On the cross, God through Christ saved us from Himself. The true Christian never has to face the fear of eternal judgment; why? Because Jesus faced it for us already on the cross. God treated Christ on the cross as if He lived our life, so that we by grace through faith in Him, can be treated as if we lived His life (2 Cor. 5:21). Our sin imputed to Him; His perfect righteousness imputed to us. This is called "the doctrine of imputation."
The culmination of the Lord being punished in our place and the satisfaction of God being accomplished was when Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why has thou forsaken Me?" Christ was forsaken in that He bore our sin, its guilt and penalty. But also He bore the wrath of God against us. The Father faced the Son and the Son faced the Father on the cross and He “took it—all of it” for His own. When Jesus cried, "IT IS FINISHED" He had:
- fulfilled the Law;
- went beyond the veil;
- satisfied God's wrath;
- fulfilled all righteousness;
- exalted grace;
- took away the guilt and penalty of our sin;
- destroyed Satan's hold of death;
- abolished death and its sting;
- secured for us eternal life;
- brought us into intimacy with God;
- instituted a new covenant;
- and made for us peace with God forever!
Propitiation refers to the turning away of wrath by an offering. God's wrath is satisfied, His justice is met by the sacrifice.This great work of redemption which began in eternity past, was realized in time through the Virgin Birth, His sinless life lived in fulfilling the Law, the once for all complete atoning sacrifice on the cross by our Lord fulfilling all righteousness, triumphantly culminated in His bodily resurrection from the grave. He was, as Paul said, "raised for our justification."
Expiation refers to covering sins. By the atonement the penalty of our sins are removed from us. The atonement satisfies both the demands of the Father and the needs of Christ's people (1 Pet. 1:2). That such a double transaction can be achieved by one Person, in one event is a matter of eternal glory reserved for Christ alone.
May the Lord strengthen your hearts and minds today in the propitiatory work of the Jesus Christ on the cross and cause you to glorify and love Him with the full affections of your lives.
Because He lives...
Steve
1 John 4:10
22 comments:
Steve,
Thanks so much for the podcasts. I have really enjoyed them. Sometimes it's nice to listen rather than read on the computer when my young children are home.
May the Lord bless you and your family,
Shawn
I've been wondering if you're going to address the Jesus tomb, or if you think it's not even worthy of being addressed.
Thanks for the audioblog, Steve. As I look among the list of things covered when Jesus Christ cried "It is finished", it looks like His death took care of everything so that the Resurrection wasn't necessary. The Resurrection is an essential part of the Gospel as well. What am I missing here? I'm not implying anything heretical here - just trying to figure that thing that's probably right under my nose!
Is the Resurrection simply proof that Christ "destroyed Satan's hold on death" while upon the cross?
Soli Deo Gloria,
RonaldJ
Most important indeed...
ronaldj:
When I do these posts on Your Weekly Dose of Gospel each week, it is my intention to highlight an aspect of gospel and unpack its truths in various ways.
This week was on propitiation.
But, I do not want your conscience to be offended here, so I added a paragraph mentioning the resurrection as well as His Virgin Birth and sinless lived life.
I appreciate greatly your comment and thank you for helping make this a better post today.
Grace and peace,
Campi
Col. 1:9-14
Great post. It's so refreshing to read what our Saviour has done for us in setting us free from sin and its power.
When it's said, "Christ is a radical thing" what is thing meaning here?
Thank for the excellent podcast. This is by far the best thing I've read/heard on propitiation.
scripturezealot
The phrase is "The Cross Is a Radical Thing." Hope that helps clear up any confusion.
Thank you for your kind words of encouragement as well.
Campi
Col. 1:9-14
"The Father faced the Son and the Son faced the Father"
We had a good discussion on this once before, and I think it may be a small matter, that I think when the Father forsook His Son, and it became dark upon the earth at noon, when His Son became sin, and so Christ cries out, not Father, by My God My God, why have You forsaken Me!
Seems as though Jesus didn't have the Father with Him at this moment of darkness, as He did before and after. Though I must admit there's perhaps no greater mystery to me than Christ become God's offering for our sin, and we becoming the righteous of Christ.
BTW, that was an excellent teaching on Propitiation.
It is astounding to think that no one,by force of good works,can redeem his own soul, no matter how pure his motives, or how sinless he manages to live; yet one man, by living a totally sinless life, and dying an innocent death, is sufficient to save all of the redeemed, most of us in spite of ourselves!
Thank you ...both the podcast and the accompanying text were excellent! I particularly liked the fact that you took the time to define words and phrases that might be new to some, and then linking them to the Bible verses and further reference made it all so complete. It was just very carefully constructed and crystal clear ... a wonderful way to end the day.
Thinking on these things,
Debbie
Steve,
I love this argument that John Owen used in answering: Who was the death of Christ both a propitiation and an expiation of sin for?
“God imposed His wrath due unto, and Christ underwent the pains of hell for, either all the sins of all men, or all the sins of some men, or some sins of all men.
If the last...then have all men some sins to answer for, and so shall no man be saved.
If the second...Christ in their stead and room suffered for all the sins of the elect in the world.
If the first, why then are not all freed from the punishment of all their sins? You will say, ‘Because of their unbelief ’...But this unbelief, is it a sin or not?...If it be, then Christ underwent the punishment due to it...then why must that hinder them more than their other sins for which He died…”
--John Owen
I appreciate your lesson and some of the other postings. What happened at the cross can be seen from several perspectives. Psalm 22, from which His plaintive cry comes, causes us to wonder just what was happening. For sure, the Father did not save Jesus from physical death, but should we make more of it? Some say that Jesus was separated from the Father. I have not found this in the Bible. Rather, Psalm 22:24 says that the Father did not turn His face from Jesus, but rather heard His cry.
Also, we need to keep in context I Cor 5:19, for the Father was in Christ on the Cross. Jesus was not alone - He, His Father, and the Holy Spirit are One. Psalm 22 is followed by Psalm 23. Have we ever considered that this might be a Messianic Psalm? I believe it was written by the Holy Spirit for Jesus on the day of His physical suffering and death.
As for the darkness over the land, may I suggest that the darkness is expressive of God’s divine anger and resentment at the sin of murder that the Jews and Gentiles were committing against the Holy One of Israel. While they fulfilled exactly what we saw in Psalm 22, it does not excuse their wickedness.
Imputation allows for someone to charge or place to the account of persons things which do not properly belong to them. Certainly sin did not belong to Jesus, as He was perfect - i.e. the lamb or unleavened bread. Our guilt and punishment could be and was imputed to Him. For example, if my child gets a ticket for speeding, I can pay the ticket as the substitute, but the crime is not mine, it is my child's. Isaiah 53 has many references to bear and carry - the OT concept of imputation.
I have found that looking at the OT types is very helpful when I think of Sacrifice and the Cross, for Jesus was the final sacrifice for sin. The blood of the animal provided the covering for sin (kippur), the sin offering remained perfect in that only the priests could eat the sacrifice. I have also spent much time comparing the Passover ceremony to the Last Supper (Passover meal). The types included in this ceremony leave no doubt that Jesus remained sinless throughout His sacrifice.
I could go on and on - but I suspect that we all agree that the Cross (Atonement) is the most pivotal event in God's plan. Without it we could not be reconciled to the Father. God speaks much of it from Genesis to Revelation - and His explanation is very logical. Glory to God.
wm mallory,
That's an interesting argument by John Owen.
In all three cases, people are guilty of unbelief, not just in the first premise. It is not initially the "belief" that saves us. Initially, we are chosen by Him "before the creation of the world", before we exercise that belief.
Also, in the last premise that Christ died for "some sins of all men" would also suggest that men are saved while still in some of their sins.
So the first and last premises help to show that all men do not have their sins paid for, whether it be some sins or the totality of them (which reinforces the doctrine of election).
I know you weren't looking for an answer to the question of "Who did Christ die for?" but it sure does crystallize in one's thinking that Christ died for all the sins of the elect in the world.
However, in that second premise, John Owen didn't ask a question as he did the other two premises, but instead made a statement of biblical fact, which indicated that he went with the second premise.
Otherwise, he might have asked, "Then have some men no sins to answer for, and are therefore freed from the punishment of all their sins, and so only the elect are saved?"
And the beauty of it is that this was true before the creation of the world, because they were simply "chosen".
Interesting thought piece!
This is great. Thank you Steve for a wonderful resource. Where can I find more of these blogcasts?
Paul
"may I suggest that the darkness is expressive of God’s divine anger and resentment at the sin of murder that the Jews and Gentiles were committing against the Holy One of Israel."
I believe the darkness had to do with God forsaking His Son. Surely Christ was continually holy and blameless, and yet He became sin. He was taking God's wrath upon Himself, the wrath due for our sin. He drank the cup the Father gave Him, the cup that caused our Lord to sweat blood; the cup of God's wrath for sin, which I glorious Savior drank to the last drop.
So that there is NOW NO condemnation for those who have crucified with Christ, and have risen with Him, and are seated with Him in the heavenlies!
He did all this for His Father, and for us.
This is the greatest of all loves.
"... for the transgression of My people was He striken. ... Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him: He has put Him to grief; when You shall make His soul and offering for sin". Isa. 53:8,10
Thank you Jesus for taking all of MY sin and MY shame and MY penalty (God's wrath) upon yourself.
It's more than I could repay -- ever.
So I'll choose to love you, to serve you, to follow you, and to live my life for you in a way that brings glory and honor to your Name.
Since I've honestly faced the wickedness of who I am...it's the ONLY response I can make.
Thank you Jesus.
Michele Rayburn,
Wonderful observation! Yes, Owens comments really simplify the fact that we are simply chosen. They defuses Universalism and Decisionism. I won't add anymore to what you have siad, your comments were excellent!
by His grace alone,
Bill
Good discussion taking place here.. thank you for this.
A couple of quick thoughts:
1. The darkness over the face of the earth would be God's wrath being poured out on His Son. In those three hours of darkness (12-3pm) on the cross, Christ was forsaken; but it wasn't because God can't look on sin - but because He cannot look on sin with favor (Hab. 1:13). The Lord Jesus Christ was crushed for our iniquities and bruised for our sin. It pleased God to do so (Is. 53:2-12).
2. Psalm 22 is Messianic and descriptive of the cross--no question.
3. Christ died for God; and for the elect. He did not die for the entire world; nor did HIs atoning work on the cross cover the sins of the entire world... If it did, then the entire world would be saved. But that is rejected on the basis on universalism.
Off to get some of my sons and daughters from school.
Grace and peace,
Steve
Col. 1:9-14
I would like to comment again on Christ's sacrifice as our atonement for our sin. Sin is a very interesting study topic in the Bible, especially as used in the Old Testament. The Hebrew has only one word for sin/sin offering and one for guilt/guilt offering. For example, in Isaiah 53 the Messiah is referred to as an offering for sin. The Hebrew word is "guilt." The translators of the OT used a rule that if sacrifice was the context, then the word "offering" was added. Isaiah 53:10 should have been translated "guilt offering."
The Greek has a word for sin and another for sin offering, yet there is inconsistency in how the word is translated in the NT. The Greek word for sin is used twice in II Cor 5:21 and in the KJV is translated "sin" both times, even though sacrifice is the context for the second word. The same Greek word for sin is translated "sacrifice for sin" in Hebrews 10:12. What if the translators had translated II Cor 5:21 "sacrifice for sin"? There are several Bible translations that do just that, or at the very least put "offering for sin" in the margin.
Why is all this talk of sin important? Because most people do not understand the doctrinal teaching of imputation. To say that Jesus became sin ie. "I'll never know how much it cost, to see my sin upon the cross" as the song goes, is to imply that Jesus became impure in moral quality on the cross.
Some may disagree, but in the last 30 years I have seen a teaching concerning the Atonement that greatly alarms me. Here is how it plays out - First we have Jesus becoming sin on the cross (II Cor 5:21), then because God cannot look upon sin (Hab 1:13), Jesus is abandoned (forsaken) by the Father, both physically and spiritually on the cross (Psalm 22). A quote from the Purpose Driven Life "Next, as Jesus took all of mankind’s sin and guilt on himself, God looked away from that ugly sight, and Jesus cried out in total desperation...".
Many take it the next step which is to have Jesus suffering the torments of hell. I have heard teachers identify Jesus with Satan (the serpent on the pole). And of course the final step is to have Jesus in hell for three days suffering at the hand of Satan and the demons until the Father rescues Jesus and justifies Him.
Was Jesus morally impure with our sin on the cross? I can find no scripture which even implies this. Jesus was perfect from beginning to end of His ordeal as our substitute - suffering the punishment we deserved - but only physical death, not spritual. As for II Cor 5:21, I agree with Matthew Henry's commentary on that verse.
Jesus was a "an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma" (Eph 5:2). Jesus said in John 8:29 "He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him." and in John 10:17 "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again." God was in Christ... on the cross (II Cor 5:19). Will God abandon Himself? This is not logical. The Godhead is Love.
Finally, may I share Steven's words from his blog 5/11/07 concerning a teaching by Mark Driscoll - "In that moment when God made Him who knew no sin to become sin, that though Jesus was sinless and pure a Lamb without spot or blemish, on Him was laid sin; He became a pedophile, a homosexual, a fornicator, a pervert, a thief, a liar, an alcoholic, a drug addict, He became that. He became the most despicable, ugly, disgusting, accursed thing in all creation—in that moment on the cross. Because He took our place and He became our sin; and He died to pay the penalty for our sins.”
This quote is disturbing for three reasons: 1. It misrepresents the doctrine of imputation; 2. it distorts the character of Christ as our divine substitute; and 3. it is blasphemous to God."
I totally agree.
Blessings
"we have Jesus becoming sin on the cross (II Cor 5:21),"
That's what the Scripture says. Also Jesus was made a curse, He was cursed for us.
Did Jesus stay completely and utterly pure in Himself as He went to the Cross, and died on the Cross? Yes, God forbid I would ever say different.
Was Jesus made sin, and cursed for us, His people? Yes. But it's we who ARE the cursed and sinful deserving recipients of God's wrath, and who have no way of becoming righteous in God's sight, but are condemned and cursed before a holy God.
Jesus took our sin, all of it, and became a curse, for this was the Father's will, and Jesus sweat drops of blood in His most holy prayer to His Father to remove this cup.
I agree that when one teaches of Christ as our propitiation, our substitute, one should be fearfully walking upon this most holy ground, and be sure to present the whole of who Christ was on the Cross.
Mark Driscoll has a less reverent way with words, but I don't believe he is a blasphemer.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Michele, I like your comments and insights....and I love the truth of, 'simply chosen'. It is a tender,while profound, love of Jesus for us.
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