(2 Cor 5:21 NLT) 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.
This morning we continue our new series entitled, “Re-Energizing Your Prayer Life.” Many today struggle with overcoming the feeling that they are not worthy to come before the Father directly in prayer. Some feel like they are simply too sinful, like they have made too many mistakes in the past, and like they have no “right” to stand before God to make any requests or petitions whatsoever. First of all, we are not called to walk by feelings; we are commanded to walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7). If I only wrote Today’s Word when I felt like it, then you would only get a couple of messages a week. If I only prayed when I felt like it, then my prayer life would be hit and miss. Our feelings are conditional, but our position in Christ is NOT! But let me address the unworthy-factor up front. If you feel like you are unworthy, get over it. We are ALL unworthy. None of us can stand before God based upon our own righteousness. Isaiah said, “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind” (Isaiah 64:6). If I had to count on my righteousness to stand before God I could never do it, but thank God for Jesus.
Paul said, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” No question. That’s the truth. No human outside of Jesus has ever walked the planet sinless. We all have our failures and flaws and Paul points that out, but I am thankful that Paul did not stop there. Paul went on to say, “Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous.” Did you catch that? It’s not that we are righteous in and of ourselves, but those of us who have put on Christ are DECLARED righteous. Paul continues, “He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood.” I was not born right, but I was MADE right when I accepted Jesus as my Lord. The same happened to you. Paul continues, “God did this to demonstrate His righteousness, for He Himself is fair and just, and He declares sinners to be right in His sight when they believe in Jesus” (see Romans 3:23-36). You and I were sinners, but we are declared RIGHT in God’s sight when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth Paul said, “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.” Another translation says that Jesus was made sin for us in order for us to be made the “Righteousness of God in Him.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Jesus, who was completely righteous, clothed Himself in our sin, so that we, who were completely sinful, could clothe ourselves in righteousness!
2. We have a right to pray directly to the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus, because we have been declared Righteous in HIM!
3. We were born sinners, but we were made righteous when we accepted Jesus as Lord.
4. Our right standing with God enables us to come boldly before His throne, so we can find the grace to help in the time of need.
Closing Confession: Father, I will never cease to thank You for Jesus. Jesus willingly died in my stead. Jesus, who was completely righteous, clothed Himself in my sin, so that I, who was once completely sinful, could clothe myself in His righteousness. I receive that righteousness; I believe it, and I walk in the newness of the life that Christ Jesus died to give me. I may have been born a sinner, but I was Born-Again as the righteousness of God in Christ. I am right with You Father and my right standing enables me to pray with confidence, boldness, humility, and peace. I will never be worthy of anything in and of myself, but thankfully I don’t’ have to approach Your throne in my own name. I pray to You, in the name of Jesus, and You hear me every time. I declare this by faith. In Jesus‘ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
