Propitiation

As you read these studies, keep a few questions in mind that we need to answer, or at least attempt to answer. The first question we must keep in mind is, was it necessary for Christ to die? Let that specific question linger while we discuss our first term of the atonement: Propitiation

Propitiation: In simple terms, propitiation means that God’s wrath against sin is appeased, or satisfied.

God is a holy, righteous and just God, among many other attributes. Because He is all of these things all of the time, sin is completely offensive to God and He cannot sin nor be in the presence of sin. You see, when we sin we offend His holiness and for Him to be completely just, His wrath must burn against us and the due punishment is hell. Before I explain a bit more of whether or not Christ had to die, I will list the 4 times the word propitiation is used I the Bible.

…whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. –Romans 3:25

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. –Hebrews 2:17

He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. -1 John 2:2

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. -1 John 4:10

So, out of love for us, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to be the propitiation of our sins. The only way this could take place is if the sacrifice was sinless (Rom. 5:19) and that God’s wrath was paid in full. Therefore, Christ took our place on the cross and soaked up ALL the wrath of God out of love for us, leaving us innocent in God’s eyes.

God did not just forget our sin, but instead poured out all his wrath on the Son at the cross. Here is where things get very emotional and should force you to your knees in thankfulness:

1) Jesus Christ was in perfect unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit for all eternity. In Matthew 27:46 Jesus cries, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” At this point, for the first time ever, the Son was separated from the Trinity and made to be sin, separation because God cannot be in the presence of sin.

2) Fathers, think through this one: The Father was pleased with the sacrifice, since that is what propitiation basically means. Imagine your son crying for help, being tortured and beaten, and you stand there pleased at what is happening to your son. Some people have gone as far to say that this is the most vulgar account of child abuse in human history. However, God did this knowing that 1) Jesus would conquer death and be raised from the dead 2) God would restore all sinners who trust in the person and work of Christ on the cross back into a right relationship with Him.

This is the definition of propitiation in short. Please meditate on these facts today and realize the love God has for you.

“But the gospel begins with the outspoken assertion that nothing we can do, say, offer or even contribute can compensate for our sins or turn away God’s anger.” –John Stott, The Cross of Christ