This is how it happened

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Salvation past, present, and future”

Our Bible verse for today: “He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “This is how it happened”

This month we are spending our devotional time to review the basic truths about the most important Biblical doctrine there is – salvation. We need to know this. We need to have embraced it, internalized it, and know it so well that we can quickly, easily, and clearly explain it to others when the Holy Spirit gives us the opportunity to do so.

With respect to understanding salvation, 2 Corinthians 5:21 is one of the most illuminating verses in the Bible. More than twenty-five years ago, I was at a Bible conference in Los Angeles when I heard Pastor John MacArthur explain this verse in a sermon. It was the best and clearest teaching on salvation that I have ever heard and so I will simply paraphrase it here for us this morning:

On the cross God treated Jesus as if He had committed every sin by every person who would ever be saved, when in fact He committed none of them. This is the doctrine of substitution – the innocent dies for the guilty. “He made him who did not know sin to be sin for us …” On the cross God poured out upon Jesus all the wrath and punishment for all the sins that have ever been committed. All those sins had to be punished and now they were – Jesus was punished for them. In short, God punished Jesus as if He had lived your sinful life and mine.

Then God treats us as if we had lived Jesus’ perfect life. This is why Jesus had to live thirty-three years on earth. During those years He was fully human and he was subjected to ever temptation that you and I are subjected to, but He never sinned. He lived the holy, pure, and perfect life that you and I are not capable of living and He did it so that “… we might become the righteousness of God.”

That’s the doctrine of substitution. Both sides of it. One the one side Jesus gets all your sin. On the other side you get all His righteousness. The sins had to be paid for and they were – Jesus paid the price so you and I would not have to.

In life we often see shades of this kind of sacrifice – the solider who jumps on the live grenade, giving his life so his comrades can live; the hero who jumps into a raging river to save a child being washed away but who then loses his own life in the process; the husband who takes a bullet to save his wife and children. On the cross Jesus took the bullet for us so that we can live for eternity in heaven with the Father.

So, the penalty for your sins has been paid. Jesus took it for you. His sacrifice is a great gift. But like all gifts, you must choose to accept it. The gift is not forced upon you. You must make a conscious decision to open your heart and accept the gift of salvation. There is nothing you can do to earn it and you can’t pay Him for it. It is a gift and you must simply accept it. I pray you will accept the gift of salvation today.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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