We rejoice in the shed blood of
Christ. Without the shedding of his blood, we could not have been redeemed and
forgiven. The sinner's Substitute had to die. But it was our Lord's immaculate
life, as the God-man, which gives merit and efficacy to his blood. Had he not
lived as our Representative, establishing perfect righteousness for us by
complete obedience to the law, he could not have been a suitable Mediator
between man and God.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the Substitute and
Representative of God's elect in every aspect of his work. All that he did was
done vicariously, for us and in our stead. His incarnation, his life, his
death, his resurrection, his ascension, his exaltation, his intercession, and
his second advent are all the many parts of his whole substitutionary work. All
were essential.
We cherish all the works of our blessed Substitute.
To us who believe the blood of Christ is precious, because it washes away all
our sin. But his perfect life is equally precious, because by it we are clothed
with perfect righteousness before God. Both his righteousness and his shed
blood are indispensable. We must have the whole Christ.