THE VALUE OF CHRIST'S LIFE

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.