How Was Christ 'Made to be Sin'? by Tom Roberts (http://www.watchmanmag.com/)
One aspect of Calvinistic doctrine is the three-fold error whereby it is taught that (1) Adam's sin was transferred to mankind; (2) man's sin was transferred to Christ; and (30) Christ's personal righteousness was transferred to believers. None of these statements are true nor do they reflect accurately the Bible doctrine of "imputation." In this article we will note the second of these errors and study the claim that the sins of mankind have been transferred to Christ.
A verse often used in this context is 2 Corinthians 5:21: "Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him." The phrase "he made to be sin" is the controversial part of the text and one that is grossly misused. We need to understand in what sense God made Christ "to be sin." Did God place our sins on Christ? Would that make Christ a sinner? Did Christ die a spiritual death as well as a physical death on the cross? Just what is meant? As in all studies, we need to consider all that the Bible says and not take one verse to mean something that would contradict other Bible passages.
First of all, we can clear the air considerably when we note that the Bible teaches that Christ was not a sinner. Our text states: "Him who knew no sin..." Additionally, we see 1 Peter 2:22: "Who did not sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." From these and other passages, it is clear that Christ did no sin on His own. So the question before us is: "Did Christ become a sinner by a transference of our sins to Himself?" I believe the answer to this is also "No." There is not a single Bible passage that indicates that sin from one person (or righteousness) is ever transferred to another.
If we take the position that our sins were transferred to Christ, we are faced with the fact that Christ would have been a sinner. Isaiah 59:1-2 states that "sins and iniquities separate from God." Romans 6:23 states that the "wage of sin is death." We are being asked to believe that Christ actually "bore our sin" and died a spiritual death in our stead. Such a position falls short of the truth and would lead one into grave error on other points. Let us note carefully what the Bible teaches about Christ "being made sin on our behalf."
Romans 8:3 puts it this way: "...God, sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." Friends, there is quite a difference in something being a likeness of something and actually being it. While Christ wore a human body, it was not stained by sin, either His own or of others. When Christ died on the cross, He died a physical death and this death was a punishment for sin ("...the soul that sineth, it shall die" - Ezekiel 18:4). But He took the punishment that was due to us. He did not die because He was guilty or because He took our guilt upon Himself. He took our punishment!
Isaiah 53 sheds light on the question. Isaiah says, "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" (vs. 4-5). Now reason with me a little. If you can understand in what manner an innocent man suffers in the place of the guilty, you can see what this is teaching. Christ was "wounded for our transgression." He was "bruised for our iniquities." "Our chastisement" was upon Him. Jesus no more actually took our sins upon Him than He actually took our griefs and sorrows upon Him. Have all my griefs been transferred to Christ? Have all my sorrows been transferred to him? No, of course not, we can easily see that. And in the same fashion we can see that our sins were not transferred to Him but that He took the "stripes" and "bruises" that were due to us because we were justly guilty. He stood in our stead. This is what 1 Corinthians 15:3 means when it states that "Christ died for our sins," and Galatians 1:4 means when it says Christ "gave himself for our sin." He was a "sacrifice for sin" (Hebrews 10:12) and in that sense He "bare our sins" (1 Peter 2:24) just as He took our griefs and sorrows. He was "made to be sin" in that He took our punishment and was treated as or like a sinner even while He was innocent. He "suffered for sins" (1 Peter 3:18) not His own and in that fashion God "made him to be sin" (only from the punishment standpoint) and by that act He "purged our sins" (Hebrews 1:3).
We need to be extremely careful and not take a single passage of the Bible and stretch it to mean something that contradicts other passages. Doing such arrays passage against passage, rather than harmonizing them.
To teach that 2 Corinthians 5:21 portrays Christ as receiving
the guilt of our sins rather than the punishment for our sins
violates this very principle. I challenge anyone to produce the
evidence that teaches that guilt (or righteousness) is ever transferred
from one person to another. Adam's guilt was "put to his
account" because he was guilty. My guilt is put to my account
because I am guilty. By the grace of God, Jesus Christ the Righteous
exposed His back to the punishment that was rightly mine. "By
his stripes, we are healed." "He was bruised for our
iniquities." "He was wounded for our transgression"
and it is in that manner that "our iniquities are laid on
him." Whereas I could rightly be condemned eternally for
my sins, Jesus bore my punishment and "purged" my sins
by His death. This is saving grace in action and we need not confuse
the issue by injecting denominational ideas and concepts into
it.
Attendance By Tom Moore
(Reprinted from The Way, http://bulletins.churchofchristoroville.com/)
Attending worship services faithfully is of the utmost importance.
Many strong Christians have become weak, and many weak Christians
have totally fallen away, because at some point they began to
miss worship services and Bible study on a regular basis. A Christian's
attendance of services has been rightfully declared by many, as
a thermometer indicating one's fervor for the Lord. One cannot
truthfully say he is a faithful child of God if he does not attend
worship services regularly. Consider now the following reasons
why we must attend worship services faithfully.
The Hebrew writer penned the following passage giving us several
reasons for not forsaking the assembly of the saints. "Let
us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; not
forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is,
but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the
day drawing nigh" (Hebrews 10:24-25). Our assembling together
for worship services stimulates the brethren to love and good
works, and exhorts and encourages us to greater Christian enthusiasm.
It is important, because of the trials, temptation and heartaches
we face each week as Christians, to assemble together at each
opportunity so that we might be stimulated and encouraged, and
to do the same for others. It is reassuring to be around those
of "like precious faith" (2 Pet. 1:1). We all need encouragement,
but we must attend worship services and Bible study to receive
this precious privilege.
Another reason we should attend worship services and Bible study
faithfully is seen in Hebrews 10:25 - it is a command of God.
Jesus said, "If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments"
(John 14:15). Furthermore, we also need to remember, "For
this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his
commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:3). The Lord informs
us that we must assemble at every opportunity with the saints.
If this were the only reason for attending worship regularly -
it would be enough. If you really love the Lord you will keep
His commandments.
Still another reason we should attend worship services regularly
is that we must be a good example to others. Peter declared, "For
hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps"
(1 Pet. 2:21). Jesus left us innumerable examples of how we should
live. One of these examples is that He kept the Law of Moses perfectly,
which included attending all of the different feasts and special
days of the Jewish religion. We, too, learning from the example
of Jesus, should regularly attend all of the worship services
as well as all other gathering for the purpose of study and edification.
We should do this to please God, but also to set good examples
for others. Paul said that we are to be "an example of the
believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in
faith, in purity" (1 Tim. 4:12). What kind of example do
you think we set for the non-believer by out apathetic attendance,
or for the weak Christian? Not a good one I assure you.
Would one consider a car faithful if it only starts every other
time? Would you consider your spouse faithful if she cheated on
your marriage once a month? Of course not! Then what makes us
think that we can be faithful Christians if we are not attending
worship services regularly? It is vital that we are faithful in
attendance - our eternal destiny is hanging in the balances. We
are not condemning those who are ill at home, or having to care
for a sick loved one - we speak to those who have no reason for
not coming other than being deficient in concern for spiritual
matters.
We love you and hope to see you in our next scheduled meeting
time.
FINAL THOUGHTS (Selected from The Beacon)
"Staying calm is the best way to take the wind out of an angry man's sails."
"A man is a selfish fool who says it is nobody's business what he does."
"Admitting that you've been wrong proves that you are wiser now than you were before."
"To err is human; To blame it on someone else is really human."
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Our weekly services are held at 1318 Griffin Road, Leesburg, Florida
34748.
Phone: (352) 365-9946 for times of services.
Web site: http://www.geocities.com/~cdillinger/cocbs/cocbshp.htm
MONTHLY BIBLE READING: Genesis 37-50
GOSPEL MEETING: Alan Irwin will be presenting a series of sermons each evening July 14-19, Sunday at 6:00 PM, each weeknight at 7:00 PM.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
BIBLE INSIGHT is published for the members of, and
visitors to, the Church of Christ at Beverly Shores, Leesburg,
Florida, USA.
Carey Dillinger is the editor. He can be reached at the church
address or via e-mail: dillinc@yahoo.com