Propitiation…The centrality of our peace.
Wayne Duncan
The great exchange…
The central truth…the life changing realization. The demonstration of Gods love. The centrality of the gospel. The heart of grace.
"Apart from the central truth, the death of Christ cannot be adequately understood." Grudem.
I believe we must understand this. We miss this we miss the gospel! Sadly many have lost this wonderful truth.
Today we are going to look at propitiation…
You may say pro piiii tiii what?
Were going to look at three aspects of it.
The scriptures.
The definitions.
The theology.
Then we will ask the question…what does this mean to me?
The scriptures….
John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
We see here
1) We can sin…
G264 ἁμαρτάνω hamartanō
ham-ar-tan'-o
Perhaps from G1 (as a negative particle) and the base of G3313; properly to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), that is, (figuratively) to err, especially (morally) to sin: - for your faults, offend, sin, trespass.
2) God does not want us to sin
3) When we do, Jesus is our defense. He comes to our defense. Even before we repent or confess he defends.
4) He (Jesus) deters Gods anger to the cross and his sacrifice.
5) All the world sins have been forgiven.
God is love.
1John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
1John 4:10 Herein, is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us,and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
This outrages act, was a demonstration of Gods great love to us. Yes he did it to wipe away sins. But the main reason God did all this was to demonstrate His love John 3 16..for God so loved!!
1John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
1John 4:13 Hereby, know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
1John 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
1John 4:15 Whosoever, shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
1John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
1John 4:17 Herein, is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
1John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment., He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
1John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
What we see here is many things what I want you to see is that God loves you. We have confidence before Him. We can live without fear towards Him. We can have boldness on the day of Judgement, coz we know he loves us.
We must understate that we cannot propitiate ourselves. Jesus is our propitiator.
There are only two ways for us to propitiate ourselves…
We could a) live a perfect faultless life. We can never do this:
Romans 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. 21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. 27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the lawand we have already failed here!
Or b) bear the full extent of Gods wrath upon us for all our sin…ummm no thanks!
Praise God there is a third option…we can accept the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf.
Where wee see propitiation in these verses this is the Greek word.
G2434 ἱλασμός hilasmos hil-as-mos'
atonement, that is, (concretely) an expiator: - propitiation.
So we se in some translations propitiation and in some others we see atonement. They seem to be used interchangeably, by have slightly different translations in the English.
Propitiation focuses on wrath appeased and favour released in its place.
Atonement focuses on the resulting one ness with God. The resulting reconciliation.
Both are correct.
The definitions:
PROPITIATION:
Propitiation /Pro·pi`ti·a´tion/ (?), n. [L. propitiatio: cf. F. propitiation.]
1. The act of appeasing the wrath and conciliating the favor of an offended person; the act of making propitious.
2. (Theol.) That which propitiates; atonement or atoning sacrifice; specifically, the influence or effects of the death of Christ in appeasing the divine justice, and conciliating the divine favor.
He [Jesus Christ] is the propitiation for our sins. 1 John ii. 2.
ATONEMENT:
Atonement /A·tone´ment/ (?), n. 1. (Literally, a setting at one.) Reconciliation; restoration of friendly relations; agreement; concord. [Archaic]
By whom we have now received the atonement.
Rom. v. 11.
Rom. v. 11.
He desires to make atonement
Betwixt the Duke of Gloucester and your brothers.
Shak.
Betwixt the Duke of Gloucester and your brothers.
Shak.
2. Satisfaction or reparation made by giving an equivalent for an injury, or by doing of suffering that which will be received in satisfaction for an offense or injury; expiation; amends; -- with for. Specifically, in theology: The expiation of sin made by the obedience, personal suffering, and death of Christ.
When a man has been guilty of any vice, the best atonement be can make for it is, to warn others.
Spectator.
Spectator.
The Phocians behaved with, so much gallantry, that they were thought to have made a sufficient atonement for their former offense.
Potter.
Potter.
Atonement /A·tone´ment/, n. -- Day of Atonement (Jewish Antiq.), the only fast day of the Mosaic ritual, celebrated on the tenth day of the seventh month (Tisri), according to the rites described in Leviticus xvi.
The theology:
Wayne Grudem…Systematic Theology.
Chapter 27 THE ATONEMENT pg 574-575
"As Jesus bore the guilt of our sins alone, God the father, the mighty creator, the Lord of the universe, poured out on Jesus the fury of His wrath: Jesus became the object of intense hatred of sin and vengeance against sin Which God had patiently stored up since the beginning of the world."
Grudem's definition of propitiation;
" A sacrifice that bears the Gods wrath to the end and in so doing changes Gods wrath towards us into favour"
Lets just look at this for a moment…It is deeply and intensely profound!
A sacrifice…
Bearing Gods wrath…
To "its end"…there is no more wrath left…God is now satisfied!
The NIV study bible puts it like this pg 1948
"Gods holiness demands punishment for human sin. God therefore out of love sent his Son to make substitutionary atonement for the believer's sin. In this way the fathers wrath is satisfied; his wrath against the Christian sin has been turned away and directed towards Christ."
Turned into favour!
Grudem says " These sins simply mean that Jesus bore the wrath of God against sin."
And "Apart from the central truth, the death of Christ cannot be adequately understood."
Please understand this, Gods wrath for your sin, His anger, his disappointment and the punishment you should receive, fell on Jesus on the cross. If you were to come under His wrath, you would not be able to bear it.
How do I apply this to myself…Grudem again
" The New testament emphasis on the completion and finality of Christ's sacrifice of Himself for us has much practical application, because it reassures us that there is no more penalty of sin left for us to pay. The penalty has entirely been paid by Christ, and we should have no remaining fear of condemnation or punishment"
This application is profound..
How many times have we thought or been taught…if you sin, you'll incur Gods wrath and anger. God will punish your behaviour…you better fear Him and live holy or you'll reap the penalty from God!
We need a mind shift, we cannot appease Gods anger to sin, this requires a sacrifice. Jesus did it. Our good behaviour does not deter his Righteous anger., and we do not become righteous through obedience. Were righteous based on His obedience on our behalf.
2 Cor 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The cross does it. You must understand in order to satisfy God anger you must never ever do anything wrong…it's the only way. Under Gods holy standard one mistake would incur his wrath…
James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
Thank god for the cross. How many of us need a renewing of the mind here. We still feel if I just do this well, or that well…God will be happy with me. He is already more that thrilled with you. Coz when he looks at you, all he sees is Jesus.
No friend. Jesus bore Gods anger to the end, his anger is satisfied in Jesus sacrifice. Propitiation happened. A great exchange of anger and intense rage, for radical favour and unconditional love.
God has done this for every one in the world, when we believe it, we receive it.
The great exchange. Gods anger and punishment exchanged for His love and favour.
Now we live free from condemnation…it fell on Jesus.
We live free from punishment…it fell on Jesus.
We live free of fear…perfect love cast out all fear.
Free from separation from God…he was separated for us.
What does this mean to me?
We are atoned. Made at-one with God. We can love and enjoy Him. He can love and enjoy you. All the walls of separation are down. Jesus paid the price, we might go free. Now we live from here. We life from this place. Living any other way will have no victory. No intimacy, no power. We drink here from his love, peace, joy and righteousness. Through this great sacrifice, we access life, and life to the full. From this place we live with confidence to approach the throne of His grace. From this place we live by the spirit, knowing our loving father is guiding and leading us every moment of every day. From this place we love, from this place we worship and serve willingly. His great love and goodness our divine motivator. We know now we can access His love and power and presence at any moment, because we have confidence before Him. Now we have peace, now we have boldness. Now we want to come to Him. Why coz we know we will find love. His anger is burnt out, his favour now burns. Now we can live in faith, now we can believe God. What a great God and what a great saviour! Thank you Jesus. Lets worship Him.
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