Life is about death. Easter is about death with a twist. Without Easter, life’s only certainty is death. Easter’s promise is life beyond the grave. It is life and death without meaning versus life and death with meaning. It’s “is this all there is?” versus “this is what it’s all about.” Life’s ultimate mystery is not nearly so fearsome when it is solved by an absolute answer. Is this not essentially the function, value, and attraction of faith?
To explain what happens to us after we die has universal appeal, and such explanations are fundamental to all the world’s religions. Jesus is not the only historical figure for whom the claim of resurrection has been made, but Christianity does seem to have cornered the market on guaranteeing eternal life after death. A significant portion of Christian theology has likewise been devoted to the antithetical eternal damnation, or hell.
From the selfish perspective (which has already been established as itself universal in nature) eternity in heaven is obviously preferable to eternity in hell, and the selfish nature is easily appeased by a “plan” that assures the former. If my confession/profession of Jesus the Christ as my Lord and Savior—signified by my baptism—serves as my ticket to heaven then it’s well worth my lip service even if I’m not absolutely sure that I’ll ever have to have it punched.
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