2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
In 2 Corinthians 5:21, the apostle Paul is expressing a profound theological truth about the nature of Christ's sacrifice and its implications for believers. To understand this verse fully, it's important to consider its surrounding context.
In the preceding verses, particularly in verses 17-20, St.Paul discusses the transformative power of being in Christ. He speaks of a new creation that occurs when someone becomes a believer in Jesus Christ. This new creation involves reconciliation with God and the ministry of reconciliation entrusted to believers.
Verse 21 serves as a culmination of St.Paul's discussion on reconciliation and the new identity believers have in Christ. Let's break down the verse:
"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin": This part emphasizes the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice. Despite being sinless, Jesus willingly took upon himself the sin of humanity. This act of substitutionary atonement is central to Christian theology. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, bore the penalty for our sins on the cross, offering himself as the ultimate sacrifice to reconcile humanity with God.
"So that in him we might become the righteousness of God": This part highlights the exchange that occurs through Christ's sacrifice. Through faith in Jesus, believers are not only forgiven of their sins but also imputed with the righteousness of Christ. This means that when God looks at believers, He sees the righteousness of Christ covering them. This righteousness is not earned through our own efforts but is received as a gift through faith in Christ.
In 2 Corinthians 5, St.Paul is emphasizing the profound nature of Christ's sacrifice and its transformative effects on believers. Through Christ, believers are reconciled to God and given a new identity as righteous children of God.
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