Verse Ref.:
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.
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Full text of My Substitute
When I was a boy at school, I saw a sight I can never forget — a man dragged through the streets of my native town, his back torn and bleeding from a whipping. It was a shameful punishment. For many crimes? No! For one crime. Did any of the residents offer to share the whipping with him? No! The one who committed the crime paid the penalty all alone. It was the penalty of a changing human law, for it was the last time it was applied.
A Horrible Sight
When I was a student at the university, I saw another sight I can never forget — a man brought out to die. His arms were bound, his face was already pale as death — thousands of eager eyes were on him as he came up from the jail into view. Did anyone ask to die in his place? Did any friend come and loosen the rope and say, “Put it around my neck; I will die instead”? No! He suffered the sentence of the law. For many crimes? No! For one crime. He had stolen some money. He broke the law at one point and died for it. It was the penalty of a changing human law in this case also; it was the last instance of capital punishment being inflicted for that crime.
Christ the Substitute
I saw another sight I can never forget — myself a sinner, standing on the brink of ruin, condemned to eternal punishment in the lake of fire. For one sin? No! For many, many sins committed against the unchanging laws of God. I looked again and Jesus Christ became my Substitute. He bore in His own body on the cross on Calvary all the punishment for my sin. He died on the cross that I might live in the glory. He suffered, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring me to God. He redeemed me from the curse of the law. I sinned and was condemned to eternal punishment; He bore the punishment and I am free.
The law of God required a perfect righteousness which I never had. Again I looked to Him and found that righteousness in Christ was freely available to all who believe. The law required spotless purity and I was defiled with sin. Again I looked unto Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. I was a child of Satan, a child of wrath, “but as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:12). And I found in Him not only my Substitute, but also the full supply of every need of my life.
I long to tell you of this Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, “for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
By Sir James Y. Simpson, M.D.