Either We Die or He Dies
“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that, while
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
The Scriptures are very clear that the wrath of God is visited upon
sinners or else that the Son of God dies for them. Either sinners are punished for their
sins or else there takes place a substitution. Either the sinner dies or the substitute
dies.
When Jesus Christ became “a curse for us” according to
Galatians 3:13-14, He bore the full consequences of our sin. When God made Him sin that we
might become “the righteousness of God,” then in some way He took upon Himself
our sin and we bear it no more (2 Corinthians 5:21).
God made Jesus die as
our substitute that death which is the wages of sin.
Christ died for us; He died that death of ours
which is the wages of sin. In the death of Christ, God condemned our
sins once and for all. All of God's condemnation fell in one fatal blow
upon Christ. It was a divine sentence executed by God upon all sin.
The Christian method of justification is one that is substitutionary.
It is based on the substitutionary aspect of the atonement. The sinner is acquitted
through the substituted bloodshedding of Christ. He suffers what God does to sin.
Jesus’ death makes visible what happens when man has God against him. Christ bore our
condemnation so that we bear it no more. We are justified by a substitutionary process.
Our salvation depends completely on what God has done in Christ.
Redemption points us to a price paid (1 Peter 1:18-19). Substitution tells us how much was
paid and by whom and for whom it was paid. It was purchased at great cost, at the price of
His own blood. Christ paid the price that bought our salvation. The Son of God died once
for all for the sinner and thus put away his sin. There is therefore no room for human
activity.
As our substitute Jesus Christ made Himself one with those for whom
He suffered. He stands in the closest relationship with those for whom He died. Moreover,
since the wages of sin was borne by our Substitute our salvation reaches its consummation
only when the sinner has become one with his Substitute, and views his sin and
Christ’s righteousness with the same mind as his Substitute.
That is why the Scriptures demand a personal response of faith in the
finished atoning work of Christ.
Our salvation is totally dependent upon our divine
substitute who took our place on the cross. Jesus Christ bore what we should have borne;
He is our substitute. Christ paid the price of our redemption. “Christ died for our
sins.”
Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down
His life for the sheep. . . I lay down My life for the sheep” (John 10:11, 15b). “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his
friends” (John 15:13).
The Bible insists that we put our faith and trust in that
finished work of Christ on the cross in order to be justified before God.
“Nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through
faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified
by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh
will be justified” (Galatians 2:16).
Justification means that God declares the believing sinner righteous
in His sight, which is a declaration of peace, made possible by Christ’s death
on the cross (Rom. 5:1). No sinner can merit that right relationship with God. It cannot
be earned by our virtue because we are sinners. The love of God is “poured out into
our hearts” (literal translation). Before we were saved, God proved His love by
sending Christ to die for us.
Have you responded by faith to God’s divine Substitute
who died for you? Either He dies, or you will die. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and you shall be saved.
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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