He Took Our Place

One of the great truths of Scripture is this:

That Jesus Christ took upon himself the penalty of your sin and mine.

He suffered because he was bearing our sin. When he died,

he died because of your sin and mine. He took our place so we might receive

the free gift of eternal life.

“And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chastise him, and release him. (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.”

(Luke 23:13-25)

Barabbas was a man whose sin had condemned him to death. He was

completely unworthy to be set free and yet because of Christ’s death, he

was set free. This was a picture of you and Christ. You are condemned

by the law of God….

“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

(Romans 3:19-20)

…. but read on, and see that it is through Christ who paid your penalty in

your place that you can be set free from this condemnation and from its penalty:

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”

(Romans 3:21-24)

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”

(I Peter 3:18)

“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.”

(II Corinthians 5:21)

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

(Romans 5:6-8)

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

(I Corinthians 15:3-4)

“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

(John 3:17)

Have you been released from your prison as Barabbas was?

He was pardoned freely because Christ took his place.

You can be pardoned freely also.

It is by his free grace and through your personal faith in him.

Won’t you trust in him and be set free today?