2 Corinthians 5:21
Most movie stars, especially those in action films, have a stand-in. This is another actor, a person who looks like the star, who will “stand in” for the star during risky scenes, times when the star might be injured. The stand-in will take the hits and suffer the cuts and bruises of the action. The stand-in takes the pain while the star gets all the fame.
The crucifixion was the one event in time where someone served as our stand-in. The summation of our faith and our salvation is presented in this single passage from 2 Corinthians. Theologian Karl Barth explained that God chose not to reject humanity, so instead God rejected Himself in the form of Jesus. God allowed Himself to suffer so that we might not.
As the passage points out, God made Jesus – who had no sin – to become sin for us. Jesus suffered instead of us. And because of this we are all forgiven of our sins and all wrongdoing if we will only accept Christ as our Savior.
The second criminal was right in his statement of Luke 23:41 – “We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
The same is true of us. We are deserving of punishment and condemnation for our sins and unholy living. Still, Jesus has done nothing wrong. He is pure and holy, and yet he has taken all of our sins upon himself – standing in for us – taking the pain while we get the fame.
And what does that mean to us? We are to be the righteousness of God. We are to accept this incredible gift of absolution, of having our sins taken away, and then we are to live out the goodness that is God. Because we have been forgiven we should live as holy people, obedient to God’s commands, and acting in mercy and compassion.
DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you be the righteousness of God?
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