FRIDAY, 24TH JANUARY, 2025
CHRIST JESUS OUR SUBSTITUTE – Pastor Chris
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 (2 Corinthians 5:21).
The word substitution, even though not expressly used in the Scriptures, defines and properly encapsulates what Jesus came to do. It means to replace something or someone with another, to take the place of another or to put in another one’s place. Jesus being our substitute means He came to take our place so that we might take His place. How wonderful that is! No religious leader ever did that; no one ever did that for anybody, but Jesus did.
Even the Prophets prophesied about this in the Old Testament; they prophesied about the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow (1 Peter 1:11). The Prophet Isaiah, for example, tells us in Isaiah 53:4-6, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. AIl 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.”
The Prophet Isaiah saw this in a vision back in his day; it hadn’t happened yet, but he spoke in the past tense because, in the mind of God, it already happened. The Bible calls Jesus the Lamb of God that was slain from the foundation of the world. Hallelujah! Notice the latter part of the 6th verse: “All 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.”
All our sins were laid on Jesus; that’s what the prophet saw—the vision of the Messiah bearing upon Himself the sins of all humanity. Read verse 8; it says, “He was taken from prison and from judgment…for the transgression of my people was he stricken.” Eventually, when Jesus came, He faced Caiaphas’ judgment; He faced Pilate’s judgment. Afterwards, they killed Him.
The Bible says it pleased the LORD to bruise Him, meaning it was God who gave Him up to die so His soul would be an offering for sin. His sacrifice, His substitutionary work, produced us! Think about that! No wonder we live in His Name today. We have been made His righteousness as stated in our opening text. We’ll learn more in our next study.
PRAYERDear Father, I’m so grateful for the gift of righteousness and the new life I’ve received through Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice. I live today in the victory of His finished work, fully conscious of my identity in Him. I walk in the light of this truth, declaring your glory and goodness to the world, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY
Galatians 3:13-14
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
1 Peter 3:18 NIV
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 8:9
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
DAILY SCRIPTURE READING
1-Year Bible Reading Plan: Matthew 16:13-17:1-13 & Exodus 6-7
2-Year Bible Reading Plan: Matthew 9:14-26 & Genesis 24
