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John Flavel

Satisfaction

Romans 3:25,26
John Flavel 2 min read
#Atonement #Soteriology #Justification
5 Articles 9 Sermons
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John Flavel
John Flavel 2 min read
5 articles 9 sermons
What does the Bible say about Christ's satisfaction?

The Bible teaches that Christ's sacrifice is a propitiation for our sins, declaring God's righteousness and securing our redemption.

The Bible presents Christ's satisfaction as a critical aspect of God's plan for our redemption. Romans 3:25-26 highlights that Christ was set forth by God as a propitiation through faith in His blood. This act was designed to declare God's righteousness in the remission of sins—demonstrating that while mercy is evident in forgiveness, God's justice is equally vindicated through the death of Christ. His satisfaction is not merely for a possibility of redemption but grants believers a rightful claim to justification and liberation from sin's curse.

The depth of Christ's satisfaction ensures that it is real and complete, not a fictitious or inadequate fulfillment. As the Surety, Christ's obedience and sacrificial death have fully satisfied God, thereby allowing believers to stand justified before Him. The dual revelation of God's mercy and justice through Christ's sacrifice assures believers of their salvation and freedom from condemnation, reinforcing the assurance that God is fully satisfied with them in Christ.
How do we know Christ's satisfaction is true?

Christ's satisfaction is affirmed through Scripture, emphasizing its reality and God's acceptance of it.

The reality of Christ's satisfaction is substantiated by its grounding in Scripture, particularly Romans 3:25-26. This text underscores that Christ is appointed by God to be a propitiation for sins, emphasizing that justice must be satisfied for God to declare believers righteous. The Scriptures affirm that this satisfaction is not hypothetical or insufficient but is a full and proper fulfillment of the requirement for atonement. Christ's blood, as mentioned in Hebrews 7:22, serves as a surety for our sins; hence it is accepted by God as a complete payment.

Moreover, the nature of God's response to sin necessitated a satisfaction that could only be met through Christ. God's righteousness demands that sin be dealt with adequately, and it is through Christ's death that this requirement is fulfilled. This not only assures believers of forgiveness but also showcases the justice and holiness of God in His dealings with humanity. Thus, the truth of Christ’s satisfaction is firmly based in both the justice of God and the testimony of Scripture.
Why is Christ's satisfaction important for Christians?

Christ's satisfaction is crucial as it secures our redemption and justifies us before God.

The significance of Christ’s satisfaction for Christians is paramount, as it is the foundation upon which their faith and assurance of salvation rest. By becoming a propitiation for our sins, as stated in Romans 3:25-26, Christ not only addresses the penalty of sin but actively satisfies the righteous demands of God. For believers, this means they are justified, declared righteous in God's sight, and freed from His wrath and curse. This assurance of redemption provides immense comfort amidst the struggles and accusations believers face from sin and conscience.

Moreover, understanding Christ's satisfaction deepens the appreciation of God’s character, revealing Him as both merciful and just. In Christ, God's righteousness is declared rather than compromised; therefore, believers can approach God with confidence, knowing that their sins have been fully dealt with. The implications of this satisfaction influence all aspects of a Christian’s life, motivating them to live in gratitude and obedience as they reflect the grace they have received.

Whom God hath forth to be a propitiation...

 

The effect and fruit of Christ's satisfaction, is our freedom, ransom, or deliverance from the wrath and curse due to us for our sins. Such was the dignily, value, and completeness of Christ's satisfaction, that in strict justice it merited our redemption and full deliverance; not only a possibility that we might be redeemed and pardoned, but a right whereby to be so. If He be made a curse for us, we must then be redeemed from the curse; so the apostle argues, "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that God might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus." Rom. 3:25,26. Mark the design and end of God in exacting satisfaction from Christ; it was to declare his righteousness in the remission of sin to believers; and lest we should lose the emphatical word, he repeats it, "to declare, I say, his righteousness."

 

Everyone can see how his mercy is declared in remission; but he would have us take notice, that his righteousness and justice are vindicated in the justification of believers. Oh how comfortable a text is this! Doth Satan or conscience set forth thy sin in all its discouraging circumstances and aggravations? God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation. Must justice be manifested, satisfied, and glorified? So it is in the death of Christ, ten thousand times more than ever it could be in thy damnation.

 

We might repeat all that has been said, to establish the truth or fact of Christ's satisfaction; proving its reality; that it is not an improper, fictitious satisfaction, as some have called it; but real, proper, and full, and as such accepted of God. For his blood is the blood of a Surety, Heb. 7:22, and from him did the Lord exact satisfaction for our sins, and with the obedience of his Son, he is fully pleased and satisfied. God is totally satisfied with me in Christ.

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