There is Now … No Condemnation

Romans 8:1-2 (NIV)

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

Our Verse of the Day is a great reminder that those who believe in Jesus … those who receive Him as Lord and Savior … those who are IN Him through the power of the Holy Spirit … are no longer under condemnation. The Apostle John revealed these theological concepts in his Gospel narrative when he recounted the conversation that occurred between Jesus and Nicodemus, a member of the ruling Jewish Council:

John 3:1-19 (NIV)

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again (from above).” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You (plural) must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So, it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still, you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up (exalted), that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him.” For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

The essential message is that Christ Jesus saves us from the certain condemnation of sin when we placed our complete faith in Him and His finished work on the cross to atone for our sin and redeem us from the penalty of sin – spiritual death and eternal separation from God . Condemnation does not happen because we have sinned. Condemnation of sin continues because a person has not believed in Jesus Christ for their salvation from sin. John even goes on to say that condemnation is the outcome of a hardened heart that desires the darkness of evil rather than the light of righteousness. We were condemned already … the death sentence of sin was upon us … until Jesus redeemed us from the empty way of life handed down to us from our ancestors. (Cf. 1 Peter 1:18-19) The Apostle Paul explains this issue in further detail for us:

Romans 5:17-19 (NIV)

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

Look at what that Scripture states: ONE sin resulted in condemnation! ONE sin required the sacrifice of the Son of God upon a cross! Oh, how I pray none of us will ever take ONE sin in our lives for granted. One sin cost Jesus Christ His life to redeem us – just ONE sin! THAT is how God in His holiness views the offense of just ONE sin in our lives! So, we need to stop overlooking, rationalizing, and dismissing the thoughtless irreverence of the slightest sin we commit. Sin is that serious in separating us from God; and it requires the most extreme expression of atonement … an atonement none of us is capable to perform or offer for ourselves. But the good news for us is that there is, therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! Though all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, God has demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us! (Cf. Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8) This is the glorious news of grace that we should be sharing with those who have not yet come to a knowledge of the truth….

My friends, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath (condemnation) remains on them. (Cf. John 3:36) Only those who believe in Christ Jesus have been set free from the penalty of sin – which is death! Our sins and transgressions have been forgiven! We have been set free from all condemnation! Jesus declared, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (Cf. John 8:36) So, let us rest in His finished work and the promise of His word. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. ~ Psalm 32:1-2

The Message of the Cross

1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV)

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Our Verse of the Day tells us the message of the cross is considered foolishness to those who are perishing. What is the “message of the cross”? Why would it be considered foolishness? Well, let’s put this verse in its context and see if that will help us:

1 Corinthians 1:17-25 (NIV)

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” (Citing Isaiah 29:14) Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

What I think Paul is trying to drive home is that it was incomprehensible to most Jews (and certainly to most non-Jews) that a Messiah … a Warrior King … a Savior and Deliverer sent by God to His people would have been mightier than to have suffered a torturous, humiliating death on a cross. What kind of Messiah could Jesus have been to have suffered such a fate? Why would anyone believe in such a weakling? Such thinking is foolishness … beyond irrational. Perhaps this was the mindset that drove Paul (formerly Saul) to persecute the “fanatical” Christian Sect before He encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. They were dangerous “lunatics” subverting Judaism and had to be stopped. Yet, we have to keep in mind what caused the earliest believers to persist in their faith was the resurrection of Jesus. If Jesus had not been resurrected … this “foolishness” would have long since abated. Indeed, if Jesus were not resurrected … our faith would be in vain. It would be foolish and we would still be in our sin. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 15:12-17)

As Paul reasons, God ordained for His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Jesus had to die … to pay the debt of sin (death) on our behalf. This appeased the justice requirement of a Holy God; and also demonstrated the incomprehensible love of God for us. He paid the debt for us! Thus, in Christ Jesus, we see the wisdom of God because the resurrection demonstrates the sovereign power of God. Those who reject the grace of God as foolishness will perish in their pride and arrogance. But those who believe in Christ Jesus, the power and wisdom of God, receive His gift of grace, salvation, and eternal life. Again, the Prophet Isaiah comes to mind. The Jews should have known from their own Scriptures that the Messiah would suffer and die for their transgressions. Their blindness became their foolishness….

Isaiah 53 (NIV)

Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked—but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

To the world, the death of Jesus upon a cross is meaningless and foolish. A victorious, warrior King would not have let that happen … certainly not the Son of God. But the wisdom of God required a demonstration of His wrath against sin and iniquity. Sin is an affront to His holiness and to those created in His image. Sin stains and mars. It kills and destroys the souls of man. But Father God loved us too much to allow such devastation and destruction to annihilate our souls. So, He ordained His own plan of salvation for us through His Son. Through faith, we just need to trust in Jesus; His finished work on the cross; and receive His gracious offer of forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. Our faith in Christ Jesus is the life changer; and you can rest assured, He is the wisdom and power of God.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

The message of the cross is love! Romans 5:8; 1 John 3:16; 1 John 4:9-10

The message of the cross is forgiveness! Acts 10:39-43; Acts 13:32-39

The message of the cross is reconciliation! Romans 5:10-11; Colossians 1:19-23

The message of the cross is liberty! Romans 6:1-14; 8:1-4; Galatians 5:19-25

The message of the cross is power! Romans 1:15-17; 1 Corinthians 2:3-5; 2 Peter 1:3-4

The message of the cross is triumph! Colossians 2:13-15; Revelation 12:10-11

The message of the cross is hope! Acts 26:4-8; Romans 8:19-25

Crucified With Christ…

Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Our Verse of the Day comes to challenge us on this Good Friday! Whenever I read this passage, the weight of its message always challenges my heart. Too often, I believe, our thoughts are consumed with ourselves … our own plans and desires … and sometimes we lose focus on the purposes of God for our lives. Paul makes a very profound, experiential statement of faith; yet I wonder if we truly understand its significance for our own walk of faith. We have talked about the purpose of the crucifixion and the blood atonement for our sin that Jesus suffered for us, but do we see and identify with the death of sin that took place the cross in our personal lives?

Paul gives us is a powerful thought to embrace for ourselves. We are to personally identify with the crucifixion as though we ourselves (along with Christ Jesus) were nailed to that cross and put to death our own sin. As Paul wrote: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” (Cf. Colossians 3:5) And, “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” (Cf. Romans 8:13) Putting our sinful natures to death IS our personal identification with the cross of Christ! Moreover, our identity remains forever in Christ Jesus!

Romans 6:3-5 (NIV)

Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His.

My friends, not only do we need to identify with the death to sin (buried in baptism), we need to see our resurrection to new life IN Christ. Just as we identify with His death, we can identify with His resurrection. We have been raised to new life in Him. And as we abide in Him and He is us, it is no longer we ourselves who live but Christ in us. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here!” (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17) That new person is one who surrenders to live as Jesus did. (Cf. 1 John 2:6) Yes, the will of God is for our sanctification (Cf. John 17:17; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:23); that is, we should be separate or set apart for service unto God.

Romans 8:29 reminds us that God predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son. If we want to be like Jesus, we have to be crucified with Him. We have to put to death our sinful nature on the cross. It requires the sacrifice of our own wills. It demands self-discipline and sanctification out of reverence for God. The Apostles have communicated what Jesus clearly taught them. And so, perhaps it would be best to see how Jesus challenged His disciples. It still applies to us today:

Luke 9:18-25 (NIV)

And it happened, as Jesus was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” So, they answered and said, “John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.” And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.” Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his crossdaily, and follow Me.For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

This is the life of faith in Jesus that we are called to attain! And Paul has provided a practical perspective for me to apply to my life; namely, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” If I would but proclaim this one truth to my heart each morning when I awake, I would truly experience the sanctification God has made possible for my life. If I am dead to sin … if I no longer live but Christ lives in me (through His Holy Spirit) … then the desires of the flesh … my personal agendas … will all be nailed to the cross with Christ. I will no longer live for myself, but I will live in Christ and for Him. I cannot change who I was before I encountered Christ. I cannot undo the offenses, transgressions, and sins committed. I can only receive His gracious forgiveness … His merciful atonement for my rebellious spirit. Indeed, all those who belong to Christ Jesus have no other option.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

So, I say walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ~ Galatians 5:16-25

I Want To Know What Love Is

1 John 3:16 (NIV)

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Our Verse of the Day captures a great truth that Jesus desires each of us to attain from our personal encounter with Him; namely, the truth of God’s unfathomable love for those He created in His image … and all of His creation. Indeed, we find this truth repeated in the inspired writings of the New Testament authors. John wrote: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. (Cf. John 3:16) And Paul wrote: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Cf. Romans 5:8)

What the Apostle John affirms here is that the sacrificial death of Jesus is how we KNOW what love is! Jesus Christ defines the love of God in terms that we have yet to fully comprehend. Yet, Jesus assures us that this truth can be known and understood by us. Consider the following text:

John 17:20-26 (NIV) ~ Excerpt from the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus

“My prayer is not for them (the apostles) alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

My friends, we can know God and know His love because of Jesus Christ … His Son. The veil covering the holy place in the temple was torn in two – opening our access and revealing our capacity to have fellowship with the God who created us in His image. Jesus attested that He was sent to reveal the Father and to make Him known. Because of Jesus, we can know God … His Being and His passionate love for us. Paul understood this revelation; and his prayer for the Ephesian believers in Ephesians 3:14-21 encompassed a deep, heartfelt desire for them (and us) to KNOW “this love that surpasses knowledge.”

Indeed, God has spoken His love for us. God has revealed His love for us. God has shown and demonstrated His love for us. All the Father asks of us is to believe in His Son, Jesus, and to love one another as He has loved us! His will is not mysterious or unknown. His expectation of those created in His image is attainable. The reciprocation of His love can be achieved. The only question for us is whether we truly desire in our hearts to make it actual in our lives. For love requires us to humble ourselves … to subdue own wills … to exalt God above all else. And Christ Jesus, who ascended into heaven to become our High Priest before the throne of God, has demonstrated what this submission entails. Indeed, the Son, who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage;rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! (Cf. Philippians 2:6-8)

When we humble ourselves and exert our own wills to be obedient … to pick up our cross daily … to die to sin … to believe God at His Word … to see God through His Son; I am persuaded that we will intimately experience His love that surpasses knowledge and be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. We will have the capacity to love others as we have been loved. Indeed, that is the purpose of God … to complete His love. The Apostle John shared these insights with us:

1 John 4:7-17 (NIV)

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

All of these scriptures reveal the meaning and purpose of our Lord Jesus Christ being sent by the Father to this earth. God sent His Son to fulfill all of these truths because of His great love for us! I pray we will continue to reflect on these things as we recount His crucifixion and celebrate His resurrection!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Then Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with Him, and He began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then Jesus said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then Jesus returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” He asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When Jesus came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So, He left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. ~ Matthew 26:36-44

Jesus Died For All…

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NIV)

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

Our Verse of the Day brings a great opportunity for deeper understanding of the purposes and implications of the resurrection of Christ Jesus. I have decided to reprint the entire chapter to afford the context because it is packed with theological applications for us to consider. For me, there are lessons that impact not only my view of the world, but my understanding of finding my identity in Christ Jesus. Paul helps us discover who we are and what we are supposed to be doing with our lives as new creations who has been born of the Spirit to abide in Christ Jesus forever. Yes, this portion of scripture captures a myriad of faith-building tenets; and I hope you will find faith-growing encouragement as you review these insights of Paul….

2 Corinthians 5 (New Living Translation)

For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God Himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God Himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee He has given us His Holy Spirit.

So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So, whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please Him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ’s love compels us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

So, we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know Him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So, we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

I’m not quite sure how the theological thoughts and applications of the resurrection could be more succinctly presented. What God has done for us through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, our Lord and Savior, is overwhelming to contemplate! His great mercy; His amazing grace; His abiding Spirit; His everlasting love are fulfilled and completed in Jesus! His last words while on the cross were: “It is finished!” And with that, Jesus bowed His head and gave up His spirit. (Cf. John 19:30) There is nothing else to be done except to receive His gift of reconciliation!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

For this reason. I kneel before the Father, from whom every familyin heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. ~ Ephesians 3:14-21

The Riches of God’s Grace

Ephesians 1:7 (NIV)

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace … that He lavished on us.

Our Verse of the Day is central to the Gospel message we have been called to declare: In Jesus we have redemption – through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace! And I believe we should look deeper at this verse … its declaration of redemption in Christ within the full context of the prologue of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians:

Ephesians 1:1-10 (NIV)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He (God) chose us in Him (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. In Him (Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, He (God) made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

By the grace of God the Father, we have been saved! This is not of ourselves … but through the lavish gift of grace given to us. And this grace is received through the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives. Yes, our redemption and salvation is the will of God; and we can know it without fear or doubt! Everything else given to us by God can be understood once this foundation of truth has been laid within our souls. As Paul instructed, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 2:12) But before the Spirit of God can give us this discernment, the testimony of God in Jesus Christ must be believed! As Paul addressed the believers in Corinth:

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (NRSV)

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery (testimony) of God to you with superior speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were made not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

Why is this so important? Because there is a spirit of deception permeating, enveloping, and encircling the world right now. There is a veil of darkness that is blinding people to the truth concerning Christ Jesus. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:4) People are searching for answers and seeking truth; but there are world powers, spiritual forces of darkness, and false prophets who cloak the truth with a lie. The seeds of doubt are being sown and watered under the disruptions of wars and rumors of war; world economic instability and collapse; pestilence and famine; and the birth pangs of coming tribulation. (Cf. Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21) Indeed, the spirit of deception and doctrines of demons is spreading rapidly in these last days. Even now, as Jesus declared to the lukewarm Church at Laodicea: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Cf. Revelation 3:20)

My friends, we are in spiritual warfare for the Truth to be unfettered and released! For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Cf. Ephesians 6:12) And within this spiritual war going on … and we need to hold fast to this Truth: In Christ Jesus we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us. We need to remain steadfast and confident … to trust God at His Word. Yes, even now I am reminded of this scripture Jude 3-4:^“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”

It is my prayer that the message of the cross will be declared in this season. I pray for those who have wandered from the faith to repent and return to Jesus who willingly and joyfully shed His own blood for the forgiveness and atonement of our sins. And I pray in hope for those who have rejected the offer of salvation through Jesus Christ that God would grant them repentance … so that we, the Body of Christ, can lead them to a knowledge of the Truth. Yes, I pray they will come to their senses and escape the deceptive schemes of the devil (Satan), who has taken them captive to do his will. (Cf. 2 Timothy 2:25-26) Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good. ~ Titus 2:11-14

Palm Sunday … Reflections

Matthew 20:17-19 (NIV)

Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, He took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day He will be raised to life!”

Today is Palm Sunday and the beginning of a solemn time to reflect on the events that culminated in the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Verse of the Day affirms that Jesus told His disciples in advance what would soon take place. Jesus prophesied His condemnation to death by the authorities; His abusive treatment and torture ending with crucifixion; and His triumphal resurrection on the third day! Jesus had shared and explained these things before (Cf. Matthew 16:21; 17:22), but it appears the disciples could not comprehend what He was saying to them. And I wonder if today we truly comprehend the significance of a Suffering Messiah becoming our Passover Lamb. (Cf. Genesis 22:8; John 1:29: Revelation 5:6)

Jesus explained the events that would happen to Him because He knew that a blood atonement was required for our iniquities and transgressions. God the Father had ordained this sacrifice for atonement of sin before the creation of the world. (Cf. Revelation 13:8) And I think Jesus did not want His disciples to miss the significance of what would take place … the prophetic requirement that must be fulfilled through Him … or that there would be a New Covenant mediated by Him through a final sacrifice. Yet, there are people who resist the thought that God would require such an act of justice for sin. There is some notion that a loving God (as they define loving) would never have assented to the unjustifiable murder of His Son. Such a proposition is implausible and incomprehensible in their eyes. But that is what Jesus foretold would happen, before it happened, so that we might know the truth. Hebrews Chapter 9 affords us a theological explanation of this requirement, and I have provided some excerpts here:

Hebrews 9:6-15; 24-28 (NIV)

When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.

But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a New Covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But He has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.

The blood of Jesus, through His sacrificial death on the cross, not only atoned for our sins and transgressions committed under the Old Covenant, but He removed the power of sin through His resurrection to life again! He is seated at the right hand of God. (Cf. Luke 22:69; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1) It is there that our Lord Jesus is interceding for us! (Cf. Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25) It was the Father’s intent for Jesus to accomplish His will … our reconciliation … through a mechanism of substitutionary justice so that the penalty for sin (death) would be met. Jesus is the MERCY of God toward us! Jesus is the LOVE of God toward us. Consider what Paul wrote in Romans 5:8 on this issue: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” And in 1 John 4:10 we find this affirmation: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son (Jesus) as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” There is no question or vagueness here. In His mercy toward us, God ordained that His One and Only Son would make the atonement for us because without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Indeed, the crucifixion was intentional on the part of God because of His passionate love for us!

My friends, I hope we will think deeply about what God has done to reconcile us to Himself – to clothe us in righteousness and to empower us for sanctification and holiness. God did so because of His great and enduring mercy … His everlasting love. I believe all God has ever wanted for His people is our holiness … for us to bear His image as we were created to be. And He has made it possible through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus! So, as the Season of Lent ends this coming week, I pray we will take time to prepare our ourselves for the table of communion to be served on Easter Morning. Let our celebration be a foreshadow of the wedding supper to come!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Then, the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” ~ Revelation 19:6-9

Are You Fooled?

Psalm 14:1 (NIV)

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

Our Verse of the Day offers an important lesson on this April Fool’s Day. I think it sheds light on the real issue that we face in sharing the Gospel – UNBELIEF! The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Unbelief stems from the spiritual forces of darkness … and results in the greatest transgression of all – to deny God exists! Scripture has a great deal to say about foolish people; and the consensus of truth presented is that those who are fools, those who act foolishly, separate themselves from God and from His blessings. There are several passages in Scripture that corroborate this message: that reverence for God is the beginning of knowledge, but foolish people despise wisdom and instruction. (Cf. Proverbs 1:7)

Psalm 14 – NIV (See also Psalm 53)

The fool (a morally deficient person) says in his/her heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord. But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge. Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores His people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Proverbs 1:20-33 (NIV)

Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech: “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings. But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you— when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord. Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Here in Old Testament wisdom literature, we see an emphasis on the knowledge of God – the awareness and understanding that He is real and expresses Himself to us and reveals Himself to us. God has made Himself known through His Creation, through His Word, through His Spirit, and through His Son. But the fool outright rejects the existence of God. The fool walks in unbelief and denial of the truth. Indeed, Solomon observed that the fool hates knowledge and does not CHOOSE to fear the Lord.

The Apostle Paul warned of the darkness and deception of foolishness as well:

Romans 1:18-25 (NIV)

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore, God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Any lapse in faithfulness can lead to foolishness. But unbelief in God, His Majesty and Holiness, or the truth of His Word defines the fool! The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” And unbelief separates the fool from God. Fools neither glorify nor worship God nor do fools give thanks to Him. Their hearts are darkened … rebellious … and filled with iniquity. Paul will go on to further explain in Romans 1:28-31 that God gives fools “over to depraved minds so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity.” So, although there is a difference between acting foolish and being a fool; both lead to separation from the love and presence of God in our lives!

But I believe there is hope for both the fool and the foolish! God is still calling out to them through His Spirit and through His Church! The Lord Jesus is reaching out to the prodigals … to those who have become foolish … to those who have turned their hearts away from God. He is crying out to them, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Cf. Matthew 11:28-29) Yes, every person has the opportunity to turn from the darkness that has taken hold and deceived them because the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (Cf. John 1:5)

Indeed, Light has come! And we, the Body of Christ, have been chosen to be witnesses of the light and love of Jesus who brought us out of the darkness! (Cf. 1 Peter 2:9-10) We are to lead out those who have eyes but are blind and those who have ears but are deaf. We have been anointed to preach the good news; sent to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim liberty to those who are captive; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. (Cf. Isaiah 61:1-2) But we must do so with love and gentleness:

2 Timothy 2:24-26 (NIV)

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

So how do we avoid foolish and stupid arguments and the quarrels they produce? How can we be gentle to those whom we pray God will grant the gift of repentance? Well, what led you and I to repentance? Was it not the kindness of God? (Cf. Romans 2:4) Indeed, let the redeemed of the Lord tell their stories! (Cf. Psalm 107:1-3) Share how you cried to the Lord in your trouble and how He saved you and filled you with His peace. No doctrinal arguments are needed for your testimony. It cannot be argued or explained; it can only be experienced and shared. Yes, share your own authentic encounter with Jesus Christ, and let the Holy Spirit take it from there….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. He sent out His Word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of His works with songs of joy. ~ Psalm 107:17-22

Man of Sorrows…

Isaiah 53:3-4 (NIV)

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces He was despised, and we held Him in low esteem. Surely, He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted.

Our Verse of the Day comes from a portion of the messianic prophecy captured in Chapter 53 of the Book of Isaiah. As our Celebration of the Resurrection approaches, I think it is a good idea for us to revisit this prophetic description of Yeshua Hamashiach and to reflect on the suffering He would endure for our rebellion and transgressions (the sins of the whole world) against God:

Isaiah 53:1-12 (NIV)

Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces He was despised, and we held Him in low esteem. Surely, He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed (saved). We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth. By oppression (arrest) and judgment He was taken away. Yet who of His generation considered that He was cut off from the land of the living; that for the transgression of my people He was punished? He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death, though He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer, and though the Lord makes His life an offering for sin, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in His hand. After He has suffered, He will see the light of life (the fruit of His suffering) and will be satisfied; by His knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will give Him a portion among the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Approximately 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, the Prophet Isaiah gave this prophetic word. The accuracy of his portrayal of the Messiah (Savior) to come is astounding; and to me, it instills an even greater measure of faith in the reliability of the identity of Jesus and His claim to be the Son of God. Jesus would affirm His suffering, death, and resurrection as the authentication of His divine nature; His role in the plan of salvation; and His sovereign authority over all people. Oh, how I wish all people would receive this understanding…. Jesus is the Messiah! He is the Savior! Yes, He is Lord! As Paul confirmed: “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Cf. Philippians 2:9-11; Romans 14:11; Isaiah 45:23)

So, I have a thought to share today because people often question why a loving God would send His own Son to be sacrificed for the transgressions and iniquities of people. Why would God require a blood sacrifice for the atonement of sin? Well, I think we forget, at times, just how serious sin is in the presence of a perfectly holy God. The Bible reveals that it was God’s plan to enjoy fellowship with His creation for eternity; and I believe that He ultimately will. However, when man sinned against God, an irreversible offense occurred in the sight of God. Such a serious affront to Him, His Love, and His Holiness required an equally serious resolution. Scripture reveals that in the mind of God, the resolution required that an unblemished lamb would have to be offered as a sacrifice for atonement to be effectuated. However, for the eternal atonement of man, a completely sinless man would have to shed His blood for a completely sinful mankind. In His love, God provided His own sacrifice – His own unblemished lamb for our atonement. Through the crucifixion of Jesus, His Son, He “eternal redemption” was obtained for us. (Cf. Hebrews 9:12)

Rather than question God on why He would be moved to the extreme of a crucifixion to commute His execution of our death sentence; I believe we should instead place our focus on the serious, fatal nature of sin itself. The Apostle James asserted in James 1:13-15: “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” And as Paul explained: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ.” (Cf. Romans 6:23) Indeed, we need to ultimately understand that our sin nailed Jesus to the cross – not Roman soldiers. It was truly our sinfulness that led to His death; and it was a compassionate act of love on His part to submit to His own unmerited slaughter. The harshness and cruelty should wake us up and alert us to how God truly feels about our disobedience and rebellion!

And so, as we enter the upcoming week of the passion and reflect on the events that took place, I pray that we will look inwardly and examine ourselves. I pray we will consider what Paul admonished with regard to sin in our lives:

Romans 6:1-14 (NIV)

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to Him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. ~ Hebrews 12-1-3

Christ – Our Sin Offering

1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NIV)

God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Our Verse of the Day asserts an interesting theological statement, but I really do not like how it has been translated here in the New International Version (NIV). So, I thought that I might explore some other English translations for comparison. I found some that I think better express what I believe Paul was communicating here:

New Living Translation

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

New Matthew Bible

For he has made him who knew no sin to be a sin offering for us, so that we, by means of him, should be that righteousness which is accepted before God.

Tree of Live Version

He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

What I struggled with in the more widely known translations (i.e., KJV, NKJV, NIV, ESV, RSV, AMP, etc.) is this language: He (meaning Jesus) became sin or that God made Him to be sin. I just have a hard time conceiving that possibility in my mind. So, I was glad to see additional translations that confirmed what I believed Paul meant: the concept of Jesus “becoming a sin offering”. This is highly consistent with the surrounding context of “reconciliation with God” and with the inspired writings of the Apostle John. Let’s look at the additional context first:

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NIV)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be a sin offering for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

And this language is consistent with the doctrinal material that Paul shared in the Book of Romans:

Romans 3:20-26 (NIV)

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—He did it to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Romans 8:1-4 (NIV)

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

In my mind, Paul simply explained in greater detail what the Apostle John had attested:

1 John 4:9-10 (NIV)

This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

While John focuses on the love God demonstrated by sending His Son to become an eternal sin offering so that we might have eternal life; Paul deepens our understanding of HOW the love and grace of God has effectually accomplished our justification through Christ Jesus. Paul preaches an absolute home-run sermon which you will find in Acts 13:13-42. I highly encourage you to read the entire linked passage, but I want to focus on his conclusion:

Acts 13:38-41(NIV)

“Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through Him, everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you: “‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’”

Although Paul is quoting Habakkuk 1:5 in Verse 41, he uses its prophetic application of warning for those who scoff, dispute, discredit, and do not believe the message being declared to them. He was urging them to not reject the Gospel or it’s proclamation of freedom from darkness or it’s declaration of hope and reconciliation with God. Yet, the religious and self-righteous could not understand or accept this message of love and grace or the justification afforded us through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus through His blood shed on a cross. Paul explains the reason for this spiritual tension and conflict produced in people when the Gospel is preached to them:

2 Corinthians 3:13-18 (NIV)

We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is the veil taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

It is not that the Gospel is unclear; rather, it is that unbelievers are blinded by Satan. There is a veil of darkness that covers their hearts so that the light and liberty of the Gospel cannot be discerned. The Apostle John stated, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (Cf. John 3:19-21) And Paul informed us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Cf. Ephesians 6:12)

My friends, we need to be aware of this struggle. There is spiritual warfare being fought on the battlefields of our minds. That is why embracing truth is so important! This is why we are sanctified (set apart unto God) by the Truth … which is found in Jesus, the Word of God. (Cf. John 17:17) So, I pray we will all take time to read, study, and be transformed by the truth found in God’s Word; and to share it with others. I think that is the most important thing we can be doing in these latter days.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age (Satan) has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:3-5