The Great Exchange

This Easter season I have been completely overwhelmed by the beauty and power of the gospel. I have been truly amazed by this crazy thing called grace. The fact that God’s own Son, the Creator of the universe, the spotless Lamb, the Lion of Judah, the great I AM would humble Himself, enter the world He created, live a sinless life, and then die a horrific death to save you and me is an insane concept to try to wrap your mind around. I don’t get it.

Colossians 2:13-14 says:

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

The word used for the “record of debt” meant a legal note of indebtedness, in our case a debt owed to God that we could never hope to pay. In the custom of the day, when a criminal was crucified a notice was nailed to the cross, listing the crimes for which he was being executed. So, Paul paints this beautiful picture of Christ taking the list of our transgressions, this debt that we owed, and nailing it to His own cross, proclaiming that these were the crimes He was dying for. Think about it. Christ took on your sin and said, “This is why I am dying.” He literally became sin for you and for me.

And just when you think it couldn’t get any better, guess what? It does! (I mean, what else could you expect from God?) Not only did Christ take on our sin, but He went one step further in what theologians like to call the “double imputation.” Now, what does this mean? Basically, Christ took our sin and then gave us His righteousness! So, not only was the debt cancelled, not only was the slate wiped clean, but that perfect record that Christ had was given to us! Now when God looks upon us He sees the blood of the Lamb, He sees His Son, the great I AM.

This is the salvation that Christ gave to us when, in His mercy, He rescued us from darkness and brought us into His marvelous light. There is nothing we can do to add to this amazing work of Jesus. It is finished, perfect, complete. We have inherited His righteousness and now stand before God covered in the blood of the Lamb who alone is worthy.

As the hymn states, “Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer.” I don’t understand this mystery called grace, but glory be to God! What a truly great exchange!
Emily