Willing Savior, Necessary Substitute

I. Jesus is our willing Savior.

Rejoice at his infinite goodness.

“In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ,” () so that now “. . .it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” ().

Because he has made you children in his house and citizens of his kingdom “Yahweh your God is . . . a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will bring you quietness with His love. He will delight in you with shouts of joy” ().

Since he is our Father, King, and sovereign God, we know that “all things work together for good, for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” ().

Far from groveling and hoping that he wills our good, we “draw near to the throne of grace with confidence, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” ().

Fear his terrible glory and the depth of our uncleanness before him.

Quite apart from being God’s gift to humanity, “you [and I] were dead in the trespasses and sins” (), “sold under sin” (), awaiting the “one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy” () with the “authority to cast into hell” ().

His glory is awesome and awful: “The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies” ().

Those who walk in rebellion against God will feel his wrath unleashed “because of all your abominations I will do with you what I have never yet done . . . ”() . . . “my anger will spend itself, and I will vent my fury upon them and satisfy myself. And they shall know that I am the LORD—that I have spoken in my jealousy—when I spend my fury upon them” ().

“The holy one took the place for the lawless and the guiltless for the guilty, the just for the unjust, the incorruptible for the corruptible, the immortal for the mortal. . . .

O the sweet exchange, O the incomprehensible work of God, O the unexpected blessings, that the sinfulness of many should be hidden in one righteous person, while the righteousness of one should justify many sinners!” -Letter to Diognetus

II. Jesus is our necessary substitute.

II. Jesus is our necessary substitute.