Substitution

One of the greatest truths at the heart of the Gospel is that of the Subtitutionary work of Jesus Christ, in which He stood in the place of His people and suffered under the judgment of God against their sin, in order that they would become the righteousness of God in Him. This substitutionary work is what Paul addresses in 2 Corinthians 5:21 in which he writes:

"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."

This is a truly glorious truth - that Christ, the Son of God, the perfect, impeccable, spotless Lamb of God, the One who knew no sin, willingly went to the cross where God the Father laid upon the Sin-bearer, the sins of all His people, and made Him to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. How? By His suffering under the outpouring of God's wrath against that sin, until all that sin was completely blotted out and taken out of the way - leaving nothing but the righteousness of God in Christ, which His people are made to be in Him.

United with His people in death, all the changes were in the Saviour: He took on His people's state, that they might be made into His state - righteousness. He who knew no sin, was made to be sin. God judged that sin in His own Son by the outpouring of His wrath. Having "condemned sin in the flesh" (Romans 8:3), sin was no more to be seen, and death could not hold the Saviour, who rose again from the grave in perfect righteousness, and His people in Him. He was the One who suffered, He was the One who died, yet, as a result, His people are delivered from darkness into light, from death into life, from the bondage of sin, to the liberty of eternal life and everlasting righteousness in Christ. What a Saviour!

Yet, despite the tremendous glory in this truth, despite the fact that the preaching of this message, the preaching of the cross, is the power of God to them that believe (1 Corinthians 1:18), it is nevertheless to them that perish, "foolishness". To many it is a stumbling block, and an offence. But that which is offensive to the natural man, is the power of God to those who believe.

Have a listen to several messages that expound this vital doctrine, which lies at the heart of the Gospel:

Substitution (2 Corinthians 5:21) by Henry Mahan
God Has Made Christ Sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) by Don Fortner
Substitution (2 Corinthians 5:21) by John Chapman
Barabbas or Jesus (Matthew 27:16-26) by Paul Mahan
The Offence of the Cross (Galatians 5:11) by Ian Potts