In Part 1 we saw the terrible danger we all face: our guilt before God’s holy law and the just condemnation we deserve under His righteous wrath. When a person is truly saved, we can be certain that he or she is being saved from a loving, good, just, and holy Triune God who does not leave the guilty unpunished.
The Great Mystery of the Gospel
Here is the wonder and glory of the gospel: we are not only saved from God — we are saved by God and for God.
Although God the Father, as the righteous Creator and Judge, had every right to condemn every one of us to eternal damnation, in His sovereign mercy and eternal counsel, He chose, before the foundation of the world, a people to be saved. In perfect harmony, love, and agreement within the Trinity, God the Son willingly came to die as their substitute in due time (Ephesians 1:4-5; Romans 8:29-30; Romans 5:7-8).
How Did Christ Save Us?
God did not simply declare us righteous without justice being satisfied. Instead, Christ the incarnate Son lived a perfect life of obedience to the Father. He loved God with all His heart, soul, mind, and strength. Then He humbled Himself to the point of death — even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). On the cross, He became our Passover sacrifice, bearing our sins as if He were the guilty one.
There, Christ fully appeased God’s wrath and satisfied His justice on behalf of His elect. The sinless One became sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). As Paul explains:
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) “…that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:26)
While we were still helpless sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8). This salvation is entirely by grace alone, through faith alone — the free gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9).
John Calvin powerfully summarized this truth: “Christ took upon Himself the punishment that was due to us, in order that He might deliver us from it.”
This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10). This is Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), the One who rescues us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10).
Dear friends, this is the glorious good news of the Christian faith! We who once were not a people are now the people of God. We who had not obtained mercy have now obtained mercy (1 Peter 2:10). What manner of love is this, that the holy, eternal Son of God would bear our sins, suffer our chastisement, rise victorious over death, and reconcile us to the Father!
This is amazing grace! This is infinite mercy! To Him be all glory, forever and ever.
Charles Spurgeon said: “Salvation is by substitution. Christ took our place that we might take His. From beginning to end, salvation is all of grace.”
Glory evermore to the perfect Redeemer, the only wise and gracious Savior, the eternal King, the beloved Son of God: Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Amen!
