Bearer of Sins

While not an official name, “Bearer of Sins” is a title for Christ that offers great blessing when we dig into it! That Jesus bore our sin in the Cross is the entry point to salvation, but there is so much more!  No Christian ever matures beyond a daily need for Christ to bear our sins–for everything not of faith is sin.  No one can bear the weight of their own sin—or the sins of others.  Everyone needs the help of the “Bearer of Sins” — Jesus Christ.  Treasuring the title day-to-day actually grows us into the likeness of Christ.

Accountability for sin is a constant in Scripture.  Throughout the Old Testament laws, the phrase “he shall bear his iniquity” continually pops up.  Even the laws regarding the how the Priest was to handle sin offerings testify to the weight God puts on sin.  That accountability and responsibility did not go away in the New Testament: Now, Jesus does it all!

All through the Christian life, we deepen our understanding of the basics.  In the “ABCs” of salvation, admitting the sin nature is step one.  For many long-time Christians, the reality of being a ‘sinner’ dims after the initial confession.  It becomes an issue settled at the cross rather than a daily reality.  As the years go by and external obedience becomes easier, the magnitude of our sins diminishes—in our eyes only.  We become complacent with our way of life and tragically fail to place sins we are accountable for upon the Bearer of Sins. Those unintended weights bog us down!  prevents true life from reigning in us.

Embracing the joyful knowledge that Christ is our “Bearer of Sins” brings life to others and our selves.  It frees us to live with joy and abundance!!   The doubts and fears we allow to cloud our view of the Sovereign, Holy Father are sin.  The resentments we allow to grow and separate us from others are sin.  The prideful plans and assumption of individual rights we substitute for God’s plans are sins.  Only the Holy Spirit can illuminate the sins we protect in the deep recesses of our hearts.  Those are the sins we need to hand over to the “Bearer of Sins” that the Spirit can bring life—to others and us!

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.  Hebrews 9:28

The magnificence of Christ’s role as the “Bearer of Sins” grows bigger and more beautiful as we consider it.  Let us ask the Spirit to reveal our sins daily so we can rejoice in handing them over.  Life will burst forth!