THE Son of God came to man, being the sent One of the Father. Through Him men could know who God is, and what He is. From His lips flowed out the living waters of divine love. He declared the Father, and he who had seen Jesus had seen the Father. He came from heaven on a mission of grace: He came not “to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:1717For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:17)), for “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them” (2 Cor. 5:1919To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19)). There is not a single instance in the life of Jesus in which He turned a sinner away and refused him forgiveness because of the greatness of his sins.
Alas! man returned Jesus enmity for His love, and for all His kindness requited Him the cross; at and in the cross the deepest depth of human enmity to God found shape and words. God so loved the world as to give His only begotten Son; the world answered God’s love with crying against His Son, “Crucify Him, crucify Him; away with Him, away with Him.”
The Lord is here no more. He has risen from the dead, and He has taken His place on the throne of eternal majesty, and there, in His own body, He bears still the marks of Calvary. In heaven itself the witness exists of human hatred to the sent One of the Father, yet from those very wounds the witness is borne of the love of God to sinners, and to the willing grace of Jesus who gave Himself a sacrifice for sin.
Earth sees Jesus no longer in His ministry of grace, hears His voice no longer speaking pardon, not imputing men’s sins to them. How then shall the design of God be carried out, and how shall the love of God to man, which the blessed One came to earth to tell, and died to prove, be made known? The apostle thus writes, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God; 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 Cor. 5:20, 2120Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21For 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 5:20‑21)). The death of Jesus, more wonderfully than even His life, proclaims the love of God to sinners. “Be ye reconciled to God,” is the word of God now to man; for the root cause of the enmity is removed by the cross of Christ. God has dealt with the very core and spring of human enmity, with sin itself, in His judgment on His Son, for His Son has been made sin for us. As beseeching for God, we pray in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God, says the apostle.
Let us consider these words, “in Christ’s stead,” or “on His behalf.” We may be acquainted with the wonderful fact that God is now reconciling sinners to Himself by virtue of the death of Jesus, we may know that it is utterly false for sinners to try to reconcile God to them, but how shall the ministry of reconciliation pass out through our souls to the souls of men? This is a question which is near to the heart of every worker in the gospel. Such know too well that more than a close understanding of the doctrine of God’s word is required; they know that if they are to be used to bring souls to God they must so speak as to be communicators of God’s love to men.
How shall we move souls by the wonderful truth that, by Christ’s death, God has laid the ground upon which He can receive the vilest sinner? The only way to speak with power of Christ’s death for men, is to speak in the secret of His love, His pitiful love—as we behold and hear Hint speak in the gospels.
When the pride of man arose against Jesus, and the rebellious cities, Chorazin and Capernaum, had rejected Him, His heart overflowed with yearning for men. With the doom of those cities before His soul, He found refuge in His Father’s love, and out of a heart of perfect grace invited sinners to His bosom; “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)). His very distress over man’s rebellious pride found relief in inviting the sin-burdened to Himself for rest. As we consider Him in this, His pleading with men who despised and rejected Him, let these words, “in Christ’s stead,” have their full effect over us. How shall men be won from their pride, but by love, the love of Jesus coming out of the hearts of His ministers?
We turn to another scene—the high day of religious joy in Jerusalem! It was the Feast of tabernacles, and all of the city was astir with gladness at its celebration. Jesus was there! He saw under the surface of religious joy. Even when voices are raised to swell the sacred song, or the emotions are excited by religious services, unsatisfied hearts will throb. He stood and cried in that feast day, saying, “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.” (John 7:3737In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. (John 7:37)). He alone can satisfy the soul, He alone can quench soul thirst, He alone can turn the empty heart into a fountain of refreshment for others. How shall men be won from their religion to Christ? From religion to Christ, do we say? Ah! thousands have religion, yes. Christian religion, who have not Christ. The mighty attraction of His love is the power that draws. When the Holy Spirits fills the believer, his heart overflows with Jesus’ love to men. “In Christ’s stead!” “on His behalf.” Let us ponder over the words. As we meditate upon His love, as we drink of His grace, out of our hearts “flowing rivers of living water.” By the Holy Spirit’s efficacy Christ flows out of the heart that is filled with Himself.
Again another scene presents itself. Jerusalem in its glory shines below Mount Olive. Jesus looks upon that city so fair, so beautiful He knows that there His death is being plotted. His eyes are filled with tears, as Jerusalem lies beneath Him. “He beheld the city, and wept over it.” (Luke 19:4141And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, (Luke 19:41)). Poor, guilty Jerusalem! City of divine solicitude! City about to be guilty of the death of the Son of God and Man “He wept over it,” but His tears were not for the crown of thorns, the nails, the spears, the cross; no, they were not shed for His own sorrows, but for the coming destruction of the guilty. “If thou hadst known, even thou.... the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.”
Would we speak of judgment to come? Shall we breathe the terrible words, “everlasting punishment”? Let us stop before we open our lips, and consider these words, “in Christ’s stead” — “on Christ’s behalf.” How shall we speak of coming judgment so as to move men’s souls? There is only one way, and that is the way of Jesus. His heart was filled with compassion, and yearned over the rejecters of divine mercy.
Let these words, “in Christ’s stead” — “on Christ’s behalf,” have their place in our souls, for only as His love moves us shall our words move the hearts of men.
We are left on the earth to follow the steps of those who were ambassadors for Christ, who were filled with the Holy Ghost, who spake of the fruits of Christ’s death in the power of divine love, and who, on Christ’s behalf, and in His stead, labored to carry to the souls of men the marvels of God’s love.