PROPITIATION: TURNING AWAY OF DIVINE WRATH

Propitiation relates to God. It is the turning away of God’s wrath against sin. It is an act which enables God to receive the sinner.

Propitiation is derived from the Greek word “hilaskomai” which means to avert anger by the offering of a sacrifice. It always denotes the removal of wrath. “Hilasmos” is the atoning sacrifice for sins. Christ is our propitiation (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).

In the prayer of the publican in Luke 18:13: “God be merciful to me a sinner”, the Greek word translated “merciful” is “hilaskomai”. He was essentially praying “God be propitiated or reconcile me through the atoning blood sprinkled on the mercy seat”. God is appeased and satisfied by the atoning blood which is the means of the mercy of God (Leviticus 16:14,15; Hebrews 9:5-9; Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD’S ANGER

Psalm 7:11; 9:17; Romans 1:18; 2:5,8; 4:15; 5:9; 9:22; 12:19; 13:4,5; Colossians 3:6; Ephesians 2:3; 5:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; 1:10; 2:16.

God is holy and righteous and is radically and uncompromisingly opposed to sin in all its shape and sizes. God is a God of judgement and because of His nature can do nothing other than condemn sin.

The scripture reveals God’s wrath against sin. The unrepentant wicked will be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God (Psalm 7:11). God is angry with the sinner EVERYDAY (Psalm 9:17). God cannot look passively on sin, He has active revulsion against it in every facet of it.

Sinners are referred to as by nature children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3), appointed to wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9; 1:10; 2:16) and the wrath of God is directed against all disobedience, ungodliness and unrighteousness (Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:6; Romans 1:18; 2:5,8).

God’s anger and wrath against sin in all its forms is indeed righteous (Romans 2:5). The judge of all the earth who will always do right has all the right and justification to be angry against sin. Every sin is a violation of God’s holiness, a disregard of God’s authority, a rebellious extension of Satan’s pseudo-kingdom and deserves absolute punishment. Unlike the prejudiced Jonah, God indeed does well to be angry (Jonah 4:9).

REASON FOR GRACIOUS ATONEMENT

Leviticus 17:11; 4:35; 1 John 2:2; 4:10; Romans 3:24,25; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9; Hebrews 9:22.

Forgiveness is not possible except God’s anger is turned away. Atonement is made the basis of this turning away of divine anger. When atonement is made, forgiveness follows because divine wrath is turned away, God’s anger against sin is appeased (Leviticus 4:35).

Propitiation is the fruit of divine love (1 John 4:10). Propitiation is the only way to remove God’s justified hostility and anger against sin. Christ is presented as our propitiation (1 John 2:2; 4:10; Romans 3:24,25).

Through being our propitiation, Christ has turned away God’s wrath and thereby delivered us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10). Because of Christ’s atoning work we are no longer appointed to wrath but to salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

RENUNCIATION OF GODLESS ACTIVITIES

Romans 6:1,2; John 8:11; 5:14; 2 Timothy 2:19; 1 John 1:6; 2:6; Ephesians 4:17-21; 1 Peter 4:1-4; 1:13-16; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

Christ’s propitiation is not a licence to continue in sin. Propitiation is a provision of God’s mercy and grace. However we cannot continue in sin and expect grace to abound (Romans 6:1,2). To enjoy the freedom from sin provided by Christ is to be ready to go and sin no more (John 8:11). What we receive by grace we can only keep by obedience and righteous living (John 5:14).

Christ died to be the propitiation for our sins. To continue in those sins is to set at nought Christ’s redemptive work. All who appropriate Christ’s redemptive work must depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19; 1 John 1:6; 2:6).

There is the practical necessity of repenting from all sins, forsaking them all, renouncing all sinful, unrighteous, godless activities. We no longer walk like other Gentiles in the vanity of their minds (Ephesians 4:17-21; 1 Peter 4:1-4; 1:13-16; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18).

RESPONSIBILITY FOR GRATEFUL ACCEPTANCE

1 John 2:2; 4:10; Hebrews 9:28; Luke 18:13; Romans 10:9-13; Acts 17:30; Mark 1:15; John 3:16-18; 20:30,31.

Although Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2), His atoning work is only made effectual on behalf of those who personally appropriate it.

Repenting and believing is our responsibility. We are not doing God a favour by repenting and believing, we are doing ourselves a great favour. In fact we need to come in an attitude of utter gratitude for God’s great love in devising the plan of salvation and Christ’s voluntary offering of Himself. If we gratefully accept Christ’s death in our stead, we will be saved. If we look to Him, He will appear to us unto salvation (Hebrews 9:28).

Like the publican we need to come with humility and penitence and pray “God be merciful (be propitiated for me) to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13).

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