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"The Great Exchange"

Most Christians do not fully realize what Jesus' sacrifice and what He did in the following days after His Crucifixion, have on them. We need to see the fullness of what was provided for us. A great exchange took place on Calvary. Let's look at 2 Corinth. 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." Notice, He, Jesus, was made sin for us! The perfect, sinless, Son of God became sin! It also says that He knew no sin. Well, whose sin was He made to be sin with? OURS! He took our sin unto Himself on the cross and became our sin! Praise God! But, look at what else 2 Corinth. 5:21 says, "... that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." Not that we might earn the righteousness of God in Him, but that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Whose righteousness were we made righteous with? Jesus'! Can you see the exchange here?

We didn't earn righteousness, we didn't even deserve it, but we have been made righteous because of Jesus! An exchange took place! Notice this exchange in action in 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." Notice, all of these things He bore for us are ours! We then received something in exchange that was His. For grief we received joy (Nehemiah 8:10), for sorrow, rejoicing, for transgression, forgiveness and cleansing, for sin and iniquities, the righteousness (or rightstanding) of God in Him! For sickness we received health!