"For he hath made him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteouusness of God in him." II Cor. 5:21.
Christ, the sinless Son of God, was not under the death penalty for His sins; He had none! Thus He could, and did, take on our sins. He laid down His life, paying the penalty for my sins and yours!
Did Christ take on the sins of the whole world, or just the sins of those who would believe in Him? Take another look at Romans 5:8, which says, "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." It doesn't say "While we were yet sinners who would accept Him." There is no qualifier for the word "sinners" in the verse. Christ died for all!.
So, who killed Jesus? I and you, we who do those sins for which He died, we killed Jesus! Yes, that includes Jews, but their part in killing Him is no more nor less than the parts of the rest of us sinners. It is anti-Semitic people who blame Jesus' execution on the Jews. If they claim to be Christians, I disagree with them.
Why would people blame the Jews for killing Christ? Is it because they are unwilling to accept the blame their sins have brought upon them? If they have no sins to confess, what need do they have for Jesus? Are they people who join a church because it is the accepted thing to do, but are not convicted of their sin and need of a Savior? He died for my sins; therefore my sins killed Him! It is as simple as that.
Christ bought eternal life for you on the Cross! But you will die for your own sins if you do not accept His gift of eternal life. What do we have to do to receive this gift?
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Rom. 10: 9,10.
These verses say we must believe in Jesus and confess our faith in Him. How about walking the aisle? It is not directly mentioned in Scripture, and thus is not required. However, confession of our faith is required; walking down the aisle, shaking hands with the Preacher, and confessing our faith to him is a time-honored and convenient way to confess our faith. It is not just showing off by Fundamentalists! Consider what Jesus did for us; what kind of an able-bodied Christian is unwilling to walk the aisle for Him? If you have a better way of confessing your faith in Him, do so that way. But you must publicly confess your new faith in Him in some way! A saving faith in Him will not be kept a secret!
Harley Templeton
hashtemp@prodigy.net
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