Jesus Paid It All
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin… (Isaiah 53:10). The Lord Jesus suffered and endured the pain and shame of the Cross, not on account of His sins or for Himself, but for us. He took our place and suffered for us.
At a stage, while on the Cross carrying the burden of our sins, He cried out in anguish, “…Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). God turned His back on Jesus because our sins were laid on Him. Habakkuk 1:13 tells us God is holy and doesn’t behold iniquity.
It was in anticipation of this that Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane: “…saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39). The Bible specifically records that sweat came out of His body like great drops of blood.
He prayed with such anguish and agony of soul. He wasn’t willing to be cut off from His Father, because He loved His Father so much, but the Father wanted Him to be the sacrifice for the sins of the world. So, Jesus died on the Cross, and descended into hell; punished by God in hell on our behalf. He didn’t just go to hell, He was put to grief, and according to our theme scripture, it was God who did it; howbeit, for our sakes. And after He had taken all the punishment that was necessary, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ was justified in the Spirit (1 Timothy 3:16).
Today, because of His vicarious suffering and sacrifice in your behalf, sin and its consequences have no dominion over you. The Bible says through Him, we’ve been justified—declared righteous! Now, you’re free to serve the Lord and live joyfully in His presence for eternity, all because of Jesus.
PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank you for sending Jesus to die in our place, thereby paying the full penalty for our sins. I rejoice, knowing that His sacrifice for sin was the ultimate sacrifice by which I now stand justified in your presence, and ushered into this new life of righteousness, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
Romans 5:8-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Acts 27:1-26 & Psalms 21-22
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 10:1-9 & Joshua 18
I AM the righteousness of GOD in HIM!