Take Your Sin to Christ

Believers hear the voice of Christ calling them to come to him with their burdens (Matt. 11:28). So they come to him and lay their guilt upon him. They lay down their sins at the cross of Christ and he bears them on his shoulders. They stand at the cross and say, ‘He was bruised for my sins, and wounded for my transgressions, and the chastisement of my peace was upon him. He was made sin for me. So he is able to bear my sins. He calls me to lay the burden of them on him.’ This is the believer’s daily work. This is what it means to know Christ crucified.

There is nothing that Jesus Christ is more delighted with than that his saints should always hold communion with him by giving him their sins and receiving his righteousness. This greatly honors him and gives him the glory that is his due. What great dishonor we do to Christ to try and get rid of our sins in any other way. ‘Lord, this is your work. This is what you came into the world to do. You call for my burden which is too heavy for me to carry. Take it, blessed Redeemer, and give me your righteousness.’ Then Christ is honored. The glory of his mediation is given to him when we walk with him in this way.

-John Owen, Communion with God (Banner of Truth, 144-45).