Sin is not a popular topic nowadays. Churches that once dealt with it vigorously have become increasingly timid about focusing on it. But without the understanding that our sin has separated us far from a holy God, we will have no appreciation for propitiation—the total appeasement of God’s wrath against our sin. We cannot enjoy Christ’s work of propitiation until we know where we are without it.
The publican cried out, “God be propitiated toward me, the sinner” (Luke 18:13, Greek text). Sinful man has no plea but the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ. Paul referred to Christ Jesus, “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God” (Romans 3:25). “And he [Jesus] is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).
GOLDEN THOUGHT: Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins.
[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (August 24 reading).]
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