Thoughts on Good Friday and "Coexist"

Today is Good Friday, a holiday for Christians to commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. Good Friday is a very sad day for me because I remember that the Creator of the universe suffered an eternity of God's wrath on my behalf to pay for my sin. But that fact makes it a great day too. Because Jesus suffered eternal wrath that should've been mine, and I received HIs free gift of salvation, I have been made right before God and enjoy Him both here on Earth and will forever in Heaven after this life is over. Christ did that for ME and I am so very grateful for His grace and mercy.

As I reflect on this wonderful gift today, I'd like to contrast it with a popular graphic in our society. This graphic design is made up of various religious symbols that form the word "coexist", with the final letter "T" being a cross. The message in this graphic seems like a really good idea, after all, who can argue against world peace, right? But this peace that the world desires and the peace that Christ offers are two different things. With a cross in this graphic, one might think that it's message would be inclusive and tolerant of Jesus and the Truth of God's Word, but that is far from reality. Consider the following:

The Bible is often quoted for these types of love verses.

Ephesians 4:32 

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
 
These verses are true, but there's more to the love of Christ. It isn't a warm and fuzzy love that's nice and just looks past the flaws and differences of others as many would like to make it out to be. The love of Christ came at a great cost.  And the love of Christ changes lives.

 John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

Isaiah 53:5
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

 Mark 10:45
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Also the God of the Bible demands that we worship HIM and Him alone.
 
Exodus 34:14
For you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Jesus didn't come to this earth to suffer and die such a horrible death (Isaiah 52:14) to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29) and rise again (Matthew 28:6 ) only to be one option among many gods and religions.

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Jesus also didn't tell us to just coexist. He commanded those that follow Him to change the world.

Matthew 28: 18-20
 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Mark 16:15
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
 
To preach the Gospel, which is good news, Christians have to also communicate the bad new to those around them.

Romans 3:23 
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
 
Yes, many Christians have communicated the "you're a sinner" message in a manner that is not very Christ-like and the world understandably is repelled at such actions. But even when presented in the most tactful and loving way, the message that "you're a sinner" is increasingly being called hate speech. It's not nice and tolerant to tell people that they are sinners in need of a Savior.

But the bad news has good news connected to it.

Romans 6:23
 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

That free gift must be shared to a lost world that want Christians to leave them alone and just "coexist". Praise the Lord somebody obeyed Christ's command to share the Gospel with me, and then God saved me. And now I want to tell others. That's not just coexisting.

Romans 10:14-15
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”