By Authrine Dryden
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT
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(Liam is struggling with the concept of grace. His friend Sarah looks to help before Pastor James joins them.)
Liam: (sighs) I don’t get it, Sarah. I’ve made so many mistakes, but Pastor James says I’m forgiven just like that. It doesn’t seem fair.
Sarah: Exactly – It’s called grace. We’re used to thinking we need to pay for everything ourselves. But Jesus didn’t just cancel your debt; He paid it for you.
Liam: But… it’s my mess. It doesn’t feel right to just hand it to Him.
Sarah: He took on your wrongs to make you right. It’s not about fairness but His love. He wants you to let go and accept His peace.
Pastor James: Mind if I join?
Liam: Please. I’m struggling to understand… why Jesus would take my punishment. It feels unjust.
Pastor James: It is. Grace doesn’t follow our idea of fairness. Jesus didn’t ignore your sins—He took the consequences on Himself out of love, to bring you close to God.
Liam: (quietly) So… I just accept it?
Pastor James: Yes. It’s not about earning it, Liam; it’s about believing you’re worth it to Him.
(Liam nods, beginning to understand the gift he’s been given.)
As Jesus stood before the crowd, mocked, and scorned, Pontius Pilate presented Him with the words: “Behold, the man!” The crowd cried, “Crucify him!” (John 19:6). Their voices demanded His death, and though He was innocent, Jesus did not resist. He stood silently, accepting the sentence meant for another. Jesus, sinless and pure, would bear the weight of a punishment He did not deserve.
This exchange, akin to the above scenario, defied reason. It went against everything we know about justice. We expect people to pay for their wrongs and bear their burdens. But Jesus was there to make a trade. He took on humanity’s guilt, our brokenness, our sins—so we could walk free. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Think about the depth of that exchange: He took on all the wrong we’ve done to be seen as right in God’s eyes (As with Liam). Not because we earned or deserved it but because He loves us that much. As Romans 5:6 reminds us, “While we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly.” This wasn’t about fairness. It was about love beyond comprehension—a love willing to take the unjust path to bring us into wholeness.
So, here we are, on the receiving end of this “unfair exchange.” Jesus took our punishment and shame and gave us His peace and righteousness in return. We do not need to carry guilt or prove ourselves to God. Instead, we’re called to accept what He has done and let that truth change us. This grace defies logic, surpasses justice, and changes everything. It is a gift, an invitation, and a declaration that we are deeply loved.
Ask: How does Jesus taking on your sins change your understanding of God’s love?
Seek: In what areas of your life do you need to seek a deeper acceptance of God’s grace?
Knock: How can you share this gift of grace and forgiveness with others?
