CHRIST OUR SAVIOR

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21 NKJV).

Here in our verse is a very clear and concise statement about the work of Christ our Savior for our salvation. There is a great deal of theology expressed in this verse. In it we have the sinlessness of Christ, the substitution of Christ, and the sanctification in Christ.

Sinlessness of Christ – “Who knew no sin.” The Lord Jesus Christ never sinned. He never did anything in thought, word, or deed that was unholy. Away with those who would make the Lord Jesus Christ to be faulty in His character. There is no excuse for degrading the Lord Jesus Christ in such a way. The Bible is explicit and states again and again that the Lord Jesus Christ was absolutely perfect without sin. To think otherwise about the Lord Jesus Christ is to deny the Word of God.

Substitution of Christ – “He has made Him . . . to be sin for us.” This does not mean that the Lord Jesus Christ became corrupt for us. Rather it means that He took our place on the cross and became condemned as a sinner for us. The Lord Jesus Christ did not die for His own sin or because He was trapped by His enemies. He came to earth to die for our sins. We needed a substitute in order to escape the just punishment for our sins. The Lord Jesus Christ is that substitute. But in order for Him to be our substitute He had to be sinless. You cannot take the punishment for a crime committed by another person if you are guilty of the same crime. The Lord Jesus Christ could not have taken our place on the cross if He had been guilty of our sins. So, the sinlessness of the Lord Jesus Christ is essential for Him to be our substitute.

Sanctification in Christ – “That we might be become the righteousness of God in Him.” The only way to get into heaven is to be as holy as God. Our righteousness is not sufficient to get us into heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ gives us God’s holiness so that we can get into heaven to dwell for eternity. When we receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are given God’s righteousness so that we will be accepted by God in heaven. Without the Lord Jesus Christ we will never make it into heaven.

(Adapted from Butler’s Daily Bible Reading 3)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“Come and see the victories of the cross. Christ’s wounds are your healings, His agonies your repose, His conflicts your conquests, His groans your songs, His pains your ease, His shame your glory, His death your life, His sufferings your salvation!”

Matthew Henry (1662 – 1714)

Welsh Nonconformist Minister and Author   

Word Study

Fine linen

In Luke 16:19 we read, “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day” (NKJV).

“Fine linen” is the Greek word býssos (βύσσος = boos'-sos). It is a shiny white cloth made from Egyptian flax. Linen was laborious to manufacture, but the fiber was very absorbent, and garments made of linen were valued for their exceptional coolness and freshness in the hot weather of Palestine. Thus, “fine linen” would have been worn underneath the outer robe. In the Old Testament “fine linen” was used extensively in the tabernacle of Moses (cf. Exodus 25 and 26) and Solomon’s Temple (cf. 2 Chron. 3:14). The word is only used here in New Testament. Linen was so valuable that it was sometimes used as a form of currency in ancient Egypt. Further, Egyptian mummies were wrapped in linen as a symbol of light and purity, and as a display of wealth. Thus the “fine linen” was evidence of the rich man’s wealth. In life the rich man lived in luxury while Lazarus lived as a beggar. The rich man was clothed in purple, while Lazarus was covered with sores. However, in eternity, the rich man was alone, while Lazarus had fellowship. The rich man was tormented, while Lazarus was comforted. It has been said that “the two great tests of character are wealth and poverty.”

Did You Know…

A week before His crucifixion, the Lord Jesus approached Jerusalem, arriving in Bethany six days before the Passover. Over this weekend, He was anointed at Simon the leper’s house by a woman whom the Lord Jesus said was doing “it for My burial” (Matt. 26:12).

Bible Quiz

What was the name of the high priest’s servant who had his ear cut off by the apostle Peter?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz

According to the Book of Numbers, what two things were to be included in the Passover celebration? “Unleavened bread and bitter herbs” (Num. 9:11).

Prophecies Fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ

They shoot out the lip and shake the head (Psalm 22:7; cf. Matt. 27:39-44)

"All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying” (Psalm 22:7 NJKV).

In context, the Psalmist David is predicting what was dramatically fulfilled in his greater Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The word “ridicule” means to mock, to deride, to treat with scorn, which was what actually happened to the Lord Jesus. Further, the tense of the word indicates that they were repeatedly mocking, deriding and treating the Lord Jesus with scorn. And to emphasize their disdain, they were also “shaking their heads.” While hanging on the cross the Lord was a reproach of men and despised by the people. And besides the passersby (vv. 27:39-40) and the religious leaders (vv. 41-43), the robbers crucified with Him also insulted Him (v. 44). Cruel men mocked the Lord Jesus in one of His greatest moments of agony (Matthew 27:39-44). Yet this was all for us.

Did You Know – Christian History

Bathildes was born around 626 AD. She was an English slave girl who rose to become Queen of France and championed the abolition of slavery, freeing countless captives and improving the lives of the poor.

Bathildes was captured by Danish raiders and sold as a slave in France at a young age. She served in the household of Erchinoald, the powerful mayor of the palace of Neustria. Bathildes’ intelligence, piety, and humility soon attracted attention. Despite her status as a slave, she gained a reputation for kindness, her devotion to the poor, modesty, and deep faith. When Erchinoald proposed marriage, Bathildes declined in favor of her spiritual commitments. Eventually, she caught the eye of King Clovis II of Neustria and Burgundy. They married around 649 AD, and she became queen. As queen, Bathildes remained humble and devoted to charitable works.

After her husband’s death in 657, Bathildes served as regent for her young son, Clotaire III. During her regency, she enacted many reforms: she worked to abolish the practice of Christian slavery, forbade the sale of children, and founded many monasteries and convents, including the famous abbeys at Corbie and Chelles. She also supported the Church’s authority and worked closely with bishops and religious leaders to promote justice and piety. Once her son came of age, Bathildes retired from court life and entered the Abbey of Chelles as a nun. There, she lived out the rest of her life in prayer, penance, and service. She died peacefully on January 30, 680 AD and was buried at the Abbey of Chelles, east of Paris. Her sanctity was quickly recognized, and she was venerated as a saint for her extraordinary life of service, justice, and humility.

A Little Humor

During his sermon, a bird flew into the church. “Well, I guess even the Lord’s creations want to attend my sermons!” said the preacher.

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“The hope of Christmas lay in a manger, went to the cross, and now sits on the throne!”