Discovering the true meaning of Easter

Easter isn't a one-time prayer—it's a daily relationship with Jesus, lived out with faith, growth, and grace.

I want to talk about something deeply personal today—something I had wrestled with for over 40 years and, honestly, something I wish someone had told me when I was younger. Let’s get real about Easter. Not the chocolate bunnies or the egg hunts, but the heart of what it means for us, and why it matters so much to our spiritual well-being.

As a kid, I thought I had it all figured out. I believed Jesus died on the cross to save me, and all I had to do was pray the sinner’s prayer. Boom—done deal. Saved for eternity, right? I mean, isn’t that the Easter story? Once saved, always saved?

But here’s the thing: no one ever told me that the sinner’s prayer isn’t even in the Bible. Not once did anyone explain to me that salvation isn’t just about some one-time decision at the altar—it’s about a relationship.

So, as a kid, I did what I thought I was supposed to do. I went forward at church, prayed that prayer, and figured I was good to go. I even went back a few more times, just to make sure I had what they called “eternal security.” But no one helped me figure out what came next. No one showed me how I was supposed to actually live out my salvation, to put my faith into action.

Because of that, I grew up with a warped idea of what it meant to follow Jesus. And you know what? That sinner’s prayer didn’t fix anything in my life. By the time I hit 20, I’d walked away from church and from God, carrying with me nothing but a dysfunctional view of what Easter really meant.

And here’s where it gets raw. Life hit me hard.

I remember the day I was convinced I was going to lose the court custody fight for my son—the light of my life. I overdosed, thinking no one cared enough to save me.

Years later, I stood in the dream home I’d built, staring at the balcony, fighting the urge to hang myself to end it all. And still, I felt like no one was there to save me from this self-inflicted misery. No one.

At 45, after a grim medical diagnosis, I sat in my car, windows rolled up, screaming at the top of my lungs: Why doesn’t someone save me from this horrible diagnosis?

It wasn’t until I was 47, in the middle of a raging storm at sea on my way to Alaska, that it hit me. No one else was going to save me. I had to work out my own salvation. Right there, in that storm, I gave my heart and soul to Jesus—not just as a decision, but as a commitment to a daily relationship with Him.

Now, here’s the part I wish someone had told me years ago. Salvation is a gift. You can’t earn it, and you don’t deserve it. But once you’ve received it, it’s up to you to live it out in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

The Bible says in Philippians 2:12, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” That doesn’t mean you’re working for salvation—God’s grace covers that. But it does mean you’ve got to nurture the gift you’ve been given. Think of it like planting a seed. God plants it in you, but it’s your job to water it, to nurture it, to let it grow.

And when Paul says “with fear and trembling” he doesn’t mean we should live in anxiety or fear of losing our salvation. Instead, it reflects the deep sense of reverence and awe about the fact that God, who created the universe, is living and working in you. That’s not something to take lightly!

You know as well as I do that growth doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. We live in a world that craves instant results, but spiritual growth takes time. It’s slow, steady, and sometimes frustratingly incremental.

Think about a tree. You don’t see it grow day by day, but over the years, its roots deepen, its trunk strengthens, and its branches stretch toward the sky. That’s what happens when you work out your salvation. You may not always see the progress, but God is building something strong and lasting in you.

So, this Easter, let’s make it about more than just the story we’ve heard a hundred times. Let’s make it about living out the truth of what Jesus did for us. Let’s reach out to those who might be struggling with a warped idea of why He died on the cross. Let’s remind them—and ourselves—that Easter isn’t about a one-time decision. It’s about a daily, growing relationship with the One who gave everything for us.

And here’s the thing: when you share this truth with someone—when you gently help them see the beauty of a life lived in relationship with Jesus—they’ll thank you for it. Trust me on this. It was what I needed in those raw and difficult times in my former life before Christ.

So, this Easter, let’s not miss the point. Let’s live it out. Together. Please let me know the one or two ways you hope to make your relationship with Jesus all it can be. Send your comments to me here.

-Arnie