Our propitiation

My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. - 1 John 2v1-2

A propitiation is simply a conciliation, a rejoining, a satisfaction. Homer and others used the Greek word here to describe a way to appease the pagan gods through sacrifice. When a mortal angered these false gods a sacrifice was needed to propitiate them.

Sin is still serious. We should not sin. That is God’s desire for us as expressed in John’s letter here. “I am writing to you so that you will not sin.’ It is never God’s will that we continue in sin. The truth is that we will, and when we do we have an advocate with the Father. His advocacy is based on the fact that He is the propitiation for our sins. He provided the sacrifice to reconcile us the Father. At the cross He propitiated our sins, both past and future.

There is no excuse when we sin. We can’t blame any one or any thing. If we had to go to court we would be found guilty, because we are. Our sentence would be severe. God’s righteousness and our sin are totally incompatible. But because He is our propitiation He can be our advocate. He argues on our behalf. Even when we sin, for which there is no excuse, we can rely on the truth that it was propitiated at the cross.

Rather than giving us some kind of idea of liberty or licentiousness this thought should humble us and bring us into line. When I sin I need I should be reminded of the terrible price that was paid to propitiate it. The Righteous has to be sacrificed because of my sin.

What a humbling and thought provoking truth.