OR
THE DOCTRINE OF SUBSTITUTION AND ITS MEANING TO THE SINNER.
OVER 2000 years ago, Socrates, the renowned Grecian philosopher, on a charge preferred against him by his enemies, was condemned to death. During the thirty days that intervened between the passing of the sentence and its execution, his courage never failed. An opportunity of effecting his escape was offered, but he declined availing himself of it. On the day of his execution, when a number of his friends and relations were assembled in his prison cell, he discoursed to them on the immortality of the soul. As he embraced his grief-stricken wife for the last time, she expressed herself strongly as to the injustice of an innocent man perishing. To this he replied, "Would you rather see me die guilty?" On the arrival of the fatal moment, he took the cup of hemlock in his hand, and raising it to his lips quaffed the poisonous draft. On hearing his dear ones sobbing, he exhorted them to be calm, and when the poison laid hold of his vitals, he quietly lay on his back, and without a groan or murmur breathed his last. Thus perished one of the greatest of ancient philosophers. After his decease his innocence was established, and the Athenians punished his accusers with death or exile, and raised a temple to his memory.
Let us suppose the principle of substitution had been permissible in the laws of Greece. Supposing also that one of the prisoner's friends had voluntarily offered to become his substitute, and was accepted as such by the authorities. Suppose then, that he took the cup from the hand of Socrates, and, swallowing its contents, died before his eyes, would the philosopher be afraid that he should have to drink the poison? "Assuredly not," you reply. Why not? "Because another died in his room and stead. Allow me to apply the illustration. I am a sinner, and deserve" the wages of sin "(Roman 6:23), which is eternal death. I cannot save myself, and" vain is the help of man. "Prayers, good works, tears, or penitence cannot remove my sin, for" God requireth that which is past." Unless a Savior is found, I must be forever lost. It is utterly and absolutely useless to look within or around. My help must come from above.
In spirit I go back eighteen centuries, and enter Gethsemane's garden. As I stand in that hallowed spot, I see the Lord of life and glory, and hear Him pray—" My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: never the less not as I will, but as Thou wilt "(Matt. 26:3939And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. (Matthew 26:39)). What" cup "does the Lord Jesus refer to?" The cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it? "(John 18:1111Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? (John 18:11)). By faith I stand at the Cross of Calvary, and as I gaze upon that suffering One I hear the mournful cry escape His lips," My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"(Matt. 27:4646And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46)). I inquire the meaning of that cry. This was the first time that God had forsaken any of His faithful servants. Why then was Christ forsaken? As I ponder the words and seek to understand their meaning, the stillness is broken by the triumphant exclamation," It is finished "(John 19:3030When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (John 19:30)). I ask myself," What is it that is finished? “As I meditate on the words, the glorious truth bursts into my soul, that Christ took the cup of wrath instead of me. He bore my sins in His own body on the tree (1 Peter 2:2424Who 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)), and He who is of purer eyes than to behold evil, hid His face from His only begotten and well-beloved Son.
I am not now afraid to meet a holy and sin-hating God. Though deserving of eternal punishment on account of my sins, I believe that the Lord Jesus was wounded for my transgressions, and bruised for my iniquities (Isaiah 53:55But 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. (Isaiah 53:5)). God is fully and perfectly satisfied with the finished work of Christ, and I am satisfied with that which satisfies Him. If I were called into His holy presence, at this moment, and were asked the ground of my confidence, I could plead nothing excepting the precious blood of Christ. He who knew no sin, was made sin for me, that I might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:2121For 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)); and in the language of Martin Luther, I can say—"As Christ is before God, so am I in Christ.”
Through believing the glorious Gospel of God's matchless grace, through resting his soul on what the Lord Jesus did and suffered for him, the vilest and guiltiest sinner on earth is cleansed from every stain. The very moment he believes on Christ he obtains forgiveness, eternal life, and becomes a son of God, an heir of God, and a joint-heir with Christ Jesus.
The Lord Jesus Christ drank the cup of God's wrath on your behalf, and now you may sing with your heart as well as with your lip:
“Death and the curse were in my cap;
Oh, Christ! 'twas full for Thee,
But Thou hast drained the last dark drop,
'Tie empty now for me.
That bitter cup love drank it up,
Now blessings draft for me.”
Thank God, "That bitter cup love drank it up." On the ground of that "finished" work would you be afraid of meeting God? If you would it proves that you have not yet learned what His death has accomplished. If you understood what His death has effected for you, you would be able to give the answer of the negress who, on being asked the ground of her confidence, replied: "ME DIE, OR HE DIE; HE DIE, SO ME NO DIE." Would the reader be afraid of meeting God? "Yes," you reply, "I have great reason to be afraid of meeting Him on account of my sins." Suppose that for some crime you were condemned to drink a cup of poison. Suppose, however, that the principle of substitution were permissible, and that I offered myself and was accepted as your substitute. Suppose that I took the poison from your hand, and draining the cup to its dregs, died before your eyes, would you then be afraid that you would have to drink it? "No," you reply. Why would you not be afraid? "Because you drank it instead of me." Exactly so. A substitute took your place, and dying in your stead you have no cause for fear.
You who are working, striving, and struggling to obtain salvation, cease all such efforts. "To him that WORKETH NOT, BUT BELIEVETH ON HIM THAT JUSTIFIETH THE UNGODLY, HIS FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Rom. 4:55But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5)). Your works are valueless in God's sight, for "They that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Rom. 8:88So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:8)). Why try to merit forgiveness, when God's Word declares that it is a gift? At an infinite cost, a free, full, and present salvation has been provided for you, and God beseeches you to accept of it as you read these lines—
“The work is done, it needs no more;
Christ's death has opened heaven's door,
‘Only believe,' the Savior cried,
Believe, and thou art justified.”
Ponder the precious, glorious, life-giving words, "It is finished." Christ has "finished" the mighty work of atonement. He has borne sin's penalty, and satisfied all God's righteous claims. Believe in Him who did it all, and paid it all, and you will be justified from all things (Acts 13:38, 3938Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39)). Rest not till you are saved for Eternity. A. M.