The righteousness of God is revealed for faith to faith.  Romans 1:17a

When God’s holiness is revealed to an unbeliever, sin is exposed and a crisis of shame becomes evident.  He realizes that he can not show his face to a righteous God.  No matter how much good he’s done, the shame and guilt of his sin can not be erased.  Most, at this point, run away.  Ah, but a few are grieved by their sin and want peace with God.  They want to talk with Him as Adam and Eve did before the Fall .  They wonder if it’s possible for God to ever accept them.

And this was my angst as a seven year old.  I had just heard a Gospel message from the evangelist, Jack Wyrtzen.  I felt the great weight of my sin and the painful separation from God.  Heavy hearted, I went back to our vacation cottage with my parents and couldn’t sleep.  My dad knelt by the bed with me and I prayed the sinner’s prayer.  I realized that someone had paid for my sin.  Someone righteous.  Jesus.  Though I had little theological grasp of all that took place when I repented and asked for forgiveness, this outcome was certain ~

I was emptied of my sin and Jesus gave me His righteousness.  He took my sin as though it were His and gave me His holiness in return.  It was such an unfair exchange and I will forever be aware of my debt.  I am dressed in Jesus’ righteous perfection but only because Jesus was willing to exchange what He had for what I didn’t have.

Who dies for an enemy, pays for His worst sins, and offers the best of Himself?  Only a Savior whose love is outrageous.  The Gospel is such extravagant good news that every person who has experienced this great exchange struggles to find a language that adequately tells the story.  The love that prompted it can not be grasped.  The best poetry falls short so we try to tell the story with our lives.

I often lose my words when something is too painful.  I also lose words when I try to explain what Your love is like and what You’ve done  for me.  The great exchange was our beautiful beginning.  Amen