THE WONDERFUL EXCHANGE

When I was a young boy in elementary school, I often came home to face the frown of my mother because I had been "trading" at school. I had been swapping marbles or toys or trinkets with the other boys at school. She often made me take them back and undo the swap. She was not so much afraid that I would not "get" a fair trade as that I would not "give" a fair trade. So many of my trades had to be reversed. Thank God this is not the case in the exchange of grace! Martin Luther called it the "wonderful exchange." Writing to a friend he said, "Learn Christ and Him crucified. Learn to pray to Him, and despairing of yourself to say this, 'Lord Jesus, you are my righteousness, I am your sin. You have taken upon yourself what is mine and given me what is yours. You have made me what I was not. You have taken to yourself what you were not.' " There has been a wonderful exchange. The Son of God has taken our guilt and given to us His righteousness. He has taken our sin and there can be no reversal because He has put it away. He has assumed our place before the law and justice of God and there can be no change because both are honored and satisfied. And here is a glorious thought! What He got from us separated Him from God, brought the disfavor and wrath upon Him to the highest degree. By the same standard, what we receive from Him brings us inseparably to God, brings His highest favor and blessing to us, raises us to the heavenlies. Our poverty was changed for His riches. Our ignorance was changed for His wisdom. Our curse was changed for His crown, for He was made a curse for us. Why be so sad because of the poor exchanges of this life? We exchange youth for old age, strength and health for weakness and affliction, and much more. But, in Christ, we have a wonderful exchange! The thought of this exchange alone will give us hope. Let us think upon this as Augustus Toplady did: "From whence this fear and unbelief? Has not the Father put to grief His spotless Son for me? And will the righteous Judge of men Condemn me for that load of sin Which, Lord, was charged on Thee?" Never, never! As children, we would often say after a trade, "No trade back!" This is what both Christ and the believer say concerning this wonderful exchange!

Gary Shepard

If you wish to know if the gospel you are hearing preached is the gospel of God, ask yourself this question, "Who gets the glory?" If you wish to know whether your religious experience is of the flesh or of the Lord, ask yourself the same thing, "Who gets the glory?" Also, examine all your gifts, works, and missionary efforts by the same rule, "Who gets the glory?" God will not share His glory! That which is of God, from God, and for God's glory will be blessed with His presence and power..."that no flesh should glory in His presence...that, according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (I Cor. 1:29,30)

Henry Mahan

Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. (Mark 10:29-30)

Many people dabble with the doctrines of grace. They like to discuss them and debate them. They like to read what men say about them. But in their heart, they have little regard for them. This is evidenced by what they don't do:

1. They don't see them as essential in salvation.

2. They don't desire to hear them preached regularly.

3. They don't support a ministry that upholds them.

4. They don't identify with the people who believe them.

5. They don't commit all their energies & resources to the

advancement of them.

6. They don't hesitate to call "brethren" those who despise

them.

7. They don't reveal any work of grace in them.

8. They don't love & follow the Person they reveal!

The "doctrines of grace" are but the "doctrine of Christ!" Believed in the heart, they produce a commitment to Christ Jesus that cannot be hidden!

Gary Shepard

We dare not hope to be accepted with God because of anything that is in us by nature or may be infused into us by grace: we are accepted in the Beloved, and apart from Him we look not to be found accepted. Even what the Holy Ghost works in us does not furnish us with any merit which we can plead, for it is a gift of grace, and no part of our justifying righteousness. We rest upon Jesus Christ crucified (His imputed righteousness, atoning blood and Mediation alone), and not upon our faith, repentance or prayers.

C.H. Spurgeon

Few seem to realize the fearful implications which necessarily follow the principles they hold and advocate. To predicate an atonement which fails to atone, a redemption which does not redeem, a sacrifice which secures not the actual remission of sins is a horrible reflection upon all the attributes of God. To make the efficacy or success of the greatest of all God's works dependent upon the choice of fallen and depraved creatures is to magnify man at the cost of dethroning his Maker.

A.W. Pink

Many preachers today say a number of good things. But what a man really believes is most often revealed by what he DOES NOT SAY and by WHAT HE SAYS AFTER he has said the good things. What he does not say most often is that which is essential to God's glory, and what he calls upon men to do often glorifies men.

Charles Spurgeon

If God saved you in the light of His consideration of something in you, however small, it could NOT be grace. No amount of immorality can prevent God in His grace, and no amount of morality can commend one's self to God. If one sin, or one thousand of them can hinder a soul in the reception of grace, it ceases to be grace. If the smallest amount of morality can commend one to God, it ceases to be grace.