Looking To The Cross | Day 21 | 2 Corinthians 5:21

In an exchange, one thing is taken, and another is given in its place.

I recently bought shoes online in the size that I always wear, but when I tried them on, they were too big. So, I needed to exchange them for the size that would fit. The store took the wrong size shoes and, in their place, gave me shoes in the correct size.

2 Corinthians 5:21 is a succinct summation of “the great exchange” of our salvation – our sin for the righteousness of God. I think we know well that our sin is taken away, but do we know that we have the righteousness of God in its place? To leverage our retail example, with emphasis only on Christ taking our sin, we would reduce salvation to be only a return instead of the fullness of the exchange that this verse proclaims it to be.

We are not only without sin (a return). We are also given the righteousness of God (an exchange). No retailer would ever forgive an infinite debt (our sin) and, in exchange for it, give what is of infinite value (God’s righteousness).

How can this be? It is a gift.

This is not something that any of us could earn, but Christ has earned for us. Both the taking of our sin and our receiving of God’s righteousness are entirely based on the atoning work of Christ on the cross and are offered to us as a two-tiered gift.

We receive both of these blessings in salvation owing to the fact that we have been joined to him. We are “in him.” Christ has done the work, and we receive the benefits. A glorious gift; freely given by grace alone, fully received through faith alone.