SUNDAY APRIL 12
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him… (Isaiah 53:5).
The Lord Jesus suffered and endured the pain and shame of the Cross, not because of His sins or for Himself, but for us. He took our place and bore the punishment for sin on our behalf. While on the Cross, bearing the burden of our sins, He cried out in anguish, “…My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34).
God turned His back on Jesus because our sins were laid on Him. Habakkuk 1:13 tells us that God is holy and doesn’t behold iniquity. The separation from the Father, on account of our sins, was what Jesus never wanted, for which He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Father, if you be willing, take this cup away from me, nevertheless not my will, but your will be done” (Matthew 26:39).
The Father’s will prevailed. Jesus died on the Cross, and descended into hell. He was put to grief. Upon taking all the punishment that was necessary, the Bible says He was justified in the Spirit (1 Timothy 3:16) and was raised back to life. He was raised to life for our justification: “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:25).
To be justified means to be acquitted of guilt; to be declared righteous. He was our substitute in death as well as our substitute in resurrection. When He died, you died with Him; when He was buried, you were buried with Him. When God raised Him from the dead, you were also raised together with Him in newness of life! Now, you’re sin-free; at complete liberty to serve the Lord and live for Him in glory and righteousness. You’ve become not just righteous, but also the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Such a blessed reality!
PRAYER
The Word of God is the light of my life, and by the Word, I see and take a hold of my righteousness and inheritance in Christ, walking in holiness and manifesting the glory of God everywhere. Now I stand justified forever in God’s presence, with dominion over sin and circumstances, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Romans 6:3-5 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection.
DAILY SCRIPTURE READING
1 Year Bible Reading Plan= Luke 13:1-21 & Judges 12-13
2 Year Bible Reading Plan= Romans 9:26-33 & Psalm 119:1-40.
