THE SUBSTITUTE

God's thoughts and care has always been towards us all, his creation.. We were doomed, without hope, altogether unable to help ourselves. What a sight, what a mess, what a deplorable fix we were in because of Adam's sin. But our salvation came in due time! Deut. 32: 36 says ' For the Lord will judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left". Yes, powerless, hopeless, vile, mean, worthless, unworthy of favor from a righteous God! But there is good news: Ephesians 2:4 says " But God, who is rich in mercy, for his GREAT LOVE wherewith he loved us" 5) "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ,(by grace ye are saved;).
John 15:13-14 goes on to say, " Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends".14) "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. What a scripture! I am a friend of God, he calls me friend IF....Christ's death was vicarious, that is He died not just for our benefit; but in our place. His was a substitutional sacrifice. Romans 5:8 says " But God commended his love for us, in that, while we were sinners, Christ died for us". He took our place, Christ dropped the charges; He made it possible for us to live, He quickened us and "made us alive in him" Ephesians 2:5.
The application for us today is"Go tell, Go do. Go be.... Because Jesus died for everyone, Christians should take the message of the Gospel to "every creature". For while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, Oh Hallelujah!
Glenda Stewart Torrence