But how could Jesus take away our sins? He bore the weight of our sins, He endured their merited punishment, and He suffered the shame they procured.
He was despised by men, tormented by devils, smitten with the sword of divine justice, forsaken by His Father, mocked by His creatures, overwhelmed with grief, torn with anguish, and His heart was broken with reproach and agony all for a poor, sinning, sorrowing, Hell-deserving creature like me!
Sin lay upon Him, the wrath of God was endured by Him, the most fearful terrors surrounded Him, Heaven, earth, and Hell, appeared as though leagued against Him! Men grossly insulted Him, devils tried all in their power to destroy Him, and God was pleased to bruise Him, and then leave Him to languish in heart-breaking sorrow.
O sad spectacle of misery, grief, and woe! Was there ever sorrow, like unto Your sorrow? Was there ever love, like unto Your love?
You might have sat upon Your throne, enjoying Your own glory, happiness, and felicity forever and have justly left us to perish in our sins, and suffer for our own transgressions! But no, you would be Jesus, you would save Your people from their sins! You would come to take away our sins, though in so doing justice took away Your honor, happiness, and life. You would not leave us to perish but You would put away our sins by the sacrifice of Yourself. You have turned away Jehovah's wrath, cast all our sin into the depths of the sea, and bore our punishment in Your own body on the cruel tree!
Indeed Your love is astonishing, inconceivable, and almost too great for my weak faith to believe!
[James Smith]
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Isaiah 53:4-5 ... Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed
1 John 3:5 ... And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
2 Corinthians 5:21 ... For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. ❤
