The Great Exchange: My Sin for His Righteousness [Paperback]

Jerry Bridges (Author), Bob Bevington (Author), Sinclair B. Ferguson (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 7, 2007

Believers often take for granted the great act of salvation provided to us by the work of Jesus Christ. Beginning with the Old Testament sacrifices and the prophecies that foreshadowed Christ, authors Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington guide believers through the biblical overview of Christ's atonement. The Great Exchange helps believers see how the Old Testament practices tie in with the New Testament discussion of Christ's great work of salvation.

As believers work through these principles, they will begin to recognize that even though we deserve condemnation and punishment from a holy God, he has given us the opportunity to experience his great riches through his Son, Jesus Christ. The clear gospel message presented throughout the entire book offers a great appreciation of Christ for believers and an opportunity for salvation for unbelievers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"As Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington have shown, the cross brings a timely and unparalleled message of costly love and forgiveness. Their work is a thorough examination of this rich truth in the Scriptures, and you will be richer for their biblical insights."
—Ravi Zacharias, Founder and President, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries; author, Jesus Among Other Gods

"Men who have taught us so much about God's transforming grace now marshal their resources to defend and define the glorious blessings of Christ's atonement, which exchanges our sin for his righteousness. No truth is more important; no book more needed."
—Bryan Chapell, President Emeritus, Covenant Theological Seminary

"The next time I am asked for my top-ten reading list, this will be included! Clear and comprehensive, it leaves the reader in no doubt that this 'great exchange' is not only the heart of biblical theology but also the pivotal event of human history."
—Alistair Begg, Senior Pastor, Parkside Church, Cleveland, Ohio

"The gospel announces a great exchange: the innocent God-Man assuming our debt as we inherit his righteousness. Those who love to hear that story will love to read this book and will be filled with fresh enthusiasm to share it with others."
—Michael Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California

"All who read this book will be blessed and better informed."
—Alan Andrews, President, U.S. Navigators

"I commend this volume to everyone who wants to understand more fully the nature of the atonement as taught by the apostles."
—Timothy George, Founding Dean, Beeson Divinity School; General Editor, Reformation Commentary on Scripture

Product Details

• Paperback: 291 pages
• Publisher: Crossway (September 7, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581349270
• ISBN-13: 978-1581349276
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 6.2 x 8.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #596,706 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Helping believers to become more impressed with Christ's Atonement November 8, 2007

By Erik Raymond

Format:Paperback

I get excited anytime I see a book dedicated to helping people more clearly understand, value, and articulate Christ's atonement. So as you can imagine I was eager to get my hands on The Great Exchange by Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington. For those who love the gospel and enjoy time basking in its glorious truth this book is a treasure. The writing style of Bridges and Bevington is clear and engaging. Furthermore, they write as men who are impressed with Christ and his atonement. This passion is catchy as you read the book.

From the preface: "...our goal is to declare the whole counsel of God in the gospel and to show how every aspect can be traced back to its substance in the substitutionary atonement. Our book is not about us; it is not our story. We aim to disappear now and display Christ and him crucified as the treasure of all time. We pray that you, too, will become self-forgetful as you turn these pages, because what you see here is God in Christ doing something that is truly larger than life, namely, providing an all-sufficient substitutionary atonement for us by his perfect, obedient life in the flesh and his perfect sacrificial death in the flesh. Herein you will find the meaning of the Great Exchange, the monumental reality that in the gospel: `Four our sake [God] made [Christ] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in [Christ] we might become the righteousness of God' (2 Cor. 5.21)."

The book is divided into two parts, Part One deals with the overview and context of the atonement of Christ. Of particular encouragement to me was the time the authors spent in the Old Testament unpacking and explaining the historical and theological context of the atonement. Of great value is the writers' analysis of the components of the sacrificial system in general and The Day of Atonement in particular. I highly recommend these chapters.

In the second half of the book, which makes up the majority of the work, the writers walk through the Apostle Authored Scripture on a study of the atonement of Christ. These chapters become a useful tool to any pastor, teacher, Bible study leader, Christian, whoever, in their pursuit of a better understanding of the atonement in the various New Testament books.

I highly recommend this book as a great tool to stir your own appreciation of the work of Christ. You cannot but be affected by such a glorious study.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Thorough and Accessible Treatment of Christ's Atonement May 30, 2008

By Derek Brown

Format:Paperback

I have been a fan of Jerry Bridges for several years. I was first introduced to Bridges when I picked up 'Transforming Grace'--a warm and refreshing treatment of the grace of God and how we can practically apply the liberating truth of God's grace to our daily lives. Then I read The 'Pursuit of Holiness,' followed by 'Discipline of Grace' and then The 'Gospel for Real Life.' Needless to say, I quickly learned that Jerry Bridges is not only doctrinally in-tune with the truths of the gospel; he is relentlessly passionate about the gospel. When I heard that Bridges was teaming up with a close friend (Bevington) to write a thorough and accessible treatment of Christ's atonement, I was excited to devour the truths I knew would be clearly and practically expounded in their work. I was not disappointed.

'The Great Exchange' is, in simple terms, a book about the gospel. More specifically, it is a book that explains what the Bible teaches about Christ's substitutionary atonement, and how this atonement makes us right with God. The theme verse of the book is II Corinthians 5:21, "For our sake [God] made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." In chapter after chapter, Bridges and Bevington explain, from from many Old and New Testament passages, what it means that Christ became sin on our behalf so that we could become the righteousness of God. In a word it means that Christ, the sinless one, was charged with our sin, while we, in the Great Exchange, received Christ's perfect righteousness.

Bridges and Bevington also focus on the representative life of Christ, explaining that the fullness of Christ's atonement not only happened at the cross; it was occurring over the course of his whole life, while Christ was walking in perfect obedience to God's law on our behalf. Christ was our substitute, not only in his death, but also during his life--he lived a perfectly righteous life in our place and died the death we deserved. As a result, God can now justify those who trust in Christ because he credits Christ's righteousness to them, while transferring all their guilt to Christ; a guilt that has been fully paid for at the cross. God remains just and we receive pardon from sin and perfect righteousness.

Bridges and Bevington also emphasize the truth that the work of Christ's atonement is not a work that happens on the inside of us (although it is the grounds for God's work on our hearts), it is an external, finished, objective, historical work that has already fulfilled the law of God in our place. There is no work left to do; that is why faith is the instrument by which we receive the benefits of this great atonement.

In the latter two-thirds of the book, Bridges and Bevington take the reader through every major passage in the New Testament that speaks of Christ's work of representation and atonement, mining each text for precious truth. Major passages from the book of Acts, all of Paul's epistles (excluding Philemon), Hebrews, I Peter, I John and Revelation are examined and proclaimed. The final product is a Scripture saturated exposition of Christ's work for our salvation (there are over 1000 Scripture references in the book, and only five references from other sources). Well-written and throughly grounded in Scripture, this book is one that deserves to be read and reread.

I know how easy it is to be tempted to think that we, at some point in the Christian life, get beyond the gospel. When I oblige this temptation, I am usually led into paths of self-righteousness and spiritual frustration. On the other hand, when my mind is enraptured by the fullness of Christ's work on my behalf, I find what Christ calls, "rest for [our] souls" (Matthew 11:29) and power for obedience. For these and other blessings, I recommend this book to you.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars You Won't Want To Put It Down! February 8, 2008

By PD

Format:Paperback

Go figure, a theology that you won't want to put down! - This vital topic (the atonement) is explained in a thoroughly Biblical and readable way. - I'm thankful to the authors for their fidelity and attention to the Biblical texts without getting lost in the controversial areas of the atonement. Reading this book reminded me how we so need to major in the vast riches of what can be clearly understood. I was humbled; enriched; encouraged; and sure of my faith after reading and studying this book.