The Complete Easter Message

ICSV is very selective when hiring faculty and staff members. They go through an extensive process that includes a series of interviews in addition to providing us with their CV, an application, and references. My interview is the last step in the process. The applicant has already shared how they came to a saving faith in Jesus Christ with the staff recruiter and the interview committee, but I want to make sure that they have a strong belief and understanding of how that fits in with all aspects of their life. 

One of the questions that I ask is for them to tell me the key doctrines of the Christian faith. In other words, what does it really mean to be a Christian? What does a Christian believe? Most start with the events that we are about to emphasize during the upcoming week. They talk about how God sent His one and only Son, Jesus, into the world in order to save us from our sins. They mention that Jesus was crucified, that He was buried, and that He rose again on the third day. 

These are the major tenets of the Christian faith and the events that Christians all around the world will commemorate during the next week. They are, indeed, very important, as the entire Christian faith is based on the fact that Jesus died and didn’t stay dead. We serve a risen Savior, and that is what makes all the difference.

But there are some other key tenets of the Christian faith that we want all of our staff members to believe and understand. The story didn’t start at Christmas, with an infant, and end with Jesus rising from the dead. It is important to believe that God is the Creator of the universe and that He created everything out of nothing in a perfect state. It is the result of man’s sin that people were separated from God and that death and destruction entered the world. That is the beginning of the story, which then leads to the reason why God sent His only Son, Jesus, into the world in order to restore our relationship with Him. Why was that necessary? Because God is holy; He is perfect. People in our sinful state cannot have a relationship with Him. It is only through the shedding of the blood of an innocent person, Jesus, that the penalty for our sins has now been paid. This one act restored our relationship back to the Creator God.

There is one more key part of the story that we can’t overlook. In the end, God will be triumphant and restore all things back to the way He intended them to be. Every knee with bow and worship the Almighty God. Jesus will return to the earth in order to make all things new again. I can’t wait! So, as we head into this most holy week in the Christian calendar, I encourage us all to think of the entirety of the biblical message of hope from creation to restoration.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Because of His Faithfulness,
Dr. Sharon Brobst. Director