Understanding 2 Corinthians 5:21 in Depth: Made Right by Grace

Context of 2 Corinthians 5:21

This verse comes near the end of Paul’s passionate explanation of Christian reconciliation, where he urges the Corinthians to see themselves and others through the lens of Christ’s work.

Paul is writing to a church struggling with division, pride in outward status, and distrust of his authority, and in this section, he emphasizes that through Christ, believers are made new and given a mission: to bring others back to God. He explains that God was at work in Christ to reconcile the world to Himself, no longer holding sins against people, and now He calls us to carry that message of peace and restoration. This is why Paul says we are 'ambassadors for Christ' - we represent God’s offer of forgiveness to a broken world.

With this foundation, verse 21 gives the powerful reason why reconciliation is possible: Jesus, who never sinned, took our sin so we could receive His righteousness.

The Meaning of 'Made Him to Be Sin'

This verse explains a central truth in the Bible: God treated Jesus as if He were sin itself, even though He never sinned, so that we could be treated as if we had God’s own righteousness.

The Greek word *hamartia*, translated 'sin,' often means 'sin offering' in priestly contexts - like in Leviticus where the sacrifice bears the people’s guilt. So when Paul says God 'made him to be sin,' he’s saying Jesus became the ultimate sin offering, absorbing the penalty we deserved. This is substitutionary atonement: Jesus took our place, bearing divine judgment, not merely serving as a moral example. The phrase 'who knew no sin' emphasizes Jesus’ unique purity - He lived a life completely free from rebellion against God, making Him the only one qualified to stand in our place.

On the other side, 'the righteousness of God' (*dikaiosynē theou*) doesn’t mean we earn moral perfection on our own. In Paul’s letters, especially Romans 3:21-22, this phrase means God’s way of making people right with Him - given freely through faith in Christ. Our performance is not the focus. Instead, we are clothed in Christ’s right standing, like being handed a perfect record we didn’t earn. This is often called 'imputation' - a theological term meaning something is credited to someone else’s account - and while some debate how exactly this works, Paul’s point is clear: our right relationship with God depends entirely on what Jesus did, not us.

Jesus, who had no sin, became sin for us - not by becoming a sinner, but by taking the weight of our rebellion so we could be made right with God.

This idea reshapes how we see ourselves and others. It cuts against any pride in status, morality, or religion - because if even our best efforts fall short, then only grace can save us. This fuels compassion: if God went to such lengths to reconcile us, we should carry that same message of peace to others, following Paul's example.

The Great Exchange: How Jesus Became Sin for Us

Building on the truth that Jesus became sin for us, this verse reveals a stunning identity swap: we give Him our sin, and He gives us His righteousness.

To the first readers, this idea was both shocking and comforting - how could a holy God treat the guilty as innocent? This is central to the gospel: Christ’s sacrifice reverses the damage for those who trust in Him, similar to how Adam’s sin affected all humanity. We are not pretending to be good. Instead, we are made truly new through an unearned gift.

In Christ, we trade our brokenness for His perfection - not because we earned it, but because God loves us.

This truth frees us from trying to prove ourselves and calls us to live in step with who we now are in Christ - holy, forgiven, and sent to share this same message of reconciliation with others.

The Righteousness of God Across the Storyline of Scripture

This truth in 2 Corinthians 5:21 isn’t isolated - it’s the climax of a story God began telling centuries earlier, especially in Isaiah 53 and Paul’s letter to the Romans.

Isaiah 53:4-6 says, 'Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows... the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.' These verses paint a picture of a suffering servant who takes on the people’s sin - not as punishment for His own failures, but as a substitute for many. When Paul writes that God 'made him to be sin,' he’s showing how Jesus fulfilled this ancient prophecy: the sinless one absorbed the weight of human rebellion so we could be set free.

Then in Romans 3:21-26, Paul picks up this thread again, declaring that God’s righteousness has now been revealed 'apart from the law,' through faith in Jesus. He calls Jesus a 'propitiation' - meaning He turned away God’s wrath by taking it on Himself - so that God can be both just and the one who justifies those who trust in Christ. This idea is not new in the New Testament. It is the fulfillment of God’s long-standing plan to restore sinners without compromising His holiness.

When we see this truth woven through Scripture, it changes how we live. Personally, it humbles us - no one earns this gift, so no one can look down on another. In church communities, it breaks down cliques based on morality, background, or status, because everyone comes to the same cross empty-handed. It also fuels mission: if God went to such lengths to reconcile us, we can’t help but share this hope with others. And in our neighborhoods, living out this grace means offering second chances, showing mercy, and standing with the broken - because that’s exactly where Christ met us.

God’s plan to make us righteous through Christ was never a backup plan - it was written into the story from the beginning.

This big-picture view of God’s righteousness should shape not only how we understand salvation, but how we treat people every day. As we grasp this exchange - our sin for His righteousness - we are led naturally into the next calling: living as ambassadors of this reconciliation, as Paul describes in the very next verses.

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