Propitiation For Sins

Peter opens His first epistle with a greeting in the sanctified new covenant of grace by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ (in allegory).

Peter writes that the believers are sanctified through the precious blood of Christ as without spot, (for how could he be without spot unless he had lived in accordance with God His whole life? The emphasis is on the incorruptibleness of Christ,

And Peter qualifies that which saves and redeems, the testimony of Christ in the person of God the Father in verse 23.

Peters most bold words on the cross are as follows

Whose sins did he bare? Israel (in this context at the moment of their collected rejection of Him on the cross). So that he should receive rejection of men for the better approval of God, and that rejection from those he came to gather together to God. In obtaining that approval the people Israel (the ye here) are healed, reconciled to God, that they may be clothed with the righteousness of Christ in the sight of the Father.

For in separating out those that rejected Him from those that would be gathered toward Him, using His terrible sufferings as an ensign to collect out one Elect from among those that were called His people, He is as a shepherd who gathers together His flock. (This is this verse in context). For immediately Peter writes;

Elsewhere Peter states the Lord has "bought them".

The Lord has perfected obedience once and for all before us meekly and as a humbled servant. The offering up of a people bought with better promises is the ministry of the gospel. God has separated them to Himself from the world with the price of His entire life, having "tasted death once for every man". In this sense they are purchased, with a work the living example of Jesus, which is pointed to by the law and prophets.

John however uses the term propitiation clearly, but not of the sacrifice, but of the continuing ministry before God on our behalf.

Propitiation (atonement) that the atonement is ongoing as we are ministered to from heaven, rather than being once saved and always saved through faith in the cross rather than the crucified Lord obedient upon it. He made the grace possible, justifying it should bear fruit, now a mediator of grace in role of a high priest, this propitiation is in the continuing sense for John writes we have an advocate with the Father, even Christ.

For Christ is sent to be propitiation,.. not by tortured death on the cross, but through His words, and life, and His Spirit which ministers in us, He being already glorified with the Father at His right hand. For John writes;

This propitiation John continues to expound upon, as in example complete, and in power ongoing through the Holy Spirit.

Finally we conclude this study with Johns true summation;

Then we find no evidence at all that Christ suffered the cost of the blame of our sins,.. rather he patiently bore with us in His sufferings, knowing that we were not as true as He in knowledge of God. Sin is the lack of knowledge of the closeness, immediacy and intent of the creator. Improper faith is also a sin of like type, and by giving Christ as an high priest for us we may believe on He who is without sin, and follow His example. He did not come to show Himself God, but to display to us that we must live by every word from the mouth of God.

Did Christ suffer injustice? Yes.
Did Christ buy us from the power and fear of death? Yes.
Did Christ die in truth? Yes.

Is He Raised?

Now which did these, was it the cross, or by the spoken promises of God? It is clear to me that there is a distinct difference between Christ making atonement for the sin of the world and being punished because of them in our place. There is a difference between bearing the sin and being punished for it.

In the garden before His arrest Jesus prayed to the Father to escape the manner of His execution,.. and not to avoid the conclusion of His ministry. (For He said "therefore am I sent" of Jerusalem.) He prayed concerning the cross in obedience, and acceptance within the foreknowledge of His death - He did not pray to "get out of being obedient" or to make the "guilt go away" (guilt never being at issue) Jesus knew He was not being punished of God, not for any sin (for he had none) or for that of others. Jesus did not falter from His mission whilst praying in the garden,.. He may indeed have been tempted of satan in the wilderness, but here if we assume Jesus is going to be suffering the blame of sin we do not see Jesus standing firm against temptation (if it indeed were Him faltering over His ministry's purpose.)

In truth we see Jesus praying within the mandate given Him to be obedient on the matter of His death - God does not delight and take joy in the suffering of His children. In this sense God has tasted death once for all of us, In that we might take comfort that He is well acquainted with our sufferings. Jesus however submits His prayer to His Father and suffered the execution of the cross. In submitting to His Father's will in this manner over the brutality of His death (rather than on the issue of questioning His mission's very purpose), We see the "cup" that Jesus prayed to pass from Him was not that of the healing of sin for all men, but merely over the pain of His last few hours.

Continue To Next Page

Return To Section Start

Return To Previous Page