No matter how peaceful and heroic death may be, it is always very painful. Death always brings an unfitting end to a soul, and neither the manner of death nor how many years the diseased has lived can bring consolation.A hundred years will always be too short, even a thousand. Death claims a beauty and a splendor that will always be missed. For no soul can ever be replaced. The departure of one human being from this life will always leave an awful void that is greater than any gloomy hole in the world could ever contain. God knows how terribly the human race suffers from this enemy, death, that He sent His One Begotten Son in great love and kindness so we can be saved and have lived in full. Jesus, the son of God, suffered death so it may be conquered and lose its grip upon us all, for He made each man according to His image, with the glory that surpasses all the beauty of the world. He created human beings in his image and likeness. And God’s love couldn’t allow us to pass by in this life and die. We were never meant to live, breathe, and love just for all our memories to extinguish. God meant us for good, for Himself. Death shall never have the last word, for that which shall always last is love. This paper explains how Love conquers death by demonstrating Jesus’ crucifixion.
As we talk of God’s goodness and love, it’s sometimes very hard to talk about death. The two seem mismatched, but they aren’t. The evidence of death is God’s goodness and love towards human beings. Jesus humbled himself to become a man and finally laid his life down by being crucified on the cross. This made God’s people Holy hence having an everlasting relationship and the ultimate act of love. He paid the price, saved us, and sealed us with the Holy Spirit so we could be converted into His resemblance.
Jesus was crucified. Crucifixion refers to a death sentence where one is nailed or tied both hands and the feet and left hanging on a wooden beam until death by exhaustion. This method of capital punishment was endured by Jesus Christ, the main victim of crucifixion. The condemned person was beaten and dragged to the venue of punishment, where the fixation of the vertical shift was done. The victim was to be stripped naked and bound fast with the outstretched arms nailed through the wrists. About 9 – 12 feet from the ground, the crossbeam is raised against the upright shaft. A notice was placed on the criminal’s head, writing his name and the crime. Due to constrained blood circulation and organ failure as the body supports its weight, death tends to occur.
Crucifixion was practiced among Persians, Romans, and others from the 6th century BCE to the 3rd Century CE. This punishment was later abolished by Constantine the Great, the first Christian Emperor in the early 4th Century. I believe Crucifixion was mostly used to punish religious or political protestors, enslaved people, and those who lacked civil rights. Over 3000 political opponents were crucified during the reign of Darius 1 in 519 BCE, while pharisaic opponents were also crucified in 88BCE in the reign of Alexander. In 32 CE, Pontius Pilate gave Jesu of Nazareth death by crucifixion. After thorough research, Crucifixion was later abolished, and the reason for abolishment was out of adoration of Jesus Christ, who is a well know the main Victim of crucifixion.
In the Gospel, Jesus Christ’s crucifixion begins with His Afflicting. He was mocked by the “Kings of Jews “by the Roman Soldiers who clothed him with the purple robe and crown of thorns (Brondos, (2018). To my understanding, the crown of thorns is one of the iconic images in the process. The ability of Jesus to bore the crown of thorns signifies the ultimate humility of suffering and shame. He was slowly led to the Golgotha, and Simon of Cyrene helped Jesus to carry the cross. He hung in agony on the cross, where the soldiers divided his garments and cast lots for his robe. He was later buried in a rock-hewn tomb and resurrected after three days. Jesus’s crucifixion demonstrates to us that love triumphs over death.
In my understanding and worldview, love is as old as human beings and is a positive feeling that affects both emotional and physical well-being. As a result, people put their efforts into satisfying their feeling and can conquer all things, including death. When a house is burning, a child might be inside the house while the parents and other siblings are outside. Despite the huge fire, the mother tries to save the child’s life. She will choose to die rather than let her cd to be consumed by the raging fire. People don’t mind if the people they love differ in love, race, or even religion. I can deal with any problem that may arise as long as there is love.
God’s love towards people is shown by His ability to raise Jesus from death. God planned the crucifixion of Jesus hence a symbol of Love. The statement that Jesus’ crucifixion demonstrates that love triumph over death refers to His resurrection. It’s very significant to Christians who understand the real meaning of the death of Jesus. Jesus predicted his death and resurrection, and she finally kept the promise (Matthew 27: 40). Jesus’ resurrection was true, and a total defeat since others who were resurrected eventually died the second time. Peter, in Act 2: 24, explains that death could not hold Jesus down and that He holds the key of death, and the keys are a symbol of authority. (Revelation 1: 18) I agree with Peter’s statement as a Christians since I have freedom through believing in Jesus’ death and resurrection. The sinless nature of Jesus Christ made him conquer death as a sign of love to God’s people. As the bible states that sin’s wages are death, it shows that Jesus wasn’t a sinner. With the resurrection, there is hope for all Christians globally since there is a promise and exiting of new life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Christians have been granted victory over death through God’s love for his people through his son Jesus Christ. I believe Christ is the first fruit of those who have fallen asleep, meaning Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is the first of many believers who died since they will resurrect in later days. Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of Old Testament prophets like the Psalmist, who predicted that the Messiah would overcome death. Through His love, He was to wipe away tears from all faces by delivering him from the power of the grave. The crucifixion is of great importance to us as Christians because Jesus removed the sting of death. Therefore, we will not be judged by God according to our sins but will stand on Jesus’s perfect righteousness. That’s why the second death will hurt believers. Through Jesus; life, He said the greatest Love is in the man who gives his life for others and with his death on the cross, and He exactly did this.
As I research, I tend to ask myself why someone could be crucified and yet the son of God. I have discovered that God. Through the crucifixion of Jesus, He wanted to reunite us with Himself. This acted as a bridge of God reconnecting to the people He created back Him. I know this sounds pretty complicated, but God created us all. The purpose of God creating me was to know Him and live with Him. So when people get into sins, they choose a different route away from GOD. Christ’s love is sufficient for all of us. Jesus died for believers and nonbelievers, churched and unchurched. He died for foe those compassionate, loving, and humble. I tend not to agree with some traditional views that Jesus died for only those who believe in God, but His love covered everyone. Love keeps us alive even when we lose our beloved ones. Jesus’ love encourages me personally to exercise compassion for the lost, wounded, forgotten, and broken. We tend to apologize when we are wrong, making peace more important than revenge. I am also reminded that God will still pick me up no matter how I feel. Even in the face of rejection by people, the presence and the love of the Lord will always be there.
In my research, I have also discovered that love conquers society’s views. According to Tometi (2020), African American people (the blacks) were being discriminated against in other countries, including the U.S., during the Civil rights movement. Blacks decided to stand up for their human rights because of their love for their families, white people, countries, and even their friends. Some of them were murdered and beaten hard; hence protested by avoiding the places they were allowed or not allowed to go. According to Violeta (2019), In the movie” Maleficent, “a fairy loses her wings to a romantic lover and a childhood friend. She cared for a hated and cursed baby. Maleficent loved Aurora, and after learning that the curse had taken place, Maleficent felt devastated. With ongoing repentance and love for Aurora, Maleficent becomes a happy fairy with her wings again, showing that love conquers even the forces of nature. Additionally, I understand that suffering is part of love in the world, but we should try hard to avoid suffering.
It is possible to earn grace because Jesus’ love made our way. The Holy Spirit of God lives in us; hence people can communicate to God since the crucifixion was a way toward salvation. We Christians are not afraid to face death because we have confidence that Jesus conquered death. The whole world is persuaded through His resurrection that Jesus went against all odds by raising from the dead. I am also convinced that the disciples were shocked to find an empty grave, and many testified when Jesus appeared to them full of love. Jesus’ resurrecting gave God’s people justification and the cause of their sanctification. Christ’s victory is that He has overcome territories and powers in His person and made an open show of me personally. He has likewise overcome death and the grave. That is evidence of your triumph and overwhelming, for there is a great similarity between the head and the Son. Additionally, Christ’s love constrains me as a Christian to have the burn within me out of love to enjoy the affection. There is also an assurance that if we believe in the work of the cross, His love will bring Christian souls to see the importance of love that triumphs over death.
As humans, our default mode is to find fault with others to feel better about ourselves. We all carry on this critical tendency to one degree or another. In its most contagious formula, it becomes hatred. This is the origin of all prejudgments, and what makes someone unique becomes the criticism theme. Instead of looking for the worst in others and finding fault, love believes the best in others and seeks to build them up; hence way of love is divergent. This does not mean we overlook their errors, but our focus should not be there. I have as well realized that love can be expressed through payers. One can pray for the sick to get healed, being aware that prayers aren’t answered overnight. I may not have much to offer, but I always remember that love conquers all. I love myself, which motivates me to show the same love to the people around me. Compassion, kindness, and love are in my heart hence physical and spiritual growth. No matter how one has problems, all can be conquered through love. I always act as a good example by having a passion for inspiring people to become great and succeed in their lives by practicing love for one another. In the bible, Paul taught people that the Crucifixion of Jesus and His resurrection was good news to the world.
On the other hand, speaking of the cross, this also narrates Christ’s resurrection. Both death and resurrection cannot be separated and should be central to our lives. The Christian life is a dying life; dying to sin (Colossians 1:22; Galatians 5:24). Additionally, it is a life lived in the power of Christ’s resurrection (Philippians 3:10). The cross must have an overwhelming impact on how Christians should live and the purposes for their life). The crucifixion of Jesus was a part of God’s plan from the beginning. Sacrifice was required to wash away the sins of humankind. The sinless life of Jesus was given so that man could receive redemption and everlasting life in heaven. Love conquers all not by emotions but by action. Jesus Christ was crucified and brought back to life for our defense is true love in action. The only love that we can call noble and know is most certainly true love today and always. Despite ourselves, God loves who loves us by self-giving love and gives himself to us, nothing held back. Mercy, life, and eternal salvation are the significance of his love for us. That’s the kind of love we need. Love that overcomes all, even death and hell. Jesus.
When I think of how love can conquer even death, these questions came into my mind, Can two people who are intensely in love still be affected by issues of unsuitability? My opinion is that when two people are in love, they have a habit of overlooking or masking their genuine feelings and defects to please each other. They often place the other individual’s gladness above theirs by making negotiations or sacrifices at the price of their pleasure. However, this is not a practical way of living in a long-term partnership. This can raise bitterness that is likely to be a disadvantage to the well-being of your relationship, particularly when it comes to main subjects. All dealings require effort, but sometimes difficulties such as incompatibility cannot be fixed, even with the best aims. In realism, love cannot overcome all, no matter how hard you try. All the wicked that’s ever been set free on the creation has been done in love. We’ll defend everything for the love of the nation, family, and ourselves. It doesn’t matter if our actions are ethically respectable or malicious. So long as we act out of love, we can persuade ourselves that it’s the right thing to do. It doesn’t have to be essential as long as it’s done out of love. Out of Love, we can also do horrible things.
References
The Bible.
Brondos, D. A. (2018). Jesus’ Death in New Testament Thought Volume 2: Texts. David A. Brondos.
Tometi, O. (2020). Black lives matter at school: An uprising for educational justice. Haymarket Books.
Violeta, R. (2019). Speech acts analysis of the main character in maleficent movie script by Jane Mctee (Doctoral dissertation, UIN Raden Intan Lampung).
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