"For he has 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
Our blessed Lord offered himself for sin; that is, that
he might put away sin by the sacrifice of himself--"Who his own self
bore
our sins in his own body on the tree" (1 Pet. 2:24). It was
absolutely
necessary either that the sinner should suffer in his own person, or
in that
of a substitute. Jesus became this substitute; he stood virtually in
the
sinner's place, and endured in his holy body and soul the punishment
due to
him; for he "was numbered with the transgressors." He thus, by the
shedding
of his most precious blood, opened in his sacred body a fountain for
all sin
and all uncleanness (Zech. 13:1).
The cross was the place on which this sacrifice was
offered; for as the blood of the slain lamb was poured out at the
foot of
the altar, sprinkled upon its horns, and burned in its ever-enduring
fire,
so our blessed Lord shed his blood upon the cross. He there endured
the
wrath of God to the uttermost; he there put away sin by the
sacrifice of
himself; he there offered his holy soul and body, the whole of his
pure and
sacred humanity, in union with his eternal Deity, as an expiation
for the
sins of his people.
Thus all their sin was atoned for, expiated, put away,
blotted out, and will never more be imputed to them. This is the
grand
mystery of redeeming love and atoning blood. Here the cross shines
forth in
all its splendor; here God and man meet at the sacrifice of the
God-man; and
here, amid the sufferings and sorrows, the groans and tears, the
blood and
obedience of God's dear Son in our nature, grace reigns through
righteousness unto eternal life.
A primary qualification for serving God with any amount of success, and for doing God's work well and triumphantly, is a sense of our own weakness. When God's warrior marches forth to battle, strong in his own might, when he boasts, "I know that I shall conquer, my own right arm and my conquering sword shall get unto me the victory," defeat is not far distant. God will not go forth with that man who marches in his own strength. He who reckoneth on victory thus has reckoned wrongly, for "it is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." They who go forth to fight, boasting of their prowess, shall return with their gay banners trailed in the dust, and their armour stained with disgrace. Those who serve God must serve him in his own way, and in his strength, or he will never accept their service. That which man doth, unaided by divine strength, God can never own. The mere fruits of the earth he casteth away; he will only reap that corn, the seed of which was sown from heaven, watered by grace, and ripened by the sun of divine love. God will empty out all that thou hast before he will put his own into thee; he will first clean out thy granaries before he will fill them with the finest of the wheat. The river of God is full of water; but not one drop of it flows from earthly springs. God will have no strength used in his battles but the strength which he himself imparts. Are you mourning over your own weakness? Take courage, for there must be a consciousness of weakness before the Lord will give thee victory. Your emptiness is but the preparation for your being filled, and your casting down is but the making ready for your lifting up.
"When I am weak then am I strong,
