For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 WEB
After his conversion on the road to Damascus, the apostle Paul spent the rest of his life teaching the gospel message of Jesus. In chapter five of his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul continues to promote the good news of Christ. Specifically, he speaks of the reconciliation of mankind to God through the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus. His statement about “the righteousness of God” from 2 Corinthians 5:21 is one of the most succinct statements of the central theme of the gospel ever written.
Christ preached repentance and redemption from sin while offering himself as the way to reconciliation with the righteousness of God. In John 3:17, Jesus is quoted as saying, “For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. WEB” The Lord came to earth to settle our sin debt once and for all. He became sin on our behalf and died in our place. As a result, we are reconciled to God and will spend eternity in heaven with him.
Eternal Life in Christ Jesus
We read in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. WEB” When Adam sinned in the garden, mankind fell from grace. Since then, sin separated man from God. In fact, because of our corruption, we are unfit to be in the presence of God. However, Jesus changed all of that for those who accept him as Lord and Savior.
Jesus took our sins upon himself. When we believe in him and repent from our sins, we are born again. As new creatures in Christ, we share in his death, becoming dead to sin, but more than that, we become the righteousness of God.
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for the gift of salvation. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Because of you I am saved by grace. Help me to share this message with as many people as possible. In Jesus’ name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: Let Your Light Shine
