What Does It Mean That Jesus “Became Sin” for Us?

What is it mean that Jesus became sin for us.

Best is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can call us right now with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 also post a question on her Facebook, Instagram or twitter account. You can watch a drill right now in the studio live on YouTube and send us a message through our YouTube channel and you can always email us your question at questions@4christianity.com will first up today let's go to a voicemail received from one of our listeners named Anna really worried about but now that I'm actually going to get back in after all this time need being holy again. I'm just worried. I know that answer this question.

I don't think the mark of the East.

But like based off of Scripture in Revelation you now. Could you give me life Scripture like why like how I know that this is the market to be taking it or is it something we would be willingly thinking I'm really confused right now because everything surrounding the coronavirus is kind of weird to me. I'm not a therapist but it's just weird to me and I'm just trying to get clarity in trying to honor the Lord through all of this you now so I have a little bit here so thanks for that question.

You may the Lord bless you and grant you his peace. I know that this is been a really difficult time and a lot of people of this is been a hard decision for a lot of people.

We have, as you said, gotten the question before it was is the coronavirus vaccine. The mark of the beast and I said no, absolutely not.

There's there's just a misunderstanding here and in part of that comes from people miss reading the book of Revelation, the mark of the beast is not something that people take Biaxin and the snow is all you you know you get this chip by accident of this vaccine and you do all I do know that was the mark of the beast and I'm eternally condemned. No, not at all.

The mark of the beast is identifying with the antichrist it's it's been characterized shaped by the evil one if you will, worshiping him throughout the book of Revelation. You have people who are marked by God with his name on therefore had you see this throughout the book of Revelation in places like Revelation chapter 7 verse three.

In Revelation chapter 9 verse four chapter 14 verse one chapter 22 verse four. So throughout the book privilege of God's people got elected are marked and what that is. This is symbolic is the fact that God is with them in them by the grace of the Holy Spirit, and similarly when it talks about the mark of the beast in places like Revelation chapter 13 it says it to their mark on their on their hand and on their forehead and and the number of the beast, the mark of the beast is the number of man the numbers is 666.

Is this a symbolic language was man was created on the sixth day of creation is this picture of the worship of man. The worship of self and the people that are engaging in this it's it's idolatry it's identifying with the antichrist. It's it's something that they're doing that they're deciding definitively rejecting the gospel, rejecting Jesus and aligning themselves with with the evil one with the worship of man. And so, so, at least as far as that the vaccine is concerned. You don't need to be afraid that by getting the vaccine you're accidentally taking the mark of the beast, and if there are Bible teachers out there that are saying that they they really should be ashamed of themselves because it's it's just not a faithful interpretation of the Scriptures is why it's so important that we understand the context of the Bible and that we let that the Scripture speak for themselves. Instead, try to read things into them and then with regard to just the decision. This is where you want to talk to a doctor and medical professionals in their gonna be the wants her to be able to help you out in terms of thinking through this for yourself and so Anna, God bless you and again. May the Lord just give you his peace as you seek to honor him. I know that's what you want to do you set it in and I praise God for that. And so may the Lord bless you and be with you sister Emma. Thanks so much for being a regular listener to core Christianity and for searching God's word. We appreciate that so much. This is core Christianity and our phone lines are open right now. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life will be taking calls for the next 15 minutes or so, so hop on your phone right now would also take questions about theology and doctrine. Or maybe an atheist or an agnostic and you stumbled on this program you're saying you really believe in this Christianity stuff were open to your questions as well. Here's the number it's 833-843-2670 3833. The core know we have a wonderful timely new book that we are offering today and is something I think will really appeal to you because it addresses a lot of what's going on in our world today and bill you know the pain conflict uncertainty really dominate the headlines right now in the news in the world is often filled with too much information into little wisdom it's tempting to just hunker down in our bubbles with people like us and be cynical about everything going on in the world, but that is what God wants for us, not how he wants us to live. That's what they were offering Hannah Anderson's excellent book all that's good. Recovering the lost art of discernment.

This book helps you to recognize and enjoy all of the good and beautiful things in the world. In this book Ken Anderson helps us to develop our taste for all that is good in God's creation and it helps us also navigate the world with confidence and joy instead of fear and cynicism. So head over to core Christianity.com and pick up all that is good.

Recovering the lost art of discernment. Such a wonderful book and you can get a copy by going to core Christianity.com/offers for a donation of any amount again.

Core, Christianity.com/offers and look for all that's good. You can also call us for that offer. Or maybe one of her offers at 833 the court that we do receive emails here at core Christianity.

You can send us your question anytime. Our email addresses questions at core, Christianity.com Burkart wrote to us and said what does it mean in second Corinthians 521 that Jesus became sin for us such an amazing passage of Scripture brothers and sisters.

Second Corinthians chapter 5 verse 21 it says this for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

This is what some people have referred to as the great exchange is the very heart of the gospel, how it is that we are saved, how can we be saved will get this him who knew no sin is talking about Jesus Christ never sinned once came dirt didn't didn't Everson perfectly obeyed the law of God. This one, the eternal son of God knew no sin and yet for our sake he was made to be sin so that we might become the righteousness of God. Now there are different ways of understanding that that phrase made to be sin. There are some ways that are just not okay some ways that we would say or are unfaithful to Scripture and will really get us into a big mess up. This doesn't mean that Jesus was transformed into sin. The essence of sin if you will, or that he was a sinner in any respect know you keep he wasn't. He was sin. List the spotless son of God and so people who say will Jesus was transformed into sin or something you know abstract like it is� We can rule that interpretation out. That's not what the apostle Paul is saying there are others who say what what what Paul is getting at here is this idea that Jesus was made into a sin offering the workforce and use your hamartia is used in the Old Testament translation, the Septuagint, the Greek translation of of the Hebrew Bible in places like the book of Leviticus. That word is used at times to refer to a sin offering and other other places in Scripture that make it clear that Jesus was a sin offering. I think of the prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah chapter 53 talks about his soul being made an offering for sin. And so that's that's theologically accurate, biblically accurate but is that with the apostle Paul is getting at here. Maybe that is one way of taking this verse. He was he was made into a sin offering for us, probably the best way to take this this idea though this idea of Jesus being made.

Sin is the idea that Christ bore the consequences of our sin that he was transformed into sin, but that he bore the consequences of our sin that there's another passage in the New Testament that the apostle Paul wrote in Galatians chapter 3, I think it's verse 13 it talks about Jesus Christ becoming a curse for us that is bearing our curse bearing the consequences of our sin that that way of looking at this passage makes the most sense. Especially because you have the sort of contrast right like Jesus became sin for us, the sinless one became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God will in what sense he takes our sin and its consequences. We get his righteousness. That is the perfect life that he lived in our place. His obedience is given to us that the theological word that sometimes use there is imputed it's imputed to us so that you can stand before a holy God perfect, righteous, not on the basis of your own righteousness. But on the basis of the righteousness of Jesus Christ that was given to you friends do you have that. Do you have that comfort knowing that your sin was paid for by Jesus on the cross and that his perfect life of obedience. His righteousness is given to you freely as a gift by faith. I hope that you do. It's what the apostle Paul is talking about here. It's the wonder of the gospel is the great exchange and that that's the best way I think to understand second Corinthians chapter 5 verse 21 and I love the fact that you often mention that it's a free gift because I think there a lot of people that get caught up with what do I need to do to earn God's favor willing to do to get into heaven to do anything it's been done for you and that beautiful even then.

Throughout the Bible. It's very clear that this is a gift is something that's given to us by God, by grace me think what the apostle Paul said in Ephesians chapter 2, and so this is the beautiful thing about the gospel is not saying here's here's all the things and you dislike God will love you. It's your house. Here's how God has demonstrated his love for us in his son Jesus Christ so that we might know him and have a relationship with him, and in turn follow him and obey his his word and so you have really wonderful news. I meant this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and we do receive voicemails. In fact, you can call us 24 hours a day and leave a voicemail with your question about the Bible, the Christian life may be how your Christian walk or sex with what's going on in today's culture and we try to review our voicemails.

Once each day and go through them and use many of them on the air that appears one of our listeners that called earlier this week.

My racial topics wanted the right window issues with the minorities joining the left side moderate what my right wing church members say you know slightly gossip from the pool. You know, sermon audio speaking about culture they will need to have conversation about openly with minorities. What it brings so much gossip or about the culture when they can be effective in helping us much as a leftist when it comes to social issues and know that you are doing the place but I choose not been complaining about it at lunch and automating and gossip about is the vector on the streets by was the sole why don't the right do what the left is doing, but in a godly way. As I was. Thank you for so that question him in a couple of things and I'm getting from from your question one just that the divisions that we see around us. Obviously really strong opinions about how we should address social issues and and later on, on both sides of the political Eileen on the left and on the right.

We got these ideas of how we need to engage the world around us and us out to me like what you're saying maybe and in the church that urine is a lot of people talking about it and complaining about the issues in society but not really doing anything and and right there. I mean that that's something that we need to be careful with credit. It's really easy to just her to stand back to look at the world and say a look at all the problems out there. All of these issues to talk about them to gossip about them as you said, but not really to seek to address those issues and address them from from a biblical viewpoint. God calls us to love our neighbors.

This is this is the second great great commandment. It's at the very heart of God's law is how we treat each other and in part that looks like how we care for the needy. Around us the vulnerable. I think of of the rebuke that God gave to his people and in Isaiah chapter 1, another going through the motions of religion there doing all of these things in God was God was tired of that. He says to them in Isaiah chapter 1 verse 15 when you spread out your hands.

I will hide my eyes from you even though you make many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood washed yourselves, make yourselves clean. Remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes ceased to do evil, learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression bring justice to the fatherless lead the widows because this would look like to do justice, to love our neighbor to seek their good.

The good of those who are in need and so they're all these problems out there around us and oftentimes we just to talk about it or complain, as you said what we need to do is is recognize one. First and foremost, all of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. Justice demands that we would be condemned judged by God because of our sins, but he has justified us. As I said in that text segment is chapter 5, verse 21 freely by the work of Jesus Christ. And now, as those who are justified in Christ we are called to pursue justice around us in our in our own lives, not as a way of being justified because we've been justified by the Lord and so I come in I can tell you why. Apart from sin, you know why there's so much division why a lot of times are just to talk about these things but don't actually seek to love the people around us. It truly is. It truly is an issue and I think part of getting back to a place where where we as the church are engaging our neighbors as we should begins with a proper understanding of of the gospel of the fact that we've been set free from our sins that we've been justified and that now we are called. You are called to love the people around you in a way that honors the Lord and so may God bless you as you do that as you seek to be someone who brings peace in your church in your community. May the Lord be with you and bless you and that zealous thank you for your question. A great challenge for every one of us who are call ourselves Christians call ourselves part of the body of Christ. So thanks for that and drilled. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.

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Raymond what your question for pastor. Israel and the like that other preacher say that he is what order that me when Jesus was on the cross. Matthew chapter 27 we read in verse 45.

Now, from the sixth hour. There was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour, and about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying Lee and Lee landmass a box any that is my God, my God, why have you forsaken me. Some of the bystanders hearing it said this man is calling Elijah and one of them at once ran into the sponge, filled with sour wine and put on a read and gave it to him to drink, but the other said wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him in Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. The first thing you need to know about those words, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me is that Jesus is quoting from the Psalms, a Psalm of lament Psalm 22, with the psalmist begins by saying that my God, my God, why have you forsaken me why so far from from helping me from the word of my growth from the words of my groaning and crying out to you. Jesus is taking the words of the psalmist on his lips and in night. We know talking about that verse.

Earlier in second Corinthians chapter 5 where Jesus bears our condemnation. He became a curse, if you will, according to Galatians chapter 3 received upon himself the curse of the lockers that are all those who were hanged on a tree. That's what will Paul quotes Remington Galatians 3 for us, and in that sense that you he can say in our place. "This that the psalmist there and Psalm 22, my God, my God, why before say coming out now. How should we understand this does this mean that the persons of the holy Trinity are are separated somehow at at the cross, we have to be really careful here. In fact, I think Jesus makes it clear that he was never abandoned in the sense of some people suggest when they read this verse I think what what was happening here is Jesus is standing in our place, and he's crying out in our place as he's bearing our curse but it's it's clear in other places that EP makes it clear of the father never abandoned him. I think of what Jesus said in the gospel of John in John chapter 16 a really interesting passages. These this is the context of his upper room discourse and is telling his disciples how these can be leaving them soon and in John chapter 16 in verse 32, he says, behold, the hour is coming. Indeed, it has come when you will be scattered each to his own home and will leave me alone is talking about the hour of his crucifixion. He sees preparing as this is a look, you guys are about to leave you guys are about to be scattered.

You guys are going to abandon me, leave me alone, but then listen to what he says yet I am not alone, for the father is with me is what would Jesus do when he is offering himself on the cross is offering himself for our sins according to the will of his father willingly. That is this great act of love so that we who deserve to be separated from the father.

Because of our sins would never be separated from God, so that again we could be justified by the Lord and so we have that you take all of these passages together to make sense of Jesus's words there on the cross, my God, my God, why before significant when we do we realize a Jesus is standing and in our place. He's taken the words of the psalmist on his lips he's bearing our curse. And that's why can say what he says there God bless.

This is core Christianity, and as we head into the weekend. If you have a question about the Bible of the Christian life. You can email us and would love to take a look at that email over the weekend answered on Monday. Here's our email address its questions at core, Christianity.com Christie sent us this, she said, why doesn't God just open the heavens above and show himself to everyone at once so we will know he's real why the riddles of the Bible and the never-ending questions even many in Jesus day weren't sure if he was really the Messiah God just show us all at once, so everyone knows, and will start living accordingly.

That would save a whole lot more people to see. This is just an excellent question. I know that a lot of people have this question. People who question God's existence who maybe don't believe in deserving people who do believe what they do struggle, why doesn't God just sort of open up the heavens and say here I am I I'm here you not to doubt my existence that kind of thing will a few things. One, God has not left us without without a witness of his existence. The whole creation around us. Christie testifies to the reality of the fact that there is a creator God who is all-powerful, the heavens declare the glory of God in the firmament shows his handiwork.

The psalmist says in in Psalm chapter 19 day unto day utters speech in night and tonight reveals knowledge. That is, God is speaking to you 24 seven through the world around you look at the stars at night beautiful starry night and is overwhelmed by this sense of God. It's it's that it's very very creation, speaking to us about the fact that there is a creator that is not just us that there something greater than us out there that were accountable to who were accountable to the issue is not that God is not spoken. The issue Christie is that we suppress God's speech we run from it we deny it. Paul in Romans chapter 1 says we said we suppress the truth of God in unrighteousness. The problem is not that God is not speaking revealing himself to do his people to the whole creation. It's that we shut our years that we want to continue to rebel against him to live in sin so often and so that that's that's one thing but God doesn't just reveal himself through creation, just sort of natural revelation. He's even gone beyond that he speaks to us through his word and specifically through his son Jesus.

We have the Scriptures, the prophets, and I think about the parable in Luke chapter 16 the that the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Remember that the rich man is in Hades, he's being tormented nieces of please let me go back to to to talk with my family did tell them that they need to repent and remember what what the response is to him. Abraham said they have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.

They said no father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent and he said them if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.

Christie someone did rise from the dead Jesus Christ. This is that a fact of history and we have that recorded in the Gospels and God calls everyone everywhere to repent because of what he's done.

If we were unwilling to reject the word, and there's nothing that'll there's nothing that'll do the trick. And so God has spoken. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us.

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