The Passion of Christ - Part 2

"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Cor 5:21

What is worse in God's eyes, murder or adultery? Perhaps stealing is more grave than gossip? Lying must be worse than talking back to your parents. Surely God is going to punish Adolf Hitler more than Dr. Kavorkian.

To the fallen being in a fallen world, sin comes in varying degrees of severity. Child abuse or rape are repugnant and in almost all cases (Note I said almost) the perpetrator of these sins is considered irredeemable to society. Whereas the ladies at church who gossip about the pastor's wife or offer an insincere welcome to the single mother at the new member's supper are considered minor offenders who "momentarily" stumbled. Most believe God will judge Ted Bundy and Jeffery Dahmer with unrelenting power and will give the silver haired grandmother a supernatural "slap on the wrist."

The Bible has a different take on the severity and ranking of sin. God, in his infinite perfection, I believe sees all sin equally for what it is, sin. To him whether the sin is incest or shop lifting, abortion or a "white lie, it is equally damning. It is so serious to Him that he sacrificed his only Son for every sin of mankind past present and future.

It is so difficult to understand the "weight of sin" that Jesus experienced. Isaiah said "he was crushed for our iniquities" Is 53:5 Jesus was literally crushed under the weight of the murder of six million Jews at the hands of Nazi Germany, the idol worship of the Jews at the foot of Mt. Sinai, and for the times when we lied to our parents to avoid a spanking. All sin; sin for every human being who died, who lives, and who is yet to be born. Jesus took the punishment and death on the cross, for Chinese and Germans, black and white, atheists and witches so that all of us may be made "sinless" before God.

He loves the world so much that He, who never sinned, "became sin." Jesus became the motivation for murder and torture, the prompting of a father to leave his family, and for a priest to molest a little boy. Jesus became sin without ever having a sinful thought in his life! And the weight and pressure he underwent "crushed" his spirit.

As we prayerfully consider the depth of Jesus' love and sacrifice on Calvary, remember how foreign sin was to Jesus and how much he loved us for enduring the tremendous weight of our wretchedness.

My prayer. Forgive me Lord for my nonchalant attitude toward. Forgive for ever thinking that if I didn't get caught, I was innocent. Forgive all my trespasses and give me the courage to follow your example of forgiveness toward others. I love you Lord and thank you so much for the unbelievable outpouring of your love on me. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!