“For [God] made [Christ]… to be sin for us .”

In the entire Bible there are a few verses as this one that are so richly packed with truth that it is hard to fully comprehend.  One well known American Bible teacher writes:  “These 15 Greek words express the doctrines of imputation and substitution like no other single verse.”

“Sin for us.”  The whole verse says, “For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him.”  Let’s try to get a little of what this says first by understanding what it doesn’t say.  It doesn’t say that Christ became sinful when he bore our sins on the cross.  Jesus “knew no sin” personally before the cross.  He maintained his sinlessness as 1 Peter 2:22-24 confirms:  “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth; who, when he was reviled, did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously; who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree…”  Indeed, he was that “lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19).  He was made “sin for us” without becoming sinful.

We get a glimpse of an intense struggle within our Savior when he was in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Matthew 26 records three times that Jesus prayed to have “this cup” pass from him (vs. 39, 42, 44).  Jesus knew from the very beginning that he would be the world’s sacrifice for sin.  Revelation 13:8 states he “was slain from the creation of the world.”  So this moment was not unexpected.  But the holiness of his character recoiled at the thought of becoming like all the sinners in the world and receiving the Father’s punishment.

His “cup,” therefore, would be filled with two things.  First, it would be filled with the sins he would pay for – yours and mine.  Even our good works and “all our righteousnesses” are included in His cup, because they “are like filthy rags” in God’s sight (Isaiah 64:6).  We have absolutely nothing good to offer him.  Everything we contribute to his cup has been tainted by sin.  It is ugly in God’s sight and deserves nothing but his judgment.

The second thing that filled his cup was the righteous anger of the Father who would completely pour out his punishment – that was ours! – on his own Son.  Isaiah 53 puts it this way:  “(v. 4) Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…smitten by God, and afflicted.  (v. 5) He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities… (v. 6) And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (v. 10)  Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he has put him to grief.  When you make his soul an offering for sin… (v. 12) He poured out his soul unto death, and he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

He drank from that cup as if it were his own.  He tasted it by experiencing the same fate we would if we were paying for our own sins:  “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).  Separated from his Father, he not only experienced your death and mine, but also sufficiently paid for our penalty as our substitute.  Undoubtedly his cup was the most awful experience anyone could ever have.

In its place he offers us his new cup – of communion!  This communion would not be possible if his payment were deficient in any way.  His resurrection verifies God’s acceptance of us (Romans 5:10-11).  Imagine… this incredible Savior, who suffered so much for us, wants to commune with us… us!  We, who caused so much of his pain and suffering, are objects of his love, not wrath!  Talk about amazing grace!

How much of your life reflects your gratefulness for this Savior who became “sin for us”?  Can those around us see a thankful heart and a character of confident trust in our Savior God?