The video above will help you understand the fullness of what Jesus accomplished for you on the cross.
Special Note: After watching this video, listen to “Who You Say We Are” by Steven Curtis Chapman!
And that great exchange that happened on the cross was that our record of wickedness was transferred to Christ and his record of righteousness was transferred to us. Okay? Justification has both of those things in mind. Justification is that by which we are both declared innocent even though we’re guilty and treated excellent even though we’re unworthy.
It’s both of those things. And we must understand that it’s both—that the transfer of our sins to Jesus is only part of what happens on the cross. Then there is the transfer of his righteousness—his perfection before God—to us, his rights and his privileges given to us.
“God made him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB).
To recognize only the removal of sins, as many people do, is to only half be saved by grace.
That’s only half of the picture.
See, a lot of Christians think this way. They think, “Okay, there’s a slate, you know, and the slate’s been wiped clean. Praise the Lord! Thank you, Jesus!” And that’s true. Right? There’s a slate—a record of my sins (Revelation 20:12). And the slate has been wiped clean (Colossians 2:13-14)! Thank you, Jesus! “And so now,” we think, “I get a second chance.” What could a second chance and a clean slate mean other than, “Well, I better fill the slate up with good things!”
That is not Christianity! That is the idea of how to be a “good Christian” and other religious nonsense. Christianity is not “the slate was wiped clean, now you better fill it up with good things.” No! It’s that the flipping slate was nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:13-14), taken out of the way, moved as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12), buried in the deepest sea (Micah 7:19). It is no more (John 19:30). And then the perfect record of Christ’s life and standing is given to us, so that when we get to heaven, it’s not like we’re just gonna barely slide in.
See? That’s how a lot of Christians live their life. They’re like, “Yeah, I’m saved. I don’t think God’s gonna abandon me, but I’m just barely gonna slide in there.”
Like Peter’s gonna be at the gate and be like, “Oh, you? Wow! Jesus, really? I mean, this guy?” And the Lord’s gonna be like, “Yeah, I know but yeah let him in.” You’re just gonna kinda slide in by the hair of your chinny chin chin.
Listen, that is not how it’ll work.
God only identifies you as being in his holy, perfect, righteous Son, so that when you arrive at heaven, you are a hero because Christ is the hero of everything, and you are in him, so that the Father treats you how he treats his perfect and righteous Son! So that when you get to heaven, it is not begrudgingly, it is in the midst of a party, and a celebration, and running to the Father’s arms in perfect love (Luke 15:20-24)!
That is the only way. That is the only way to understand the gospel is that because we are now in Christ, everything that is true about Christ is true about us.
Most poignantly, God loves you like he loves his Son. Jesus is the one who said that in John 17:23. He said, “Father, let the world know that you have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:23, paraphrased).
So, we’re able to stop thinking about God as a boss. Right?
We don’t see the law as 613 items in a job description, and if we’re doing good at the job description, then our boss might be kinda happy with us. If we’re doing poorly, then he’s sad with us. No, no, no.
He’s a father who’s just, like, silly enamored with you because you’re in Christ (1 John 3:1).
You ever seen a new dad with a new baby, especially a little girl? Just silly! Just oooo! Because you are in Christ!
Now, the job of the Holy Spirit, then, the job of the Holy Spirit, is to make these doctrinal truths real and experienced in our lives—felt in our lives.