DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- CHRIST BORE OUR SINS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – CHRIST BORE OUR SINS

"For as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many." (Hebrews 9:27-28a)

The doctrine of the substitutionary atonement has been attacked by those who cannot understand how the death of one could pay the redemption price for all humans. But the Scriptural record clearly states, as in today's focus verse, "Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many."

Both Old Testament and New Testament Scriptures affirm this precious doctrine. Isaiah 53 says that "the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." I John 2:2 says, "He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world."

Because of Jesus we do not have to pay the penalty for our own sins because He has paid the price. And if it were possible for me to pay that penalty, then there would have been no reason for Jesus to come and die for me. What freedom there is to know that all the debt of my sins have been paid.

It is like a ledger book of debits and credits. I keep adding to the debit side with my sin and try to do some good to try to balance the books on the credit side. But I never seem to catch up and the interest on the unpaid balance keeps growing. My account is always in arrears. But then I come to Jesus and He blots out all the debit side with His cleansing blood. He paid the debt completely.

Just before Jesus went to the cross, He met with His disciples to observe the Passover. During that meal, He took the cup and said, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you" (Luke 22:20). Hebrews 9:22 says that without the shedding of blood there is no remission. Remission is the cancellation of a debt, charge, or penalty. Because Jesus shed His blood, the debt of my sin is canceled. He paid the price that should have been mine.

This is the crux of the better promises of the New Covenant. The Old Covenant could not take care of the sin question. Only in the New Covenant through the atoning sacrifice of Christ who took the penalty for my sins can we be sure that the debt of our sins is paid for. This the glorious Gospel: "Christ died for our sins" (I Cor. 15:3).

Oh, what a wonderful Savior.

Love, Dad