The Great Exchange

(2 Corinthians 5:21) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

To exchange means to give up something in order to receive something else. We do it every day. One thing is true at every level of exchange, though—we want to feel like the exchange is fair and just. We want what we receive to be worth as much or even more to us than what we gave in exchange.

In what seems to be the most unfair and inequitable exchange imaginable, Jesus took our sin as his own and gave us his righteousness in exchange. And having received that righteousness we are now in right relationship and right standing with God, and have the right to access the the amazingly abundant life he has promised us!

But we have a choice. And that choice requires yet another exchange on our behalf.

In exchange for the fullest life in him, God asks us to surrender our self-life, to exchange our independence for dependence on him.

Which of these three exchanges describes your relationship with God? 

1.  The  exchange.

In trust we fully surrender all of our lives and ourselves to God, and in exchange we begin to realize the most abundant and fullest life of joy, peace, grace, love, and freedom.

(Luke 9:23–24) Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

(John 10:10b) I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

(Mark 10:29–30) “I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.

2.  The  exchange.

In this exchange one rejects, dismisses, and pushes away God and all that he is offering. This is the state of the world’s culture around us every day.

Exchanging the truth for lies:

(Romans 1:25) They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Exchanging the living God for idols:

(Romans 1:22–23) Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Note: An idol is any thing, person, activity or source one looks to in order to meet a need in a manner contrary to God and his Word.

3.  The  exchange.

In this exchange a person has surrendered some (or even most) areas of their lives, but refuses to surrender all. Failing to trust the Lord in particular areas of life, they continue to ignore and disobey God and his Word. Thus they may realize some of  the abundant life God has for them, but will fail to come even near living the fullest life.

(Mark 4:18–19) Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

A grave warning to those living in partial exchange:

(Revelation 3:15–16) I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

√ Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any areas of your life that you are failing to surrender.

√  Take some time to consider what Jesus offers you in exchange, and the unspeakable price he paid to provide it.

√ Surrender all to him today, and begin to realize the fullest life he has for you!