“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” II Corinthians 5:21.
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” II Corinthians 5:21.
We are now in the time of Lent – the forty days preceding the Easter weekend. It is a time to seek the Lord afresh – to prepare our hearts for Easter, and to reflect on what Christ did for us on the cross. The universal symbol of Christianity is a cross. What’s the big deal about that – what makes the cross so special? The cross to a Christian is a symbol of substitutionary atonement. The word literally means ‘at one ment’ – to restore or make things right – to make compensation for a wrong done.
God is holy by nature and cannot tolerate evil, just like you or I by nature cannot live without air. God has given humankind the right to choose to walk with him or to go their own way. We have consistently chosen the latter, and we have to accept the consequences that go with that choice. Romans 3:23 and 6:23 say; “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God – the wages of sin is death.” Oh, we try by good deeds and righteous acts to please a holy God – these are the efforts of religions through time and around the world. A while ago I was driving around a traffic circle here in Chilliwack. A manure wagon had gone around that same circle not long before and dumped a good part of his load all across the pavement. There was no choice for us or any other car but to go through it and we smelled like it when we got home! It made me think about what Isaiah said about our efforts to please God – they are all like filthy rags! Every person has the smell of sin attached to them.
Significant pictures in the Old Testament acknowledged the need to cover or pay for sin – the sacrificial system where the blood of birds, cattle and lambs was offered.
The answer for our sin contamination couldn’t come from humankind – none of us possess the perfection and purity required to restore fellowship with a perfect God. Initiative had to come from God because of his love for us. God had to provide a way for us. That way was Jesus Christ. He was fully man and fully God and thus was qualified to take our sin penalty upon himself – he was our substitute to pay sins death penalty and to make things right with the Father. John the Baptist said, “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” John 1:29. Isaiah said, “All we like sheep have gone astray and turned to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” Is 53:6.
That’s the big thing about the cross – it was there that Jesus Christ took your place and mine and paid the penalty of death that our sins had earned. “The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” Romans 6:23. He tasted death instead of you. Because of this you have access to the Father – things are right between you. You will not taste spiritual death.
Why not take some time right now and commune with the Perfect Lamb who took your place.
Have a listen and worship…
Pastor Leon Throness
