When I first heard the word propitiation, I had no idea what it meant. What its significance was for me, personally and for the world on the whole. The word means to completely satisfy the wrath of God which, if meted out, would be eternal judgement for our sins and eternity in hell. Jesus went to the cross to satisfy the wrath and judgement that was sure to come for all of us.
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23 “There is none righteous, no not one.” – Romans 3:10
In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers said this about that. Although he directed his words to those who would be missionaries, they apply to all of us. – We are all on mission. When I first read the Chamber’s devotion, I wondered how it might apply to those who have not been called to be a missionary, separated from out for a specific purpose. But then I thought about the fact that we have all been called out for a specific purpose.
“The key to the missionary’s message (our message) is the propitiation of Christ Jesus— His sacrifice for us that completely satisfied the wrath of God. […] The greatest message of limitless importance is that ‘He Himself is the propitiation for our sins….’ The missionary’s message is not nationalistic, favoring nations or individuals; it is ‘for the whole world.’ When the Holy Spirit comes into me, He does not consider my partialities or preferences; He simply brings me into oneness with the Lord Jesus.[…] He is not to proclaim his own point of view, but is only to proclaim ‘the Lamb of God.’ It is easier to belong to a faction that simply tells what Jesus Christ has done for me, and easier to become a devotee of divine healing, or of a special type of sanctification, or of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But Paul did not say, ‘Woe is me if I do not preach what Christ has done for me,’ but, ‘…woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!’ (1 Corinthians 9:16). And this is the gospel— ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest
We don’t live our lives just for ourselves and our own benefit. We may not be preachers in that we stand before the people and verbally proclaim the Gospel, but we are preachers in that we live before the people and our lives should preach the Gospel. People should see us as being a people are for Jesus and not just against sin and the ills of the culture we live in. If all we have to offer a world that is headed for hell is condemnation, then we have nothing to offer. If we live our lives exactly like the lost culture we live in does, then we have nothing to offer. What the world needs is Jesus. We need to show the world Jesus, in how we live and how we love. We need to preach the Gospel by living our lives submitted to the Spirit and obedient to the Word. Christians have been relegated to just being another sect. Just another group of people who believe certain, outdated things. Our light has lost its shine. Our salt has lost it saltiness. Our message, that Jesus saves, has been drowned out by the louder voice of the culture. The world needs to see the difference Jesus can make … the world needs to see changed lives … and we are the only ones who can show them. So my message to you today is this ….. Preach the Gospel Christian.
“To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” – Jude 24-25
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
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