What Else Happened on Good Friday?
"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)
This verse talks about two transactions: (1) believers' sins are placed (imputed) on Crist, and He pays the total penalty due in full, and (2) then His righteousness is placed (imputed) on them and they are rewarded for it!
This process is sometimes called the "Great Exchange."
It's like I bundled up in a trash bag all my garbage - my sin and guilt, sadness, brokenness, disappointments and hurts and all the other negatives stuff I have accumulated and hoarded over the years - and handed that bag to Christ.
He took that bag from my hands and presented me with a treasure chest - a chest full of priceless jewels: forgiveness, cleansing, hope and joy, meaning and purpose - a limitless overflowing supply to last me for all eternity! - and a place in God's family where I could be with Him forever!
Exchanging my garbage for His treasure chest is the best deal in the universe! How could anyone ever turn that deal down?
Our Lord's prefect righteousness is like a glorious mantel that covers all our imperfections and gives us the right to be His children!
Isaiah said it this way: "He has clothed me with the garments of salvation. He has covered me with the robes of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:10).
In other words: God treated Christ as if He had sinned all my sins, so He could treat me as if I ever sinned at all!
Christ took all the abuse I deserved, so God could give me that royal treatment He deserved!
It is, any way you look at it, amazing grace!
(To 'impute' is a legal term. It means to legally transfer ownership of something from one person to another. The noun is 'imputation.')
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