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1 John 1:8-2:2 and 4:7-12
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can also download our service at Baptist-Christian at iTunes. We have been studying this great doctrine of reconciliation and how it changes us from being in a position as God’s enemies into being His adopted children. This week we are considering how propitiationchanges us before God. Let’s start with:
I. THE INTERPRETATION OF THE WORD! In its earliest, simplest form it mean “cheerful/ happy, then friendly/favorable; then it meant to accept while hurt.” It is easiest to remember it meaning “turning away wrath by an offering.” Propitiation is presented in at least three ways in Scripture. In the OT propitiation is pictured in the mercy seat. Ex. 25:1-22, especially verse 22 explains this. Use your chain reference to follow this teaching through Scripture. The blood of the animal was put on the Ark where the presence of God was found demonstrating God’s mercy in place of His wrath. L. S. Chaffer explains in part that” …the blood was effective only to the extent it provided a just and proper way so God could Passover sin until Christ would shed His own blood for all people.” In the NT Christ became the offering that turned away God wrath, because He met all the requirements necessary to satisfy God’s wrath toward sin. The Cross was the place of propitiation. Read Heb. 9:16-28, then Rom. 3:19-26. The Cross was the altar, Christ was the Sacrifice and His blood was “sprinkled” on the Cross, and His body was the offering for sin. Christ could be the offering because He was sinless and volunteered to be the offering. The NT also teaches that propitiation reveals God’s character of mercy. Read Luke 18:13; Heb. 2:10-18; 8:7-12. Let’s consider
II. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE WORD! 1= Because God’s wrath has been satisfied He can act differently toward you. He always sees you as His adopted child – never as His enemy. John 17:2—24; Rom. 8:28-39 and many others. 2= God no longer has any reason to destroy you because of your sin. Read Rom. 8:1, and the entire book of Galatians. 3= All God’s anger towards ins has been dealt with on the Cross through Christ. 4= God is now free to bestow all benefits of salvation on you; BUT He will do that only when you are in a right position to receive them.5= Adversity is no longer punishment for sin, but is a process for sanctification. God can’t be the originator of sin or the author of anything that will hurt you. God doesn’t cause adversity, but He will allow it! Because propitiation has occurred, He is now free to use that adversity to teach you how to let God use His power in you to change whatever caused the adversity into blessings of salvation. The longer you resist God’s desire to change you, the more intense the adversity becomes, not because God is turning up the heat, but because Satan has more influence because you are moving away from God in your resistance!!! If you offer yourself to God as His instrument of righteousness, you will begin to see how His power changes your resistance into desire and submission to Him where you experience more of His great redemption grace.
If we can help you with this or any other spiritual question, call us at (574) 643-9419. Come join us Easter Sunday morning. Sunrise Service @ 7:00 a.m. and morning worship @ 9:30 a.m.
