atonement Archives - Marissa Henley

Our Savior Became Sin {No Matter What Monday}

March 26, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

As I stand at the bathroom sink fixing my hair and makeup in the morning, my dog often torments me by curling up in the empty space I just left in my bed. I long to return to that spot—I’m not a morning person—and it makes me crazy to see him lay his little white head on my pillow and doze off.

Most days, I wish I could trade places with him. His life seems so easy: sleep, eat, repeat. But then I remember that he eats the same thing every day and has to go outside to use the bathroom, even in frigid temperatures and thunderstorms.

As we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ this week, let’s remember that He is the One who traded places with us. Our Savior saw our hopeless condition—we were sinners who could not save ourselves. He humbled Himself to take our place on the cross, so that we might have a place with Him forever.

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Christ became sin for our sake. In this passage, Paul is talking about reconciliation—specifically, how sinners are reconciled to a holy God. Christ took the punishment for our sin so we could be reconciled to God. Paul says He “became sin,” receiving what our sin deserved.

Christ became sin even though He was sinless. If He had sinned even once, the punishment He received would be His own. Only a sinless Lamb could trade places with us and take our place on the cross.

Christ became sin so that in Him we might receive righteousness. My kids and I call it “The Great Swap.” On the cross, Christ took our place and received the punishment our sin deserved. In exchange, He gives us His perfect record of obedience–His righteousness. We receive what Christ has earned: right standing before a holy God and eternal life with Him.

This Great Swap is the good news of the Gospel: those who are in Christ look at the cross and see their debt fully paid, their sin forgiven, and the righteousness of Christ given to them.

No matter what you face this week, our sinless Savior became sin so sinners might receive His righteousness.

Jesus Christ is your Reconciling Savior {No Matter What Monday}

December 4, 2017 by Marissa Leave a Comment

I got my first credit card when I was in college. It was meant for emergencies only, but I became very relaxed with my definition of “emergency.” (Is being out to dinner with friends an emergency? What about not having something to wear to a special occasion?)

By the time I graduated, I racked up more than $1000 in credit card debt and had no way to pay it. The debt weighed on me—I felt the burden of it every day. Finally, I had to tell my fiancé that he was marrying into this debt. He was gracious about it, and we used wedding gifts to pay off the debt. But I regretted that I was starting married life with barely a clean financial slate and nothing positive to offer our financial situation.

Here’s what I love about the redeeming sacrifice Christ made for us: He didn’t just wipe the slate clean and leave us to prove ourselves to God on our own. He could have forgiven our debt, put us back at zero, and then let us earn our way into God’s favor. But that’s not what He did.

In His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus Christ did all that was necessary to fully reconcile us to God:

“For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” (Colossians 1:19–20)

We have peace with God because of the blood Christ shed on the cross. This is why the baby was born in the stable—to fix the devastation our sin caused in our relationship with God. These verses tell us that His redeeming sacrifice had the power to reconcile all things on earth or in heaven.

Because the fullness of God dwelled in Him, Jesus Christ has the power to reconcile you to God. You don’t need to worry about getting yourself on God’s positive side with your good works. Christ’s work has perfectly ushered you into a reconciled relationship with your Heavenly Father.

No matter what you face this week, Jesus Christ has fully reconciled you to God.

Jesus Christ is Your Redeeming Sacrifice {No Matter What Monday}

November 27, 2017 by Marissa Leave a Comment

The week after Thanksgiving, most of us fall into one of three groups: those who are feeling great about our Christmas preparation progress, those who are trying not to panic, and those who are blissfully optimistic that Santa and his elves will make, wrap, and deliver the perfect gifts for their loved ones on Christmas Eve.

When you’re buried neck-deep in shopping lists, tangled tiny lights, and wrapping paper, it’s easy to lose sight of why God the Son came to earth and was born in that Bethlehem stable.

I’ve got good news for you—He didn’t come just to give you more to do every December. For the next four weeks, we’ll dig into why Jesus came to earth and what He accomplished for us.

“The next day [John] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29)

In this verse, John the Baptist proclaims the reason the Son of God walked on earth—to be the Lamb of God who takes away our sin.

The Lamb of God lived the perfect life. God’s justice requires a perfect sacrifice—a spotless lamb without blemish. Jesus Christ perfectly obeyed His Father and met the standard of righteousness that we fail to reach.

The Lamb of God died for you. Romans 8:32 says, “God did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all.” After living the perfect life, Jesus Christ took the punishment for your sin as He suffered and died on the cross.

The Lamb of God rose again. First Corinthians 15:55 reminds us that the Lamb of God defeated death for us: “Oh death, where is your victory?” Jesus Christ rose again, proving His power to give eternal life to His redeemed people.

In His life, death, and resurrection, the Lamb of God accomplished all that was required for your redemption. He came with a mission, and He completed it. Now that’s a reason to rejoice as we prepare to celebrate His birth!

No matter what you face this week, Jesus came to be a redeeming sacrifice for you.

(Photo by Chad Madden on Unsplash)

The Work is Finished {No Matter What Monday}

July 31, 2017 by Marissa Leave a Comment

I’m a list-maker. Are you? If not, I’d love to hear how you function – I’d never survive without my lists! I’ve got my daily list, my weekly list, my monthly list, and my “someday” list. (It’s a rare, exciting day when I cross something off the someday list!) Making sharp little checkmarks next to completed tasks makes me smile.

If you find me curled up in bed with a book or plopped down in a recliner in front of the tv around 9pm, it means my list for that day boasts a lot of checkmarks. I don’t sit still unless the day’s essentials have been completed and the non-essentials bumped to the next day’s list.

So I find it fascinating that nine times in the New Testament, we read that Jesus Christ is seated at the Father’s right hand. Jesus lived and died for us. He rose again. Then He ascended to heaven, and when He got there, He sat.

“But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.” (Hebrews 10:12)

Christ’s sacrifice of Himself on the cross completed the work required by God for our salvation. He fully paid the debt we owed because of sin. Yes, there is work that God asks us to do as His redeemed people. But the work of salvation is finished. The sacrifice offered by the prefect Lamb of God was complete and sufficient.

Jesus Christ completed His mission, returned home to the Father’s side, and sat down. As we go about our tasks this week, whether we’re checking off a list or just doing the next thing, let’s joyfully remember that our Savior completed the most important work for us.

No matter what you face this week, remember that Christ’s work for your salvation is finished.