Does Christ's character change from His first coming to the second? NOPE. And if we have seen Jesus, we have seen the Father. And what about after the second resurrection? Does the character of God change? NOPE.

Hebrews 10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, do you suppose, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and has done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
10:30 For we know him that has said, Vengeance belongs unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.


What an awful realization it will be for those who have thrown away the most precious gift ever offered to them, when they find themselves without the protective robe of Christ's righteousness that would shield them from the consuming glory of Christ's coming.

But are they fearing the Baby Sheep or are they fearing something else? Perhaps themselves or the choices they have made?

Many take what Christ did as suffering in our place, penal substitution. But EGW speaks of Christ LIVING as our substitute. But this truth gets lost on most. What does it mean that Christ is our substitute and surety? Waggoner in The Glad Tidings says it well:

"Born under the Law." -Being born of a woman, Christ was necessarily born under the law, for such is the condition of all mankind, and "in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." Hebrews 2:17. He takes everything on Himself. "He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." He redeems us by coming into our place literally, and taking our load off our shoulders. "Him who knew no sin He made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21, R.V. In the fullest sense of the word, and to a degree that is seldom thought of when the expression is used, He became man's substitute. That is, He permeates our being, identifying Himself so fully with us that everything that touches or affects us touches and affects Him. If we will but recognise and acknowledge the fact, then we drop out entirely, so that it is "not I, but Christ." Thus we cast our cares on Him, not by picking them up and with an effort throwing them on Him, but by humbling ourselves into the nothingness that we are, so that we leave the burden resting on Him alone. Thus we see already how it is that He came "To Redeem Them That Were under the Law." -He does it in the most practical and real way. Whom does He redeem?-"Them that were under the law." We can not refrain from referring for a moment to the idea that some have that this expression, "to redeem them that were under the law," has a mere local application. They would have it that it means that Christ freed the Jews from the necessity of offering sacrifices, or from any further obligation to keep the commandments. Well, suppose we take it as referring only to the Jews, and especially to those who lived at the time of His first advent; what then? Simply this, that we shut ourselves off from any place in the plan of redemption. If it was only the Jews that were under the law, then it was only the Jews that Christ came to redeem. Ah, we do not like to be left out, when it comes to the matter of redemption; then we must acknowledge that we are, or were before we believed, "under the law;" for Christ came to redeem none but those who were under the law . "Under the law," as we have already seen, means condemned by the law as transgressors. But the law condemns none but those who are amenable to it, and who ought to keep it. Therefore, since Christ redeems us from the law,-from its condemnation, it follows that He redeems us to a life of obedience to it.

Yes, Christ lived/s as our substitute but He also died as our substitute, for the claims of God's law demands the death of the sinner.

E.J.Waggonner also preached (wrote)



And his partner in these messages A.T.Jones

dedication - where in your quotes is the actual word substitute actually used? It is not. Yes, Christ bore the penalty of sin, but the sinner is not free because of Christ. Christ death only opened the door. Christ life must now be substituted for ours. Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.