The Way, The Truth, and The Light
by Samantha Zabaneh (Apr. ’01)
Have you ever thought about why we breathe, why our hearts beat, or better yet, how blood runs through our veins? There are so many questions that keep us going in life, but very few people know and believe the answer. Do you ever wonder if you have some kind of role to play in life before it ends? Do you ever feel that you have to help a stranger with a problem? We all know and believe that each one of us has a purpose in life — to have an effect on something or someone, and to make a difference. Do you ever wonder what holds the universe in place? Can something so powerful exist? Who can love us unconditionally from the very moment we are born until the end of eternity? Since many people believe in so many different things and also differ in how they practice their faith, the only answer is the one, true God. God gave us His only begotten Son to show us His unconditional love, and for us to believe in His promise of everlasting life. Moreover, it is Christ’s sacrifice and Resurrection that makes “real life everlasting with God” possible.
Love can be defined in so many words, but can only be understood by experience. It is a union between a man and a woman in love; it is a bond that ties families together; it is a sharing between two friends; it is the universal language that holds the world in place. Love is known by some people as something that has a beginning and an end, but Christ’s love for us is endless. Even though it is sometimes the source of tears and sorrow, it is always glorious. God’s love is unconditional for He “so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is the symbol of God’s unconditional love for man. He sacrificed His life for the fulfillment of the Father’s will. Christ has gone to Hades and conquered death to resurrect with Him the old (those who have passed away) and the new (those who have not yet died).
Before Christ’s resurrection, the cross was a symbol of darkness and death. After He had risen, the cross became a symbol of victory for Christians. He died not to abandon His servants, but to open the door of the Father’s Kingdom for His friends. As He spoke in John 15:15, “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.” Now, as heirs to God’s Kingdom, it is our responsibility and great honor to spread the good news of the Lord to others. Our job on earth is to live by the Word and to teach others how much God loves us and desires a relationship with each person.
We read the Holy Bible and believe in what is written in it even though we didn’t live in the days of the Apostles, nor did we witness the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. We believe because we feel in our hearts that it happened, is happening, and will continue to happen. God’s promise is as good as the next breath we take, “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
