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Jesus, on the other hand, is God Incarnate. Another way of saying this is that Jesus is God and man simultaneously. He was born of a woman but conceived of the Holy Spirit Himself. (Matthew 1: 20-23) He was born according to the flesh 2000 years ago and yet Jesus is eternal and existed before anything that is. (John 1: 1-3) Because Jesus is Divine, He lived a sinless life according to the flesh and was worthy of all glory. Instead, Jesus was condemned as a sinner and died a sinner's death. He suffered the death that only sinners are worthy of so that, in exchange, we could be released from the condemnation that comes from owing what was due from us because of our sin which is death. (Romans 3: 24-26)
The blood of Jesus Christ is the bridge of reconciliation with a Holy and Just God. God declared in the books of the Law that only blood is able to provide atonement for sin. (Leviticus 17:11) The human problem with blood atonement prior to Jesus Christ was that the blood that was shed in animal sacrifice was finite. (Hebrews 10: 3-4) God's solution to the human problem with blood atonement for sin was to provide a perfect sacrifice containing a Divine nature which is found only in Jesus Christ. Divine blood is infinite and that is the reason this sacrifice is once and for all (Hebrews 10: 10-12) which is why Jesus triumphantly declared in His dying breath, "It is finished." (John 19:30)
The only needful thing required of a sinner condemned by his own sin is repentance (Mark 1:15, Acts 17:30) which literally means "to turn around." The sinner turns from a life of sin and looks towards God with a hand stretched out for mercy. God provides mercy and atonement for sin through Jesus Christ as a gift of grace (Romans 5:18) and the sinner needs only to grasp this gift of God by faith in Jesus Christ's gracious work on the cross. (Ephesians 2:8) The sinner is then released from condemnation (Romans 8:1), is brought into God's kingdom (Colossians 1:13), and inherits eternal life. (John 3:16)
"The Great Exchange" is that Jesus lived a sinless life but died a sinner's death and, by nature, we were born in sin (Romans 5:12, Psalm 51:5) and were servants to our sin nature (John 8:34) but by God's grace we stand to inherit eternal life through Jesus Christ if we only repent and believe. (Acts 2:38, Acts 16:31, Romans 10:9-10) This is all possible because Jesus Christ paid it all. He exchanged his spotless, sinless life and imputed it to our account while He bore our sins and paid the sin debt that we owed. (2 Corinthians 5:21) The following scriptures explain this more eloquently than I or anyone else can. The book of Isaiah foretold the Gospel of Jesus Christ 400 years before it happened. The book of 2 Corinthians looks at the completed work of Jesus Christ and validates the scripture in Isaiah.
Isaiah 53:1-12 KJV
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
(2) For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. (3) He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (4) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (5) But 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.
(6) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (7) He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. (8) He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. (9) And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
(10) Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. (11) He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. (12) Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
2 Corinthians 5:17-6:2 KJV
(17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (18) And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
(19) To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (20) Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
(21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
(6:1) We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (2) (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)Indeed, now is the accepted time. Today is the day of salvation.
Acts 17:30-31 KJV
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: (31) Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
John 8:34-36 KJV
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. (35) And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. (36) If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Hebrews 3:7-8 KJVYou may ask, "how can I know if I'm hearing His voice?" and I would ask you how have you come to read this article all the way through to this point without closing your web browser or moving on to a different web site? Examine yourself. Is your spirit remorseful after reading this article? That's called conviction. It's the Holy Ghost testifying to your spirit the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and calling you into a relationship with Him.
Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, (8) Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Is you spirit angered and inflamed by the words of this article? That's your flesh making war against the Holy Ghost as He is testifying the gospel of Jesus Christ to your spirit. He is calling you into a relationship with Him and you are pushing back or withholding yourself from Him. (Romans 1:18-19) Even so, you are hearing His Word and His call but how will you respond? Will you harden your heart against the truth or will you allow yourself to be broken by it and stretch your hand out to God for salvation through Jesus Christ?
Lay hold of God's gift of salvation today by placing your complete trust and faith in Jesus Christ for the atonement of your sins. Get on your knees and pray to Him and say it aloud so that your ears hear it as well:
"I am a sinner, Lord Jesus, and I am in great need of redemption. I have been living an unrighteous life and have no where else to turn except towards You. Jesus, I believe that You died a sinner's death on the cross so that I may be released from the bondage of sin. I believe that God Himself approved of Your work on the cross and proved it by raising You back to life. I thank You, Lord Jesus, from my humbled heart and receive the gift of eternal life that comes only through You."
