There’s absolutely no need for you or anyone else to go to hell! This is the message of the Cross: The Lord Jesus suffered and endured the pain and shame of the Cross, not because of His sins or for Himself, but for us. He took our place and bore the punishment for sin on our behalf. While on the Cross, bearing the burden of our sins, He cried out in anguish, “…My God, my God, why have you deserted me?” (Mark 15:34 CEV).
Habakkuk 1:13 tells us that God is holy and doesn’t look at iniquity. That’s why God turned His back on Jesus because our sins were laid on Him. Jesus never wanted the separation from the Father as a result of our sins on Him; it’s the reason He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39). Yet, the Father’s will prevailed: Jesus died on the Cross and descended into hell.
Upon taking all the punishment that was necessary, the Bible says Jesus was justified in the Spirit (1 Timothy 3:16) and was raised back to life. He was raised to life for our justification: “Who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification” (Romans 4:25). To be justified means to be acquitted of guilt, to be declared righteous. He was our substitute in death as well as our substitute in resurrection. When He died, you died with
Him; when He was buried, you were buried with Him. When God raised Him from the dead, you were also raised together with Him in newness of life!
Now, you’re sin-free, at complete liberty to serve the Lord and live for Him in glory and righteousness. You’ve become not just righteous, but also the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Such a blessed reality!
Prayer
The Word of God is the light of my life, and by the Word, I see and take hold of my righteousness and inheritance in Christ, walking in holiness and manifesting the glory of God everywhere. Now I stand justified forever in God’s presence, with dominion over sin and circumstances, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
