”God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21New International Version (NIV)
2 Corinthians 5:21 Devotional
The Righteousness of God
2 Corinthians 5:21 alludes to how God sent Jesus, who was without sin, to become a man on earth, to die on the cross and take on our sins so we can be righteous before Him. Therefore, God reconciled sinful you to Himself by making His sinless and only Son become sin on our behalf.
The Great Exchange
Remember, God is perfect and without sin. He, therefore, hates sin and cannot be in a relationship with anyone or anything that is sinful. And this is where Jesus comes in, in what is known as The Great Exchange.
The Great Exchange is thus: God made Jesus bear your sins. Therefore, Jesus died on your behalf on the cross. He paid the penalty for your sin so that God could set you free and declare you righteous to be in His holy presence.
Consequently, to be righteous means to be correct or faultless. Meaning that, while we have made mistakes (committed sin), and continue to do so, therefore with fault, Jesus, who was faultless, took our place and punishment.
Therefore, Christ took all your sins and guilt while you took His righteousness. Your sin was exchanged for His righteousness. That’s why what God did is referred to as The Great Exchange.
2 Corinthians 5:18-21
In 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, Paul elaborates to us that God has made it possible for us to be brought back into His friendship with Him through Jesus dying on the cross for our sins. This is because sin broke the friendship between God and humans. But Jesus remedied the same.
Therefore, we have the opportunity and ability to be reconciled into God’s friendship. And since God did this for us, Paul prays that sinners turn to God.
Past erased
Consequently, our past was/is erased. And we are able to enjoy all the benefits of Jesus’ sacrifice by getting into a close relationship with God.
Because, for your sake, God made Jesus trade places with you. God charged Him with sin – God made Him be sin (Ephesians 2:8-9). Thereafter, God credited you with Christ’s righteousness.
This was God’s loving initiative to reach you and powerful intervention to reconcile you to Himself. Remember, sin had separated you from Him. But through Jesus, and His death and resurrection on the cross, He reconciled you and me to Himself.
Consequently, this is the core message of the gospel. And this is why it is good news.
But all this goodness can only be enjoyed when you and I accept and receive God’s saving/redeeming work into our lives by faith. This means that you and I have to repent.
Prayer/Blessing
Lord, I am humbled that You always and have always had me in Your heart, mind, and plans. Thank You for making me Your righteousness, especially if I was undeserving. I honor You in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Daily Bible Reading
Isaiah 64-66 (see How to Read the Bible in One Year or How to Read the Bible (for Beginners))
