1 John 2:2: He is the Propitiation

1 John 2:2
[2] He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. (ESV)

We tend to struggle with the idea that God is at times a wrathful, vengeful God. We want to delete those portions of Scripture that speak of his judgment and focus on the passages that talk of his mercy and love. And as a result we have a very unhealthy and inaccurate view of who God is. Many times I have heard people say that God is mean in the Old Testament, and nice in the New Testament.

As we look at this word propitiation in 1 John 2:2 it will help us come to a more balanced understanding of just who God is. We will go to the great late Dr. R.C. Sproul for a little help on this one:

"The prefix pro means “for,” so propitiation brings about a change in God’s attitude, so that He moves from being at enmity with us to being for us. Through the process of propitiation, we are restored into fellowship and favor with Him. In a certain sense, propitiation has to do with God’s being appeased."
- R.C. Sproul, www.ligonier.org

So, let's put it together. God is justifiably angry at our sinful nature and behavior. Because he is perfectly just and holy he intends to bring wrath and punishment to us for our sin. But, Jesus' sacrifice on the cross steps in the way of that wrath. Jesus takes the wrath that was intended for us and receives it onto himself. This is why he suffered. He suffered to take the wrath we should have received, and as a result God the Father can now look upon us with favor, instead of wrath. God's righteous wrath is not ignored, it is placed on Jesus.

Another way we can understand propitiation is to interpret it as "payment." He payed for our sin. John tells us that he is the propitiation for our sins and also the sins of the whole world. Does that mean every person who ever lived? No. It means, he paid for the sins of all who would believe in him. Sadly, those who do not place their faith in Jesus Christ will have to eternally pay for their sin.

What a wonderful Savior we have. He is the propitiation, or payment, for our sins. Take some time today thanking him for his amazing gift of love for us.

Comments

Romans 8:18: For I Consider That The Sufferings Of This Present Time Are Not Worth Comparing

Romans 8:18 [18] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (ESV) Perspective. What an important word. Let's be honest. We do not like the idea of suffering. We will do almost anything to avoid any kind of suffering. Some churches have gone so far as to preach against the idea of suffering, declaring it to not be a part of the true believer's life. Paul is not shy about the topic. Paul uses the sufferings of this present time as a means to consider the greater glory that awaits us. Perspective. Paul is not in any way attempting to diminish our suffering. A view toward eternity puts our suffering in a proper understanding. Yes, our suffering is terrible. In the grand scheme of eternity it is not even worth comparison. Maybe you are thinking that Paul does not know what he is talking about when it comes to suffering. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul describes countless beatings, often near death,

Romans 11:24: For If You Were Cut From What Is By Nature A Wild Olive Tree, And Grafted, Contrary To Nature, Into A Cultivated Olive Tree . . .

Romans 11:24 [24] For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree. (ESV) We continue looking at the illustration of an olive tree. The root of the tree is the covenant relationship relationship of God with Abraham. Abraham's faith is what this spiritual tree is built on. The first branches would have been the faithful people of Israel, who like Abraham, placed their faith in God. They believed God, just like Abraham, and it was credited to them as righteousness. There were branches of the people of Israel who never placed their faith in God. Because these branches were not true followers of God they were broken off of the tree. Faith in God was the essential element that made the branches true branches of this spiritual tree. Some branches remained. Others, the faithless unbelievers, were removed. After Jesu

Romans 15:20-21: And Thus I Make It My Ambition To Preach The Gospel, Not Where Christ Has Already Been Named

Romans 15:20–21 [20] and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, [21] but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (ESV) We need to be reminded continually that the message of the Gospel is intended to move all across the world. Jesus said that his followers were to preach the Gospel, starting in Jerusalem, and continue preaching the Gospel to the whole world. Christians have not always been good at delivering the Gospel message as far and as often as they should. In the first century church it took intense persecution to motivate the disciples in Jerusalem to bring the Gospel to Judea and Samaria. Once the disciples fled to new regions they shared the Gospel wherever they went. Would the disciples have preached the Gospel without the persecution? We may never know. Some probably would have stayed in their co

Search This Blog