“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)
Have you ever watched a sports game like football? When the coach realized one player wasn’t fit enough to give the team an advantage and win, he substituted him with someone who could play better. This led to the winning of the game. That’s exactly what God did. We couldn’t match the strength, prowess, power, and ability of our adversaries, so He brought Jesus Christ in our place. We took His place on the bench.
He didn’t become a sinner; he became sin. He took on our sinful nature, the force that makes us sin, and made it his own. The theme verse says he became sin; God removed man’s sinful nature and made it his own, taking it to the cross of Calvary and giving man his nature of righteousness.
It was the nature of sin that made men sinners. This substitution took place on the cross, and He was nailed and condemned to death with the sins of the world. And that was the end of sin and death; both of them lost power over humanity except for ignorance.
As a Christian, don’t use your imperfections to judge the perfection of Christ in you. You’ve been purchased with a price, as stated in 1 Corinthians 6:20 (KJV): “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
Jesus gave us what we needed to become what He is. Righteousness isn’t something we strive for; it’s something we receive by faith through Christ. When we believe this, shame and fear lose their power, and our confidence in God is restored. As a Christian, remember that we are in God’s right standing, hallelujah!
CONFESSION
I am a child of God, born of him, and I have become the righteousness of Him. In him I live, move, and have my being. I stand before God accepted, justified, and complete in Jesus’ name, Amen.
DEEPER REFLECTION
Isaiah 53:5–6 KJV, Romans 5:19 NKJV, Hebrews 10:14NKJV
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Leviticus 15-16, Luke 9
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Exodus 3, Matthew 21:16-32
