The word "propitiate" means to conciliate or placate the anger or wrath of another. Someone propitiated has been rendered 'satisfied' that whatever his or her 'beef' has been, now all has been squared away.
The thrice-holy God of the Bible is angry and wrathful towards both sin and the sinner. The Bible says so: "For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with You.
The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man" (Psalm 5:4-6).
How can such a God be rendered propitiated or satisfied in order that we sinners will not be subjects of His terrible wrath? This can ONLY be accomplished through the propitiatory and redemptive work of His Son, Jesus Christ. Again, the Bible says so: "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate (One Who intercedes for us) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world" (1 John 2:1,2).
Dying for our sins on the cross, thereby paying for our sins and fulfilling the demands of God ("the soul that sins must die" and "the wages of sin is death") Jesus SATISFIED the irrevocable demands of the holy God toward us sinners. God cannot ignore, easily excuse or sweep our sins under a proverbial rug. He cannot look the other way and be God. Our sins must be dealt with. And so, "God demonstrate(d) His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him (Romans 5:8,9). Why? Because of Jesus Christ "who loved us and gave Himself for us." He died in our place. He rendered His Father propitiated or satisfied with regards to His righteous demands toward sinners. Nowadays, we often emphasize the man-ward aspects of salvation. They are wonderful! Propitiation is the Godward part of the "so great" salvation Jesus purchased for on in His redemptive work.
-rdc
-rdc
