“23 Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone, 24 but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
What is our response to all of this? Paul tells us that this crediting of righteousness is not something only Abraham can access. We too can be credited with Christ’s righteousness if we believe in Him who raised Jesus from the dead. (v. 23-24) Verse 25 tells us of the importance of Jesus’ death and resurrection. For sinners to be credited with Christ’s righteousness two things must take place. First, there must be a sacrifice for sins. This sacrifice cannot just be the sacrificial blood of a bull or a goat as the observing Jewish community would have practiced. Every pre-Christ sacrifice was only sufficient inasmuch as it pointed forward to the perfect sacrifice that would come in the death of Christ Jesus. A true sacrifice that provides atonement for sin and satisfies the wrath of God the Father would need to be one that is perfect, that is, sinless. No mere man or animal sacrifice is capable of meeting this perfect standard. Here enter Christ’s perfect, sinless record and His atoning death for sinners, that all who believe in Him and repent of their sin will be saved and will have credited to them Christ’s righteousness.
“For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:6, 8
“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” — Galatians 2:20
The second requirement is that this perfect sacrifice, Christ Jesus, be raised from the dead. Why is this important? The fact that Jesus rose from the dead confirms His perfect, sinless record. If Jesus had even sinned just once, He would not have been able to rise from the dead. If even in the deep recesses of His mind had He one sinful thought, one rebellious intent towards the Father, one lustful desire for a woman, even just one of these would have rendered Him guilty before God the Father, making Him an imperfect, inadequate sacrifice for sin and would be every bit as guilty before the throne of God as every other human being. If Jesus had deserved to die for His sin, then He would not be capable of rising from the dead He would have received His just punishment. By Christ Jesus rising from the dead, we know that He was, in fact, sinless.
“For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Those, then, who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished.” – 1 Corinthians 15:16-18
“For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion, that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.” — 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Verses 23 and 24 reveal another important principle: Scripture is not merely a recording of historical events, letters to churches, and pithy sayings. It is crucial for every person. The words of the Bible are for everyone, and they apply to every single person in every era. We ought to read and treat it as such.
“For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.” — Romans 15:4
“These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.” — 1 Corinthians 10:11
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” — 2 Timothy 3:16-17
What a wonderful lesson today!!!! So many good truths in this. Brought me to tears this morning!!! Thanks so much for sharing this one honey. Much love, N