The Substitutionary, Propitiatory, Atoning, Reconciling Death of Jesus Christ
The Substitutionary, Propitiatory, Atoning, Reconciling Death of Jesus Christ
Many people will take exception with the above statement, and many others will not even understand the words. So in this Blog, we will try to give good working definitions of those words, and show that the statement is a biblically true statement.
Firstly, Substitutionary
The substitutionary aspect of Jesus' death must be considered first. Jesus did not die as an example of how we should suffer. He did not die an innocent victim. He was in total control of the entire situation, telling Pilate, "you would have no power over me, if it were not given you from above" (Jhn 19:11), stepping forward in the garden to met those whom he knew were coming to arrest him, actively giving himself for us.
He actively planned, from eternity past, to die for his people, " Iay down my life for my sheep." (Jhn 10:17)
I could multiply verses, but Isa 53 from the Old Testament, and these few New Testament verses, should be enough to make the point.
"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isa 53:4-6
"He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken." Isa 53:8
"He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and he made intercession for the transgressors." Isa 53:11-12
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom 5:8
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2Co 5:21
"Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him." 1Th 5:10
He substituted himself for us.
Just as Adam was the "Federal Head" (meaning he represented us, so that what he did, passed on to us), so too Jesus is the "Federal Head" of his people.
The ill effects of Adam's disobedience flowed through to us: we died!
The good effects of Jesus did flow through to us: we live!
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification. For if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom 5:12-21
There are those who say it was "un-fair" to lay our sins upon Jesus; it would be un-fair, if he did it un-willingly! But he did it willing, consider:
"For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Heb 10:4-10
The above verses are from Psa 40 in the Old Testament. It is clearly stated animal sacrifice cannot take away sin, so when the Son is going to come into the world to die for our sins, a body is prepared for him, which body replaces the animal sacrificial system, doing away with it, "taking away the first, and establishing the second," which is the "offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all."
And in Psa 40:8, where this comes from, Jesus says to the Father:
"Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart." Psa 40:7-8
So not only was it voluntary on Jesus part, and hence NOT un-fair, but he delighted to do it; from eternity past, this was the mission of the Son of God, to die for the sins of his people!
Secondly, Propitiatory
Propitiation is simply "wrath appeasement."
God, the creator and sustainer and ruler of the universe / cosmos, is head of its government. Governments have laws, and God's law, the moral code for the universe is The Ten Commandments. It has always existed, because it reflects what God says in right and wrong, as an expression of himself in his moral character. It was codified, written down by God himself, with his own finger, and given to Moses.
"And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God." Exo 31:18
So, as with any Government Official, King or Queen, Employer, if his or her rules are not kept, they are mad, they are infuriated, and rightfully so!
God is angry when his laws are not kept, and there is nothing at all wrong with God being angry about that, in fact if he were not angry, what kind of a God would he be?
And it is not just that we as individuals break his law, and that we do it willfully and with full knowledge, but the human race, Mankind, we are in organized, collective rebellion against God. Does that sound like strong language? Consider Psa 2, which is so clear: Mankind is thumbing their nose at God.
"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us." Psa 2:1-3
And God's reaction to this rebellion of Man:
"He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure." Psa 2:4-5
He is full of wrath, and sorely displeased, but in love to us, God the Father takes that anger out on Jesus who is our substitute.
"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1Jn 4:9-10
There is our word: propitiation.
Jesus propitiates, appeases, the wrath of God which exists, because we have sinned against him.
And this was God's eternal plan.
"Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones." Zec 13:7
The sword refers to God's wrath; the man who is his fellow, his equal, is his Son Jesus; smite the shepherd, punish him.
"Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:" Act 2:23
God was the one who sent Jesus to the cross, using wicked men as his agents.
"Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you," 1Pe 1:20
And this was the eternal plan.
Read Isa 53 again, and you will read that the Lord, Jehovah, lays on Christ our sins, Christ becomes our substitute, he who did not sin, becomes sin, and is punished for our sins. And on the cross the wrath of God, due to us for our sins, is fully poured out on Christ. When Christ says "It is finished," he is referring to the God's wrath, there is no more wrath left; God "punched himself out" on Christ.
God's wrath has been appeased.
Thirdly, Atoning
And so our third word, atonement. Our sins have been atoned for. The debt has been satisfied, and so the debt no longer exists. Atonement means removal or erasure or washed away and the such.
Here we have a number of words whose meanings are very close, with over-lap, and which are translated sometimes using different English words, and sometimes the same English words.
The Hebrew word is Strong's H3722 kaw-far' : to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel: - appease, make (an) atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, to pitch, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile (-liation).
You can see the over-lapping and breathe of meaning, but the point of atonement, changing the image from a debt which must be paid for, to a stain, which must be washed away and cleansed, is that our sins have been washed away; we can be clean before the eyes of God!
"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isa 1:18
"Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Psa 51:6-10
There are several verses in Lev that link atonement and cleansing:
"And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean." Lev 12:8
"And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean." Lev 14:20
"But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean." Lev 14:53
"For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD." Lev 16:30
The point is, the death of Jesus Christ actually removes sin.
"Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;" Rom 3:25
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;" Eph 1:7
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:" Col 1:14
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1Jn 1:7
Remission of sin, means removal.
There is the sequence: Jesus the substitute takes our place, bears our sin to the cross in his own body, and there he propitiates, in his own person, the wrath of God which was due to us on account of our sin, putting away that sin by his death on the cross (Heb 9:26), and thereby opening up the way for us to be reconciled to God.
Fourthly, reconciliation.
Reconciliation is to make 2 parties, who were previously at odds, no longer at odds; it is to end hostilities.
"For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son," Rom 5:10
"And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;" 2Co 5:18
"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." 2Co 5:20
"And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled" Col 1:21
We were hostile toward God, but God reconciled us to himself.
In fact, we were more that hostile, we hated God; the old man, our old Adam nature, the un-saved man, hates God.
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ," Eph 2:4-5
But God removed our sins that needed to be dealt. He did it by the death of Jesus on the cross for us, then he births us again, giving us new life by the work of the Holy Spirit, and that new life loves God; the new man, the born again man, loves God.
Reconciled sinners love God.
We love God because we are now alive, and no longer dead.
We love God because we are now his children, and no longer children of the devil.
We love God because we are now children of the light, and no longer children of darkness.
We love God because we are no longer following The Lie, but we are following The Truth.
We love God because we are no longer his enemies, but we have been reconciled to him.
And so I, "as an ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." 2Co 5:20
9 November 2025