HE BECAME A SACRIFICE FOR US

When you show compassion to someone in need—whether they’re hungry, poor, or broken-hearted—you’re doing more than just being kind. You are, in a real way, stepping into their suffering. For example, if someone has no food and you give them what little you have, you’re taking their hunger upon yourself. If someone is in danger of death and you willingly take their place, you’re carrying their death so they can live.

This is exactly what Jesus Christ did for humanity.

We were all guilty before God. Because of our sin, we were destined for death (Romans 6:23). But Jesus—who was without sin (Hebrews 4:15)—willingly took our guilt, our sorrow, our punishment, and bore it upon Himself so that we could be free.

Isaiah 53:4–5
“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows… He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities…”

He became our substitute. To save us from dying, He had to die in our place. To deliver us from God’s judgment, He took the judgment Himself. This is the heart of the Gospel—the Doctrine of Substitutionary Atonement, where one innocent person bears the penalty for the guilty.

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

Grace through His Sacrifice

This act of love was purely by grace—not because we deserved it, but because He chose to show mercy.

2 Corinthians 8:9
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”

In divine justice, someone had to pay the penalty of sin. Either we would bear it ourselves eternally, or someone sinless had to carry it once and for all. That’s why Jesus had to suffer and die.

This connects with the Old Testament sacrificial system, where an innocent lamb was offered in place of the guilty (Leviticus 16). But those sacrifices were temporary. Jesus became the final Lamb, once for all.

John 1:29
“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

Victory over Death

Since Jesus carried our sin—and our sin deserves eternal punishment (Romans 6:23)—He should have remained under the grip of death. But because He Himself had no sin, He could not be held by death. He triumphed over sin, death, and hell.

Hebrews 9:28
“So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”

This is called the Doctrine of Resurrection Victory. His resurrection proved that the sacrifice was accepted by God, and that death had no final power over Him—or over anyone who believes in Him.

Romans 4:25
“[Jesus] was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”

Christ: From Sacrifice to Judge

Now imagine a man sentenced to life imprisonment, but someone else steps in, serves the sentence, and later you see that man walking free—and now he’s been made the Chief Judge of the nation. You would ask: What happened? Did he escape? No—he overcame the charges legally and was exalted.

That’s exactly what happened with Jesus. He bore our case, took our sentence, died, rose again, and was given all authority.

Matthew 28:18
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

He is not just our Savior now—He is also our Judge.

Acts 10:42
“And He commanded us to preach to the people… that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.”

But This Grace Is Not Automatic

Even though Jesus died for all, not all will be saved. Why? Because not all are willing to receive salvation. God has given every person the freedom to choose—life or death.

Deuteronomy 30:15
“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil.”

Jesus is the Light of the world, but many reject the Light because they love their sin. This is the Doctrine of Human Responsibility—we must respond in faith to the grace offered.

John 3:19–20
“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light… For everyone practicing evil hates the light.”

What Must You Do?

If you haven’t surrendered your life to Christ, now is the time. The first step is repentance—genuine sorrow for sin and a decision to turn away from it. The next is baptism, as commanded in Scripture:

Acts 2:38
“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

This is the new birth (John 3:3–5), where your sins are washed away, and the Holy Spirit comes to live in you to help you walk in holiness.

When you do this, your sins are no longer counted against you. Jesus includes you among those He has redeemed. You are delivered from the judgment that is coming soon upon the whole earth.

Jesus became the sacrifice for your sin. He carried your burden so you could be free. He rose again so you could live forever. Now, He is calling you to respond.

Choose Light. Choose Life. Choose Jesus.