# 52 The Great Exchange

Joh 3:19 "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 "But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

Have you ever walked by the site of a “condemned building?” A condemned building is one that has been deemed unfit to occupy. The electricity has been turned off, there is no light.

So it is with the condemned soul. It has been deemed unfit to be occupied by a holy God. It will spend eternity separated, unoccupied by God! Yes, there is a hell and people will be sent there for eternity! Something has to be done with our sin problem. Our sinfulness must be exchanged with the righteousness of Christ.

The core of our problem is unbelief! It’s hearts that resist the convincing work of the Holy Spirit! Jesus called this resistance “the blasphemy  of the Holy Spirit “and it is the only unforgiveable sin!

Lu 12:10 "but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.”

Stephen summed it up this way shortly before he was stoned to death as he preached against those who refused to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God! e Ac 7:51 "You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. (Acts 7:51)

The idea of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit includes the removal of any desire to be reconciled to God through Jesus. (And by the way, if you are concerned that you have committed this sin, your very concern is proof that you haven’t. It is proof that you, like the thief on the cross, have a desire to be reconciled. One thief came to the light and Jesus assured him that he would be with Him in Paradise that very day! The other cursed Jesus all the way to his grave and was eternally condemned.)

Let’s talk about the “evil deeds” that men love. 1Co 6:9 spells a few of them out for us:

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Continuing to practice these things are just symptoms of unbelief, but look at the next verse: 1Co 6:11 “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

When you come to the Light (Jesus lifted high on the cross) These deeds are exposed for the sins that they are, and the cure is Jesus. To “do the truth” is to “come to the light” and when you do, your deeds are clearly seen as sin.

Now, remember, Jesus is talking about His crucifixion here, and when you look upon the pole, (Jesus on the cross) you will see your sins AND the price Jesus paid for them!

In looking on Jesus the Holy Spirit will not only convict you of your sins, but He will also convince you of the righteousness of Christ. The phrase “done in God” is very interesting. It speaks of an exchange. On the cross, your lawless deeds have been exchanged for the righteous deeds of Christ! And when you look upon Jesus in faith you will realize the truth that , “there is no condemnation  for those who are in Christ Jesus!” (Rom 8:1) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR0zUh3-Kt0