2 Corinthians 5:21. God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The fundamental nature of sin is the broken state of relationship with God. It is the fallen condition of humanity, having lost the glory of God and becoming completely cut off from the heavenly realms (Romans 3:23). Sin entered the world through one man, Adam, when he was deceived by Satan and broke the covenant with God (Genesis 2:16–17). We all broke that covenant with him.
As a result, death entered the world through sin, and in this way, death came to all people (Genesis 3:1–7; Romans 5:12). Since that moment, every person has been born spiritually dead because of original sin (Ephesians 2:1), forced to live in the state of sin (Ephesians 2:2–3), with their body ruled by sin and their earthly nature (Colossians 3:5). This is not a condition we can undo through religion, upright living, or human effort. It is a spiritual problem that every person must face.
But God, in His great love, did not spare His own Son, Jesus, but sent Him to rescue us from the hand of Satan. Through the cross, God demonstrated His love for us (Romans 5:8). Why did Jesus, who was without sin, have to die? Because it was the only way to break the power and curse of sin, death, and hell (Hebrews 9:22). It was the only way to restore our relationship with God—to restore the righteousness of God in us (2 Corinthians 5:21).
By dying on the cross, Jesus completed the work of the True Priest: “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12).
He became a curse for us on the cross so that the curse of sin would be removed from us. That is why Scripture declares, “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).
It is all about God’s amazing grace. Even our saving faith is a gift from God, not something that comes from our own righteousness or effort. While we were still hopeless and helpless, God sent Jesus as the Christ to bring us back to Himself. He didn’t have to do it—but He did. We didn’t deserve it—but He poured out His mercy on us.
Jesus finished it all on the cross—once for all—for all our sins: past, present, and future. When you realize, believe, and confirm that Jesus is the Christ, the True Priest, you will understand that you have been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20) and that your true spiritual identity is in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6).
When you believe that Jesus is your True Priest who lives in you, you no longer have to live in guilt and shame. When you believe that the work of your True Priest is finished on the cross—destroying the power of sin over your life—you can declare true freedom in Christ in every situation.
Do not rely on your feelings (Romans 7:14–25), but cling to the cross of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:1–2). Fix your eyes on Jesus, your True Priest, and you will not grow weary or lose heart (Hebrews 12:3). Enjoy and proclaim the Good News that Jesus is the Christ, your True Priest!
Prayer. Lord Jesus, I believe You are the Christ, my True Priest, who entered the Most Holy Place once for all by Your own blood, having obtained eternal redemption for me. So I declare that there is no condemnation for me because I am in You. I declare that I have been set free from the law of sin and death. I declare that I am a child of God and that sin will not have dominion over me. I declare that as far as the east is from the west, so far has God removed all my sins from me, and He remembers them no more. I declare that Lord Jesus, my True Priest, lives in me now and until the end of the age. In Your mighty name, Amen.