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.