“The Savior and Our Sin”
Part II
This meditation is a continuation from last week where we focused on the rays of light sent forth by Jesus Christ, the Son of Righteousness. Jesus is the Light of the world. He shines on our lives and wants to shine in our hearts and through our lives.
4. In 1 John 2:2, we read “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”
A ‘propitiation’ is a sacrifice offered to God to take away the enmity brought by our sin. Our sins separate us from the God who loves, so Jesus on the cross took our sin and the penalty (death) for our sin and thereby makes reconciliation with God possible.
The Greek word is ‘hilasmos’ and it relates to the Hebrew word ‘capkar’ which means to make reconciliation possible by atonement. Our LORD gave to the Father all that was asked of us, when He died in our place.
5. The next ray of light we see is that of ‘substitution’. In 1 Peter 3:18, we read “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit.” The preposition ‘huper’ that is translated ‘for’ means ‘on behalf of’ It is a picture of one person bending over another to protect him. In essence, shielding him from the blow intended for him. This is exactly what Christ did for us when He submitted to death on the cross. He did it for us so that we might be spared the wrath of God which we deserve. In Romans 6:23, the Apostle Paul wrote “For the wages of sin is death, BUT the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our LORD.” Praise God for the substitutionary ministry of Jesus Christ for me and you.
6. Another ray of light that shines forth from Jesus, the Son of righteousness is the concept of ‘imputation’. In Hebrews 9:28, we read “So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him, He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”
The word ‘bear’ is very important. It means to bring, carry or lead up. Our sins were accounted to Christ when He went to the cross. His righteousness is accounted to us when we receive Him as our Savior.
7. Another ray of light manifested by our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ is ‘identification’.
In 1 Peter 2:24, we read of Jesus — “Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree that we, having died to sins might live for righteousness – by whose stripes you were healed.” The preposition “for” is very significant. Christ used this preposition in Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45 when He speaks of the “Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many.”
It is important for us to realize that Christ, in His death, not only died in our place, as the Substitute acting apart from us, but He identified Himself with us, so that His death is for us.
In Isaiah 53:4-5, there are several very significant statements about the One who would come and identify with us and for us.
· He bore ‘our griefs’.
· He ‘carried our sorrows’.
· He was ‘wounded for our transgressions’.
· He was ‘bruised for our inequities’.
· The ‘chastisement of our peace was upon Him’.
Dr. Denney wrote, “It was His death, certainly, for He had come to die; but it was not His for he knew no sin, it was for us, and not for Himself, that He made death His own.” He identified with us.
8. There is an eighth ray of light shining forth from the Son of Righteousness and it is the ray of ‘Remission’.
In Matthew 26:28, Jesus said “For this is my blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
The word “remission” has the idea of “a letting go, a setting free as of a slave or captive.” It can also mean “dismission or discharge”. From a New Testament Biblical perspective, it is a “setting free from, or the remission of debt or punishment.
On God’s part, because Christ paid the debt for our sins, we can have the forgiveness of our sins and also be spared of a future judgment. Folks, this would be a good place to begin to praise God! We are so blessed.
9. The last ray of light shining forth from our beloved Son of Righteousness is the idea of ‘Revelation’.
In 1 Corinthians 15:3, the Apostle Paul wrote “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received; that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures.”
Paul, before his conversion was spiritually blind and did not believe Christ was the Messiah or Savior of the world. In Acts 9 we read of him on his way into Damascus to arrest and persecute Christians. He had that incredible encounter with Christ. In verse three, we read “As he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. (4) Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (5) And he said, “Who are you, LORD?” Then the LORD said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” (6) Then he, trembling and astonished, said, “LORD, what do you want me to do?”
He had a revelation that forever transformed his life and he became a passionate proclaimer of the Gospel of Christ. In 2 Timothy 1:12, he declared “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not shamed, for I know Whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.”
In 1 Corinthians 2:2, the Apostle wrote “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”
I read about a fishing-tackle maker and an avid fisherman, who kept losing his bait without catching anything. Then he discovered that by some accident the barb had been broken from the hook.
We can proclaim the love of God forever but there is a barb in the gospel message, and if it is missing, we will never catch anyone for Christ. The barb is found in the inspired, unchanging Word of God. It is that Word that under the anointing of the Holy Spirit we must proclaim. What a revelation!
So, we have considered the nine rays of divine light shining forth from Jesus Christ, God’s Son of Righteousness…
1. Manifestation 6. Imputation
2. Perfection 7. Identification
3. Consecration 8. Remission
4. Propitiation 9. Revelation
5. Substitution
I pray that each of us will allow these rays of His light to shine in and through us to the glory of God.
Pastor Leonard
