THE SUBSTITUTE ONE WHO STOOD IN MY PLACE

Everywhere in the scriptures the work of the Lord Jesus Christ is set forth as the work of a substitute. You all know that a substitute is one who stands in the place of another. This is the great foundation doctrine of the Bible. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, stood in the place of sinners, so that all who trust in him might eternally stand accepted before God. Since I do fully trust my soul upon the merits of Christ, and him alone, resting upon him for everything before God, I have good reason to believe that he is my Substitute.

He stood as my Substitute in eternity past, as my Surety in the everlasting covenant of grace (Heb. 7:22). Before I had ever sinned, he stood as my Ransom. Before I ever broke God's law, he stood as my Righteousness. God the Father gave my soul, along with all the hosts of his elect, into the hands of Christ as the Surety of the covenant before the world began (John 6:39; II Tim. 19).

Christ stood in my place as my Federal Head and Representative as he lived in this world. The sinless life of Christ was as necessary for my redemption as his death. In his life, Christ fulfilled the holy law of God, establishing perfect righteousness for me, without which I could never be accepted before God. By his life, he brought in an everlasting righteousness for his people. His name is "The LORD our Righteousness" (Jer. 23:6).

The Son of God stood in my place at Calvary. He died under the penalty of God's law, bearing my sin, my shame, my guilt, and the wrath due to me. He died in my place, so that I would never be required to die (Gal. 5:13; II Cot. 5:21).

Jesus Christ the Righteous stands in my place today as my Advocate in heaven (I John 2:1-2). His five precious wounds, the merits of his righteousness, and the merits of his blood effectually secure my present and eternal welfare. God will not charge me with sin, and the law cannot require punishment upon me, because Christ, the risen Lord, my Substitute, stands today as my Advocate with the Father.

And the Lord Jesus Christ himself shall stand in my place, as my Substitute before God, in the day of judgment (Heb. 2:13). When God examines me, he will behold no spot or blemish in me, because his own Son performed in my place perfect righteousness and obedience, and thoroughly washed away my sins. Trusting Christ as my Substitute, I fully expect to hear him say to me "Well done!"