Soul pollution ∙

Soul pollution ∙

John saw Jesus coming to him and said, Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! – John 1:29

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

1 John 3:5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him.

Pollution has become one of the scourges of the 21st century. One major area of concern is the dwindling abundance of clean, pure drinking water.

One obvious source of drinking water is rain and snow. But stormwater becomes polluted with toxic metals, organic pollutants, and pesticides as it runs through streets and gutters. Urban underground wastewater has historically been written off as a water supply because of toxic pollution.

Enter “sustainable sand.” UC Berkeley engineers have developed a mineral-coated sand that can soak up toxic metals like lead and cadmium from water. It can also destroy organic pollutants and pesticides.

Sand coated with naturally occurring minerals reacts with toxic metals and organic contaminants. It removes harmful them during filtration.

Urban stormwater purified by sustainable sand could get much-needed pure water back into the ground. It could then be conveyed to underground aquifers.

As toxic chemicals and metals pollute our world, human sin pollutes our hearts, souls, and spirits. Is there a sustainable solution to remove human impurities? Yes indeed, the Father has provided His sustainable Son.

The Father took the sins of the whole world and, on the cross, piled them on the back of Jesus Christ, the one person who had never committed a single sin. Jesus took our punishment so that we might receive His righteousness (Stanley).

REFLECT & PRAY

Because of the sustainable Son, sin pollution is no longer an issue for children of the King.

Father thank You that you made it possible to remove the pollution that is toxic to my soul. You not only removed it, but You also replaced it with Your own righteousness.

INSIGHT

The Father provided a remarkable, marvelous means of removing soul pollution. His system involves a simple exchange. In essence, He takes our sin and unrighteousness from us, and removes them from us forever. In exchange, we receive the righteousness of the Father God.

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

Because the Lord Jesus Christ was totally without sin, He had no personal sin problem to overcome and resolve. In the Father’s mind, this made Him eligible to be our sin-bearer. He was able to take our toxic sin upon Himself.

Somehow or another He became sin. Did the Lord Jesus Christ actually become sin? Yes, that is what the Scriptures say. Rather than trying to explain how He became sin; the Scriptures simply state that He did. It is virtually beyond our comprehension.

Somehow, in some way, the Lord Jesus Christ identified with sinful humanity. One African language translates suffer this verse “God caused him to enter the ranks of sinners in our place” (UBS).

Christ becomes a transgressor through an act of substitution. A real transfer of sin and curse to Christ was essential. Christ must truly become polluted . . . A real death was necessary to put real distance between saved Christians and the power of sin (McLean).

Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.

Sin is a violation of the Father’s law. When the law of God is broken, the outcome is a curse. In this sense, a curse is great trouble, harm, or condemnation. Because of our sin, we are cursed and condemned to suffer the consequences.

To remedy this, the Lord Jesus Christ took our place and became a curse for us. As a result, we are no longer under the curse. We are redeemed.

When the Lord Jesus Christ became sin for us, we are no longer impure and condemned by our sin. Instead we are now justified, declared righteous.

The Lord Jesus Christ died as our substitute, our stand-in, “in our place.” The sum total of human sin and its consequences were laid upon Him. In exchange, when children of the King receive Him as their Savior, His righteousness becomes our righteousness. We do not merely have righteousness from God,we are the righteousness of God.

Now that’s not only a sustainable solution but an eternal solution for soul pollution.

The reality of imputed righteousness is a deep, mysterious, wonderful theological truth. It is the fulfillment of the messianic prophecy of Isaiah 53.

Isaiah 53:10-12

 10 But it was the LORD’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. His life is made an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

 11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their iniquities.

 12 . . . because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for transgressors.

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