2 Corinthians 5.21
For our sake he made him
to be sin who knew no sin,
so that in him we might become
the righteousness of God.
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Having God’s truth in us each day isn’t something we can just “try” to do. If we try, and then either fail or get bored or don’t see the point, then we stop. But what we need to do is to do what the Word says is to have a mentality instead to “train” ourselves, not just “try.” Whether you are learning an instrument or wanting to get better at a sport or are working out to get in shape, you can’t just “try” to do these things, you must “train.” And it is the same thing with the Gospel and doing things that help us to truly grow. We must ask the Lord to help us be determined so we can really train ourselves; to consistently do the reps we know we need to do. And when (not if) we fail, rather than quitting, we instead just pick up and train again.
So, what is this Gospel we need to train ourselves in? What is this truth that I need to be “Gospeled” with and evangelized by? I imagine a scenario where for me to go to Heaven and be accepted by God I had to have a perfectly white shirt, which represented my inner purity and righteousness. But with this white shirt, every time I sin, if I put a mark with a black Sharpie on it, what would my shirt look like by age 5? Or 15? Or 30?
The bad news is that when I stand before God, the Great Judge, my blackened shirt will give me away as unqualified for entry into Heaven. Most of us go through life trying to erase those black marks by excusing our sin, or we try to paint over it with the “White Out” of doing good deeds, but do we really think God will be fooled? Or bribed? The bad news for us is that our shirt reveals our unworthiness and unclean soul. This sin is like committing cosmic treason against the King of the Universe. I have committed rebellion against my Creator and have partaken in a mutiny. I have become an enemy of God and even worthless (Romans 3.10), and therefore am even considered to be a child of wrath and a son of disobedience (Ephesians 2.1-3)
But the Gospel is the Good News. The Good News is that even though we have all fallen short and there is no one who does perfectly good and has a perfectly spotless white shirt (Romans 3.10, 23), and that there is no one who is as good as God (Matthew 5.48), God chose to show mercy and grace to many, even to us as His enemies. He has chosen, out of His own love, to come up with a plan to rescue many who have sinned grievously against Him and cover over the black spots of their sin (Romans 5.8-10).
What is this incredible plan?
Jesus was born so that He could die.
And through His death
He paid the price so that
we could be born again.
The Gospel reminds me that in Christ, I have been made perfect and spotless because of the Great Exchange: Christ became my sin, and I became His righteousness.
Read Again and Turn it into a Prayer:
2 Corinthians 5.21
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Personalize and Read or Pray Aloud:
Psalm 130.1–8
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
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Pray Aloud:
My Life Mission is to abide in and enjoy
the love of my Father,
through the gift of His Son,
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
Through the gifts of
His Word, prayer, and His people,
So I can steward my whole being,
including my time, treasure, and talents,
for the glory of God and joy of all people.
Father, help ________ to keep
in step with Your Spirit today.
Help ______ to follow You
and lift up Your Name,
that ______ might carry
Your aroma through the day.
Give _______ daily bread,
so that Your promises
would keep ________ heart,
which is prone to wander,
anchored closely to You.
Lead ________ away from temptation,
but instead be brought back
to Your truth and presence.
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