What did Jesus do on the cross? The answer is what separates believer from unbeliever. But what is more startling is that even believers have tendency to pass over some key details to Christ's death by crucifixion. Words like redemption, reconciliation, and ransom are used to define His death. While these words are true, they do fall short of the actual definition. Propitiation is a word not posed by many pastors or preachers. Like other theological jargon or Christianese, Propitiation is substituted with the word substitution, atonement, and expiation.
This poses a problem. Propitiation is more than substitution and it is not just expiation. Expiation is translated atonement, it means to "cover sin" which is what Jesus did, but propitiation means "to appease the wrath of God and to reconcile." See the difference? Propitiation says that Jesus took our place, allowed the wrath of God to be satisfied by falling on Him and through this reconcile and cleanse us of sins. So why is propitiation not commonly used at the pulpit? Why is it not common lingo with laypeople? Is it in the Bible?
The reason propitiation is not as popular as expatiation and atonement is that it includes the wrath of God. People have trouble with God's wrath, it makes many feel uncomfortable. There are even some who claim that God would not pour out His wrath on us, that the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Flood, are over. There is problem with this notion, firstly the wrath of God is found in the final Book of the Bible known as Revelation. It says clearly that, "He shall trod the wicked in winepress of his wrath and the blood will be up to the bridle and go on for 200 miles or 2,000 Stadia." (Revelation 19:19-20). Then there are the bowels (Revelation 6:2-15) and trumpets (Revelation 8:6-13, 9:1-12) of God's wrath. But many Pre-Mellenialists, A-Mellenialists, and Post-Mellenialists do not believe that the saints will suffer the wrath of God. Well they are correct, but I am discussing what happened at Calvary, not the Close of History and it will be different for the unbeliever; they shall suffer God's wrath at the End of Days. The Reckoning, and Judgment Day.
The point is that propitiation proves to us that God was angry with us and his wrath was prepared for us. Propitiation says "you deserved the cross, the crucifixion, the flagellation, the nails, the thorns, the spear, all of it. But God in His mercy satisfied his own wrath on your behalf." When we come to understand this we realize how much more the Crucifixion of Christ means; not only where we washed clean, we were saved from wrath!
Is propitiation in the bible? Yes. It says in John's Letters, "and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world," (1 John 2:2 NASB) and "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10). There is another verse from the Apostle Paul to the Church in Rome, "Whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;" (Romans 3:25). Finally, there is a verse in the Gospel of John that drives home propitiation, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:36).
The wrath of God is real. There are man verses in the Old and New Testaments that testify to the reality of God's wrath and judgment: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness," (Romans 1:18), "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience," (Ephesians 5:6), "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." (Romans 5:9-10).
This is an uneasy thought for believers, who don't want to feel insecure. But if you believe in Jesus Christ, the wrath does not fall upon you (2 Corinthians 5:19). But if is important to understand the peril unbelievers are in and appreciate what Jesus did for us. Our Lord did not only take all our sins, all the sins of the world upon us, He also took the full wrath intended for sinners upon Himself! Each one of us before we believed, trusted, and follow Jesus were meant to suffer judgment and wrath; but God rich in His mercy choose to pour it out on Himself! But those who do not believe and refuse to follow Jesus Christ will find wrath remaining for them! So woe unto you who has not yet believed! For while the Blood of Christ protects us from wrath, those who are outside His blood shall suffer all the verses of Revelation I footnoted and more! The wrath shall never end for the unbeliever, in fact it says, "Satan shall be thrown into Lake of Fire, where Beast, Man of Sin, and there they shall be tormented day and night." (Revelation 20:10). This torment will not just be for the devil and his brethren, but the wicked people as well. For Our Lord Jesus will say to the wicked, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matthew 25:4).
Do not wait for the wrath of God. By then it will be too late (John 3:18). But instead take His free gift of mercy and grace in the sacrifice and propitiation of Jesus Christ on your behalf! Trust and believe in Jesus Christ now! But do it from holy fear, that you know He is God, not because you just want to be spared judgment. God wants to know you and be reconciled (propitiation) with you. He loves you and that is why His Son Jesus died for you! (John 3:16). Choose to love, trust, believe, and follow Jesus Christ today.
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