Forgotten Word, Forgotten Wrath

There are a lot of words that have fallen out of vogue in the English language.  Some of them are words we don’t use anymore.  Some of them are words we don’t want to use anymore.  What’s true in the language is also true in the church.  Take for instance the word “propitiation.”  The word appears three times in the KJV.  It appears four times in contemporary “literal” translations (NASB, ESV, NKJV, HCSB).  None of the more modern “dynamic equivalent” translations use the word (NIV, NLT, NCV, CEV, and the Message) at all.

The word propitation is obviously an archaic word.  It rarely ever crosses our paths any where but church.  The word points to an atoning sacrifice that averts the wrath of God.  The concept is rooted in the Old Testament sacrificial system.  There, sacrifices were made to cover the sins of the people and to avert God’s wrath.  When the Old Testament was translated into Greek, words like hilasmos were used to convey the idea.  That family of Greek words were used in secular Greek to speak of placating the gods’ anger.  Thus, the idea of propitiation.  A sacrifice that is a covering or atonement for sin that averts wrath, and meets the righteous demands of God.  Even though we use words like “atonement” and “sacrifice” in its place, something is lost when we avoid the word propitation.  We ignore God’s wrath.

Contemporary culture wants nothing to do with wrath.  We don’t like talking about that kind of God.  We picture a divine tyrant throwng lightning bolts from the heavens by the fistful.  We, therefore, dismiss wrath altogether.  Instead, we want to talk about God’s love.  That’s a lot more comfortable for us.  It’s more placating to picture God as a doting grandfather than a righteous God who will judge the living and the dead.  What we fail to realize is that by avoiding God’s wrath, we cheapen God’s love.  If there is no wrath, no judgement, then God’s love is less than it truly is.

The Bible tells us that propitiation is at the very heart of God’s love.  John writes, “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10, ESV).  Because of His great love for us, God sent Jesus to die in our place.  Paul writes, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV).  Christ did more than just atone for our sin.  He satisfied the righteous demands of a holy God.  He paid our penalty for us.  Scripture tells us, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God,” (1 Peter 3:18, ESV).  He averted God’s wrath.

Wrath is real.  God will not, and can not compromise His standard of righteousness.  To do so would violate His own character.  He doesn’t grade on the curve.  He doesn’t lower the bar.  His judgment is quick and true.  Only one thing could cause Him to avert His wrath.  His love.  His love manifested in the propitiation of Jesus.  The One who knew no sin, not only bore ours, but became ours.  He was the atoning sacrifice that not only covers us, but also propitiates us.

When we realize that wrath is indeed real, we gain a whole new appreciation for love.  Love that saves us from nothing is cheap.  Love that saves us from wrath is truly amazing.  God doesn’t love the loveable.  He loves us.  He loved us even when we were sinners shaking our angry fists in his face.  Paul writes:

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.  More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” (Romans 5:8-11, ESV, emphasis added).

Love that pulls us out of the fire of judgment is an indescribable love.  It is a love that saves us from wrath.  It is a love that reaches out to twisted, corrupted people who fall short of God’s standard, and provides for them a substitute.  Someone to pay what they cannot pay.  To do what they cannot do.  When we diminish wrath, we cheapen this incredible love.  God is a God of wrath.  Thankfully, He is a God of love.  His wrath magnifies His love.  By grace, His love overcomes His wrath.