Proclaiming the True
Passion of Christ
"For Christ also
hath once suffered for sins, the just of the unjust, that he might bring us to
God; being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit"
(I Peter 3:18).
"To whom he showed
himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them
forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God"
(Acts 1:3).
The Mel Gibson film “The Passion of the Christ” purports to tell, by
way of dramatic characters and images, the biblical story of the suffering of
Jesus Christ. In graphic detail it points the viewer to the immense and
incredible physical suffering Jesus endured in the last twelve hours of his
life.
Most professing Christians and churches are excited about the film and
its prospects for evangelizing the world. Many evangelical and Roman Catholic
leaders are hailing it as the greatest opportunity for the spread of the gospel
since the times of the apostles! Now at last the message of Christ's suffering
and death can reach the lost and gain them to the Lord! People must see this
film! It will be a life-changing experience!
But we are not excited. This film has many inaccuracies and
additions that distort the true account of Christ's suffering. (It is, after
all, a Roman Catholic film endorsed by the pope.) In fact, we condemn
the movie and urge all true Christians NOT to see it. We do this for three
main reasons.
First, it is blasphemous to portray Christ's suffering and death in
this way. We believe Jesus Christ was not only real man but also true God, the
eternal Son of God in human flesh! No man may portray this Christ either via an
actor or any physical image. To do so is to blaspheme the Son of God and deny
His great power and glory . That is what God means by
His second commandment—no graven images of Him, and
that includes His Son.
Second, the film fails to reveal the heart of the gospel, the
once-for-all atoning and propitiatory sacrifice of Christ. Christ's suffering
was not merely physical; it was chiefly spiritual. It was a suffering in soul
and body of the eternal wrath of God for the sins of His elect people. From
that point of view Christ's suffering must not simply stir up feelings of
sympathy for him. It must break our hard hearts and lead us to repentance and
faith in Him!
Third, this film is not God's ordained means for the salvation of
sinners. We are certainly in favor of the message of Christ's passion being
proclaimed to the world. But we must use God's method for doing so: the
preaching of Christ crucified through His official ministry instituted in the
church. This is what Christ himself called his church to do (Matt. 28:20). This
is foolishness to man in these modern, high-tech,
visually-dependent days, just as it was in the days of the apostles. But the
preaching is God's power and wisdom unto salvation to every one that believes,
whether Jew or Gentile (I Cor. 1:18-24).
With these things in mind, we call you to avoid this movie and instead
attend a church where the passion of Christ is purely preached. The Covenant
Protestant Reformed Fellowship is such a church. We welcome you to join us
under the preaching of the true passion of Christ.
Rev. Charles Terpstra