In recent days, there has been much discussion about the movie, The Passion of the Christ. The movie focuses almost entirely upon the physical sufferings of Christ. It is profitable for us to think much of the physical sufferings of Christ. After all, "Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps" (1 Pet. 2:21). Many early Christians followed the steps of Jesus and were crucified just like He was. Though not many of us are being crucified for our faith today, we are still called to take up our cross and follow Christ (Matt. 16:24).

As significant as the physical sufferings of Jesus Christ were, there were thousands of Romans in His day who were crucified just like Jesus was. Yet, His crucifixion was unique in that He turned away God’s wrath with His sacrifice, which was a sacrifice of propitiation. Perhaps this word isn’t very familiar to you. Perhaps you have read through your Bible and remember hearing it a time or two, but aren't quite sure of the meaning of it. I trust that by the end of this article, you will understand, embrace, and rejoice in what this word teaches us of the sacrifice of Christ, especially as we approach Easter in a few weeks.

Though the word, "propitiation," occurs less than a handful of times in most translations of the Bible, the meaning of this word is at the heart of the gospel of Christ. When you understand its meaning and its usage in the Bible, it ought to bring joy to your soul. I once heard of a man in seminary who said, "My entire tuition costs were worth it when I learned the meaning of propitiation."

To understand this word, we first need to understand ...

The Wrath of God.

Though many people don't like to talk about it today, the Bible clearly teaches that God is angry with sinners. He is angry with them because of their sin. We could list hundreds of verses that speak of God's wrath and His anger against sinners. I will give only a few from Psalm 78, in which Asaph rehearses what took place in the wilderness after God had miraculously rescued His people from Egypt. The Israelites "continued to sin against him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert. And in their heart they put God to the test" (Psalm 78:17-18). We are told a few verses later that "the LORD heard and was full of wrath, and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also mounted against Israel. ... The anger of God rose against them, and killed some of their stoutest ones" (Psalm 78:21, 31).

When God pours out His wrath upon the offending sinners, they perish. It was the duty of the Levites to offer the sacrifices upon the altar, "that there may no longer be wrath on the sons of Israel" (Lev. 18:5). When people refuse to repent of their sins, they are "storing up wrath for [themselves] in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God" (Romans 2:5).

It is fortunate for us that the LORD is "slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth" (Exodus 34:6). If He were not, all of us would be consumed in a moment, as Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were when God’s anger burned against them. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up (Numbers 16).

Next, we must understand ...

The Justice of God.

Though God is slow to anger, we must not forget that "He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished" (Ex. 34:7). God will punish every sin ever committed against Him. He must. His justice demands that He must. Moses rejoiced, "All His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice; righteous and upright is He" (Deut. 32:5).

If God were to allow sins to go unpunished, He would not be righteous. When an earthly judge is lenient and allows the guilty to go free, we know that there is something dreadfully wrong. It is the wicked who "pervert the ways of justice" (Prov. 17:23). If God were to let any sin go unpunished, God would no longer be just in all His ways. But God is the perfect judge. "He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity" (Psalm 9:8). There will be a day in which Jesus will come to "judge the world in righteousness" (Acts 17:31), for He "has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead" (Acts 10:42).

Though God's patience is great, waiting thousands of years (2 Peter 3:9), His patience will only last so long. At some point, God's justice must take over. This is what the angel proclaims as God's "bowls of wrath" (Rev. 16:1) are being poured out upon the earth, "Righteous are You, who is and who was, O Holy One, because You judged these things; for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it" (Rev. 16:5-6).

Now, we must understand ...

The Love of God.

Repeatedly, the Bible describes God as a loving God. He is "gracious and merciful" (Psalm 145:8). He is "good to all" (Psalm 145:9). He is "kind in all His deeds" (Ps. 145:17). He is "compassionate" (Psalm 103:8). He is "our help and shield" (Psalm 33:20). He is "gentle" (Matt. 21:5). He sympathizes with our weaknesses (Heb. 4:15). He has "affection to love" (Deut. 10:15). He calls His people, "His beloved" (Psalm 127:2) and "the bride" (Rev. 21:9). He "heals the brokenhearted" (Psalm 147:3). He "nourishes and cherishes" the church (Eph. 5:29). He is "the God of all comfort" (2 Cor. 1:3). He is a "wonderful counselor" (Is. 9:6). He is "full of compassion and merciful" (James 5:11). He gives gifts to men to enjoy (James 1:17). His creation is very good (1:31). He has established His covenant with Abraham and his children (Gen. 17:19). He is the "guardian of your souls" (1 Pet. 2:25). He regards the lowly (Psalm 138:6). He hides in the shadow of His wings (Psalm 17:8). He is our teacher (Is. 30:20). Over and over and over the testimony of the Lord rings, "His lovingkindness is everlasting" (Psalm 136:1-26). Indeed, "God is love" (1 John 4:8).

The question often comes, "How do you reconcile the love of God with the wrath of God?" Many have tried to do it by saying that "God loves the sinner, but hates the sin." Perhaps you have heard this. There is an element of truth to this statement. God certainly hates sin in every form in which it exists. But, to say that God loves every sinner simply isn't true. It's too simplistic. Consider the following verses: "You hate all who do iniquity. ... The LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit" (Psalm 5:5-6). "The one who loves violence His soul hates" (Psalm 11:5). Also, read the section above on the wrath of God. You will often seen God's wrath upon people, not merely upon the sin.

And now, we are able to understand propitiation, by understanding, ... satisfy that person. Our human courts often solve this through monetary settlements. If your sin was only against society, you would need a payment for sin that would satisfy society. Our human courts often solve this through prison terms and/or fines. In rare cases, this is satisfied through capital punishment. However, your sin is fundamentally a sin against the Sovereign One of the Universe. David said, "Against You, You only, I have sinned" (Psalm 51:4). Your sin has angered God against you! The only way possible for God to forgive your sin is for His wrath and anger to be satisfied.

Now, we can understand ...

Propitiation.

A sacrifice of propitiation is a sacrifice that turns away wrath. It isn’t a sacrifice that simply covers or cleanses. It is a sacrifice that removes all anger from the offended party. Such was the nature of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

The punishment that Christ received upon the cross appeased God's wrath. It was a sufficient, wrath-turning-away, sacrifice. Paul wrote that we are "justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith" (Rom. 3:24-25). By faith in Christ, the wrath of God that our sin has caused, has been fully appeased.

By faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we can enter God’s presence as a fully forgiven and redeemed sinner. Though we are sinners, God is no longer angry with us. He bears no grudge. There is nothing looming over us that needs to be dealt with at a later time. All has been forgiven of us. God’s wrath has been satisfied in the offering of Jesus as a propitiation. He no longer looks to us in His anger, because He accepted Christ as a propitiation.

So what?

The riches of God’s kindness and patience toward us in Christ ought to lead you to repentance. Rather than instant punishment for your sins, in Christ, God extends forgiveness and pardon to those who believe. I exhort you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

As you anticipate Easter, realize that the sufferings of Christ have accomplished far more than an example for us who believe. His sufferings have actually turned God’s anger away from you. Though your sins have stirred God’s wrath against you, God gladly receives you into His presence, because He accepted the sacrifice of Christ as a propitiation in His blood.

Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.