French writer Henri Barbusse (1874-1935) tells of a conversation overheard in a trench full of wounded men during the First World War. One of the men, who knew he only had minutes to live says to one of the other man, “Listen, Dominic, you’ve led a very bad life. Everywhere you are wanted by the police. But there are no convictions against me. My name is clear, so, here, take my wallet, take my papers, my identity, take my good name, my life and quickly, hand me your papers that I may carry all your crimes away with me in death.”

The Good News is that through Jesus, God makes a similar offer.

Jesus was the sinless Son of God, yet because of His love for us, He died on the cross for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).  When we submit our lives to the Savior in trusting obedience, the blood that He shed in His death atones for our sins.  He doesn’t excuse our sins; He paid the price for our sins to pay our debt in full.

“For our sake He [God] made Him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV).

“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24 NASB).

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins. It was to show His righteousness at the present time, so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” – Romans 3:23-26 ESV

God will save from sin, give His righteousness, and eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His word (1 John 1:7-9).

It can be called “the Great Exchange”: He died so that we might live.  He took our sins so that we can be counted “right” in Him.

In order to experience this Great Exchange, we must submit our lives to Jesus in trusting obedience.

-- David A. Sargent

 * From “Baptism: Take My Good Name” in Sermon Illustrations About Baptism in www.thedisciplers.com.

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org