Dave Edgren interviews Arjun, a young Hindu job candidate from Bangalore, who asks about the difference between salvation and enlightenment. Dave explains salvation as a one-time event at Jesus' death, while enlightenment is an ongoing process of becoming united with God. He connects Easter to a new reality of resurrection that shapes daily Christian life.
Chapters
I just saw Signs of the Times published my Easter article, and in reading it again, I read a story that happened as I was preparing the article, and I just thought I'd share it with you. This is the end of the article. If you want to read the article, you can go here to daveedgren.com and read it and follow the link to read the rest of it at Signs of the Times. Um, here's the story. As I was preparing this article, I had a late night Zoom call, an online job interview with a company in Bangalore India. When the interview finished, I asked my young interviewer, Arjun, "Can I ask you a question unrelated to this job?" He nodded his head in that unique way only Indian men can and said, "Of course, Dave Edgren." I said, "I am writing an article about how Easter is celebrated around the world. For Christians like me, Easter is a reminder of the new life given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus." In my research, I learned about the Festival of Colors, Holi. Do you celebrate this?" "Not here," he said. "Holi is celebrated in the northern parts of India. Here in Bangalore, we celebrate Makara Sankranti. It is similar to Thanksgiving. It is a day for kindness and love. Can I ask you a question now?" I laughed and said, "Of course." Arjun got very excited. "I learned about resurrection for the first time today. This morning in Bible study, I asked my pastor the difference between salvation and enlightenment. Would you also share with me your answer to this?" "Sure," I said. "But first, you have surprised me by saying that you are studying the Bible with a pastor. Are you a Christian?" Arjun paused. "I was raised a Hindu, and still am very much a Hindu." He smiled and continued, "But I am now trusting the words of Jesus to be true." "That is wonderful, Arjun," I said. "You will find many things in Christianity that bless you as a Hindu." We both laughed, and then I said, "Salvation is a moment in time. It happened when Jesus died on the cross. It became yours when you accepted it to be true. Enlightenment is the process from that point forward of becoming one with God and with mankind. In Christianity, we call it sanctification. The Apostle Paul said, Jesus' death reconciled us with God, and whoever accepts Jesus is also given this ministry of reconciliation. It is now our task, as we come closer and closer to Jesus, to bring other people to him, to show them that they too have been reconciled with God, and to teach them to reconcile with others. This is part of sanctification, part of enlightenment, of becoming one with God and with people. Our conversation was much longer than this article. I was buzzing for days because of my time with Arjun. For followers of Jesus, Easter isn't just a long weekend once per year. It is a new reality undergirding the way we live every day. God loved us enough to send his Son to become one of us to live like us, die like us, and be resurrected, as we will be like him. This is the spirit of Easter that lives in Christians, the joy of knowing Jesus and introducing him to others. Despite our various differences—cultures, religions, and backgrounds—the common values of new life, renewal, and hope for a better future are shared by each in every one of us. This Easter, may you find new life through food, family, and friends. May you find renewal by interacting with your faith community, and may you bring a better future to all by loving others as you have been loved.
