If Jesus took away our sin, where did it go? HE BECAME OUR SIN that we might become His righteousness. Jesus went into the grave with our sin and rose again without it!
And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him, there is no sin. (1 John 3:5)1
I know what you’re thinking: “But I still sin!” Yes, but that’s only when our mind is set on this world and our flesh, and this temporary natural realm is the focus rather than the eternal invisible one.
The mindset on the flesh is death, but the mindset on the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6, NASB)2
What is our spiritual reality because of the Great Exchange of our sin for His righteousness? Jesus Christ is now the plumb line of our lives! Ask yourself, “Does this apply to Jesus?” If the answer is yes, then it applies to you. “Does that apply to Jesus?” If the answer is no, then it doesn’t apply to you. It is a very simple thing, but in our heads, we want to DO something to be righteous. However, if we do ANYTHING to be righteous, then we are saying, “Jesus, that’s great! Thanks for dying for me on the cross! But it’s not enough. For me to be righteous in Your sight and for You to be happy with me and bless me…
It’s Your cross PLUS me reading the Bible.
It’s Your cross PLUS me loving others.
It’s Your cross PLUS me attending prayer meetings.
It’s Your cross PLUS my fasting.
It’s Your cross PLUS me eating right.
It’s Your cross PLUS me serving others.
It’s Your cross PLUS me giving ten percent of my income.
It’s Your cross PLUS me behaving perfectly.”
No! Jesus said, “It is finished!”3
For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. (Hebrews 4:10)
What does it mean that the work is finished? It’s a spiritual truth that will change your life if you understand it. When our eyes are opened to what Jesus has done for us, we will do all those good things listed above out of the overflow of a heart of gratitude and not out of a sense of duty or obligation. We won’t HAVE to. We’ll WANT to!
There are more than a thousand imperatives in the epistles written to the church, but until we understand grace, they will be a burden, and not a joy! We must understand grace first!
( from pages 40-41 of Unveiling Jesus)
Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!
Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.
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1 All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version. Scripture is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
2 Scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
3 John 19:30
