In order to redeem us
into who we are, the Lord Jesus Christ became on the cross of Calvary who He is
not.
“He hath made Him to
be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God
in Him” (II Corinthians 5:21).
The Bible never explains the
meaning of the Lord Jesus being “made… to be sin.” It rather simply tells us the holy
result – “that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” Thus, we are left to only imagine what
it must have been like for a pristinely perfect Heart to enter into the darkness
of sin in the terms described by the Apostle Paul. Again, “He hath made Him to be sin…”
The Lord Jesus “bore
our sins in His own body on the tree” (I Peter 2:24). This speaks to the physical torment of
all that He suffered in the crucifixion.
Being “made… to be sin,” however, must reference the spiritual torment
known by our blessed Lord. This
presents to us perhaps the greatest of mysteries regarding the cost of our
redemption. Regarding its holy
effect, however, the Bible is clear.
Born again believers are not who we once were in the most elemental part
of our being. Furthermore, in terms
of our present consideration, the price that made possible such change within us
is far greater than we will ever know.
Indeed, to the degree that the Lord Jesus became who He is not in order
to die for our sins – and to die as
sin – we are now “new creatures… created in righteousness and true holiness”
(II Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:24).
Failure to accept this
truth about ourselves involves the inadvertent neglect to appreciate our
Savior’s sorrows and suffering on the cross. Such neglect is not humility. It is rather unbelief concerning plainly
stated Biblical truth. This “high
view” of ourselves originates in the view held by God, who sees us to the
innermost core of our being.
Therein, He beholds a spiritual temple wherein dwells the Spirit of His
Son united to the enlivened spirit of ourselves. “God hath sent forth the Spirit of His
Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father” (Galatians 4:6). It was this same Son who cried out in
lonely forsakenness on the cross of Calvary in order to make the presence of God
our eternal portion. May God grant
much grace, enabling us to know and remember always the terrible cost that
forevermore – and in this moment – changed who and what we are.
“Reckon ye also yourselves to
be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
(Romans 6:11)
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