Overview
Welcome to Lifecycles Revealed, Part 3, the beginning of your discovery of the Lifecycles album which is based on the doctrine of salvation. The key elements of your discovery experience in Part 3 are:
† Specific Greek & Hebrew words associated with reconciliation, propitiation, redemption, & substitution.
† Biblical scripture associated with reconciliation, propitiation, redemption, & substitution.
† A working definition of reconciliation.
Mind Prep
Q: What is something God cannot do?
A: He cannot be in the presence of sin.
† Isaiah 59:2 (ESV): "but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you…"
Q: If God cannot be in the presence of sin, then how can God be in the presence of man?
A: Reconciliation.
† Ephesians 2:14-16 (NET): "For he is our peace, the one who made both groups into one and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility…to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross…"
Greek
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= katallage (literal Greek)
Adjustment of a difference or restoration to favor through an exchange.
Scripture
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† Romans 5:11 (NET): "Not only this, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation."
Dilemmas
The significance of sin and the associated barriers it creates between us and God is substantially diminished without a full understanding of Christ's sacrifice that brought forgiveness of sin and, subsequently, our reconciliation with God.
From God's perspective, three major dilemmas had to be fully reconciled:
† God's wrath for sin had to be placated through a penalty of death.
† God's penalty for sin--death--could only be satisfied through an unblemished (i.e., sinless) sacrifice.
† The perpetrator of sin--man--could not provide the sacrifice.
Propitiation
Greek
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= hilasterion (literal Greek)
A means of placating or appeasing.
Propitiation
Scripture
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† Romans 3:25 (ESV): "[Christ Jesus,] whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins."
Propitiation
Definition
Given the biblical, historical, and doctrinal context, we can define propitiation as the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice to appease God's wrath.
As such, we can consider propitiation as God's reconciliation of dilemma 1: God's wrath for sin had to be placated through a penalty of death.
Redemption
Greek
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= apolutrosis (literal Greek)
A releasing effected by the payment of ransom.
Redemption
Scripture
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† Ephesians 1:7 (NASB): "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace"
Redemption
Definition
Given the biblical, historical, and doctrinal context, we can define redemption as the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice to release man from the outstanding debt of the penalty of sin.
As such, we can consider redemption as God's reconciliation of dilemma 2: God's penalty for sin--death--could only be satisfied through an unblemished (i.e., sinless) sacrifice.
Substitution
Greek & Hebrew
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= anti (literal Greek)
For, instead of, or in place of.
= huper (literal Greek)
In behalf of, or for the sake of.
= paga` (literal Hebrew)
To make intercession.
Substitution
Scripture
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† Mark 10:45 (NET): "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for [i.e., anti] many."
Substitution
Scripture (continued)
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† 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NET): "God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us [i.e., huper], so that in him we would become the righteousness of God."
Substitution
Scripture (continued)
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† Isaiah 53:12 (ESV): "Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession [i.e., paga`] for the transgressors."
Substitution
Definition
Given the biblical, historical, and doctrinal context, we can define substitution as the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice to bear the exact penalty for mankind's sin.
As such, we can consider substitution as God's reconciliation of dilemma 3: The perpetrator of sin--man--could not provide the sacrifice.
Definition
With the full work of reconciliation--propitiation, redemption, and substitution--God eliminated all barriers between Himself and mankind through the past work and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Given the biblical, historical, and doctrinal context, as well as the considerable scope of justice to be effected and the complexity of order to be restored, we can define reconciliation as the whole work of God in restoring His relationship with humanity.
Wrap Up & Quiz
You can continue to Part 4 using the sliding left menu, or refresh your mind with the quiz below. Hopefully, your discovery time has provided a fundamental foundation of reconciliation and encouraged you to explore this doctrine further in this discovery unit and beyond. Whether you're a believer or non-believer, you should now have a keen awareness of the following take-aways:
† Jesus Christ has accomplished everything for you to receive salvation.
† Ask and you'll receive.
