Devotionals by Raul Ries

SATURDAY September 19, 2026

Bearing the Burden of Sin

...who Himself [Jesus] bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed
1 Peter 2:24

Jesus’ substitutionary atonement paid the price for our sin. Peter explained the Lord’s sacrifice this way: ...who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree.... He used the word tree here referring to the Cross of Jesus Christ. This is the place where Jesus bore the burden of our sin. Sin was such a burden to Him because He knew no sin: “Who committed no sin...” (I Peter 2:22). Yet He chose to take upon Himself the sins of the whole world! Imagine the heavy burden of sin that He carried on His body for all of us on that Cross.

Notice the overcoming power that conquers sin in our lives: ...that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness––What does the word died mean in this verse? It literally means “to be separated.” Believers in Christ are never to go back to being dominated by their old nature. We have a new nature and a new spiritual life.

...by whose stripes you have been healed is a reference to the terrible scars Jesus received during the Roman scourging, as well as the scars in His hands and feet as they were nailed to the Cross, not forgetting the wound to His side. Our spiritual healing came through the agony of the Son of Man who died for us. This fact should touch the heart of every man, woman and child.

Jesus also continues to touch our lives physically. Through His stripes, we are healed. Cessationists do not believe in healings for today, but there are those whom He does heal. Biblically, the elders are instructed to pray for the sick: Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord (James 5:14). If it is the will of God, the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up (James 5:15).

Our sins, when laid upon Christ, were yet personally ours, not his; so his righteousness, when put upon us, is yet personally his, not ours.
~John Bunyan~

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