Represent

"For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!" Romans 5: 17

I recently, like many of my American and Canadian friends, endured that annual rite of Spring - Tax Season. When I lived in Canada, I had the system pretty well figured out. I downloaded TurboTax and easily gave unto Caesar that which was Caesar's. Now that we have lived in the States for a bit, I must confess that I still have yet to figure out how to do my taxes for the IRS. But then again, I suppose many Americans who have lived here for years still have to figure that out.
So, I take my receipts and official documents to a special tax accountant every year, who asks me a few rote questions, and then proceeds to complete my taxes for me. She does a great job, and for me, a relatively pain free tax season.

Now, in order for my accountant to submit my tax reports off to the IRS, we have to do something technical and official. I, and my wife, have to sign a document that allows our accountant to represent our case to the IRS. Once we do that, our accountant officially speaks on our behalf, and she expertly communicates our interests with them, as if we were speaking to them ourselves. In a legal sense, she speaks for us to the US government. This is representation.

The accounting of our salvation is not so different from the accounting of my taxes. Adam, when he sinned, not only plunged himself under the curse of sin and death, he also acted as our representative. As our representative, he also plunged all of humanity under the curse of sin and death. As the scripture said, "death reigned through this one man."

Just as I am unable to account my own taxes, I am also unable to account for my own sins. My reason for not being able to account for my own taxes is incompetence...my reason for not being able to account for my own sins however is not mere incompetence - it's my sinful total inability to do anything about it. It's impossible for any person to take care of their own sins.

Thankfully, just as we had one representing us in our depravity, we also have one representing us in salvation. Jesus Christ came to account for our sins as our representative. He paid the penalty for our sins by taking our place. He represents us before God the Father as judge and declares us right and holy. The gift of righteousness comes only through faith in the one who stoops to represent us.

Thanks be to God for taking our place.

Be God's, Scott