What Child Is This?

"Why lies He in such mean estate where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christian, fear, for sinners here the silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spear shall pierce Him through, the cross be borne for me, for you."

“What Child Is This?”
by William C. Dix

England, 1865

"I didn't do it," is often our first line of defense when we're caught doing something wrong. If that doesn't work, we’ll try, "I couldn't help it," or "I didn't mean it," or "It wasn't my fault." Such defenses rarely result in acquittal, no matter how minor the offense. Adam and Eve’s offense to God was severe to say the least, and what was their defense?

     Adam: The woman made me do it.
     Eve: The serpent made me do it.

     Serpent: The devil made me do it.

Needless to say, they didn't win an acquittal (Genesis 3:14-19). And as a result of their offense, we likewise offend God gravely each day by the things we do and the things we leave undone. Thank God Jesus doesn't come to our defense like a lawyer pleading that we didn't do anything wrong, or that we couldn't help our sinful natures. He came into the world to endure our sentence for us: truly a unique and airtight defense.

 

"For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many." (Romans 5:15)

For more on Jesus' endurance on our behalf, click here.