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Introduction
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As with every Biblical
doctrine, consideration must
be given to four directional
arrows: |
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a) |
The immediate context; why
do the apostles speak of
“propitiation” in these
passages and
“justification”,
“redemption”,
etc.? |
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b) |
How the subject is viewed in
relevant passages. When
considering “propitiation”
it occurs in the following
verses (Rom. 3:25; Heb.
2:17; 1 Jn. 2:2; 4:10).
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c) |
The meaning of the Greek
words which help direct how
the
ancients
understood
what was being meant. This
will be considered in this
paper. |
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d) |
If it is a follow-up word
from the Old
Testament,
how was it used in the Old
Testament? |
Meaning of The Greek Words
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There are three Greek words
but all are translated by
the two English words,
“propitiation” and “reconciliation”.
Those three words are: |
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a) |
“Hilastērion”
indicates the place of
propitiation in the Old
Testament,
the lid of the ark in the
Tabernacle, the place where
the sin bearing of the
sacrifice (expiation) was
satisfactory to the
government of God and
therefore propitiation is
enjoyed. |
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b) |
“Hilaskomai”
is a verb and occurs in
Hebrews 2:17, “Wherefore in
all things it behoved him to
be made like unto his
brethren, that He might be a
merciful and faithful High
Priest in things pertaining
to God, to make
reconciliation for the sins
of the people. |
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c) |
“Hilasmos”
indicates the Propitiator
who provided the appeasement
needed due to our sin.
Herein
is love, not that
we loved God, but that He
loved us, and sent His Son
to be the propitiation for
our sins” (1 Jn. 2:2;
4:10). It is perhaps (due
to context) better
“Expiator”, that is the
Remover of our sins penalty. |
The Contrast Between "Atonement and
Propitiation"
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Propitiation focuses on
God’s justice. I say
“God’s” because it is always
undeviatingly and incredibly
righteous, totally unlike
the “justice” of the
nations. |
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a) |
Our
enmity
against God, insolence and
iniquities, means that we
are sinful criminals
rebelling against the
principles of God’s
character. The
result
is that while in that heart
and mind attitude, God gives
His verdict. “But after thy
hardness and impenitent
heart treasurest up unto
thyself wrath against the
day of wrath and revelation
of the righteous judgment of
God (Rom. 2:5). |
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b) |
It is not that God is
displeased at man’s
rebellion, He is positively
angry, “God is angry with
the wicked every day” (Psa.
7:11). I have one son and I
would be furious if anyone
mocked, spat on him or
deliberately hurt him in any
way. I love him (as with my
daughters) and if anyone did
my children, their spouses,
or my grandchildren harm,
would I not have the right
to be angry? When man
mocks
the offer of God’s
salvation, spits in His
Son’s face, slaps Him with
their hands, and
in hatred cries,
“Crucify Him”
(Mk. 15:13).
Does God have the right to
be angry? The question then
becomes, “How can that
righteous anger be averted
and one start anew with all
execution of judgment for
the past rebellion
cancelled?” |
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c) |
For one who would damage my
children, how could they
satisfy my anger, or bring
them back into full
friendship with me? Damage
would be done which is
unrepairable. How does God
then cancel out the damage
I, as a sinner, have done?
He cannot just ignore my
rebellion and cancel my just
punishment. On the other
hand, it would not be right
to punish an
innocent
person for my sinfulness.
What was God to do?
The only way it is
righteousness is if the
innocent volunteered to take
the punishment for me, and
in my place receive the
execution of the judgment of
the court. |
I recall a hymn we used to sing:
Wonderful love that rescued me, sunk
deep in sin,
Guilty and vile as I could be, no
hope within;
When ev'ry ray of light had fled, O
glorious day!
Raising my soul from out the dead,
Love found a way.
Refrain:
Love found a way to redeem my soul,
Love found a way that could make me
whole;
Love sent my Lord to the cross of
shame,
Love found a way, O praise His holy
name!
Love bro't my Saviour here to die on
Calvary,
For such a sinful wretch as I, how
can it be?
Love bridged the gulf 'twixt me and
Heav'n, taught me to pray;
I am redeemed, set free, forgiv’n,
love found a way.
Avis B. Christiansen
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God is the God of infinite
love and before that love
could be fully manifested
there had to be a way for
His righteous justice to be
executed. Christ stood in
the gap between the
individual and God, and God
executed His judgment my
sins deserved on Christ.
Holding nothing back, the
rod of divine wrath was
executed on Christ. He
became the cursed for me and
suffered the full penalty
for my sins to the entire
satisfaction of God. God
who has been slighted and
offended must be satisfied
with the method and fulness
of the execution of justice.
He demonstrated that
satisfaction by two major
events: |
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a) |
He raised Him from the dead
and |
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b) |
Christ was exalted by God
and to God and is at the
right Hand of God |
The Main Focus of Propitiation
While we delight with joy and
adoration in Christ because of His
sacrifice on the cross and because
He saves us from God’s
wrath, there is a tendency to think
only of Christ’s
work as being solely for our
benefit, when the ultimate benefit
was to bring glory to the holy and
just God who was glorified in the
work of Christ (Jn. 17). The
principle reason for Christ’s
death is God-ward, meaning the most
important aspect is God’s
benefit as it provides a means by
which He can turn his wrath away
from His creation, and in particular
His people, and whereby He can
exercise His true character of
love. In relation to people,
propitiation stems from His love for
us (1 Jn. 4:10).
Blessed Results of Propitiation
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Because the Lord, by more
than sufficiently meeting
the requirements of the Holy
God and being personally
fully qualified and willing
to righteously bear the full
penalty for our sins, God’s
justice is satisfied, He is
propitiated. This is
fundamental
for if the offended God is
not satisfied with the
execution of divine justice,
then there will be no
further blessings,
consequently justification
etc., are meaningless terms
and empty phrases. Thank
God and praise His glorious
name God is satisfied, and
by His expiating work being
satisfactory to God we have: |
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a) |
Ratification of the New
Covenant (Matt. 26:28) |
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b) |
Justification (Rom. 5:9) |
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c) |
Redemption (Eph. 1:7; Col.
1:14) |
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d) |
Forgiveness (Eph. 1:7; Col.
1:14) |
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e) |
Peace with God (Col. 1:20) |
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f) |
Purification (Heb. 9:14) |
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g) |
An entrance into the holiest
(Heb. 10:19) |
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h) |
We are a purchased
possession (Acts 20:28) |
In closing, I can think of no better
way than to quote the words of the
old writings which said:
Such was the sacrifice He made the
law could ask no more,
For not a mite was left unpaid when
He my judgment bore.
Guilty I stand before Thy face;
On me I feel Thy wrath abide;
'Tis just the sentence should take
place,
'Tis just—but O, Thy Son hath died!
For me I now believe He died!
He made my every crime His own,
Fully for me He satisfied:
Father, well pleased behold Thy Son.
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