Christ’s Substitutionary Sacrifice: The Pardon That Demands a Response

We are continuing our study of the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus and His payment on the cross for the debt of sin we owed. Christ did not die a martyr's death; He came to be our substitutionary sacrifice. Peter the apostle wrote, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:18, emphasis added). What is a substitutionary sacrifice?

 One of the most renowned English pastors, C. H. Spurgeon, wrote: “If you believe in Jesus, that is to say, if you trust Him, all the merits of Jesus are your merits, imputed to you; all the sufferings of Jesus are your sufferings. Every one of His merits is credited to you. You stand before God as if you were Christ because Christ stood before God as if He were you—He in your place, you in His. Substitution! That is the word! Christ, the Substitute for sinners. The Lord Jesus was standing for men and bearing the thunderbolts of divine opposition to all sin. “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Man stands in Christ's place, receiving the sunlight of divine favor instead of Christ.”

Today, before the court of heaven, I want to ask you about your debt of sin. Has it been removed? The Messiah has paid your debt, but until you accept the pardon, you remain in your sin. Let me illustrate with a real-life example or story:

In 1829, a Philadelphia man named George Wilson robbed the U.S. Mail Service, killing someone. Wilson was arrested, brought to trial, found guilty, and sentenced to hang. Some friends intervened on his behalf and obtained a pardon from President Andrew Jackson. However, when informed of this, George Wilson refused to accept the pardon! The sheriff was unwilling to carry out the sentence—how could he hang a pardoned man? An appeal was sent to President Jackson. The perplexed President turned to the United States Supreme Court to decide the case. Chief Justice Marshall ruled that a pardon is just a piece of paper, and its value depends on whether the person involved accepts it. It’s unlikely that someone sentenced to death would refuse a pardon, but if they do, it’s no longer a true pardon. George Wilson must be hanged. So, George Wilson was executed, even though his pardon was on the sheriff's desk. What will you do with the full pardon offered to you by the Chief Justice—the God of the Universe?

I want to end this story with a reflection on what happened as the soldiers cast lots for Christ's clothes. Think about this: while Jesus was suffering in agony for them, these men were indifferent. They were playing games and showing no concern for His pain. It was just an ordinary day for them. They didn't realize that their eternal fate depended on this moment, that everything rested on Jesus's selfless act of love. This scene illustrates the world's indifference to Christ. They played their game as if it didn't matter. Whatever you choose to do about Christ's sacrifice, know that it demands a response. What will be your response to this gift, this sacrifice? Like George Wilson, will you leave it on the table?

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your great love and mercy shown to us by giving Your Son to die in our place. Please forgive me and help me never to take lightly such vital matters as Christ’s sacrificial death for me. Cleanse me from sin and make me new. I surrender my life to You and seek to be free from the spiritual chains that have held me. Amen! Keith Thomas