2 Corinthians 5:21. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Why did Jesus, who knew no sin, have to become sin for us? This question goes straight to the core of the gospel message. The answer is found in the devastating truth about sin. Sin brought us not only physical death but eternal separation from God—the source of life. Sin killed our spirits, distorted our hearts, darkened our minds, and made us enemies of God (Ephesians 2:1, Romans 5:10, Colossians 21:21-22). Worse still, sin placed us under the dominion of Satan and the background of hell (Acts 10:38). Without intervention, we were completely powerless, unable to free ourselves from this spiritual prison.
The death of God’s only Son, Jesus Christ, was not an accident. It was the only way to save us from this hopeless condition. God, in His justice, could not overlook sin, but in His love, He provided a way to break the power and curse of sin, hell, and Satan. Only the sinless Son of God could settle the wages of sin—death (Romans 6:23). Through His death, Jesus opened the way for us to be reconciled to our heavenly Father—a relationship broken since the fall of mankind.
Through His suffering and death on the cross, Jesus completed the work of the True Priest, the only one qualified to intercede on our behalf (Hebrews 9:11-15). His sacrifice did what no human effort could ever accomplish—it set us free from the bondage of sin that inevitably led to death, including original sin we inherited from Adam (Romans 3:23), the sins passed down through generations (Exodus 20:4-5), and the countless sinful acts we have personally committed.
Jesus dealt with all of it through the law of grace: “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” (Romans 8:1-2). His grace has brought salvation to us, not because we deserved it, but because He chose to love us.
God was under no obligation to save us. He is the Creator, we are His creation. Yet, because of His immeasurable love, He willingly gave His Son for us. This sacrifice was not temporary or incomplete—it was final and absolute. “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” (Hebrews 9:28).
Just as the father in Jesus’ parable waited patiently for his lost son to return home, God has been waiting for us. His forgiveness is not based on our performance, but on His unconditional love. When we come to Him through Jesus Christ, He not only forgives our sins but chooses to remember them no more (Luke 15:11-32, Isaiah 43:25). We don’t have to carry the weight of guilt and shame any longer. God welcomes us home with open arms.
Through the death of His Son, God made us righteous in His sight. This righteousness is not something we earned—it is a gift given to us by grace. “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10). Our holiness, our right standing with God, is sealed by the blood of Jesus. We no longer need to strive to be accepted by God. Through Christ, we have already been made acceptable.
We are no longer slaves to sin or fear. Before Christ, we were bound by sinful desires and tormented by fear of judgment. But now, because of the blood of Jesus, God sees us as holy and blameless. We have become His righteousness: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
We are no longer just God’s creation—we are His children. Through Christ, we have been adopted into God’s family. We have the right to call upon our Father in heaven, and He promises to hear and answer us. We can approach Him, knowing we are loved and accepted: “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
We no longer have to live in spiritual darkness. The death of Jesus has brought us into the marvelous light of God’s presence. He has opened our eyes, illuminated our hearts, and set us free from the shadows of sin and despair. As Scripture declares: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit” (1 Peter 3:18). Through His suffering, Jesus made it possible for us to be reconciled to God and live in the light of His truth.
The ultimate reason Jesus came to this world was to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). Sin, death, and Satan no longer hold dominion over those who belong to Christ. On the cross, Jesus finished everything required for our salvation (John 19:30). He endured unimaginable suffering and shame so that we would not lose heart or give up (Hebrews 12:3). His victory is now our victory.
Even now, Jesus is with us through the Holy Spirit, who is actively guiding, comforting, and strengthening those who have been saved (John 14:26-27). No matter what we face in this world, we can take heart because Jesus has already overcome it: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).
Always remember that you are under God’s grace. You have been set free from the chains of sin and the lies of Satan. Declare it boldly—you are no longer a slave, but a beloved child of God. Live in that freedom, walk in that victory, and proclaim His grace to the world.
Prayer. Father, I thank You for giving Your Son, Jesus, to bring me back to You. You have forgiven me, not because of anything I have done, but because the blood of Jesus paid the full price for my sins. Help me to live every day under Your grace, to walk in the freedom You have given me, and to proclaim this good news to the world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.