The great exchange

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. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Another word for EXCHANGE is, “to substitute” or “to interchange”. It means to give something and receive another thing in return. In other words, it is the giving and taking of one thing for another.
The Great Exchange is the demonstration of God’s love for lost humanity. God made Christ a substitute to relieve us of sin by taking our place (2 Cor. 5:21; cf. John 3:16 – 17; Rom. 5:6 – 8).
God, in demonstrating His love for us;

• GAVE CHRIST AS A SUBSTITUTE (EXCHANGE) to carry/suffer the sin penalty instead of man. Remember that because of the fall (due to the sin of disobedience), death penalty was hanging over mankind (see Gen. 2: 15 – 17, cf. Rom. 3:23). Thus, Christ exchanged His life for our death. (See Matt. 20:28; Jn. 11:49 – 52; cf. 18: 14; 15:13; Rom. 6:23)

Friends, anyone without Christ is lifeless (Jn. 1:4; 11:25; 14:6). True life can only be found in Christ (Jn. 10:10; 28; 17:2). This life can only be accessed by faith in Christ (Gen. 2:20 – 21).

• GAVE CHRIST AS A SUBSTITUTE (EXCHANGE) to suffer judgment and condemnation instead of man.

By His death, Christ delivered us from satanic bondage/imprisonment (Matt. 27:15 – 28). By nature, we all in Adam were condemned to die as Barabbas, but by His death, we are justified and freed from captivity and condemnation (Rom3: 23 – 26; 5:9 – 11).

True deliverance comes from Jesus (see Matt. 21:2 – 3; Jn. 8:36). You cannot remain a captive when Jesus has set you free. Barabbas was discharged and acquitted because Jesus exchanged His liberty for His condemnation.

• GAVE CHRIST IN EXCHANGE FOR OUR CURSES (Gen. 3:13 – 14). Friends, in Christ you were redeemed from the curse (whether it is ancestral – (Matt. 27:25). Every Christian is liberated from the cursed life to a blessed life in Christ – “And who would dare tangle (twist, entwine, imprison the destiny) with God by messing (confused and disordered) with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? (Rom. 8:33, MSG).

In Christ Jesus, every curse is broken because by His death, He became a curse for us. Furthermore, you are now a new creation man in Christ and the nature of Adam with its curses are now in the pass (Jn. 14:30; Prov. 26:2). Therefore, no man can curse us in Christ (Num. 23:8, 20 – 21, 23. See also Ps. 125:3)
Freedom/deliverance from curses is accessed by faith. Jesus by His death destroyed the works of the devil. (1 Jn. 3:8).

• GAVE CHRIST IN EXCHANGE FOR OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (2 Cor. 5:21).
That is, Christ exchanged His righteousness for our sins at His death. He drank the cup of our iniquities (Isa. 53:6). It is this exchanged righteousness that qualifies every man in Christ as a “New Creation” (2 Cor. 5:27)
The killing of the innocent lamb in Gen. 3:21, to cloth the nakedness of man caused by sin, was a faint picture of what God intended for lost humanity in Christ.

Christ as an exchange for our sin is better because, other lambs only covered sins, but Christ is that Lamb of God that takes away the sins of lost humanity (John 1:29, 35 – 37).

Christ carried our sins in His own body that we might live in righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24 – 25; 3: 18). Friends, righteous living is possible (see 1 John 3: 7 – 10).
GRACE BE WITH YOU.

Revd. Idy James
08023428605, UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH
(Founded As Qua Iboe Church), Surulere, Lagos.