What Easter means to me is freedom. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, His victory over sin and Satan, and His resurrection from the dead, I no longer have any debts for Jesus paid the debt for me, He took the punishment for my sins: I am no longer a slave to sin. This freedom has two parts to it.
Freedom – part 1
If I had sins that were not forgiven, then Satan would have had something to use against me, and I would belong to the kingdom of death. For the payment for sin is death. That much is certain. (Romans 6:23.)
But I don’t have unforgiven sin. When I repent and ask for forgiveness, then I am forgiven. I am free from the debt that I owe because of sin. Jesus has paid that debt for me, with His life.
If Satan tries to say anything at all – “Well, she did do this and this, so she really belongs to me; I should have to decide what happens to her,” – then Jesus comes back with, “Yes, maybe she did do that, but I bought that debt, and I paid for it with My life, so now it is Mine to forgive, and I do so willingly.”
I, who deserve to die because I have sinned, am completely forgiven and now belong to the kingdom of heaven instead of the kingdom of death. That is more grace than I deserve, but it has nothing to do with what I deserve and everything to do with Jesus’ love and grace for me personally.
Freedom – part 2
The second part of this freedom is just as great as the first. This is freedom from having to sin in the first place. Jesus was a human being with a sinful nature, just like I am, and He overcame every time He was tempted to sin. He was the first one to go on this way of overcoming sin, and now made it possible for us who follow Him to do the same. This means that instead of being a slave to sin – having no power to say No to sin when I’m tempted – now I am free, I don’t need to give in to the lusts and desires in my sinful nature or do whatever comes up from there.
Freedom to overcome pride and thinking I’m better than others, and instead be humble of heart.
Freedom to overcome irritation and frustration, and rather react with patience and kindness.
Freedom to overcome hopelessness and discouragement, and instead be filled with hope and faith for the future.
Freedom not to get offended or bitter or jealous of people, but rather be thankful, loving, joyful.
Freedom to be happy, to have joy, to get all the fruits of the Spirit as part of my own nature. One can never desire anything more than that.
All of these things I can do through the power and grace that I can get because Jesus sacrificed Himself, died for me, and rose again because He owed death nothing and it couldn’t hold Him.
This freedom cannot be compared to anything else. I know what I would be if I didn’t have the comfort of knowing that one day all of these things that I am tempted to will be completely overcome in my life. I would be a hopeless miserable person, who would spend my days being without hope and as a slave to the sin which leads to unhappiness and death.
Knowing that I don’t have to stay as I am – a person with a human nature with a desire to sin – but can become someone completely new, is the greatest comfort and freedom and hope that I could possibly think of. I can become pure and clean and changed to become like Christ. (Romans 8:29.) This is the greatest comfort I know. (2 Corinthians 1:3-7.)
I praise Jesus for what He’s done for me personally. He’s offered me a way out of sin and death. This makes life meaningful, rich, and worth living.