4月6日

標　　題： 神使祂負罪

經　　節： 神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在祂裡面成為神的義。（哥林多後書五章21節）

這句經文應該使我們顫驚。身為基督徒，我們為自己的救恩心存感激，也為被收養成為神的兒女感恩。然而，我們卻永遠不能理解，耶穌為我們的罪付上何等可怕的代價，叫我們的罪得赦免，並且將祂的公義賜給我們。讓神無罪的愛子，背負全人類所有的罪惡，是多麼令人憎惡的事？這是甚麼樣的愛，使天父眼睜睜地看著自己的獨子，在十字架上忍受極度的痛苦？

先知以賽亞概述人類的情況：「我們都像不潔淨的人；所有的義都像污穢的衣服。」（以賽亞書六十四：6上）就算是大祭司約書亞在神的百姓中被高舉，他在神面前仍是穿著污穢的衣服（撒迦利亞書三：3）。使徒保羅在神面前竭盡全力追求公義，最後發覺自己費力討神歡喜的結果，只不過是一堆廢物（腓立比書三：4∼10）。無論甚麼事，都不可能達到神對公義的標準，這是人類的困境。然而，恩典的奇跡是神脫去我們污穢的衣服，給我們換上華美的義袍（撒迦利亞書三：4）。在這令人敬畏的調換中，神把人類眾罪放在自己公義愛子的身上。耶穌被視為與我們的罪同等，聖經上說神使祂替我們成爲罪。神的聖子所付出的，不可能比這更多了！承受天父對祂所背負之罪的憤怒，比任何人對祂的厭棄與肉體的痛苦，要來得更難忍受。

永遠不要把天父所賜的公義視為理所當然，永遠不要輕看你罪得赦免的恩典。要以配得祂公義的態度行事為人。

He Made His to Be Sin

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

This verse should startle us and cause us to tremble. It is not a verse to be read quickly and passed over. As Christians we are grateful to be forgiven of our sins. We are thankful we have been adopted as God’s children. Yet we will never comprehend the awesome price that Jesus paid to cleanse us of our sin and to give us His righteousness. How abhorrent was it for the sinless Son of God to have every sin of humanity placed upon Him? What love was required for the Father to watch His only Son bear the excruciating pain of our sin upon the cross?

The prophet Isaiah summarized the human condition: “We are all like an unclean thing, / And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6). Even the high priest, Joshua, in his exalted position among God’s people, was clothed in filthy rags before God (Zech. 3:3). The apostle Paul, who labored arduously to be righteous before God, realized that his most strenuous efforts to please God were no more valuable than rubbish (Phil. 3:4–10). The plight of humanity is that nothing we could ever do could satisfy God’s desire for righteousness. But the miracle of God’s mercy is that God exchanges our “filthy rags” for “rich robes” of righteousness (Zech. 3:4).

In this awesome exchange, God placed the sin of humanity upon His righteous Son. Jesus became so identified with our sin that Scripture says God made Him to be sin on our behalf. The holy Son of God could not possibly do more for us than this! Experiencing the Father’s wrath upon the sin He carried would have been more painful to endure than any human rejection or physical suffering.

Never take the righteousness God has given you for granted. Never take the forgiveness of your sin lightly. It cost God a terrible price in order to forgive you and make you righteous. Walk in a manner worthy of the righteousness He has given you.