Substitute, Part 2

Last of all, in Romans 5:8‑11 it says, ‘But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.’

Let’s take these verses apart carefully. The word commendeth is a big word, but it very simply means that God showed, or demonstrated. God demonstrated His love to us by sending Jesus Christ to die in our place, to be our Substitute. How then are we justified, or made just? It is through His blood which He shed for us. He had to die for us to pay for our sin. Those without a relationship with God are not only under the condemnation of God, but under the wrath of God. But when Christ died on the cross, shedding His blood for your sins and mine, He made it possible for us to be justified and saved or rescued from that wrath to come.

Notice also God says that we receive the atonement through Jesus Christ. How do we get ‘at one with God’? We get ‘at one with God’ because of the death of Jesus Christ. Notice those two words right in the middle of these verses: ‘For if’ — here is the key.