Made Sin; Made the Righteousness of God in Him

"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteous of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21. (NASB)

Christ was made one thing, that we might be made another thing. He was made sin; we were made the righteousness of God in Him. This means, in part:

Christ died for all, and therefore we’ve all died in order that we may no longer live for ourselves but for Christ – 2 Corinthians 5:14 – 15. Are we living for Christ or for ourselves? We cannot do both.

We no longer view one another according to natural standards and perspectives, and this includes standards based on man’s notions of righteousness, man’s religious traditions (consider the scribes and Pharisees). Why, at one time we even recognized Jesus Christ after the flesh – we saw Him according to our religious images, our philosophical images, our rationalistic images, our emotional images. 2 Corinthians 5:16.

Are we still viewing Christ and others according to our naturalistic self-centered notions?

Those who are in Christ are truly new creatures, new beings – old things have passed away and the new (in Him) has come. We are living in a new heaven and a new earth which is constantly unfolding. There has been a rebirth – we have died with Christ and we live in Christ in union with the Trinity and with one another. We are not sinners saved by grace, we once were sinners but have died with Christ and risen with Christ – we are new creations in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ became as we were so that we might become as His is in our Father. (2 Corinthians 5:17; 3:17 – 18; Romans chapters 6 and 8; Hebrews 2; John 17).

Are we living in Christ? Is Christ our identity? Is He our righteousness, our redemption, our sanctification? (1 Corinthians 1:30 -31).

We are now on mission, Christ has sent us even as the Father sent Him. (2 Corinthians 5:18 – 21; Matthew 28:16 – 20; John 17:18, 20:21).

What does our mission look like? We can only be on mission if we are no longer living for ourselves but for Christ.

"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteous of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21. (NASB)

This is both forensic and organic – we are reconciled forensically through justification, and we are reconciled organically through our death and resurrection with Jesus Christ and the new birth in Him. The Trinity now dwells within the people of God – no wonder Paul writes in 2 Cor. 5:20, “…as though God were making an appeal through us…”, which of course He is.

Easter is our birthday – can you see that?

If you are in Christ, then Easter is your birthday.

The Truth Is

As I look at the poverty in our nation, the hunger, the homelessness, the lack of quality medical care; as I ponder the "me first" attitude that we have; as I consider the plight of those on our southern border and of those across oceans.

As I see disparity in myriad forms across the Body of Christ in the United States - some having more than they could ever consume, and many consumed with uncertainty - I realize the truth, the truth about me, the truth about us, and just maybe the truth about you:

The truth is that we don't care what others need; but we do care that we have what we want. 

Lord Jesus, I am ashamed of myself. What do you want me to do?

I Love a Tree - by Gerhard Emanuel Frost

I Love a Tree

By: Gerhard Emanuel Frost

I have a love affair,

a very private thing,

with one familiar oak.

It grows ten paces from our door,

massive and strong and tall.

This tree comforts and encourages,

calls to me as I leave for my next class:

“If I can grow from a buried acorn,

forgotten by one absentminded squirrel,

perhaps you, too, an absentminded professor,

may say something today, and then forget,

something that may plant an oak

in the forests of humanity.”

So, I believe in acorns;

this is part of my teacher’s creed.

Unique among our trees,

this oak speaks.

It speaks of power and age,

and deep, deep roots;

but, most of all, it tells of suffering,

in its most stark and visible feature:

no major branch grows toward the east!

In some harsh moment of a long and testing past

my tree has felt disaster,

such force of tragedy that it must live its years

without the slightest symmetry.

Distorted, bent, unyielding in every wind

it wrenches at its roots,

but holds and stands to greet the dying winds

that mark the end of the storm.

This special tree,

I name it Job.  

The Cup

By: Robert L. Withers (through Christ's grace)

O Father let this cup please pass away

If it be possible, this I pray

I long to be with You always,

But to drink this cup is to drink the pain

And sin of all humanity,

It is to cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Born to drink this cup I know I am

From Mary’s breasts in Bethlehem to

This garden named Gethsemane,

Right named Olive Press, for my soul is

Pressed with impending death and separation,

And I will cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

From Mary’s arms to this garden cup

To sour wine offered upon the Cross

Which soon shall be, I’ll drink the dregs

Of humanity, of men and women,

Of boys and girls,

And as I drink my cry will be, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Down the corridors of time, from ages past

To ages future, as long as they shall last

I’ll go to each person who is living now,

Who has lived in the past and who shall live after now.

I’ll take their cups and pour in mine, their sin their death, all of their crime.

I’ll drink it down, all of their cups, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

My soul is sorrowful unto death,

I am pressed down with little breath

Left in this body, left in this soul,

But drink I must, and drink it whole, I must empty the cup

With all it contains, the death, the sin, the separation, the pain

And as I drink darkness will descend, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Who will watch with me this hour?

Who will resist Satan’s power?

Who will surrender his will to God?

Who will share my Cross, my shame?

Who will embrace Him who is despised?

Who will hear the depths of my cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

I drank your cup of sins, I drank them

Little or big; black or white lies it matters not,

They have all separated you from your God.

I drank your pride and ego too, I have taken into me

All there is of you, my cry is because I bear your sins,

I bear you too, you are in my heart as I cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

I must go now, my betrayer is at hand,

The cup I shall drink, it is in my Father’s plan,

I shall drink it for Him, and I shall drink it for you,

I shall drink the cup and enter the abyss of pain

And before the sun sets tomorrow, the heavens shall

Hear my cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

But know that you are my joy and I did this for you,

To bring you home to my Father, and your Father too.

For after that questioning cry on the Cross, will be

“It is finished.” “Father into your hands I commit my spirit.”

I drank the cup of sin and death for you, a cup I’d not tasted till I drank it for you.

I now offer you my cup of love and life - forged on the Cross; what will you do?