In the Bible, propitiation refers to Christ's death as the appeasement of God's wrath against sin, fulfilling justice and granting justification for believers.
The term 'propitiation' is significant in scripture, particularly in 1 John 2:2, where it states that 'He is the propitiation for our sins.' This indicates that Christ's death not only appeased God's wrath, but also satisfied the demands of His justice and righteousness concerning sin. This means that through Christ's death, which serves as the payment for sin, believers are justified before God. Thus, propitiation highlights the depth of God's grace in offering atonement for the elect, effectively showing that those for whom Christ died will not experience the condemnation of sin.
Scripture References:
1 John 2:2, Isaiah 53:11, John 17:9, 1 John 4:10, Hebrews 2:17, Romans 3:25
Commentary