The Great Exchange - introduction

Leviticus 16:1-3	Leviticus 16:7-9, 15-16	Leviticus 16:10, 20-22	Hebrews 9:25-26
2 Corinthians 5:17-21	Isaiah 53:4-12	Romans 5:6-10	Hebrews 10:10-14

The Bible Gems in the Drawer "Purpose of God's Commands" illustrate that there is a higher purpose to God's Commands. That is, a purpose greater than simply providing man with rules to guide his walk on earth. This higher purpose is "that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." In other words, that every man and woman would stand guilty before Heavenly Father without excuse. God's Commands accomplishes this because "by the law is the knowledge of sin." The first three chapters of Romans demonstrate that all are convicted by God's Commands, regardless of whether they are under the Mosaic Law (Jews) or another law (Gentiles).

Heavenly Father wants every person's "mouth to stop". Heavenly Father wants every person to see his or her guilt so intensely that the result is an abandonment of self and an absolute reliance on him. And those who rely on him absolutely are not disappointed. The "Good News" of how Heavenly Father saves those who rely on him absolutely is often called the Gospel Message. This use of the term Gospel is different than how it is typically used in LDS circles. More often than not LDS use Gospel to refer to Heavenly Father's entire Plan of Salvation. In circles outside of the LDS church two words are used to refer to the full scope of God's Plan of Salvation, Law and Gospel. The table below contrasts the Message of the Law (God's Commands) with the Message of the Gospel (The Good News).

Law is equated with Justice.	Gospel is equated with Mercy.
Law (Justice) refers to the totality of Heavenly Father's demands, in the form of commands and the payment (penalty) for sins.	Gospel (Mercy) refers to the totality of Heavenly Father's undeserved love, in the form of blessings and a substitute payment for sins.
The message of the Law is Eternal Death because mankind stands before God convicted of his sins.	The message of the Gospel is Eternal Life because mankind stands before God guiltless.
This is the direct result of man's failure to be as perfect as his Father in heaven.	This is the direct result of Christ meeting God's demands as man's substitute.
Through man's sinful life he failed to meet God's demand for perfection.	Through Christ's perfect life he met God's demand for man's perfection.
The wages of sin is eternal death. The demand of Justice is payment for man's sins; which is eternal death.	Through Christ's sacrificial death he met the demand of Justice, that is; man's payment for his sin.

The Gems in this Drawer introduce the good news of "The Great Exchange" by accentuating The Role and Mission of the Christ known as The Atonement. Because Christ fulfilled his Role and completed his Mission he exchanges our sin for his perfection, leaving us standing guiltless before Heavenly Father. The profound benefits of this exchange and how one may lay hold of the great exchange are the focus of other Drawers of Gems to be completed under "The Plan of Salvation".