Propitiation? What in the world does that mean?

Day Three of the June Scripture Writing Plan

How familiar are you with these expressions:  "Knowledge is power," "Never stop learning," and "The more I know the less I understand"?  Most of us have heard these or something similar to them for quite a while now.

Next question:  how do you learn?  Some of us are old school and we have to see it, read it, and then try it for ourselves.  Others can watch a quick video and then mimic the lesson laid out with little difficulty.  And others of us do it the hard way.  Time after time after time we practice the task at hand until one day it all comes together, makes sense, and we are able to move on to the next piece of instruction.

John was a patient teacher.  I guess it's because he had been so close to Christ he was able to share those characteristics he had been exposed to.  In his first epistle, chapter two, he begins with these words "My little children, I am writing these things so that you may not sin."  He goes on to explain what happens when one is unable to stay on track through the next three and a half verses, which are what today's reading and writing plan are about:

"But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."  {Can you not just imagine the expression in John's voice as he writes these words of wisdom?}
"And by this we know that we have come to know Him if we keep His commandments.
Whoever says 'I know Him' but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and truth is not in him."

Now, if I was sitting under John's teaching, I'd already have a couple of questions, the first one being "what is a propitiation?"  Per Theopedia.com, "Propitiation means the turning away of wrath by an offering. In relation to soteriology, propitiation means placating or satisfying the wrath of God by the atoning sacrifice of Christ."

Oh yeah.  Sure.  That clears it up.  

Thankfully, when I delve a little deeper, the definition goes on to say "In 1 John 2:2; 4:10, Christ is called the 'propitiation for our sins.' Here a different Greek word is used, hilasmos. Christ is 'the propitiation,' because by His becoming our substitute and assuming our obligations He expiated our guilt, covering it by the vicarious punishment which He endured. "

Um, I still need a little more help with "expiated."  So, here's the rest of it ("Seek and ye shall find" really works!):  

"Propitiation literally means to make favorable and specifically includes the idea of dealing with God’s wrath against sinners. Expiation literally means to make pious and implies either the removal or cleansing of sin. 

The idea of propitiation includes that of expiation as its means; but the word 'expiation' has no reference to quenching God’s righteous anger. The difference is that the object of expiation is sin, not God. One propitiates a person, and one expiates a problem. Christ's death was therefore both an expiation and a propitiation. By expiating (removing the problem of) sin God was made propitious (favorable) to us."

Sigh.  It's a tad bit complicated, huh, and one could easily throw up her hands and just skim over this passage in hopes of gleaning the lesson elsewhere?  I was tempted to as well.  However, if it was easy, everyone would do it.  We all know the Christian walk is far from simple so just as I challenged you a few days ago to join me in this month-long study, I challenge you now to get in there and stay in there.  Don't quit reading the Bible when the words get tough.  There is absolutely no excuse in today's time with the resources we have at our fingertips to not go deeper when the answer is not always obvious.

In conclusion--yes, without further explanation of these four verses--today I encourage you to take advantage of John's teaching and see why it is he wrote what he wrote.  After all, how are you going to learn if you don't use what has been given to you?  How will you know if you don't study?  "Study to show thyself approved" was my life verse last year.  I'm still endeavoring for that "Well done, Stef" from my Lord.  Have you gotten your A+ yet?  

Let's pray!

Dear Lord, I know I was in a different tone than normally used but for some reason I felt the need to motivate my readers to get in Your Word and stop hearing things second-handedly.  Please bless us as we seek You and learn things in a deeper way than just the superficial things we often hear but don't take the time to apply.  Have patience with us, Father, as we try to know Your truths so that we aren't liars, aren't babies, but instead use our God-given knowledge to be more wise than ever before.  I ask these things in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Day Two

Day Two of the June Scripture Writing Plan

{The challenge is that each of the daily scriptures takes ten minutes or less to copy out. Commit to spending ten minutes each day listening to God's voice as you simply copy these texts out of your Bible. I am furthering that challenge--for myself--to blog about each passage daily.}

Today's verses are as follow:
I John 1:8-10

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  
If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us."

Three key points are listed here, each with a consequence attached to it.  Personally, I like the second one best, 'cause it gives me an out instead of an ouch.  

Lying has always been my number one pet peeve.  Let me rephrase that:  being lied to has always been my biggest peeve.  Most of the time it is just so much easier to tell the truth.  Often, though, this can be painful--especially when we're hearing what we wished was different.  Some examples?  Sure!
*The test results show it's cancer.
*Yes, honey:  I did cheat.  It was only once, though.  (Mmn hmn.  Where's Aunt Boo to weigh in on this one?)
*You just don't have the right qualifications for this position.

Other examples of untruths that we so easily depend upon are as follows:
*No, those pants don't make your hips look big.
*No matter what, I'll always love you and choose you first.
*It's not you:  it's them!

Self-examination is a test most of us fail on a daily basis.  We deny the flaws, hide the scars, and put on our happy faces, all the while pushing down the fears, the hurts, the angers.  Instead of dealing with these emotions, we often tend to shove them deep into the furthest recesses of our inner beings, in hopes that they never come up and reveal the ugliness within our souls.  We never talk badly about anyone, always wish the best for everyone--even our enemies--and above all, we continually pray for those who need it the most.  We deny the pain caused to us (and by us).  We don't admit any culpability to the bad things going on around us (for we are so busy minding our own business that we don't get involved in the affairs of others).  Oh sure, every once in a while we gossip--but it's only so we can pray about that circumstance to God with all of our facts straight first.  Yeah.

Friends, isn't it time to put the cheat sheets away and be honest--not just with ourselves, but with one another?  Mostly, though, isn't it time we were real with our Lord?  He knows the truth.  He IS the Truth!  He sees our filth, our grime, our impure thoughts.  He knows that in spite of our greatest efforts we will still fall short.  He knows that regardless of our best intentions, we're going to run our mouths, put our noses where they don't belong, and our feet are going to travel paths that they have no business being on.  Mercifully, He gives us an out though!  It's this easy:  all we have to do is confess our sins.  

That's it?

That's it.

But, doesn't He already know?  Isn't it kind of rude to tell God things He is already aware of?  He's not stupid, you know.

No, He isn't ignorant of our thoughts, our behaviours, our intents.  That's why in His infinite wisdom He planned ahead a Sacrifice that would cleanse us, redeem us, and restore us to Him.  I'll close with this illustration to hopefully make it all clear.

I have recently been purchasing a series of books for kids written by Dan Carr, entitled "God, I Need to Talk to You About..." and the topics range from homework to video games to bullying to disrespect.  My five-year-old gson loves to read them and each time I get a new one, he decides which one is for him and which one his older brother needs to read.  They'll argue over them momentarily, each declaring certain ones are written particularly for the other, for--of course--he himself would never be in need of correction about bad manners himself when he is such a perfect child.  However, when no one is watching, I'll see each of them sneak and read that book.  It will be read intently and then put back on the table or shelf.  But for just a moment, those wonderful words of life are pondered on, read, and taken to heart.  These boys are getting the proper instruction at home and at church and are aware of what sin is.  Kind of like what these verses from I John are talking about.  We can't continue to deceive ourselves friends, especially when the Word is in us.  We can't negate what God has spoken.  But we can agree that we mess us, that we sin, and that we need to be forgiven and cleansed, yes?  

Yes, indeed.  Let's pray now.

Oh Father, once again, it's me in the need of prayer.  I so often turn a blind eye and a deafened ear to the things going on around me because I don't want to admit that at the center of them, it's me who has messed up, it's me who has provoked, and it's me who is denying the principles that have been set up for me to succeed and to have a right relationship with You.  

Once again I confess my faults to You--even though we both know You are already fully aware of them.  For when I do this, Lord?  Then I am communicating with You, and am not so ashamed that I run from You and the consequences of my actions.  Cleanse me from my unrighteousness, I pray, so that I may radiate Your light and get out of this darkness, I ask, in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Walk in the Light

Day One of the June Scripture Writing Plan

{The challenge is that each of the daily scriptures takes ten minutes or less to copy out.  Commit to spending ten minutes each day listening to God's voice as you simply copy these texts out of your Bible.  I am furthering that challenge--for myself--to blog about each passage daily.}

I John 1:5-7 

This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.  If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

When I first read this, I had to do a double check.  Wasn't this plan supposed to be on the topic of forgiveness?  As I was confirming, Steve was checking as well.  So, we proceeded to write it down and see just where it would take us.  Here's what we came up with.

In order to understand forgiveness, we have to be first made aware of the consequences of it. It reminded me of a conversation I had yesterday with my gals at Card Ministry as I was encouraging them to join me in this plan.  I said something to the effect of how so many of us think we are "okay" and "not mad at anyone" and then someone (like Shirley) says something and we realize how very much she gets on our nerves and then we are confronted with "where did that come from--that negative feeling?" and we realize we are harboring some grudge that we had suppressed perhaps.  Unaware of it until just that special moment, when it rears its ugly head and suddenly we are enveloped in darkness.

Do you see it?  Darkness.  Now go back to the scripture and there it is, the seventeenth word:  light.  "God is light and in Him is no darkness." Oops, don't skip those next two precious words:  "at all."  At all?  Seriously?  None?  Zilch?  Nada?  

For real, friends.  No darkness.  Thus, there can be no sin.  And what is sin?  It's a breach between doing what is right and what is wrong.  When things are right, they are obvious.  When they are wrong, they are hidden, covered, put into dark places.  They cower there, causing separation, causing fear, causing hate.

So then, are sin and forgiveness the same?  

No, not at all. But they do go hand in hand.  For you see, if we sin, fellowship is broken.  Restoration is needed to renew that right spirit.  And in order to have that, we must have the light, we must have Christ cleanse us from all sin.  And then?  Then we get to be in the light.  Cue dc Talk!  Their song "In The Light" almost immediately went through my head as I first read this passage this morning.   

In closing, I encourage you to examine yourselves.  Check those dark areas of your life you've been avoiding and let the light shine through them.  Aren't you tired of living in the shadows?  Come on out, friends.  The view is spectacular!  Once we fully understand our need for forgiveness, for light, then we can go on to being more like Christ.  

Let's pray!

Dear Father, I want to be in the light as You are in the light.  I want to shine like the stars in the heavens.  Oh Lord, be my Light and be my Salvation, 'cause all I want is to be in the Light!

Cleanse me from my darkened heart and unconfessed sins.  Teach me to let them go and to renew a steadfast spirit that honors You and the sacrifices Christ Jesus made so that I could have fellowship with You is my prayer.  Shine on me, Lord, I ask.  Amen.