Saturday, August 16, 2014

Amazing Propitiation

"Propitiation means the turning away of wrath by an offering. In relation to soteriology, propitiation means placating or satisfying the wrath of God by the atoning sacrifice of Christ." Charles C. Ryrie (1999-01-11). Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth (Kindle Locations 5503-5504). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition. 


English Standard Version
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

Had someone quickly said, "propitiation" to me until several years ago, I might have answered with, "Gesundheit!" What an unusual word; yet, in the understanding of what
God has done for His adopted, it is a word with few equals as far as importance. Alistair Begg, in one of his wonderful teaching sermons, mentioned something that almost sounds
like a brain teaser. Let me see if I can paraphrase...  The one who needed to be propitiated provided for His own propitiation. That's close and it is both tough to sort out and miraculous at the same time.

We all know that a just, righteous and Holy God cannot abide by sin. It must, by His character, be unaccepted and it must be punished. Those who sin, and the last time I
checked, that would be all of us, were therefore under condemnation, separate from God,
dead in sin.  This is the major dilemma facing mankind. So what could be done?

Here is where God, as only God could, stepped in, long before creation and brought
about the plan for salvation. Man was not able, due to his very sinful nature, to exact
forgiveness from a Holy God. The Godhead brought about the one and only possible
solution to the problem- an atoning sacrifice involving God incarnate. The eternal God
was to come onto the earth and, "die for the sins of all!" God offered up His precious
only Son so that He could be satisfied. A solution for sin was created by the creator
that would allow those who believed on His son to stand before Him in the
righteousness of Christ Jesus.

It's almost more that a humble person can imagine, but what else or who else could
have provided such a loving, miraculous astounding gift. I am still trying to wrap my
brain around it. 

We must praise our God for His grace, His love and His ability to do all!

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