Understanding Good Friday depends on one’s point of view! If that’s true, how many points of view can there be? There are two points of view:
- Our NATIVE point of view
- The BIBLICAL point of view
Good Friday: Native Point of View
A definition will help. We are all born with this point of view. Every child perceives itself as the center of the universe. This point of view is one we battle all our lives. It’s how we got our start. It’s partly responsible for the old-world view that the sun revolved around the earth. It was the Church that persecuted people like Galileo for challenging this incorrect perception of the solar system.
Our native point of view led to the first murder. Cain was the center of his own universe. Rather than repent and change, he killed his brother, Abel. How many problems and hurts have been caused in the Church by people with the same point of view? They approach ministry (and others) with this mindset:
It’s all about me!
They would never admit it because they know better. But many people aren’t aware of thier me-centric point of view. That’s how steeped we are in our self-centeredness. And you are already thinking you don’t have this problem and my comments do not apply to you. Let’s see!
How much do you identify with the following song texts?
- When He was on the cross, I was on His mind
- Like a rose, trampled on the ground, He took the fall and thought of me, above all
Those lyrics probably give you some warm-fuzzy feelings. What is at the center of those lines? Me! Is that the Biblical point of view? Would you take exception to this line:
- On Good Friday, Jesus died for His Father
Biblical Perspective: Necessity for Understanding
One’s point of view will determine the outcome of their understanding. If I see the world with myself at 
the center, then all problems are defined by how they impact me. Having defined the problems, I will then seek suitable, necessary solutions. Solutions are an outgrowth of the problems. And the problems exist because of the way they impact ME.
Now, here’s a great question: Is my native viewpoint Biblical? You know the answer. And even though I am at extremes in illustrating our native vantage point, we do have reason to think Christ’s sacrificial death was about us. Paul told the Galatians Christ gave Himself up for us. So what is this momentous, history-changing sacrifice really all about?
We will explore this in the next post. That post will come tomorrow even though I don’t usually post on weekends. However, this is not just any weekend comprar kamagra! And before I can get to the Missing Things From Easter, I have to finish the Biblical perspective of Good Friday!