He Took Our Death Sentence

This passage is dedicated to the memory of Marcellus Williams (December 30, 1968 - September 24, 2024) and others whose innocent lives were taken through our legal system.

 "For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." - Romans 8:2 (KJV) Image: Unsplash Images

We live in a time in which Death holds more supremacy than life. Think about that.

Man's concept of Death serves as the ultimate exacting penalty for any committed crime. In America, there are mixed opinions about the justification of this measure, with some believing the act is unrelenting, unapologetic, and unorthodox. Some even think this sentence should come swiftly and without delay, making a form of Godliness out of their impatience to see the accused get what they deserve.

When Jesus faced Pontius Pilate in Luke 23:4, the Bible says that Pilate followed the letter of the Law in Caesar's time. The chief priests, consumed with idolizing Caesar, reiterated that according to Jewish Law, Jesus, an innocent man, was guilty of blasphemy and allegedly declaring himself a king. Pilate tried three times to recuse himself from the final sentencing, repeatedly stating that he "found no fault in him" and leaving the final decision to the Jews. Instead, the self-appointed jury demanded to see Barabus - convicted of robbery and other heinous crimes by the same legal system - freed and Jesus crucified.

Isaiah 53:3 explains the reason behind Jesus' Death on the cross of Calvary. "He was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes, we are healed."

But what difference does Jesus' Death make to my life? How can one man's Death possibly save me? I'm glad you asked. Let's break it down, shall we?

 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you." - James 4: 1-12 Image: Unsplash Images

Biblically, Death was never God's intention for man. In the beginning, man was created to live forever with God. Sin began in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve disobeyed a direct order from God. Therefore, our disobedience created a rift (separation) between eternity and humanity, and because of this, man was spiritually given the Death Penalty. Because of our choice to disobey, God, our creator and righteous judge, could not look at Man with the same compassion he had when he first created him, which broke his heart. (Yes, my friends. Our actions are capable of breaking God's heart) And anyone who has served time in prison knows that without an advocate or lawyer to plead our case, we will absolutely face execution.  

Look at Galatians 3:23—In this scripture, Jesus is described as "faith," and before he "came to us," we were governed by the Law and subject to its rules under God. Though God offered us grace for the revelation (or realization of) sin, we were still under the Law of disobedience for not repenting (asking for forgiveness and turning away from) sin. Remember, Jesus said that he did not come to change anything in his Father's Law but to fulfill God's Law. Under the Law, the penalty for sin is still Death. This scripture shows that the word Law is translated as a Penalty, and Death is translated as an Eternal Separation from God.

So, when we think back on the crucifixion, we may be wondering why Man was so afraid of Jesus that their only solution for getting rid of him was to advocate for his legal crucifixion.  

The answer: Matthew 10:34 says, "Think not that I came to send peace on Earth: I came not with peace but with a sword." Jesus served as a physical vehicle for God's judgment of man. He exposed man's most profound sins by telling the truth, and redemption and peace came through knowledge of the truth.

According to Galatians 3:24, most people are blind to their sins and lusts, which the Bible describes as being covetous—wanting what does not belong to or is not intended for us. To become free from sin, we must be willing to choose the love of Jesus over the lust of the things of this world. How?

John 3:16 says that Jesus came to Earth to remove the guilt we were stained with through his perfect sacrifice of Death. Jesus's sole mission on this Earth was to return man to God. He did this by separating true believers from those who practiced wickedness.  

Quite literally, by believing in Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, we are freed from the Law of sin and Death. To bring this point home, God's innocent and only son removed the stain of our sin and the penalty of Death that was attached to it from us and chose to wear it on our behalf. Jesus accepted our death penalty, so through our belief, trust, and faith in Jesus, we can live a life designed to be peaceful and victorious. Redemption, then, is translated as never being separated from God again.  

Nevertheless, Jesus' demonstration of God's love for us is not the crime he was sentenced for, or this world would have changed its heart and beliefs.

Though Jesus stands ready to serve as our advocate and is willing to plead our case, the final decision is yours. Will you accept the mark of Death or let Jesus' blood wash it away by choosing a life with him?

Scripture Reference: - Isaiah 53:5