Guy Duininck: Jesus, Our Propitiation

The apostle John revealed in I John 2:1-2 that Jesus is, “the propitiation for our sins.” The English word “propitation” comes from the Greek hilasmos which means, “the atonement, the expiation; the means of appeasing.” The scriptural conception of the effect of the propitiation is that it moves out of the way any sins that might separate a person from God.

As the hilasmos, Jesus propitiates the sins believers commit, moving them out of the way so that no sin will stand between them and the Father. The fact that Jesus is the propitiation for the sins of believers reveals that believers will sin and also reveals that their sins must be dealt with. If believers did not sin or if every one of their future sins was already forgiven, there would be no need for Jesus to be the propitiation for believers’ sins.

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