The Great Exchange

 ^“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin (or to become sin itself), so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” ^{2 Corinthians 5:21}

            This monumental event in history could be titled “The Great Exchange”.  God became man and dwelled among His creation for a time that He might ultimately and quite literally become sin to pay for all our sins. His blood satisfied the sin debt of all humanity. He took our beating and allowed Himself to be nailed to a wooden cross in our place. 

Some don’t like to focus on the bloody gore of that event, but without the blood there is no forgiveness. He took the 39 lashes for us so we wouldn’t have to. He staggered down the “Via Dolorosa” (literally “the sorrowful way”) carrying His own cross so we wouldn’t have to. His wrists and ankles were pierced with square Roman spikes that were on average 7-9 inches long so we wouldn’t have to have that done to us. Jesus Christ, Son of God, endured the pain and the shame of the cross, a cross reserved for criminals, so we wouldn’t have to. In reality, even if there were no spikes holding Him to the cross, His unconditional, undying love for all mankind would have. Our sin was washed away by the blood of someone we didn’t even know. Christ died for all of us because that was God’s plan.  Christ would have done it even if there was only one sinner that needed saving and He would do it again if it were necessary, but it will never be necessary again. 

We typically look at the crucifixion of Jesus at Easter, but isn’t it something that should stay fresh in our minds. The greatest exchange known to man.

 

1 Peter 3:18a “Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God.”

Romans 6:10 “When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God.”

 

Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His name & for His glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

NOTE: The translation used for this post was The New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishing, copyright 1996, 2004 and 2007.