Thursday, October 15, 2009
John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
Romans 5:15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
THE LAMB CARRIES THE SINS OF ALL THE WORLD
We hear that all of us have been plunged into sin by the devil, but that the Lamb leads all of us out. That people do not believe is not due to any insufficiency of the Lord Christ, but the fault is mine. If I do not believe it, I remain in my condemnation. I must simply say that the Lamb of God has taken away the sins of the world and that I have been earnestly enjoined to believe and confess this, nay, to die on this fact.
But, you may say: Who knows whether He also bears my sin? I do indeed believe that He took away the sins of St. Peter, St. Paul, and other saints; they were pious people. Now if I, too, were St. Peter or St. Paul--Do you, then, not hear what St. John says at this place: "This is the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world"? Surely, you cannot deny that you are a part of the world of human beings; for you were born of a man and a woman, you are not a cow or a hog. In consequence, your sins must certainly be included (in Christ's burden) as well as those of St. Peter or St. Paul.
And you are not able to atone for your sin any more than these have been able to atone for their sin. No one is excepted here. Therefore do not follow your own ideas, but cling to the Word that promises you forgiveness of sins through the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world--if a many will only believe it.
Do you hear? There is not insufficiency in the Lamb. It bears all sins from the very beginning of the world. Therefore it must bear yours too, and offer you grace.
--Martin Luther
By grace God's Son, our only Savior,
Came down to earth to bear our sin.
Was it because of your own merit
That Jesus died your soul to win?
No, it was grace, and grace alone,
That brought Him from His heavenly throne.
(Lutheran Service Book, 566:3)
