How Jesus Christ became our substitute

Let me begin by sharing one memorable example of a substitute sacrifice which occurs in the Old Testament. Genesis 22:13 reads: And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.

Note that the ram was offered in place of Isaac as God Himself provided the substitute sacrifice. So what does this have to do with Jesus?

Romans 6:23 reminds us that the wages of sin is death. Since the law of God must be met and cannot be ignored, we needed a substitute sacrifice which our Lord had a plan for. In Isaiah 53 we see a prophecy of the atoning work of Christ which reads: 

"But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed."

Jesus was prophesied to bear our sorrows, to be smitten of God, and for our sins to fall upon him. What was due to us because of our sinfulness is what fell upon Christ. He was our substitute. Yet unlike the ram and other sacrifices, Jesus sacrifice was permanent and complete. Hebrews 7:8 says: "He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself." 

Jesus was able to do this because He did not share in the imputed sin of Adam which we have all inherited. 2 Cor. 5:21 reminds us that "God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." He did this, 1 Peter 2:24 tells us, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. Substitution is the means by which we were reconciled.

As with Abraham, God once again provided the substitute sacrifice in Jesus.

So what does this mean to me personally?

The gift of Jesus Christ's substitute sacrifice changed my life completely. What He accomplished on the cross compels me to give the entirety of my life back to him. He gave life at my physical birth and gave me a new life with significantly more meaning at my spiritual birth. I believe Christ desires that I honor the gift He gave me by continuing to not only love my neighbor as myself but by also drawing others to Him. 

My hope is that the manner in which I conduct my life through thought, word and deed guided by the Holy Spirit, will impact those in my sphere of influence leading to a conversation about the One responsible. 

My prayer is that I will continually be faithful to bring the sacrifice of a life pleasing to God so that when my final season of life comes to a close I may hear the words "well done, good and faithful servant" and know that I have run the race well. In a way, we are all "substitute" witnesses for Christ who is presently on His throne. We joyfully sacrifice our time and gifts in order to do the work He has prepared for us, bringing glory and honor to His Name as Christ did for His Father.

James