Jesus Bore Our Sins Away

What Did Jesus Do?

Jesus Bore Our Sins Away

“He bore the sins of many,

and makes intercession for the transgressors”

                                                                        Isaiah 53:12

Yep, no doubt about it, Jesus compassionately ministered to people’s infirmities, pains, and suffering.  He even offered it as evidence to the disciples of John the Baptist when they came to inquire on behalf of their master, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3):

            “Go and tell John…the blind receive their sight and the lame walk,

            lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up,

            and the poor have good news preached to them.” (Matthew 11:4-5)

BUT, make no mistake, Christ came to deal with our sins, to bear them away “as far as east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12).  And the Lord’s ceaseless intercession is on behalf of transgressors (that is, sinners), not folks with problems in need of therapy.  If therapy was all that we need, there would have been no cross, only a physician’s exam table and an analyst’s couch. 

The problem is, there are a lot of people proclaiming what amounts to a “therapeutic gospel.”  There are preachers all too willing to talk about the symptomatic suffering (be it physical, mental, emotional, maybe even spiritual) we all experience, and offer us relief by way of affirmation and encouragement.  But there are fewer and fewer pulpits where the matter of sin is openly put before the people, and our utter wretchedness and wickedness exposed.   At best, people may come away with their hearts strengthened for a time, but what we really need is a heart transplant!  That’s not therapy, that’s radical spiritual surgery.  What we need is not help “fixing” what’s wrong with us, or “repair” of what’s broken; we need to die! Die to sin.

The only place where this radical surgery can take place is the cross, and only those who come confessing their sins and abjectly repenting of them can hope for and count on the forgiveness purchased by the blood of Christ.  The best therapists can offer is a “makeover,” a clean up,  an aspirin or a band-aid.  What we need is not cosmetic improvement and symptomatic relief, but rather to become wholly new creations as our root problem (Sin) is admitted and surrendered to the Lord.

Pain-relieving therapy may help us when we complain of headaches.  But if the headaches are caused by a tumor which, if undiagnosed and untreated will kill us, how much does the therapy really help us?  In like manner, the Gospel of Jesus Christ refuses to stop at addressing our symptoms, our complaints, but pours divine light upon the deep and deadly reality of sin.  Jesus while he relieves our pain, did not come to be a pain-reliever, but the one who alone could bear away that which causes all pain and suffering—the sins of the world.  Jesus is not “Curer” and Lord, but Savior and Lord!

Christ IS All!