Blessed and Forgiven

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Psalms 32:1

I’m not sure if we really understand the magnitude of our sins being forgiven. Jesus became sin – He didn’t just take your sin or cover it up. 2 Cor. 5:21 says, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

There is no greater trade to be made – your sin for His righteousness. This means that you have right standing with God once again. Without forgiveness of our sins, we would be separated from God since God and sin can’t coincide.

Isaiah 53:3-5 says, “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”

Everything Jesus went through – every blow He endured, He took for you and me. The crucifixion was the absolute worse, most torturous death anyone could endure, and He did it for us. Not only was He crucified, but He paid the penalty of sin and death. Jesus went to hell and paid the price there as well. He took every punishment that hell could unleash.

How could Jesus, the one who knew no sin do that? It says in Hebrews 12:2, “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The joy that was set before Jesus – the reason He did what He did, was you. You and I were His joy because He knew that our sins would be forgiven. We would be able to fellowship and have a close relationship with our Father once again. We are truly blessed beyond measure!

Dear Lord, thank you for the cross. Thank you for sending Jesus to take our place and forgive our sins. Amen.