To be sin for us
What does it mean that God made Jesus to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21)?
Second Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Here, Paul articulates the doctrine of substitutionary atonement. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, took our sins upon Himself so that we, through faith, might receive the righteousness of God.
In Scripture, Jesus is consistently described as being without sin. Hebrews 4:15 says that He “was tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” Jesus’ sinlessness is foundational because, as the perfect Lamb of God, He was the only one qualified to become the sacrifice for our sins (John 1:29). If Jesus had any sin of His own, He would have been disqualified from bearing the sins of the world. As it is, His perfect life means He could stand in our place as the blameless sacrifice. This is why Paul emphasizes that Christ “had no sin” in 2 Corinthians 5:21.
But what does it mean that God “made him to be sin”? It is important to note that this does not mean that Jesus became sinful or committed sin. What it does mean is that God treated Jesus as if He were sin itself, pouring out His wrath and judgment upon Him as the substitute for humanity. Isaiah 53:6 prophesied this: “The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” On the cross, Jesus bore the total weight of God’s wrath against sin. He was “punished . . . stricken . . . afflicted . . . pierced . . . crushed” (Isaiah 53:4–5). He experienced the penalty of sin, though He was without sin. The only Holy One was treated as if He were the only guilty one.
Because Jesus was made to be sin for us, “in him we might become the righteousness of God.” This touches on the doctrine of imputation. Our sin was imputed, or credited, to Jesus, while His righteousness was imputed to us. This is the great exchange: Jesus receives our sin, and we receive His righteousness in return. His imputed righteousness is not something we earn or achieve; it is a gift received through faith. Paul writes in Philippians 3:9, “Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”
To become “the righteousness of God” means that we are declared righteous in God’s sight. We are justified, not based on our own merits, but because of Christ’s finished work. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Through faith in Jesus, we are no longer condemned as sinners. God considers us righteous because the perfect righteousness of Christ has been credited to us. Our whole identity has changed. We have gone from being dead in sin to being alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:4–5).
This great exchange of our sin for Christ’s righteousness goes beyond legal standing; it transforms our lives. When we receive Christ’s righteousness, we are not only declared righteous, but we also begin to live out this righteousness. Paul explains in Ephesians 4:22–24 that we are to “put off your old self” and “put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” In other words, becoming the righteousness of God is more than a one-time declaration; it is an ongoing process. This is what we call sanctification, the process by which the Holy Spirit works in us to make us more like Christ.
Our transformation ultimately reflects God’s grace. Second Corinthians 5:21 shows that our salvation is entirely God’s work. We did nothing to deserve it, yet God in His infinite love provided a way for us to be reconciled to Him through the sacrifice of His Son. Romans 5:8 sums up: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This loving grace should inspire gratitude and worship, knowing that Jesus bore the punishment we deserved so that we might live in the freedom of His righteousness.
