How The Passion Changes Things
Most of us have not only seen the movie “the Passion” but have had many opportunities to discuss it with others. We may have gotten lost in debates over the quality of the direction, the violence depicted or even the preference of catholic tradition over historical/biblical accuracy where the two diverge. Beyond all of these, this film has a profound effect in discussions on faith and religions. Having seen this film, it is impossible to remain intellectually honest and maintain one or more of the following arguments which have often been used in defense against witnessing.
1) That’s OK for you, I choose to believe something else.
In the past, this was often considered an end to the discussion. But now, having a graphic portrayal of the suffering of Christ to show what we believe, we must ask the person who makes this statement if he intends to be so offensive. What does this statement say about how this person feels toward Christians? Does he assume we are so barbaric as to want to believe that Christ went through all of that torture, suffering and pain for us? What does this statement say about who he thinks God is? If there are other ways to believe, without having Christ suffer and die, which this statement suggests, does this not make God short sited or even sadistic? Either He didn’t know that there are other ways, or He didn’t care, and made Jesus suffer and die needlessly. Either way, He would no longer be God. Although this response was at one time considered by some to be acceptable, it is now nothing short of offensive when you consider what “the Passion” depicts.
2) We believe that Jesus accomplished through His death was only part of what was needed. You also need to.............
From church’s within Christianity to cults and other religions outside of it, there always seems to be a temptation to add someone else into the equation of salvation. From having certain spiritual gifts, to the suffering of Mary, or the teachings of John Smith or counting on our own good works, people don’t want to allow Christ’s suffering and death for the forgiveness of our sins to stand alone. The problem is that although this idea sounds beautiful, in the case of Mary, diplomatic, in the case of the teachings of others, and even responsible in the case of our own good works, what actually happens is we cheapen grace. Christ clearly took the entire weight of sin on Himself. Nothing that anyone else did at that time, or any other, could be considered adding to His work, anymore than a thimble of water could be considered necessary to make the largest body of water the Pacific Ocean. It is the ocean, with or without the thimble of water. In the same way, Christ paid for our sins, and nothing anyone else has done, or will do can alter or add to that. He went through it all out of love for us, and the result of His work alone is the grace He offers to give us salvation.
3) You don’t understand, I just mean that I want to follow in my own way, I just don’t want to be so religious.
For many of us, we left the theater struck with awe and perhaps with mixed feelings of guilt and shame; all the while repeating either to ourselves or to those around us “For me, He did that for me!” What “the Passion” has done is shown so clearly the arrogance and selfish lack of sensitivity that this statement reveals. Following Christ is not about “being religious” it is about accepting who He is and what He has done to give each of us the ability to do what we were created to do, and that is worship Him and obey Him. Without this selfless act of His, none of that would be possible. To deny it in this manner is to belittle what He has done and who He is and to place ourselves in a position higher than Him, where we can choose either to accept or deny the conditions under which His sacrificial gift is offered. Christ offers salvation to allow us to serve Him. That service does not pay Him back, it pays Him his due, it is the only way that we can show that He is truly God. If we don’t accept that, then we haven’t accepted Him.
These arguments, and the answers to them, have been around since Christ died. “The Passion” did not reveal them for the faulty positions they are, it only made it harder to hold on to them in an honest discussion. One young man, on his way out from seeing this film, was overheard saying: “Good thing there isn’t a God. If there was a God, this would really bother me.” As sad as that response sounds, it is the only position one can take when faced with such a clear demonstration of who Christ is and what He has done. If you accept that there is a God, then you have to accept that He is God and that we therefore must follow Him in the manner in which He instructs us because as God, it is His right to command us to do so. Or, we say that there is no God, and we relegate “the Passion”, and the Gospels from which its script is drawn to nothing more than gory fiction. The problem is that there is a God, and that Jesus Christ is He. Anyone who looks upon Him, what He has done and what He requires us to do in response, and walks away without reflection has chosen instead to live a life of fiction, devoid of the truth, and therefore devoid of real love and hope.
If you have read this, and want to know more about how to accept the gift of Christ’s sacrifice as depicted in this film and how to follow Him in response to accepting that gift of grace, or if this article has helped you in any other way, please e-mail us and let us know so that we can pray with you and for you. Let us never forget who Christ is and what He alone has done for us and may God grant us the strength and wisdom to follow Him out of our love for Him.