The Substitute

The Substitute
by Daniel Long

Your tears of repentance, they cannot save. 

And the hope of your works are empty and vain. 

the best of your deeds are filthy and vile, 

so how will you plead on the Day of your trial? 

The demands of perfection cry out from the Law, 

and justice for sin is required from all. 

And God will not bend His holy demands, 

obedience required to all His commands. 

So what will you say on that soon dreadful day, 

when the great books are opened and your works are displayed? 

Your mouth will be stopped, and then you will know, 

the wrath you deserve, and to hell you will go.

Unless,

On the day of your trial stands One in your place, 

a Savior, a Substitute, pleading your case. 

"Father," He says,

 "This one trusted in Me, 

all of his sins were nailed on the tree.

Every drop of Your wrath on the cross I absorbed, 

and justice was served for each sin that I bore. 

And as for the law, 

I kept Your commands, 

My perfect obedience is counted as his. 

Now declared righteous by My perfect life, 

through faith in my blood he is clean in My sight. 

I as the Substitute died in his place, 

My life as a ransom, freely, by grace." 

So what will you trust in, what will you say, 

when you stand before God on that fearful Day? 

Your only hope and your only plea, 

is faith in the Substitute, to Him you must flee!