Listen to sermons at FreeGraceRadio.com

 

 

 

 

Sermon #2369 — Miscellaneous Sermons

 

Title:               Christ our Substitute

 

Text:                2 Corinthians 5:18-21

Subject:         Substitution

Date:              Bethel Baptist Church — Lawton, OK

                                    Friday Evening — November 10, 2017

Introduction:

 

Open your Bibles with me to the 5th chapter of 2nd Corinthians, and just hold your place there. John Newton, who wrote perhaps the most popular hymn in the English language, ÒAmazing Grace,Ó and many of our other best hymns, wrote this one. You may have never heard it or sung it; but it is one of those hymns that very much tells out my experience of GodÕs saving grace and summarizes everything I believe and preach.

 

ÒIn evil long I took delight,

Unawed by shame or fear,

Till a new object struck my sight,

And stopped my wild career.

 

I saw One hanging on a tree,

In agonies and blood,

Who fixed his languid eyes on me,

As near his cross I stood.

 

Sure, never till my latest breath

Can I forget that look;

It seemed to charge me with his death,

Though not a word He spoke.

 

My conscience felt and owned the guilt,

And plunged me in despair;

I saw my sins His blood had spilt,

And helped to nail Him there.

 

A second look He gave, which said,

ÔI freely all forgive;

This blood is for thy ransom paid;

I die that thou may'st live.ÕÓ

 

Have you found 2nd Corinthians 5? LetÕs begin reading at verse 17.

 

(2 Corinthians 5:17-21) ÒTherefore (since the Son of God, Lord Jesus Christ, died in the place of poor, helpless, guilty sinners, like you and me.), if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (18) And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; (19) To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world (of his elect) unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (20) Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. (21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.Ó

 

In this message, I want us to focus our attention on verse 21 — 2nd Corinthians 5:21. That is my text. The title of my message is Christ our Substitute.

 

(2 Corinthians 5:21) ÒFor he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.Ó

 

Substitution

 

What a profound truth, what stupendous grace, what wondrous mystery these words contain, I cannot begin to tell you. ÒHe,Ó God the Father, ÒHath,Ó in holy justice and infinite mercy, ÒMade,Ó by a single act at one time ordained and wondrously, mysteriously caused ÒHim,Ó the Lord Jesus Christ, his infinite, well-beloved, only begotten, immaculate Son, ÒSin,Ó an awful mass of iniquity, ÒFor us,Ó helpless, condemned, sinful rebels! From the depths of my inmost soul, I pray that the Lord God will enable me, at least once, before I die, to preach the message of this text as it ought to be preached in the power of the Holy Spirit. I have nothing new to say to you tonight. I will not strive to be eloquent or impressive. I want to simply declare to you, to the best of my ability, under the influence of God the Holy Ghost, the words of our text. The message of this blessed text is Substitution. And thatÕs my subject. — Christ Our Substitute. I fully agree with C. H. Spurgeon, who once saidÉ

 

ÒThe heart of the Gospel is redemption, and the essence of redemption is the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ.Ó

 

What I have to talk about tonight concerns the vital truth of the Gospel. Our text reveals the foundation truth of Christianity, the rock upon which our hopes are built. This is the only hope of the sinner, and the joy of every true believer. I am talking about the great transaction that took place at Calvary a little more than two thousand years ago — The great substitutionary work of Christ, — the mighty transfer of sin from the sinner to the sinnerÕs Surety — The punishment of the Surety in the sinnerÕs place — The pouring out of the vials of Divine wrath, which were due to us upon the head of our Substitute.

 

This is the greatest transaction that ever took place upon the earth, the most marvelous sight that men ever saw, and the most stupendous wonder that heaven ever executed. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb of God, was made sin!

 

Proposition: I have but one purpose in mind. I want to drive home this one wondrous and glorious truth — The Lord Jesus Christ was made sin for us. No man living upon this earth will ever really understand this truth. Yet, I hope that we will, this hour, be gripped by the reality of it. Oh, may God cause it to get hold of our hearts!

 

The doctrine of our text is the doctrine of Substitution. It is the great truth of Holy Scripture. And it must be plainly declared. There are no hidden meanings in my words. The time has come for those who believe the Gospel to plainly declare it in the boldest of terms. I have set my foot down on this solid pillar of Gospel truth. And, God helping me, I never intend to be moved from it.

 

As I endeavor to set before you the doctrine of this text, the great and glorious doctrine of Substitutionary Atonement by our Lord Jesus Christ, I will raise and answer seven questions.

 

1.    Who was made sin for us?

 

Our text describes our great Surety upon one point only. He was and is that One Òwho knew no sin.Ó The Lord Jesus Christ, our Substitute was spotless, innocent, and pure. The Son of God took upon himself human flesh and dwelt among men. Though he was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, he knew no sin.

  • He had no original sin.
  • He never committed an act of sin.
  • He never left anything undone which ought to have been done.
  • He never had any inclination to or thought of sin.
  • His holy mind never produced an evil thought or inordinate desire.

 

It was absolutely necessary that the sinnerÕs Substitute be without sin. If he had any guilt of sin whatsoever, he could not atone for sin. — Our Lord Jesus Christ is such a Substitute as we need. He was holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners. He is the embodiment of purity and virtue. As a man he was made under the law, but he owed nothing to the law. Yet he perfectly fulfilled the law. He was capable of standing in the room of others, because he was under no obligations of his own. — Yet this Holy One voluntarily condescended to be made sin for us! This is amazing love and grace!

 

2.    Who made Christ sin for us?ÒHe,Ó God the Father, made His Son sin!

 

God the Father appointed the Lord Jesus Christ, his own darling Son, to be our Substitute (Job 33:24; Psalm 89:19).

 

(Job 33:24) ÒThen he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.Ó

 

(Psalms 89:19) ÒThen Thou spakest in vision to Thy Holy One, and saidst, I have laid help upon One that is mighty; I have exalted One chosen out of the people.Ó

 

God the Father laid our sin upon his well-beloved Son and charged Him with our guilt (Isaiah 53:6, 10).

 

(Isaiah 53:6) ÒAll we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.Ó

 

(Isaiah 53:10) ÒYet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.Ó

 

God the Father gave His Son up to die in the place of sinners (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10).

 

(John 3:16) ÒFor God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.Ó

 

(1 John 4:10) ÒHerein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.Ó

 

3.    When did the Lord God make His dear Son sin for us?

 

á      In His Eternal Decree (Isaiah 53:6)

 

(Isaiah 53:6) ÒAll we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.Ó

 

á      At Calvary (1 Peter 2:24)

 

(1 Peter 2:24) ÒWho His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by Whose stripes ye were healed.Ó

 

á      In Conversion (Hebrews 9:14).

 

(Hebrews 9:14) ÒHow much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?Ó

 

4.    What was done with the Lord Jesus Christ when he was made sin for us?

 

Now I have come to the heart of my message. I will not even attempt to explain the text. It is beyond the reach of my mind and yours. I will simply remind you of this wondrous fact — ÒHe made Him sin!Ó Oh, may God the Holy Spirit now burn it into your heart and mine!

 

Our Lord Jesus Christ voluntarily took upon Himself an intimate, infinite acquaintance with human sin.

 

  • He took our sins and made them His very own (Psalms 40:12; 69:4-5; 7-9).

 

I know and rejoice in the fact of imputation. But, somehow, there is much, much more to ChristÕs being made sin than the mere imputation of our sins to Him. Our great, glorious Savior was made sin for us!

 

(Proverbs 17:15) ÒHe that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.Ó

 

(Psalms 40:12) ÒFor innumerable evils have compassed Me about: Mine iniquities have taken hold upon Me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of Mine head: therefore My heart faileth me.Ó

 

(Psalms 69:3-5) ÒI am weary of my crying: My throat is dried: Mine eyes fail while I wait for My God. (4) They that hate Me without a cause are more than the hairs of Mine head: they that would destroy Me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away. (5) O God, Thou knowest My foolishness; and My sins are not hid from Thee.Ó

 

(Psalms 69:7-9) ÒBecause for Thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered My face. (8) I am become a stranger unto My brethren, and an alien unto My motherÕs children. (9) For the zeal of Thine house hath eaten Me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached Thee are fallen upon Me.Ó

 

Yes, the Lord Jesus was made sin for us by His Father. Yet, He took our sins voluntarily (Psalm 40:6-8; Isaiah 50:5-7).

 

(Psalms 40:6-8) ÒSacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire; Mine ears hast Thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast Thou not required. (7) Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of Me, (8) I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart.Ó

 

(Isaiah 50:5-7) ÒThe Lord GOD hath opened Mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. (6) I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not My face from shame and spitting. (7) For the Lord GOD will help Me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set My face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.Ó

 

God almighty delivered His Son over into the hands of Divine Justice.He was made to suffer the fullest possible extent and extremity of GodÕs infinite and violent wrath. He was made to pay the just penalty of the law.

 

God made His Son sin! This was the soul of His sufferings. He who knew no sin was made sin.

 

John Gill said, ÒThe sins of all His people were transferred unto Him, laid upon Him, and placed to His account. He sustained their persons and bore their sins. And having them upon Him, and being chargeable with, and answerable for them, He was treated by the justice of God as if He had been not only a sinner, but a mass of sin.Ó

 

The Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, suffered and died under the justice and wrath of God as the greatest sinner who ever lived. He was charged with all the sins of all His people. He was made sin for all GodÕs elect at once.

á      He suffered all the shame and reproach of our sin and guilt.

á      He was despised and rejected of men.

á      He was forsaken by His disciples.

á      He was cursed and denied by Peter.

á      He was nailed to the cursed tree.

á      He was mocked, railed, and spit upon.

á      He was forsaken by His Father!

 

ÒOh, hear that piercing cry!

What can its meaning be?

ÔMy God! My God! Oh! Why hast Thou

In wrath forsaken Me?Õ

 

It was because our sins

On Him by God were laid;

He Who Himself had never sinned,

For sinners, sin was made!Ó

 

Almighty God drew forth the dreadful sword of justice and slew His Son in our place! Who can grasp what I am saying? Who can enter into its depths? I cannot understand it. I can hardly realize it. But I can and do believe it. I rest my soul upon it! — ÒHe hath made Him sin for us!Ó I cannot preach it as I wish I could. But I can bow down and worship my glorious Surety!

 

5.    For whom was Christ made sin? ÒHe hath made him sin for us.Ó

  • Christ was made sin for ungodly, helpless sinners (Romans 5:6-8).

 

(Romans 5:6-8) ÒFor when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (7) For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. (8) But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.Ó

 

  • He was made sin for His sheep, His church, His elect people.
  • He was made sin for us who believe.

 

6.    What are the results of this mighty substitutionary Sacrifice?

 

There are some sure, inevitable results arising from ChristÕs substitutionary sacrifice. Nothing was left to chance, or to the free-will of men. He who died at Calvary died with a specific purpose. And He will see His purpose accomplished (Isaiah 53:10-12).

 

(Isaiah 53:10-12) ÒYet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. (11) He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall my righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities. (12) Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.Ó

 

  • Justice was satisfied. — All the wrath, condemnation, pain, and agony required by the law and justice of God for sin was fully endured by Christ.
  • Sin was removed.
  • The law released its claim upon GodÕs elect.
  • The righteousness of God was made ours and we were made the righteousness of God in Him.

 

These things were accomplished on the spot; and other things were guaranteed by the death of Christ.

á      The death of Christ guarantees that every believer will be made perfectly righteous. — Justification! — Sanctification! — Glorification!

á      The death of Christ guarantees the eternal salvation of all GodÕs elect.

á      The death of Christ guarantees that every soul for whom He died will enter into HeavenÕs eternal glory.

 

ÒComplete atonement Thou hast made,

And to the utmost farthing paid

WhateÕer Thy people owed:

Nor can GodÕs wrath on me take place,

If sheltered in Thy righteousness,

And sprinkled with Thy blood.

 

If Thou hast my discharge procured,

And freely in my room endured

The whole of wrath Divine:

Payment God cannot twice demand,

First at my bleeding SuretyÕs hand,

And then again at mine!Ó

 

7.    Now, why was the Lord Jesus Christ made sin for us?

 

There are two answers to that question.

 

  • He loved us! — ÒHaving loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end!Ó
  • There was no other way by which we could be saved. — Justice must be satisfied (Matthew 27:42).

 

(Matthew 27:42) ÒHe saved others; Himself He cannot save.Ó

 

á      All for whom the Savior died must be justified and saved.

 

That is the doctrine of our text. It is the doctrine of Substitution. — ÒHe hath made him sin for us.Ó I wish I could preach it better. But I am committed to it. I intend to go on preaching it, so long as God gives me grace and life and strength to do so.

 

ÒEÕer since by faith I saw the stream

Thy flowing wounds supply,

Redeeming love has been my theme,

And shall be till I die!Ó

 

Worship God

 

Let us worship and adore our gracious God. I hope that the substitutionary sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ has become more to you than a mere point of orthodox doctrine. I have said all that I have said with the desire of stirring up our hearts to worship Him. I try to keep my eyes of faith continually fixed upon that mighty transaction which took place at Calvary. I look at the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ with devout adoration, relentlessly. These words overwhelm me — ÒHe hath made Him sin for us!Ó

 

Look to Calvary, my friends, and adore the Lord our God.

  • Reverently adore the justice of God — Sooner than tarnish His justice, God bound His Son to the cross and killed Him.
  • Adore the wisdom of God.
  • Adore the mighty grace of God toward us.
  • Adore the infinite holiness of God.
  • Adore the immeasurable love of God.

 

ÒCould we with ink the oceans fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade —

To write the love of God above

Would drain the oceans dry,

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky!Ó

 

Trust and Love Christ

 

Look at the cross, and lovingly embrace the One Who died there in your place.

  • Remember who He is.
  • Remember what you were.
  • Remember what it cost Him to have you.

 

Look continually to the crucified Christ with confident, joyful, expectant faith.

  • Realize the perfection of His work.
  • Rest in the merit and efficacy of His blood.
  • Rejoice in the pardon of sin.
  • Rely upon Him alone always and for all things.

 

ÒO Thou Who didst Thy glory leave

Apostate sinners to retrieve

From AdamÕs deadly fall,

Me Thou hast purchased with a price,

Nor shall my crimes in judgment rise,

For Thou hast borne them all.

 

Jesus was punished in my stead,

Without the gate my Surety bled

To expiate my sin:

On earth the Godhead deignÕd to dwell,

And made of infinite avail

The sufferings of the Man.

 

And was He for such rebels given?

He was; the incarnate King of Heaven

Did for His foes expire:

Amazed, O earth, the tidings hear;

He bore that we might never bear

His FatherÕs righteous ire.

 

Ye saints, the Man of Sorrows bless,

The God for your unrighteousness

Appointed to atone:

Praise Him, till with the heavenly throng,

Yea, sing the never ending song,

And see Him on His throne.Ó

 

Be Reconciled

 

One more thing I must do before I am finished — I want to persuade every one of you to be reconciled to God (v. 20).

 

(2 Corinthians 5:20-21) ÒNow then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in ChristÕs stead, be ye reconciled to God. (21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.Ó

 

How can I plead with you, reason with you and persuade you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? I preach to you and call upon you in GodÕs stead to be reconciled to Him by faith in Christ.

 

God is a God of terrible wrath and justice. He will punish sin (v. 11).

 

(2 Corinthians 5:10-11) ÒFor we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (11) Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.Ó

 

God is ready, willing and able to save sinners for ChristÕs sake. — ÒHe delighteth in mercyÓ

 

The blood of Jesus Christ, GodÕs Son, will effectually cleanses every believing sinner.

 

(1 John 1:9) ÒIf we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.Ó

 

Today is the day of salvation. Do not receive the grace of God in vain (2 Corinthians 6:1-2).

 

(2 Corinthians 6:1-2) ÒWe then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (2) (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)Ó

 

Illustration: The Dying Leper

 

I finish my message as I began it. I send you home with these words. Oh, may God the Holy Spirit burn them into your hearts today — ÒHe hath made Him sin for us!Ó

  • This is my only hope. — ÒHe hath made him sin for us!Ó
  • This is my only comfort. — ÒHe hath made him sin for us!Ó
  • This is my soulÕs inspiration. — ÒHe hath made him sin for us
  • This is my message. — ÒHe hath made him sin for us!Ó

 

Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don Fortner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pastor FortnerÕs

 

Audio Sermons

Video Sermons

Books

Itinerary