“Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, ‘For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed’” (Genesis 4:25).
Nobody really likes to be a substitute. It’s nice to be the original—the first, the authentic. Seth “substitute.” God blessed the pained hearts of Abel’s parents with another son.
But Seth was much more than compensation. He was a genuine follower of God. After Genesis lists the unrighteous descendants of Cain, it turns to list the line of Adam’s new sons, one of whom was “in his own likeness, after his image” (Genesis 5:3). Though Seth inherited the sinful nature of Adam, he was more like his father in stature and character than Cain. It was through Seth that a godly lineage was kept alive.
While no one really enjoys being a stand-in, there is a time when a substitute can save your life. Because of Adam’s sin, we are all destined to die. “For as in Adam all die …” says the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 15:22). But he continues, “Even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” We, who deserve death, are given the opportunity to accept Jesus as our Substitute. He offered to die in our place so that the wage we’ve earned was placed on Him instead.
Jesus’ death on Calvary is an atoning sacrifice that brings eternal life back to us. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Do you long to be restored to the image of your heavenly Father? You can if you accept the Substitute.
Dear Jesus, I accept You as my replacement. Thank you for dying in my stead so that I might someday walk in the earth made new.
