2 Corinthians 5:21 | NKJV (21) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
“For He hath made Him to be sin for us…” – means it was the choice or will of God for Jesus to do this
He became sin with our sin. He did not sin and was spotless but He took upon Himself our sin past, present, and future.
“…that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” – (Ginomai) means to become something that was not before, transition from one point to another.
We have been much more than forgiven!
We have been much more than just saved from Hell!
We have been much more than just allowed to get into Heaven!
To be righteous means you are right with God, made right to God’s standard, innocent, justified
The only way that God could be legally right in making us right in His eyes is if He gave us His righteousness through Jesus.
We are no longer under the penalty of sin.
God no longer looks at us as though we have sinned, because Jesus took our sin from us. He looks at us in the righteousness of Christ!
You cannot be innocent and guilty at the same time.
You cannot be right with God and wrong with God at the same time.
The best you and I had to offer in our righteousness was never going to be good enough to make us right with God.
Only the Blood of Jesus could do that for us!
Good works and good deeds will never save people. Only faith in what Jesus did for us is the only thing that can save us.
I am as right with God as Jesus is because it is His righteousness I am made right with!
2 Corinthians 5:19 | NKJV (19) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:19 | NLT (19) 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.
Genesis 3:6-10 | NKJV (6) So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (7) Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. (8) And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (9) Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” (10) So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
We see the signs of people that are aware of your sin and failures and shortcomings.
- People who are sin conscious try to cover their own sins by their own work.
- People who are sin conscious (aware of their sin) hide themselves from the presence of God.
- People who are sin conscious are living in fear.
Luke 5:1-8 | NKJV (1) So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, (2) and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. (3) Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. (4) When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (5) But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” (6) And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. (7) So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. (8) When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
Jesus preached a great message to these people. Jesus then blessed the fishermen with a “too much” catch. Peter’s response was for Jesus to get away because he was sin conscious.
Sin consciousness causes you to draw back and to be afraid of God.
Righteousness consciousness causes you to be bold and to draw near to God.
Hebrews 10:1-3 | NKJV (1) For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. (2) For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. (3) But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.
We should not even talk about our past sins and be in a sin consciousness.
We should talk about our righteousness in Christ. We should talk about how we are innocent and right with God.
God is as pleased with me as He is with Jesus!
Hebrews 10:10-17 | NKJV (10) By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (11) And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. (12) But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, (13) from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. (14) For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. (15) But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, (16) “THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR HEARTS, AND IN THEIR MINDS I WILL WRITE THEM,” (17) then He adds, “THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.”
Hebrews 10:18-23 | NKJV (18) Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. (19) Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, (20) by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, (21) and having a High Priest over the house of God, (22) let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (23) Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.