Christ’s Substitution

Grace doesn’t negotiate with sin. It kills it at the root and shares the victory.

Crushed for Us (Deliverance III.3–one of only 3 prose pieces in the Redemptions Rhythms Trilogy)

Jesus was crushed for our iniquities; Jesus was crushed for mine.

 “It cost God nothing, so far as we know, to create nice things: but to convert rebellious wills cost him crucifixion.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (1952)

Surely, he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:4–5 (ESV)

Surely Jesus has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. This “grief and sorrow” is not merely our physical or emotional pain, disappointment, or loss. No, it is related to our transgressions and iniquities. Our transgressions, the breaking of God’s laws, and iniquities, unjust acts, are what Jesus has borne.

We do not give that much thought to our sin. From time to time, we may experience some measure of personal regret, ranging from a vague disquiet to desperate, guilty despondency in our souls. But the source of these feelings is the same: personal sin. Our sin is real and deadly, even when we perceive it to be trivial.

It was because of our sin and for our sins that Christ was stricken, smitten, afflicted, wounded, and crushed. Christ had no sin; He did not deserve to be crushed; He chose to be our substitute. It was the just wrath of God that crushed Him—wrath that we in our sin deserved was instead poured out on Christ.

We are delivered from the wrath of God because Jesus Christ was crucified in substitution for His body, the Church. We must lay hold of the truth that Christ was crucified in my place.

For me, this began years ago when, faced with my sin, I was disquieted and grew despondent. There was no escape. And then at the proper time, I was made aware that Christ willingly substituted Himself on the cross for me. I looked to Christ, examined His claims. God’s grace gave rise to faith and I believed: Jesus Christ, my substitute, was crucified for my sin. Joined with the crucified Christ by faith, I found myself counted with Christ’s righteousness. Christ’s substitutionary chastisement on the cross brought me peace—by Christ’s stripes I am healed.

Comment: The equation defies what it enacts—prose tracing what reason cannot carry.