MY SUBSTITUTE
by Sir James Simpson, M.D.
Inventor of Chloroform

When I was a boy at school, I saw a sight I can never forget -- a man tied to a cart and dragged through the streets of my native town, his back torn and bleeding from the lash. It was a shameful punishment. For many offenses? No; for one offense. Did any of the townsmen offer to divide the lashes with him? No; he who committed the offense bore the penalty all alone. It was a penalty of a changing law, for it was the last instance of its infliction.

When I was a student at the university, I saw another sight I can never forget -- a man brought to die. His arms were pinioned; his face was pale as death -- thousands of eager eyes were upon him as he came from the jail. Did any man ask to die in his place? Did any friend come and loose the rope and say, "Put it around my neck; I will die instead?" No; he underwent the sentence of the law. For many offenses? No; for one offense of robbery. He broke the law at one point, and died for it. It was the penalty of a changing human law in this case also; it was the last instance of capital punishment being inflicted for that offense.

I saw another sight I shall never forget -- myself a sinner, standing on the brink of eternal punishment in the lake of fire. For one sin? No; for many, many sins committed against the unchanging laws of God. I looked again, and behold, Jesus Christ became my Substitute. He bore in His own body on the tree all punishment for my sin. He died on the cross that I might live in glory. He suffered -- the Just for the unjust -- that He might bring me to God. He redeemed me from the curse of the law. I sinned and was condemned to eternal punishment. He bore the punishment and I am free.

The law of God required a perfect righteousness I never had. Again I looked unto Him and found that "Christ is the end of the law to everyone that believeth" (Romans 10:4) .The law required spotless purity, and I was defiled with sin. Again I looked unto "Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood" (Revelation 1:5).

I was a child of disobedience, a child of wrath; "But as many as received Him, to them gave he the right to become the children of God, even to them that believe on His Name" (John 1:12). I found in Him not only my Substitute, but the full supply of every need of my life.

I long to tell you of this Saviour, "for there is none other Name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4: 12).