who was delivered for of our transgressions, and was raised for our justification.
Truth to Learn
Salvation is only through faith in the sacrificial death and bodily resurrection of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.
Behind the Words
“Delivered” is translated from paradidōmi, which is made up of para, meaning “beside, to the side of, or over to” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” Hence, it means “to give over to” or “to surrender to.”
The word “transgressions” is from paraptōma, which is derived from parapiptō, meaning “to fall by the side” or “to slip-up.”
“Justification” is from the word dikaiōsis, from the verb dikaioō, which means “to justify” or “to declare righteous.”
Meaning Explained
Abraham believed that God would raise up a son from the deadness of his own body and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. Abraham also believed that God would raise Isaac again from the dead after he was to offer him as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah (see Genesis 22:1-19). In the same way we are to believe that God raised Jesus from the dead and that he will raise us from the dead unto eternal life. Though it is different subject matter in each case, it is still faith that God responds to with His declaration of righteousness.
We are not to believe in just anything. It’s not just blind faith in “a deity” or simply believing that there is a God. In order for us to be declared righteous by God, we have to believe in what He tells us about ourselves and about Jesus. We are sinners, and we deserve the punishment of Hell for our sins; therefore, we need salvation that we can’t provide for ourselves. The worst part of the punishment of Hell is not the torment of the fire; rather, it is the separation from God, the inability to fellowship with Him, the fact that He has sentenced us to a place of loneliness and emptiness. That’s the real agony Hell induces.
As Paul states in this verse, Jesus was delivered for our transgressions. Jesus took on our transgressions and suffered our punishment for us. We must believe this. While Jesus was hanging on the cross, there was darkness for three hours. Toward the end of this time of darkness, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Why? It was during these three hours that Jesus was separated from God the Father for the only time ever. It was during this time that Jesus suffered the loneliness of Hell for us. It was during this time that He suffered in our place and paid the penalty for our sins!
Paul then states that He was raised for our justification. We are justified because Jesus was raised from the dead by the power of God. This is according to His promise just as Isaac was raised from the deadness of Abraham and of Sarah’s womb, and Isaac would have been raised from the dead if Abraham had been allowed to sacrifice him on Mount Moriah. Because we believe in the resurrection of Christ and believe God’s promise that He will raise us up to eternal life, He has imputed righteousness to us and has given us the seal of the Holy Spirit to keep until He fulfills His promise.
Application
Paul has been teaching us that eternally secure salvation is by the grace of God through faith and faith alone. Hallelujah!
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved