Jesus is the only person who ever lived a perfect life, without sin. Not once did His behavior offend God the Father. With this perfection applied to His account, Jesus Christ entered into the most significant transaction in the history of the world.

He made a trade. Jesus gave up His perfection in trade for our sin. According to Romans 3:23, the result of sin is death. Jesus did not deserve to die. We DO deserve to die, to be separated from God for all eternity.

When Jesus said on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me," He was taking upon Himself the punishment for your imperfections and mine.

When Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished," He was reporting that the transaction had been done. "Jesus died for our sins," sounds so glib. But it is real.

This is Good News. Even better news is that Jesus rose from the dead. According to hundreds of eye witnesses, He came back to life, defeating the power of death.

Read the Gospel of John and the book of Acts of the Apostles and you will begin to understand that Jesus not only died for our sins, but Jesus rose again so that through His Holy Spirit he can live today inside of you, working His will through you.

Jesus is a gentleman, however. He does not force His will upon anybody. He waits for an invitation. Have you invited Him to release you from guilt and to live through you?

Richard Palmquist, June 2000