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| Redemption, Propitiation, Reconciliation |
Many question abound about how one can gain eternal life and what is the process by which it comes or is offered to us. Is this something that is freely given , must it be earned, can it be earned or is it bestowed upon us? What exactly does it mean? The gift of Eternal Life, where does it originate from and ultimately what is the meaning and purpose of it?
In order to illustrate and explain the answers to that we must first become familiar with a few terms and keys:
- Redemption
- Propitiation
- Reconciliation
Redemption - Redemption comes from a word that actually means "to buy back," "pay the price for."
The dictionary definition for Redeem is:
–verb (used with object)
1. to buy or pay off; clear by payment: to redeem a mortgage.
2. to buy back, as after a tax sale or a mortgage foreclosure.
3. to recover (something pledged or mortgaged) by payment or other satisfaction: to redeem a pawned watch.
4. to exchange (bonds, trading stamps, etc.) for money or goods.
5. to convert (paper money) into specie.
6. to discharge or fulfill (a pledge, promise, etc.).
7. to make up for; make amends for; offset (some fault, shortcoming, etc.): His bravery redeemed his youthful idleness.
8. to obtain the release or restoration of, as from captivity, by paying a ransom.
9. Theology. to deliver from sin and its consequences by means of a sacrifice offered for the sinner.
According to the Old Testament, whenever one needed forgiveness or atonement for sins they would offer as a sacrifice the shed blood of animals as the atonement, remission or redemption to gain the forgiveness sought by the priest. This was according to what was called "The Law" as God gave it to Moses who in turn gave it to the people to follow.
When Jesus Christ was offered on the cross by the Father, it was his shed blood for us that redeemed us and gave us remission and became the atonement for our sins to be forgiven. No longer was it required to offer the shed blood of animals and to seek a priest to make our atonement for us, because Jesus became the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world - John 1:29. How did he take away the sins of the world? By shedding his innocent blood as atonement for our sins. Hebrews 9:22 tells us that "without the shedding of blood, there is no remission."
Leviticus 17:11 tells when a priest had to make atonement for others before the death of Jesus Christ. Life is in the blood.
11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.
Hebrews 10:11-22
11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins.
12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet.
14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.
15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says,
16 “This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds."
17 Then he says,“I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.”
18 And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.
19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.
20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.
21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house,
22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
Propitiation - Propitiation properly signifies the turning away of wrath by an offering.
The dictionary defines propitiation as follows.
–noun
1. the act of propitiating; conciliation: the propitiation of the wrathful gods.
2. something that propitiates.
The Bible teaches that Jesus is the propitiation for the world. "He is the propitiation for our sin, and not for our's only but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2, 1 John 4:10, Heb 9:5, Luke 18:13, Romans 3:25).
Redemption contemplates our bondage and is the provision of grace to release us from that bondage.
Propitiation contemplates our liability to the wrath of God and is the provision of grace whereby we may be freed from that wrath.
Christ suffered ultimately for all criminality. This act, is called the vicarious substitutionary atonement, meaning that Christ suffered in place of the sinner and the death of Christ was both the substitute for our sin and the satisfaction of the law.
The necessity of propitiation is found in the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man.
- A Holy God cannot look on sin.
- Neither can sin stand in the presence of a holy God.
"Our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:29. The death of Jesus Christ satisfies the justice of God that must be poured out upon sin.
The demands for the law are satisfied. The law could not be abrogated because it was a reflection of God's Holy character. The law demanded a penalty for every transgression. The law was a unit, and to break one law was to break all the laws.
James 2:10-12
10 For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.
11 For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.
12 So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.
13 There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.
Hebrews 9:5 describes a "mercy-seat" as the tabernacle and its furnishings are being described.
5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy-seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
The term mercy-seat and propitiation are synonymous and mean the same thing. In Luke 18:13 the praying publican realized that the law could never satisfy the demands of a holy God therefore, he prayed.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
In essence he was asking to be viewed from the mercy-seat of Christ's death and for his sin to be satisfied in accordance to the mercy-seat.
Reconciliation - In the act of reconciliation, man is reconciled or reunited with God.
The dictionary definition of reconciliation is as follows:
verb
To reestablish a close relationship between.
To settle or resolve.
To bring (oneself) to accept: He finally reconciled himself to the change in management.
To make compatible or consistent: reconcile my way of thinking with yours. See Synonyms at adapt.
The implication is that man was once in favor with God as in the garden of Eden and is now reunited to fellowship with God again in the death of Jesus Christ. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:16 - "Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death."
Now man is in a favorable position with God because of reconciliation. This does not imply or mean that man is saved. Man is placed in a savable position, but man must choose to be saved. In the act of salvation God looks at the blood of His Son (redemption); God's wrath is satisfied (propitiation); the broken law no longer accuses the offender; therefore God no longer views man as an alien and a rebel. The result is the act of reconciliation. Man is now savable because he is in a savable position to God. But, the act of reconciliation does not make man a child of God. All can now come to the Father through Jesus Christ by accepting Jesus Christ. (John 14:6, John 1:12). The Bible never teaches that God is reconciled. Man is reconciled when God is propitiated.
The object of reconciliation is the world. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:19:
19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.
There is a double transference associated with the act of reconciliation. First, our sins were imputed to Jesus Christ, "For he hath made him to be sin for us," (2 Corinthians 5:21). The second act of imputation is "that we might be made righteousness of God in him," (2 Corinthians 5:21).
In the act of salvation, the righteousness of Jesus Christ was placed on the account of the sinner, and , in reverse, the sins of sinners were assumed by Jesus Christ when He died for the sins of the world. Man is not guilty of sin under the Old Testament of Law, rather man's guilt and punishment stems from a rejection of Christ as Personal Savior and Lord. Reconciliation means that God has favor and mercy toward man, and man is in a position to be saved. But, men must call on the Lord and be converted.
Redemption is a gift that is freely given without request, there is nothing we can do to earn it, lose it or mess it up. Salvation on the other hand is a gift that is also freely given but we must request it and we shall receive it freely form the Lord, it is an act of our will , not an act that is forced upon us unwillingly. Jesus died for all man and for the world so that they could be in a position to be saved, Those that choose to be saved and call upon him are known then as his children and his elect. The gift of Eternal Life is offered and available to all, "for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son and whosoever believes on him shall be saved." This does not mean that all mean are going to be saved, it is their choice. It is however God's desire that none should perish and all come to repentance, not all will choose to do so.
2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Won't you now decide in your heart to come to the Lord and ask him to be your savior and Lord? Salvation is free, redemption is already been given, propitiation for your sins has already been made. Reconciliation is up to you by choosing to become saved and believing on Jesus Christ so that you too shall be saved and have eternal life. Once you do that you enter into a world of grace and mercy and the Lord now sees you through the shed blood of his Son Jesus Christ and he was the substitute for YOU. God loved YOU so much that he gave his only begotten son to die in place of you so that you shall no longer be dead to sin but free and alive to Christ and eternal life with the Father. It is always your choice to come, never a demand from the Lord, simply an invitation to life and life more abundantly in and through Him. Won't you come today and become one of his children, one of his elect and allow him to use your life for His glory? There is healing in Him, restoration, reconciliation, freedom, love , mercy, favor, joy, hope, encouragement, victory, and so much more but it is a choice that you must make and that no one can force you to do.
Please interact with me especially if you have chosen the Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior so that we can rejoice with you and amongst the angels. Did you know that the angels in heaven rejoice over one sinner that comes into the kingdom of God, as you decide to enter into the kingdom of God, all of heaven will rejoice with you!!!!!
Your life will never be the same.
* The basis of this study was taken from an excerpt by Elmer C. Townes titled The Death of Christ.
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