How's Your Word Knowledge?

I wonder if you know what the word "vicarious" means. It's an adjective that means that something is "Endured or done by one person substituting for another: vicarious punishment." It's probably meaningless to an unsaved person. Few have had someone take their punishment for them. However, it means everything to the Christian. The saved person knows that he was once a law-breaker--a devious criminal in the eyes of a holy God. He knows that God's standard of righteousness is so high that the crime of lying demands the death sentence, and that He considers hatred of another human being to be murder. If you hate someone, as far as God is concerned you are physically putting a knife into his back. If you lust after another human being, God considers you to be an adulterer. That's the height of His moral standard, and that will be the standard of judgment on Judgment Day.

However, this same wrath-filled God is rich in mercy to all that call upon Him. He was manifest in the flesh and suffered for us, so that we could be free from the demands of Eternal Justice. His was a "vicarious" sacrifice. He paid the fine so that God could legally dismiss our case. Then He rose again on the third day, and all who repent and trust in Jesus receive remission of sins. They are forgiven, and washed clean of their filthiness. God grants them the gift of everlasting life. How do you know if this is true? Obey the gospel "and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free" (see John 8:31-32).