When God Is Satisfied

When God Is Satisfied

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romans 3:25

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Romans 3:25 (NASB)

25 “Whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed.”

Have you ever wondered about these long, hard words that are found in the Bible: expiation and propitiation? Both of these words are important for an understanding of the atoning work of Jesus; but what do they mean?

The Meaning of Expiation and Propitiation

The word expiation begins with the prefix ex, which means “out of” or “from.” Expiation means to remove something. In biblical theology it has to do with taking away or removing guilt by means of paying a ransom or offering an atonement. It means to pay the penalty for something.

Thus, the act of expiation removes the problem by paying for it in some way, in order to satisfy some demand. Christ’s expiation of our sin means that He paid the penalty for it and removed it from consideration against us.

On the other hand, propitiation has to do with the object of the expiation. The prefix in this case is pro, which means “for.” Propitiation has to do with what brings about a change in God’s attitude toward us, so that we are restored to the fellowship and favor of God.

In a sense, propitiation points to God’s being appeased. If I am angry because you have offended me, but you then appease me, the problem will be removed. Thus propitiation brings in the personal element and stresses that God is no longer angry with us. Propitiation is the result of expiation. The expiation is the act that results in God’s changing His attitude toward us. Expiation is what Christ did on the cross. The result of Christ’s act of expiation is that God is propitiated. It is the difference between the ransom that is paid and the attitude of the One receiving the ransom.

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CORAM DEO (Before the face of God)

????One of the great Puritan pastors, Richard Rogers, was once criticized: “You Puritans with your preciseness! Why are you so precise, making life uncomfortable for the rest of us?” Rogers responded, “Oh sir, I serve a precise God.” The Bible sometimes uses long and technical terms because God wants us to understand with precision what He has done for us in Christ Jesus so we can grow in understanding and appreciation for Him. Today ask God to give you an increased desire to learn even these more technical, yet very crucial, biblical insights.

For further study: Galatians 3:10–14; 1 Thessalonians 1:9–10; Hebrews 10:1–18