A RESPECTED preacher of the gospel said once to an aged Christian, who lay on his deathbed: “How beautiful it is, that we have the gospel of our salvation in a few, simple words.”
The old man looked at him, and said: “In one word, sir!”
“And what word is that?” Was the question in reply.
“Substitution,” continued the dying man.
Yes, dear readers! in that one word “substitution” is contained the whole gospel of God’s grace. Perhaps for some of you this word is difficult to understand, and it is my desire that you should all understand it, and think much about it. If anyone should ask me: “What is the way to salvation?” and I wished to put it in as few words as possible, my answer would be: “Take Christ alone and immediately as your substitute, on the ground of God’s word and of His offering.”
As well as I can, I will try to explain to you, what is understood by the word substitution, or rather, what a substitute is. If you, for instance, have debts that must be paid; if you must give money to somebody, and cannot pay it, and I went to the man to whom you owed it, and said to him: “Consider me as the one who owes you money, I will pay it,” then you could name me as your substitute.
Or if you committed a crime, and in consequence were seized and imprisoned, and the law allowed me to take your place as criminal, and to undergo the punishment in your stead, then I would be your substitute.
I remember a little boy, who had acted badly. His mother was going to punish him, but his brother was grieved about it, and said, “O, mother! punish me instead of him.” The mother did so, wishing to teach them both a lesson, a practical one showing how the Lord Jesus in the same way had taken the sinner’s place.
There was once a king, who made a law, that, if anybody did a certain thing, both of his eyes should be put out. The first one, who committed this crime, was the king’s own son. Certainly some of the people will have said; “Now we shall see if the king is just; his own son has broker his command.” Others will have thought: “But who would dare to put out the eyes of the king’s son?” The king however, said: “What I have said, remains; two eves must be forfeited for the breaking of mv command.” And what do you think, he did? He gave orders that his own eyes should be put out instead of his son’s.
You certainly know, that with soldiers there is a severe punishment for the one who leaves his post, or neglects some duty. Especially in time of war, when the losing or winning of a battle can depend on a sentinel falling asleep, or leaving his post; for either case the punishment is death. Now it is said, that during one of the first wars of Napoleon against his enemies, one of his sentinels was so worn out and exhausted, that he fell asleep in spite of himself. Just then the emperor passed, and finding the sentinel asleep, took up his gun and did the service for him, and when the soldier woke up be saw the emperor with the gun on his shoulder marching up and down. So the emperor was his “substitute.” He did what the sentinel should have done, and saved his life.
I will tell you one more story, to make it still clearer to you what a substitute is. When some time ago a detachment of soldiers took part in a mutiny, the sentence which was passed over the whole detachment was, that every tenth man should be shot. It was a terrible punishment, but the commander of the army had come to this decision after serious consideration, to make this dreadful example a warning to all the rest. We can imagine how anxiously they all waited, standing lined up, with their eyes immovably fixed on the man, who would presently draw the lot, deciding where he should begin counting from one to ten.
Among the number there was a father with his son. What thoughts must have passed through the minds of these two! Would one of the two perhaps be obliged to pay the penalty of death for his participation in the mutiny! They stood next each other; the son counted out, where it must begin, to make his father the tenth man, and alas, the lot fell just so, his father would be one of the victims! Quicker than I can write it, he changed places with his father, and was shot a moment later. Truly a sad story! But does it not teach us that the Lord Jesus loved us so unspeakably—we, who were not His friends, but His enemies, that He took our place, and the punishment that we deserved, on Himself, and died on the shameful cross in our stead?
Yes, even as the son became substitute for his father, so did Christ become substitute for us.
If you had asked that father later on, how it was that he escaped punishment would he not have told you with tears in his eyes and a trembling voice, that his dear son had borne the punishment for him? How that son must have loved his father, and how inexpressibly much more must the Lord Jesus have loved us, to be willing to die for us! This son died for his father, the dearest friend that he had on earth, but Jesus loved us and died for us, while we were yet sinners—enemies.
“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God,” and, “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness.” (1 Peter 3:18; 2:2418For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18)
24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24).)
ML-12/05/1920