HE HIMSELF BORE OUR SINS IN HIS BODY ON THE TREE, SO THAT WE MIGHT DIE TO SINS AND LIVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS; BY HIS WOUNDS YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED. FOR YOU WERE LIKE SHEEP GOING ASTRAY, BUT NOW YOU HAVE RETURNED TO THE SHEPHERD AND OVERSEER OF YOUR SOULS
(1 Peter 2:24-25).

“He Himself bore our sins, so that we might die to sins…”  These two actions are closely related.

Have you ever tried to get rid of a sinful action: the perpetual gossiping, the excessive boasting, and the continual pouting?  I have!  It did not work, until I found out that I could not die to sin without having Jesus bearing that sin.  Although Jesus already bore my sins on the cross a long time ago, I discovered that I had to personally invite Him to bear my sinful actions, along with the underlying beliefs that cause them, if I wanted to get rid of them.

EMBRACE YOUR SINS: Embrace means to accept something, readily.  First, instead of hiding from it or blaming it on others, take responsibility for your sinful actions. Study them closely. Why are you gossiping?  Why are you boasting?  Why are you pouting? What underlying belief from the father-of-lies is causing each of these sinful actions? Do you gossip because you feel unworthy?  Do you boast because you feel insignificant?  Do you pout because you feel forsaken?

EXPOSE YOUR SINS: Expose means to deprive from shelter and submit to a particular action or influence.  Whenever you want to get rid of sin, expose the sinful action and the underlying belief that causes it, to Jesus…to bear it for you.

EXCHANGE YOUR SINS: Exchanging is the act of giving or taking one thing in return for another.  By bearing your sin, Jesus does something with it. He takes the underlying belief that causes your sinful action, and exchanges it for His Truth. This deed of replacement, on the inside, eradicates your sinful action, on the outside.  You do not have to gossip anymore, because the belief “I am worthless” has been replaced with the belief “I am OK.” You do not have to boast anymore, because the belief “I am insignificant” has been exchanged for the belief “I measure up.” You do not have to pout anymore, because the belief “I have been forsaken” has been replaced with the belief “God knows me and is taking care of me.” This exchange happens in your heart the moment the Lord Jesus reveals His Truth to you through divine interaction.

GOD MADE HIM WHO HAD NO SIN TO BE SIN FOR US, SO THAT IN HIM WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD
(2 Corinthians 5:21).

How might your life change if you were to make EMBRACE, EXPOSE, and BE EXCHANGED part of your lifestyle?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I return to You as the Overseer of my soul. Today, I allow You to bear the negative, destructive beliefs from the father-of-lies that are causing my sinful actions and reactions. Thank you that You became sin for me, so that through embracing, exposing, and being exchanged, I might become the Righteousness of God.