“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
The verse speaks of the doctrine of substitutionary atonement, which is the idea that Jesus Christ took on the punishment for our sins so that we could be made right with God. This is a foundational belief in Christianity and is often referred to as the gospel message.
The verse begins by stating that God made Jesus to be sin for us. This is a difficult concept to understand, but it essentially means that Jesus took on our sin and bore the punishment for it. This is not to say that Jesus himself sinned, as the verse makes clear that he knew no sin. Rather, he took on the weight of our sin so that we could be forgiven. C. H. Spurgeon wrote, “When the judge of all the earth said, ‘Where is sin?’ Christ presented himself. He stood before his Father as if he had been the accumulation of all human guilt; as if he himself were that thing which God cannot endure, but which he must drive from his presence for ever.”
The second half of the verse speaks to the result of Jesus’ sacrifice. It says that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. This means that through Jesus’ sacrifice, we are made right with God. Our sins are forgiven, and we are seen as righteous before God.
This verse also highlights the importance of our relationship with Jesus. It is only through him that we can be made righteous before God. As it says in John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
In conclusion, 2 Corinthians 5:21 is a powerful and foundational verse in Christianity. It speaks to the concept of substitutionary atonement, the importance of our relationship with Jesus, and the amazing grace and love of God. As we reflect on this verse, may we be reminded of the incredible sacrifice that Jesus made for us and the amazing gift of salvation that we have through him.
Last Updated: April 15, 2023 by Johnathan Bass
The Substitute
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
“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
The verse speaks of the doctrine of substitutionary atonement, which is the idea that Jesus Christ took on the punishment for our sins so that we could be made right with God. This is a foundational belief in Christianity and is often referred to as the gospel message.
The verse begins by stating that God made Jesus to be sin for us. This is a difficult concept to understand, but it essentially means that Jesus took on our sin and bore the punishment for it. This is not to say that Jesus himself sinned, as the verse makes clear that he knew no sin. Rather, he took on the weight of our sin so that we could be forgiven. C. H. Spurgeon wrote, “When the judge of all the earth said, ‘Where is sin?’ Christ presented himself. He stood before his Father as if he had been the accumulation of all human guilt; as if he himself were that thing which God cannot endure, but which he must drive from his presence for ever.”
The second half of the verse speaks to the result of Jesus’ sacrifice. It says that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. This means that through Jesus’ sacrifice, we are made right with God. Our sins are forgiven, and we are seen as righteous before God.
This verse also highlights the importance of our relationship with Jesus. It is only through him that we can be made righteous before God. As it says in John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
In conclusion, 2 Corinthians 5:21 is a powerful and foundational verse in Christianity. It speaks to the concept of substitutionary atonement, the importance of our relationship with Jesus, and the amazing grace and love of God. As we reflect on this verse, may we be reminded of the incredible sacrifice that Jesus made for us and the amazing gift of salvation that we have through him.
Category: Uncategorized Tags: atonement, Christ, Salvation, substitute