In our previous post, 'JESUS BECAME THAT WE MIGHT BE PART I', we focused on the implications of divinity taking on humanity. If Jesus became the son of man, it is so that we will become sons of God. There is so much at the disposal of the son of God, if only you will learn to walk in the reality of who you are in Christ today.
In today's post, I shall focus on what you have
become because of Jesus becoming sin for us. Until you take advantage of who
you have become in Christ, you make the price Christ paid to be of no benefit.
The process through which Jesus was born into
this world makes it impossible for him to live a life of sin. He lived a
sinless life, not because he was God, but because as a human being he didn't
have the sin mechanism (spiritual death) at work in him.
WITHOUT BLEMISH
God's love and desire for man has been eternal
from the very day he was created (Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old
unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore
with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.). Even in man's fallen state, God still
loves and care for man. Right after the fall of man in the garden, His love
quickly prevented man from touching the tree of life and eventually driving
them out of the Garden of Eden. He did all these in the interest of His man.
God's craving for fellowship with man, even in
his fallen state, is beyond comprehension. This is evidenced in the temporal
solution he prescribed for His covenant people, Israel, to still reach out to
Him. Beyond this temporal solution, He had a master plan by which all of humankind
will be eternally reconciled with Him.
Leviticus 5:14 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
15 If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering:
16 And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.
17 And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.
18 And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him. (Emphasis mine)
It's amazing, isn't it? That a man sins against
God and in order for him to be pardoned, he must provide an animal, innocent
and without blemish. In offering the blameless animal, its innocence and
blamelessness is exchanged with the trespass of the man. Once that is done, God
looks on the man as though he is faultless. Why? The blameless animal has taken
care of it. Only the blameless can bail the offender.
SHADOWS OF THINGS TO COME
Hebrews 10:1 ¶ For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
Colossians 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
So understand that this temporal arrangement of
animal sacrifices that God made for spiritually dead man to connect with Him
was only a shadow, pointing us to what was to come in the future through Christ.
JESUS, THE LAMB OF GOD
John 1:29 ¶ The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
From these scriptures, understand the divine
purpose of the sinless life of Jesus. To be the perfect atoning sacrifice for
man's sins, he had to be blameless. Having established the sinless life of
Jesus, let's move on to the process by which he became our substitute.
HE LIVED A SINLESS LIFE
Isaiah 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Jesus had no violence in him and was not a
victim of the sin of the tongue. (James 3:2 For in
many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect
man, and able also to bridle the whole body.)
1Peter 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously
We see again that there was no guile in his
mouth. Anyone who does not sin with the tongue is a perfect man. Our words
reveal to others the content of our heart.
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
There are countless scriptures that confirm that
Jesus lived a sinless life. It's unfortunate that Jesus is so misunderstood.
Our greatest confusion is when we think of him as a mere mortal man attempting
to ascribe to himself when, in fact, he is deity attempting to be human in
order to save humans like you and I.
HE WAS MADE SIN FOR US
2Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin;
Isa 53:4 ¶ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Jesus was not made to sin, he was made sin.
He became sin personified. The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all. This exchange,
just like the priest transfer the sins of the offender onto the animal with no
blemish at the alter, the Father took all the iniquities of us all (beginning from
Adam to generations yet unborn) and placed them on Christ on the cross.
The bitter cry of Jesus on the cross over the
Father forsaking him confirms he was indeed made sin for us. Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud
voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why
hast thou forsaken me?
WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY?
2Corinthians 5:21 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.
Why was Jesus made sin? That you might be made
the righteousness of God. Do you understand that? You are the righteousness of
God in Christ Jesus. Jesus did not commit an act of sin, rather the Father took
our iniquity and laid them on him. We did not have to commit any act of
righteousness to become righteous; the Father took Jesus' righteousness and
laid it on us. When the offender and the animal without blemish stand before
the priest, it is his work to do the exchange and declare to the offender: 'it
is done, you may go'. When the Father declares you righteous, who are you to
question Him?
You are God's righteousness in Christ Jesus.
That is who you are in Christ.
1Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Hebrews 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
The blood of the animals without blemish in the
Old Testament was successful to some extent, but the offenders still walked
away with the burden of guilt feelings from their wrongs: they had troubled
conscience. But the blood of Jesus is an excellent sacrifice because it didn’t just
cover your sins; it made you the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
FORGIVENESS WITHOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL MAKE YOU A SLAVE IN THE PALACE
Luke 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
This was a son who realized his sins and didn’t
feel worthy of being a son. He was ready and willing to settle for a servant
status. Why? That is what guilt and troubled conscience can produce. When he
got back to the Father, he not only forgave him, he changed his garment and
restored sonship. Don’t let the devil lie to you and rob you of your righteous
status in Christ Jesus.
You are God's righteousness in Christ Jesus.
Serve Him with a clear conscience.
Submitting your life to Jesus is the introduction into righteousness.
Pray this prayer with me:
‘Lord Jesus, I come to you today. I am a sinner, I cannot help
myself. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with your precious blood. Deliver me
from sin and Satan, to serve the living God. Today, Lord Jesus, I accept you as
my Lord and my Saviour. Thank you for saving me! Now I know, I am born again!’
If you have prayed this prayer in faith, you are born again,
saved, a child of God.
Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of
Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no
difference:
Romans 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and
going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves
unto the righteousness of God.
2Corinthians 5:21 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.
James 1:20 For the wrath of
man worketh not the righteousness of God.
2Peter 1:1 ¶ Simon Peter, a
servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like
precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ:
Please leave a comment below for me to know how this has helped
you. Be at liberty too to connect with me if you have any personal spiritual
concerns. I’ll be more than interested to be of help in any way the Lord makes
possible.
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update on Jesus became that we might be. God bless you.
