Passage: Romans 3:21-26
Propitiation. That is not a word you hear many people use anymore. In fact, many theologians have become a bit embarrassed by the word, even though it is clearly a biblical concept. Perhaps the problem is that many have confused the biblical idea with pagan variations, where a local god is appeased through some sacrificial ritual. But this could not be further from the bible’s teaching. While God’s anger at sin is real, it is God Himself who worked to satisfy and mitigate his own wrath. How did He do it? By becoming our substitute and doing for us what we could never have done for ourselves. God the Son took on flesh and became the atoning sacrifice for our sins. The result? Forgiveness, reconciliation, and newness of life. This is the real message of Christmas and the reason for the birth of the child in Bethlehem so long ago.