He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him —2 Corinthians 5:21
Christ died as a sacrifice for sin. Yet the modern church shies away from discussions of sin or His death. When death is discussed, it necessity is avoided. The modern view of the death of Jesus is that He died for our sins out of sympathy for us. Yet the New Testament view is that He took our sin on Himself not because of sympathy, but because of His identification with us. He was “made. . . to be sin. . . .” Our sins are removed because of the death of Jesus, and the only explanation for His death is His obedience to His Father, not His sympathy for us. We are acceptable to God not because we have obeyed, nor because we have promised to give up things, but because of the death of Christ, and for no other reason. We say that Jesus Christ came to reveal the fatherhood and the lovingkindness of God, but the New Testament says that He came to take “away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
Never shy from a frank discussion of sin and the death it took to take it away. Anything less gives a false impression of redemption. Giving an illusion of salvation is worse than having never shared at all.
Be real and really be a blessing.
Nick
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