WHY SIN IS UNREASONABLE

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Romans 6:1-2)

Devotion 15 of 23

OCCASIONED THE DEATH OF CHRIST

The defiling nature of sin is seen in the fact it occasioned the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. There was no other reason for Him to enter the world, suffer and die! Sin was the total rationalization for "the Man Christ Jesus." A brief perusal of the impact of sin upon our Lord will serve to make the desired point.

He Bore Our Sins in His Body

"Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed" (1 Pet 2:24). When His Son became the depository for sin, it constrained God Himself to "deliver Him us for us all" (Rom 8:32). The magnitude of Christ's Person is confirmed by the greatness of the burden He was required to bear. The consideration of the dreadful burden borne by Jesus will make sin repulsive to us.

Made Sin For Us

"For He (God) hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor 5:21). In His birth and life, our Lord was "God manifest in the flesh" (1 Tim 3;16). In His death, He became sin incarnate, with the sins of the world deposited, as it was, in Him. As Isaiah prophesied, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath LAID ON HIM the iniquity of us all" (Isa 53:6). In this way, God judged the totality of sin. Some cannot believe Jesus was "made" "sin." The text, however, is too clear to deny. It is more becoming for us to stand amazed at the judgment of God against sin, rather than to stand in unbelief at this Divine affirmation.

Made A Curse

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Gal 3:13). The thought of an individual being made a curse is arresting. Jesus, according to Divine language was "cursed" by God (Deut 21:23). The reason for the curse was not found in the character of the Son, but in the iniquity that was laid upon Him. Sin is so reprehensible that when it was laid upon Jesus, it brought the curse of the Almighty upon Him.

He Drew Back

"And He went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt" (Matt 26:39). As the time for Christ's sacrifice approached, the thought of it caused His undefiled spirit to recoil. Never had sin touched His spirit. He had been tempted more sorely than any mortal, yet remained pure and uncontaminated. Of this occasion it is written, "And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Lk 22:44). The thought of the sins of the world being placed upon Him moved Him to call out in agony to his Father. When we experience but a measure of that kind of revulsion, we will not be found living in sin.

When the magnitude of these things bursts upon the heart, a strong aversion to sin is developed. Those "that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity" (Eph 6:24) perceive sin in a way unknown to alienated hearts. What imputed sin did to Jesus, makes our involvement in it totally unreasonable! This perspective will confirm the truth to our hearts. Remember, a blessing is pronounced upon the person to whom God will NOT impute sin. "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin" (Rom 4:8). While you rightly glory in this blessedness, remember your sin WAS imputed to Jesus, so it would not have to be imputed to you.

PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You for laying the sins of the world upon Jesus. I praise You He overcame the temptation to withdraw from His mission. It is in His name, and for His glory, that I now ask for a heart that is sensitive to the abominable nature of sin.

-- TOMORROW: HE HUMBLED HIMSELF --