Text: "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the PROPITIATION for our sins" (I John 4:9,10).

Christianity, by its very nature, is experiential; i.e. it is a religion that is experienced. Repentance, conversion, the forgiveness of sins are actual experiences. Christianity is the only true religion, and the more religious a person is, the more he knows God and obeys Him and fellowships with Him.

The doctrine under consideration here is the doctrine of PROPITIATION. Since there are sister words such as EXPIATION and ATONEMENT, definitions are first in order. This will be followed by an exposition of the doctrine, and a look at the work and scope of propitiation.

Definitions:

Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary (Deluxe Second Edition, Dorset and Baber, 1983) deltas the word propitiation as "appeasement, conciliation, atonement, expiation." If the reader seeks a definition of the word atonement, he finds, "concord, reconciliation, satisfaction, expiation" And, if the reader seeks a definition of expiation, he reads, "satisfaction, atonement, to propitiate."

Here lies the fault with modern dictionaries: instead of brining men precise meanings of English words, they seek to reduce the English language to the lowest common denominator. Gone are the days when dictionaries took their cue from the Bible and introduced men to the nobility of language.

If the reader understands the pitfalls of modern dictionaries, let him turn to recently republished American Dictionary of The English Language, Noah Webster 1828 (Facsimile First Edition, Foundation for American Christian Education, 1967). Noah Webster defines the word expiation "the act of atoning for a crime; the act of making satisfaction for an offense by which the guilt is done away, and the obligation of the offended person to punish the crime is cancelled; atonement, satisfaction-among pagans and Jews, expiation was made chiefly by sacrifice, or washing and purification. Among Christians, expiation for the sins of men is usually considered as made only by the obedience and sufferings of Christ."

If the reader looks up the word atonement, he reads, "agreement, concord, reconciliation after enmity (hatred, hostility -ed.) Rom. 5: expiation, satisfaction or reparation made by giving an equivalent for an injury, or by doing or suffering that which is received in satisfaction for an offense or injury (Lev. 9). "In theology –the expiation made by the obedience and personal suffering of Christ."

Noah Webster defines propitiation as "the act appeasing wrath and conciliating favor of the offended person. In theology –the atonement, or atoning sacrifice offered to God to assuage His wrath and render Him propitious to sinners. Christ is the propitiation for the sins of men (Rom 3; I Jn. 2). To cause to become favorably inclined; to win good will."

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for atonement denotes "a covering"; so the sacrifice atoned or covered the sins of the people. The sins of Old Testament believers were not washed away until the blood of Jesus Christ was shed.

The doctrine of expiation in the Old Testament denotes "to carry off" as one goat was sacrificed, while the scapegoat was released into the wilderness and carried off the sins of the people.

So, to expiate our sins is to avert divine wrath by the death of Christ.

In the New Testament, the Greek word hilasmos is translated expiate, propitiate.

Christ the Lord loved us when we had no love for Him. "We love Him, because he first loved us" (I John 4:19). "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8b). So profound is the Creator’s love for us that He lay down His life "for man the creature’s sin." "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). He died that we might live.

He loved us in spite of our present distress. "Herein is love," says the Apostle. It is unusual love being unprecedented love. It is a divine love, such a love as only God can give. God loved us when we lay in the uncleanness of our guilt and shame. He loved us when we were ill-deserving. He loved us, and gave His only begotten Son, so that He would be the propitiation for our sins.

Jesus Christ, Son of God lay down His life to die an accursed death for us. He died under the law as our sin-bearer, bearing "our sins in his own body" (I Pet. 2:24b). He was spat upon, speared, and crucified, but not for any evil that He had done. He was buried for us that we might live through Him, that we might live with Him in glory throughout eternity.

The sacrifice of Christ on the cross appeased for me the wrath of God the Father. Like the Dutch boy who spied a hole in the dike that kept the Zyder Zee, the North Sea, from flooding his village. As he stuck his finger in the dike, the Lord Jesus Christ interposed His precious blood when divine wrath was about to break in upon the soul of man. Jesus shed His blood and effectively held back divine wrath.

The blood of Christ conciliated the Father and established peace "twixt man and God." But, it did much more, for in propitiation, God deals kindly with man. It was a great thing when the Son of God reconciled men to God (Rom. 5:9), but it was a greater work when as their propitiator, His death caused the Father to act kindly toward men, i.e., to act propitiously.

It would have been a great work if Christ had effected it for any man, or for any segment of mankind such as for the Jews, but, the scope of Christ’s work of propitiation concerns the sins of men the world over. "Neither is their salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Text: "For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their sense exercised to discern both good and evil" (Heb. 5:13,14).

In this charismatic age, it is amazing what gifts are ignored. Some are rarely talked about, and are little valued by this age. Take, for example the gift of GIVING spoken of in Rom. 12:8, or the gift of HELPS spoken of in I Cor. 12:28. Or, better yet, consider the gift of DISCERNMENT spoken of in I Cor. 12:10b). Discernment involves knowledge, and wisdom (which is the right use of knowledge), and understanding (which is knowing the "why’ of things).

According to the text, spiritual maturity, expressed here as being of "full age", has nothing to do with time: it rather has to do with the grace of God at work in the heart. A person can be a Christian "of great age" as Anne (Lk. 2:36), but still be a babe in Christ spiritually, "for every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe."

A person may be said to be spiritually mature when his senses are exercised to discern good and evil. Such a person’s senses must be "exercised" according to the "Word of righteousness." This is the source of knowledge of what is good, and what is evil. Discernment is God’s reward for a person’s being willing to apply the Word of righteousness. This is "strong meat," and it belongs to those who are spiritually mature. Let us not mince words: no believer who is unwilling to be exercised by the word of righteousness is spiritually mature; and, when a person begins compromising and refuses to be exercised by the word of righteousness, he loses a portion of the ability he has to discern good and evil.

In our day, there are very few believers who have much discernment left them. This is the reason that few people are able

to judge between good and evil. They have been unwilling to handle with skill and integrity the word of righteousness, and the Lord has taken away their discernment. Most people want to belong, to join the throng, and so, they are unwilling to speak out. Most are unwilling to have their senses exercised according to the word of God. Discernment is not highly prized in any day when the cry is for unity, instead of for righteousness.

Humanly speaking, spiritual maturity belongs to them who "by reason of use" use the Word of God in the manner it was intended. The Word of God is properly known as the "word of righteousness" because it is designed to make people righteous. This is the proper use of the Bible.

People who lack discernment are spiritually immature, and spiritual immaturity is a chief characteristic of contemporary Christianity. It is chillingly common. Take, for example, the Promise Keepers. Some dear people are mixed up with this ungodly movement. The editor has 93 pages of documentation compiled from several sources Consider only one. The following is taken from an article that appeared in The Dallas/Fort Worth Heritage (P.O. Box 1424, Ennis, Texas 75120) for June 1995.

* At the 1993 Promise Keepers rally at Folsom Field on the campus of the University of Colorado, the organizers distributed 50,000 copies of Robert Hicks’ book, The Masculine Journey. It was published by NavPress (The Navigators), and carried the Promise Keepers stamp on the cover. In the book, Robert Hicks declares that Jesus was a-- (I refuse to print It!) male who struggled with homosexual temptations. He goes on to say that in certain situations, man should be "celebrating the experience of sin."

Hicks apparently believes Christ had a sinful nature. He writes of another Jesus than He who "knew no sin" (II Cor. 5:21). The Bible says, "For we have not an high-priest, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15). The Bible plainly teaches that Jesus had no sinful nature, and that He was without sin. Since "every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed" (Jas. 1:14), the temptation of Jesus did not entail sinful temptation. His nature was such that he was not "drawn away of his own lust and enticed."

* In the same Dallas/Fort Worth Heritage is an interview with James Ryle, pastor of a Vineyard church in Bolder, Colorado. Ryle is the pastor of Bill McCartney, the Founder of Promise Keepers, and Randy Phillips, President of Promise Keepers. "The Biblical Discernment Ministries newsletter quotes Ryle announcing at a 1990 Vineyard conference in Denver, Lord has appointed me as a lookout and shown me some things that I want to show you...The Lord spoke to me and said, What you saw in the Beatles -the gifting and the sound they had –was from Me.... It was my purpose to bring forth through music a world-wide revival that would usher in the move of My Spirit in bringing men and women to Christ...."

If Pastor Ryle thinks the music produced by the womanizing denizens of the drug culture can usher in a worldwide revival, he needs to be converted. He has not been saved, delivered from the power and pleasure of sin.

* In a published interview between Al Dager, head of Media Spotlight Ministries near Seattle, and Randy Phillips, President of Promise Keepers, Dager asked Phillips, "What makes one a brother in Christ?" Phillips responded, "To get into specifics would only put me in an arena that I am not called for or called to, nor equipped to." Dager asks, "Is the fastest growing Christian movement in America led by men who won’t or can’t define what the term ‘Christian’ means?

There are some dear people caught up in this unholy movement. There are some pastors who have compromised so long by refusing to preach doctrine or discipline for fear of upsetting church members that now they have almost no discernment remaining. Some pastors have been able to build up a sizeable congregation because they would not take a stand on issues. They have said, "Doctrine and church discipline are divisive issues" but this is the purpose of faithful preaching. Jesus said, "I came not to send peace, but a sword" (Matt. 10:34b). This is what the text means by "the word of righteousness,"

The reason for the lack of discernment is compromise: it is the refusal to have the senses exercised by the word of righteousness. It is to be unskillful in handling the word. It is to content oneself with the milk of the word. It is to be spiritually immature, "a babe."

Dear Brethren, if this be your case, how long will it be before you will give a decided voice for the truth and righteousness of God?

It has been a difficult summer. In July, my computer hard drive crashed, and I was advised to put no more money into it. My book writing came to a halt. Then friends came to our aid. Wade Trimmer, pastor of Grace Baptist Fellowship, and Dr. Bill Owens, pastor of Crawford Avenue Baptist Church, both in Augusta, Georgia, combined forces and purchased another computer for us, one larger than my former. Then, they programmed it for me. Brethren, I am grateful. May the Lord help you in your hour of trial.

________________________

 On a bridge I was standing one morning
And watching the current roll by,
When suddenly into the water
There fell an unfortunate fly.

The fishes that swam to the surface
Were looking for something to eat,
And I thought the helpless young insect
Would surely afford them a treat.

"Poor thing!" I exclaimed with compassion,
Thy trials and dangers abound,
For if thou escapest being eaten,
Thou canst not escape being drowned."

No sooner the sentence was spoken
Than lo, like an angel of love,
I saw, to the waters beneath me,
A leaflet descend from above.

It glided serene on the streamlet,
‘Twas an ark to the poor little fly;
Which soon to the land reascending,
Spread its wings in the breezes to dry.

0 sweet was the truth that was whispered,
That mortals should never despair,
For He who takes care of an insect,
Much more for His children will care.

And though to our short-sighted vision,
No way of escape may appear;
Let us trust; for when least we expect it,
The help of "Our Father" is near.

____________

-From a Welsh book, 1855; reprinted from The Christian Pathway, July-August 1995. Baler T. L Webb, Jr., Editor.