I
NEED A SUBSTITUTE
Everyone knows what a
substitute is. A substitute is one who stands in the place of another. Your
child has a substitute teacher, a teacher who stands in the place of the
regular teacher. The ball team uses a substitute player, a player who fills the
place of another player who is absent. The Lord Jesus Christ is the sinner's
Substitute. He stands in the place of God's elect. Everywhere in the
Scriptures, the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ is set forth as the
work of a Substitute. Substitution is the great foundation doctrine of the
Bible. The man who understands the gospel doctrine of substitution understands
the message of the Bible. The man who has no clear knowledge of substitution is
ignorant of Divine Revelation.
This is the gospel doctrine of substitution - The Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, stood in the place of sinners, so that all who trust in him
might stand accepted before God for all eternity. Since I do fully trust my
soul upon the merits of Christ and him alone, resting upon his obedience for my
righteousness and his blood for my atonement, I have good reason to believe
that he is my Substitute.
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST STOOD AS MY SUBSTITUTE IN ETERNITY PAST. He was my Surety in the
everlasting covenant of grace (Heb. 7:22). Before I sinned, he stood as my
ransom. Before I 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). And he gave
all of his elect all grace and salvation in Christ before the foundation of the
world (Eph. 1:3; II Tim. 1:9).
CHRIST STOOD IN MY PLACE, AS MY SUBSTITUTE, AS MY FEDERAL HEAD AND
REPRESENTATIVE WHILE HE LIVED IN THIS WORLD. The sinless life of Christ was as necessary
for my redemption as his death. In his life the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the
holy law of God, establishing perfect righteousness for me, without which I
could never be accepted before God. By his perfect life of obedience 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, AS MY SUBSTITUTE, AT CALVARY. He died under the penalty
of God's law, bearing my sin, my shame, my guilt, and the wrath due unto me. He
died in my place, so that I would never be required to die. God satisfied his
law and justice for me, and for all who believe, in his Son, our Substitute
(Gal. 3:13; II Cor. 5:21).
JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS STANDS IN MY PLACE TODAY, AS MY ADVOCATE AND
SUBSTITUTE IN HEAVEN (John 2:1-2). His five precious wounds, 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 JUDGMENT (Heb. 2:13). When God himself 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 in his
own blood. Trusting Christ as my Substitute, I fully expect to hear him say,
"Well done!"
AMEN.
Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For
Today Radio Message #698
2734 Old Stanford Road -
Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438
Donald S.
Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net