SCRIPTURE: 1 Peter 2:24
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
By Emma Danzey
He Himself Bore our Sins in His Body on the Tree
When we take a step back and look at an overview of Scripture, we see such detail and thought in the redemptive plan of Christ. God knew that humanity would sin. He instructed Adam not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:17) The serpent then twisted the words of our Creator and tempted the woman and the man who was with her. Unfortunately, both disobeyed and sinned. Humanity was officially separated from their loving God because of their choices.
Fast forward to the time of Christ. Jesus lived the perfect life that we could not live. He suffered, died, and rose again on the third day. (Luke 24:46-47) Death was defeated, Satan lost, and our Lord won us back to Himself. It is particularly amazing that Jesus’s death was on a tree. In thinking back to Genesis, sin began at a tree, and now, sin would be defeated on a tree. Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient for all. Anyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. This is not just an overview of sin that He bore, but our personal sins. Any evil thought, bad habit, rude words, or sinful attitudes or actions were taken on the cross. We do not need to live in fear of eternal punishment when we have accepted this great gift through Jesus.
That We Might Die to Sin and Live to Righteousness
This is not a one-and-done kind of life. So many people are tempted to make a salvation decision and stop there. However, God has invited us into His kingdom work. He has a particular mission for each of us on this earth to complete. He wants us to know Him through His Word, by His Holy Spirit, and in prayer. We have full access to the Lord of all.
He calls us to die to sin and live righteously. This means each day, when we are tempted to think and act sinfully, we can ask the Holy Spirit to help us live by the Spirit and not our flesh. This means that we are continually open to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. This means that we are relying on God to help us to navigate hard decisions in representing Him well. The Lord does not require perfection from us because we have already failed, this is why Jesus came. Jesus took our place. God does, however, invite us to live lives that model Christ through the Holy Spirit as a witness to those around us.
By His Wounds You have Been Healed
Ultimately, the worst diagnosis we could get is eternal death and separation from God. Unfortunately, this was everyone’s fate. However, by Jesus’ wounds, His death, and resurrection, He has healed and set us free. He is the eternal antidote. He is the Savior of the world. When we are tempted to forget His great sacrifice and gift to us, we can ask Him to remind us what He has already healed us. He has taken away our eternal woe and dread and given us hope and peace of an eternity with Him in Heaven. We can have calmness of mind. We can rest in God alone. Jesus’ sacrifice was once and for all. Hebrews 9:26 says, “Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.”
Intersecting Faith and Life:?
How does thinking about Jesus’ sacrifice on a tree put you in awe of God’s redemptive plan from the Garden of Eden? In what ways is God calling you to die to your sin and live for Him? How can you celebrate the eternal healing that Jesus has given you by His wounds?
Further Reading:
Emma Danzey’s mission in life stems from Ephesians 3:20-21, inspiring young women to embrace the extraordinary. One of her greatest joys is to journey with the Lord in His Scriptures. She is wife to Drew for over two years and mom to baby Graham. Drew and Emma serve with Upstate CRU college ministry in South Carolina. Emma is an avid writer for Salem Web Network and provides articles on the Bible, life questions, and on the Christian lifestyle. Her article on Interracial Marriage was the number 1 viewed article on Crosswalk for the year 2021. All the glory to the Lord! She had the joy of hosting Her Many Hats podcast where she explored the many roles that women play while serving One God. Most recently, Emma has released her first Bible Study Book, Wildflower: Blooming Through Singleness.
Emma enjoys singing/songwriting, fitness classes, trying new recipes, home makeover shows, and drinking tea! During her ministry career, Emma recorded two worship EP albums, founded and led Polished Conference Ministries, ran the Refined Magazine, and served in music education for early childhood. Emma also had the privilege of having been a national spokesperson for Mukti Mission based out of India. Mukti has been working to restore shattered lives in India for over 120 years. You can view her articles through her blog at emmadanzey.wordpress.com and check out her Bible Study videos on Instagram @Emmadanzey.
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