5:21 (A) Was Christ actually made to be a sinner for us?
5:21 (A) Was Christ actually made to be a sinner for us?
There are some in the church who teach this, but scriptures teach that He was made to be our sin bearer, or sin offering (CP Mt 27:45-46).
Jesus experienced the abandonment and despair of being separated from God here as punishment for the sins He bore for everyone else, not because He was made to be sin Himself (CP Isa 53:5-6, 11; 1Cor 5:7; Ga 3:13; Eph 5:2). Jesus on the cross was the sin bearer for all mankind (CP Jn 1:29; Ro 3:25; 1Jn 2:2; 4:9-10).
The sin offerings in the Old Testament foreshadowed what Jesus would become in the New Testament (CP Ex 29:10-14; Lev 16:1-22, 27; Nu 19:1-9 with He 9:6 - 10:9). See also comments on Jn 14:30 and Ro 8:3-4.
(B) How is the righteousness of God in Christ defined?
The righteousness of God in Christ is defined as the gracious gift of God to man whereby all who receive Jesus Christ as saviour are brought into a right relationship with God. This righteousness is unattainable by any merit of man's own, or on any other condition than that of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (CP Jn 1:12; Ro 3:24-26; 4:4-8; 1Cor 1:30; 2Cor 5:17-19; Ga 3:26; 1Jn 4:9-10).
The word propitiation in Ro 3:25 and 1Jn 4:10 means that Jesus took on Himself the punishment for our sins and satisfied God's righteous judgment against sin (CP Isa 52:13 - 53:12; Ga 3:13-14, 26-29; 1Pe 2:21-24).
The supreme expression of God's love for sinners is the death of Christ on their behalf. Their salvation results from the fact that their sins are paid for and God's justice has been satisfied at the cross of Christ. As repentant sinners they have peace with God - His wrath, which will fall upon unrepentant sinners, no longer threatens them.
They are accepted in Christ and can stand in the presence of God free from guilt and condemnation, and righteous in a righteousness which God accepts, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what being made the righteousness of God in Christ means (CP Ro 4:1-3, 20-25; 5:1-2, 6-11; 8:1-4; Tit 3:3-7).
It was the death of Christ as full payment for the sins of all humanity that made it possible for God to justify sinners and vindicate His righteousness (CP Mt 1:21; 26:27-28; Lu 1:68-75; Jn 1:29; Ac 17:30-31; Ro 3:23-25; 5:12-19; Ga 3:22; He 9:15; 1Jn 2:2).
By giving His life as a perfect sacrifice Christ opened up the way for repentant sinners into the very presence of God Himself to receive from the throne of grace all of God's blessings for those in Christ (CP Eph 1:3; He 4:16; 10:19-22; 1Pe 1:3-9).
See also comments on Ro 3:24-26 (A); 4:1-5, 5:1 and 5:9-10.