The Whole Gospel: Why Propitiation Matters
Ever heard a gospel presentation that went something like this: “We are sinners and our sin separates us from God. But Jesus died on the cross and rose again so we could be forgiven. If you ask him to save you, He will. Would you like to pray and ask Him to come into your life?” Most of us probably have. We have probably even said those things. I know I have. While there is not anything wrong with those statements in a stand alone sense, in a gospel presentation they are incomplete. “What?!” you may ask. “But they mention that sin is what separates us from God!” “They mention forgiveness!” “They mention Jesus dying on the cross and rising again!” “They even asked them to pray!” “What’s the problem?!” I have one word for you. Propitiation. Without this word, the gospel message falls flat – in fact, it is downright wrong. So what does propitiation mean? Propitiation is a sacrifice that takes away wrath. More specifically, a substitute payment made in t...