For Our Sake

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV)

2 Corinthians 5:21 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. It explicitly explains the depth of Christ's propitiation and how truly beautiful He is. If you identify the who, him, and him, this becomes very clear.

“For our sake he (God) made him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God.” So that you could be saved from destruction, God made Jesus, who is God, to be sin. Jesus was not made sinful but bore or carried our sin, and for us, our sin was imputed to Jesus and, in a penal substitutionary act, received our punishment for that sin.

Why did Jesus do this? Jesus became a curse out of selfless love (Gal. 3:13, Deu. 21:22-23). This love was for the Father and the people the Father had gifted to the Son; we are those people (John 6:39-40). Jesus willingly and intentionally laid down His life for the glory of the Father through the people. He laid Himself down so that we, His people, could be righteous before God.

Each person in the Trinity played their part in this plan of redemption; The Father sent the Son in the incarnation knowing that the Son would intentionally lay down His life for the gifted people so that the Father would be glorified. The Spirit, in perfect unity with the Father and the Son, agreed to the sending of the Son through the incarnation and the intended sacrifice, then applied the righteousness of the Son to the believer,  making them righteous and justifying the believer before God.

The doctrine of penal substitution, one of the most beloved doctrines of the cross, has been likened to “Cosmic Child abuse.” This has been done by those who do not see this mutually agreed plan of redemption pulls in and includes the believer in a greater expression of the love that God has for God. By this, I mean the love that Jesus has for the Father, the Father of the Son, and the Spirit for both.

No other religion in the world has a doctrine like that of penal substitution. In the first century, Christians and God were mocked for this belief. Today, those claiming to be Christians shun this idea and reject a doctrine that is the basis for Christianity. It is found to be offensive, and in most cases, it is because people anthropomorphize God; they apply human feelings and characteristics to God, failing to acknowledge God is not like us. The doctrine of penal substitution, with its profound implications, stands as a unique and awe-inspiring testament to the love and justice of God.

Thoughts like this are likened to the Socinian arguments that produce a Unitarian God who should forgive without atonement, the idea that if there is a payment, there is no forgiveness. Jesus paid a price for our sins, and in doing so, God absorbed the payment for our sins himself. Why would one argue about this? Be thankful that there is a way to avoid the ever-present wrath of God, believe, and have faith in Christ Jesus.

Arguments come from people who do not have a biblical understanding of God. People do not have a biblical understanding of God because many pastors today do not have a biblical understanding of God and scripture, and many do not know God themselves. Good Pastors preach the Word of God, not picking and choosing what they will teach. Pastors who are faithful servants of God celebrate God's glory and righteousness, making it clear that God is holy and that holy means God is separated from humans by a vast cavern of righteousness.

Christ became a curse for you; submit your life to Him; He gave His life for you.

Grace and Peace!