THE RAISING OF LAZARUS – ITS CONSEQUENCES

THE RAISING OF LAZARUS –

ITS CONSEQUENCES

 

 

 

"Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He raised from the dead"

The event of the rising of Lazarus is an extremely important event, for Christ, simply called out to the four-day dead Lazarus: "Lazarus, come forth!" Lazarus had already undergone the process of corruption, causing his sister Mary to say to Christ: " Lord, He stinks." Lazarus also was prepared for burial in tight graveclothes, according to the custom of the Jews. Neither the odor nor the graveclothes were a hindrance to the voice of Jesus Christ, and for an important reason. He who in the beginning simply declared: "Let there be light, and there was light," now says: "Lazarus, come forth!"

ON THE PASSION AND RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

ON THE PASSION AND RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

Second

In western Christianity the Cross and death of Christ is greatly misunderstood, but preserved in the Orthodox Church is the truth about the death of our Lord. The death of our Lord is the means of our salvation. Christ was not being abused by an angry God for our sins. This is just not so. Christ offered himself to the torture of the Cross, voluntarily so that we might live. It was an outpouring of the greatest love that ever existed on earth. He is the one and only Godman, and the only Savior of mankind. He is the everlasting High Priest who perpetually offers himself as sacrifice for our sins. He remains as the perpetual sacrificer and victim offered. He rescued us from the captivity of the Devil, the tyrant who rules over man through lawlessness and sin. Let no man be mistaken. As God is the source of all good, the Devil is the source of all evil. There is no evil in God and there is no good in the Devil. Every man has to choose between the good God and the evil devil.