The Great Exchange
Lord, the condemnation was yours,
that the justification might be mine.
The agony was yours,
that the victory might be mine.
The pain was yours,
and the ease mine.
The stripes were yours,
and the healing balm issuing from them mine.
The vinegar and gall were yours,
that the honey and sweet might be mine.
The curse was yours,
that the blessing might be mine.
The crown of thorns was yours,
that the crown of glory might be mine.
The death was yours,
the life purchased by it mine.
You paid the price
that I might enjoy the inheritance. ~ John Flavel (1671)
HT: Between Two Worlds
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5 comments:
Yesterday I listened to a podcast and the subject under discussion was the right interpretation of atonement, penal substitution and on and on ad infinitude. Although doctrine is good, it is not the correct view of "atonement" that saves us! In fact I knew nothing OF DOCTRINE, ATONEMENT, SANCTIFICATION, ETC. But i HEARD AND BELIEVED that Christ died for my sins...thaa he became sin for me so that I might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and I surrendered to the call of the spirit in my heart believe the good news.
This is a wonderful message and the heart of the gospel. What a trade I have made! This is most cerainly a time for rejoicing.
thanks for the good word.
Thanks Anonymous for your insight. Although I agree that it isn't a correct view of doctrines that saves us initially, it does keep us from idolatry.
You mention that, In fact I knew nothing OF DOCTRINE, ATONEMENT, SANCTIFICATION, ETC. But I HEARD AND BELIEVED that Christ died for my sins...that he became sin for me so that I might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and I surrendered to the call of the Spirit in my heart believe the good news.There's a lot of "doctrine" in your statement despite not having the big, doctrinal words that define what is being said. My initial hang-ups with doctrine I think stemmed from an internal battle between the faith and knowledge sides of Christianity (my aversion to anything seen as connected with Roman Catholicism was part as well) but now know that both are essential. We must have faith, but it is WHAT we put our faith in that matters most. Easter is a great example of that!
More simply said, It is not in Waht we put our faith that makes the difference but in WHOM....
You have to understand my p0erspective: I came from a Christian Background where our often correct 'doctrines" were our idols. Where had it all right in our heads but nothing right in our hearts."
The Dunns - Thanks for your insight. We definitely don't want to worship anything before God, including 'doctrine' and yet we don't want to throw the baby (doctrine) out with the bathwater (a negative experience with religion). Being in relationship with God should compel us to know more about Him. Knowing more about God should compel us to be in relationship with Him. God has designed us to worship Him with our hearts and minds.
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