Substitution

The heart of the gospel is redemption, and the essence of redemption is substitution. The deepest, most profound, most mysterious, and most edifying in all the Word of God is set forth in these words - "He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him! Substitution is the foundation truth of Christianity. This is the rock upon which our hopes are built. This is the only hope the Sinner, and the only true joy of all saints.

Brethren, the most marvelous thing that ever took place upon the earth, the most stupendous thing ever executed by the power of heaven was this --Jesus Christ, God the eternal Son, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him!

These two things, Christ being made sin and us being made righteousness, could only be accomplished by substitution. There was no possible way for the Lord of glory to be made sin, except by imputation. And there is no way by which any man can be made righteousness, except by imputation. It is a legal matter. At Calvary, Christ became sin for us, and we became righteousness in him. As surely as Christ was made sin, all of those for whom he died are made righteous.

Of this we may be sure--For that multitude of sinners for whom Jesus died THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY OF CONDEMNATION! "There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus...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."

Children of God, we can never understand the depths of wisdom and grace revealed in the substitutionary death of Christ. But we, who have seen him dying in our stead, should never cease to worship, adore, love, and trust our merciful Redeemer.

Cast thy guilty soul on him,

Find him mighty to redeem;

Now by faith the Son embrace;

Plead His promise, trust His grace.

Don Fortner