Jesus did not become a sinner; God made the sinless Christ to be sin for us as our substitute so believers receive His righteousness.
Les Feldick explains from 2 Corinthians 5:21 that the sinless Christ became sin on our behalf. God laid the sins of the whole human race on Him at the cross. Christ never sinned, even in thought, so God could impute our sin to Him and then credit His righteousness to believers. The result is that God now sees Christ when He looks at us.
2 Corinthians 5:21 — This is the verse Les Feldick uses to define what it means: God made the sinless Christ to be sin for us so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
Second Corinthians 5:21 states the doctrine directly: "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." The verse does not say Jesus became a sinner; it says God made him to be sin — an act of substitution on behalf of sinners. Galatians 1:4 shows that this was not involuntary: "Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father." Romans 8:3 explains how this was possible: "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." Romans 3:25 adds, "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." First John 2:2 declares the scope: "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." Ephesians 1:7 summarizes the result: "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace."
Les Feldick teaches that Jesus did not become a sinner, but He took the sinner's place. He says of the crucifixion: "He who knew no sin, became sin for us... God laid on Him the sins of the whole human race." Les emphasizes that the crucifixion was not beautiful; it was a curse, because God treated His Son as the bearer of the world's sin. Drawing on 2 Corinthians 5:21, Les explains the divine exchange: Christ was God, He was sinless, and He never committed a single sin, even in the thought processes. God imputed our sin to Christ and then credited Christ's righteousness to believers. Therefore God no longer sees the believer's identity or failures; He sees Christ. Les also teaches that Christ gave Himself voluntarily for our sins, came in the likeness of sinful flesh though He was the Creator, and is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world.
No. Les Feldick is emphatic that Christ was God and was sinless; He never committed a single sin, not even in His thought processes. Second Corinthians 5:21 says He knew no sin. What happened at the cross was imputation: God made the sinless One to be sin for us, in our place. He was treated as guilty, but He was not guilty.
Les explains it as God laying on Jesus the sins of the whole human race at the cross. Because Jesus was the sinless Creator who came in the likeness of sinful flesh, His blood could be the propitiation for our sins. Les says the crucifixion was a curse because God treated His own Son as the sin-bearer. First John 2:2 extends that work to the whole world.
Because Christ became sin for us, believers are made the righteousness of God in Him. Les says God now looks at the believer and sees Christ, not the believer's sin. Christ gave Himself for our sins to deliver us from this present evil world, and through His blood believers have redemption and the forgiveness of sins.
Christ's Voluntary Offering
Les Feldick shows from Galatians 1:4 that Jesus Christ gave Himself for our sins willingly; He was not forced to go to the cross.
God Laid the World's Sins on Jesus
Les says the sinless Christ became sin for us and that God laid the sins of the whole human race on Him at the cross, making the crucifixion a curse.
The Great Exchange
Les explains that because Christ never sinned, even in thought, God could impute our sin to Him and credit His righteousness to believers, so God now sees Christ when He looks at them.
Redemption and Forgiveness
Les connects Christ giving Himself for our sins with redemption through His blood and forgiveness of sins, quoting Galatians 1:4 and Ephesians 1:7.
Propitiation Through Faith in Blood
Les teaches from Romans 3:23-25 that God set forth Christ as a propitiation through faith in His blood.
Likeness of Sinful Flesh
Les marvels that the Creator God Himself came in the likeness of sinful flesh, yet without sin, in order to condemn sin in the flesh.
Jesus, the Sin-Bearer
Les explains that Jesus is the name of His humanity, and it is Jesus upon whom the sins of the world were laid.
Propitiation for the Whole World
Les teaches that Jesus is the propitiation for our sins and not only ours, but also for the sins of the whole world, using 1 John 2:2.
2 Corinthians 5:21: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
The central verse for this question — God made the sinless Christ to be sin for us.
Galatians 1:4: Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
Shows Christ's death was voluntary and purposeful — He gave Himself for our sins.
Romans 3:25: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
God's purpose in the cross: Christ is the propitiation through faith in His blood.
Romans 8:3: For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin in the flesh.
1 John 2:2: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Christ's atoning work is not limited — it covers the whole world.
Ephesians 1:7: In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
The result of Christ's substitution: redemption and forgiveness through His blood.
No. Les Feldick is clear from 2 Corinthians 5:21 that Jesus knew no sin and never sinned, even in His thought processes. He became sin for us in the sense that God laid the sins of the world on Him as our substitute.
It means God treated Christ as the sin-bearer. God imputed our sins to Him, and He took our place. In exchange, God imputes Christ's righteousness to believers, so the Father sees Christ when He looks at them.
The crucifixion was a curse because God laid on Him the sins of the whole human race. His blood is the propitiation for our sins, and through it believers have redemption and the forgiveness of sins.
Watch the Teaching: Not Under Law, Under Grace — Galatians 1 Explained Verse by Verse