ICS Daily Devotions
Jesus Became Sin for Us
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
God is righteous, holy and just and therefore, He has to judge all our sins. In His mercy, instead of judging all of us and sending us into eternal damnation, God chose to make Jesus to be sin for us so that we can have His righteousness.
In the Old Testament, the Israelites had to offer animal sacrifices on the Day of Atonement to atone for their sins. But Jesus, our great High Priest, offered His blood in the heavenly tabernacle and sat down on the right hand of the Father, unlike the earthly High Priests in the Old Testament times who had to administer the same sacrifice yearly. Jesus is the mediator of a better covenant and the shed blood of Jesus Christ has brought about our everlasting peace with God.
Galatians 3:13 (NKJV) Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),
Jesus took upon Himself all the curses of the law due to sin when He hung on the cross for us. All the curses that came from sin, the rebellion against Him and the righteous requirement of the law were upon Jesus. He was judged on our behalf when He became sin for us. Therefore, all the curses that came with sin like spiritual death, generational curses, and the curses of the body, properties and assets (e.g. produce of the land and offsprings of the herds) brought upon by man’s wickedness and disobedience to God (see Deuteronomy 28:15-68), stopped at the cross of Calvary.
The wrath of God and judgment towards sin of man or the sin issue that separated man from God were dealt with forever because Jesus has redeemed us with His blood. God has forgiven us! Therefore, He will remember our sins and lawless deeds no more. We have no past or any record of our sins as far as God is concerned. His blood has completely wiped out all our sins!
You and I have peace with God now because of the blood of Jesus Christ! All because the Good Shepherd laid down His life and became sin for us.
May the truth that Jesus is our Good Shepherd establish our faith to ensure that it is immovable even in the most difficult circumstances.
Sermon Series: Who Is Shepherding You?
