I have heard people try to pit Jesus and Paul against each other as if Jesus taught one thing and Paul came along and changed it all. Among people who do not believe the Bible is inspired, it’s not uncommon to take for granted that Jesus started one movement, but Paul came along and changed it so modern Christianity is built on the teaching of Paul rather than the teaching of Jesus. The same people like to pit Peter and Paul against each other as if they had very different visions of the Christian faith.
For those of us who believe in inspiration, it seems a bit jarring to have people handle the Bible in this way. It feels pretty obvious there is a reason we have the words of Jesus, Paul, and Peter all included in the sacred writings. They are not in conflict but are, in fact, inspired by the same Spirit.
The main reason there’s a difference between what Jesus teaches and what Paul emphasizes is that Jesus explains Kingdom living and Paul explains the implications of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Their topics are complimentary but different. Jesus hints at the meaning of His death and resurrection, but it had not happened yet. The Apostle Paul unpacks the meaning and significance of these events more fully than anyone else.
One of the verses from Paul’s writing that summarizes the impact of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ well is Romans 4:25. Here is my translation of the text:
He was given over on account of our trespasses
and was raised on account of our righteousness.
The first line is drawn directly from Isaiah 53. The Christians and Jews of Paul’s day generally used the same Greek translation of the Bible when they wrote to each other in Greek. It was called the Septuagint. In that version of the Bible, Isaiah 53:6 says of the Messiah, “our sins were given over to him.”* It seems pretty clear that Paul had this verse in mind when he wrote Romans 4:25. Isaiah 53 helped Paul understand an important concept that the great pioneering missionary Hudson Taylor’s son later called “the exchanged life.”
Romans 4:25 is a brilliant summation of the exchanged life. It teaches that our sins are “given over” to Jesus Christ to carry for us at the crucifixion. It also teaches that His righteousness is “given over” to us at His resurrection. That is the exchange: our sin for His righteousness.
This great exchange is the foundation of the Christian life. Jesus Christ takes our sin and gives us His righteousness. He erases our debt, and fills our spiritual bank account. We die to a life that ends in death, and we are raised to a life that endures for eternity.
Christianity is built on the death and resurrection of Christ. It is not just built on an intellectual belief that Jesus truly died for our sins and truly rose from the dead never to die again. It is built on the exchanged life we experience because of the death and resurrection of our Lord.
Every time we witness a baptism, we are reminded of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Every time we take the Lord’s Supper it points to His death and resurrection. And both remind us of the great exchange that took place in our lives.
There are two elements to living out the exchanged life. (1) We live a crucified life. This means we surrender our right to be in control of our lives and have things our way. (2) We walk in the Spirit. This means we stay relationally connected to God and do things His way rather than ours.
Easter is a time of celebration for many reasons. It is also a great time to take stock of our lives and recommit ourselves to a life of surrender and relational obedience. God is always at work in some area of our lives. Where is He working in your life this Easter? And is there an exchange you need to make? Perhaps there are burdens you are carrying that need to be cast on Him? Perhaps there is an act of faith you have been avoiding?
Take some time this Easter season to get back to basics in your walk with God to enjoy more fully the blessings of an exchanged life.
* The Greek word translated “was given over” are from the same root in Isaiah 53:6 and Romans 4:25. The LXX of Isaiah 53:6 reads: “παρέδωκεν αὐτὸν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν.” Greek text of Romans 4:25 reads: “ὃς παρεδόθη διὰ τὰ παραπτώματα ἡμῶν.”
Romans 4:25 is a brilliant summation of the exchanged life. It teaches that our sins are “given over” to Jesus Christ to carry for us at the crucifixion. It also teaches that His righteousness is “given over” to us at His resurrection. That is the exchange: our sin for His righteousness.
Jesus was never bolder or more clear about His true identity than in the final days before His death on the cross.
For years I missed the fact that when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey He was making a legitimate offer to sit on David’s throne and be king. I had only thought of this as the prelude to the sacrifice He would make. But the context of that sacrifice is…
