Jesus Took Our Sins

Jesus Took Our Sins
Sunday, January 12, 2020
by Dr. Paul Chappell

“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

1 Peter 2:21–24

Ken Blanchard has sold millions of copies of his books on management and leadership, most famously the “One Minute Manager” series. Many of these titles were co-written with other experts, and Blanchard spent a great deal of time interviewing and working with some of the most noted leaders in the field. The story goes that Blanchard once interviewed Peter Drucker and asked him why he was a Christian. Drucker replied, “Because Jesus paid it all.”

There is a tendency among those of us who have been saved for many years to loose sight of the enormous cost of our salvation. We know the truths and we have read the gospel accounts of the crucifixion over and over. We’ve heard numerous sermons on the cross and on salvation. Yet too often we fail to grasp what it means that Jesus took our sins onto Himself.

The way we know that this truth is being missed is that many Christians are not following Peter’s instruction to “live unto righteousness.” We are happy for Christ to have borne the penalty for our sins, but we still cling to them. Jesus took the penalty He did not owe for our sins, not merely to save us from Hell, but to give us a new life in Him. Those sins—our sins—that were laid on Him at the cross should be repulsive to us as we are filled with gratitude to Him.

Today's Growth Principle:
When sin is attractive to us, it shows that we are not focused on what Jesus paid for our salvation.