Having already arranged everything with his Son, he allowed us during the former time to be carried along, as we wished, by disorderly impulses, led away by pleasures and desires. This was not because he delighted in our sins, but because he bore with them; not because he approved that season of unrighteousness, but because he was preparing the present season of righteousness, so that, having at that time been shown by our own deeds to be unworthy of life, we might now be counted worthy through the goodness of God; and having shown that on our own it is impossible to enter the kingdom of God, we might become able through the power of God.
But when our unrighteousness had reached its fullness, and it had been made perfectly clear that its recompense—punishment and death—was awaited, and the time came that God had appointed to reveal his goodness and power—O the surpassing kindness and love of God!—he did not hate us, reject us, or hold our wrongs against us. Instead, he was patient and bore with us. In mercy he himself took upon himself our sins; he himself gave up his own Son as a ransom for us: the holy one for the lawless, the innocent for the evil, the righteous for the unrighteous, the incorruptible for the corruptible, the immortal for the mortal.
For what else could have covered our sins except his righteousness?
In whom could we, lawless and ungodly as we were, have been justified except in the Son of God alone?
O sweet exchange! O unfathomable work! O unexpected benefits! The lawlessness of many is hidden in one righteous person, and the righteousness of one justifies many lawless people.
Having therefore shown in the former time the inability of our nature to attain life, and now having shown the Savior able to save even what is impossible, he willed that for both reasons we should trust his goodness and regard him as provider, Father, teacher, counselor, physician, mind, light, honor, glory, strength, and life, and that we should not be anxious about clothing and food.