Even growing up in church, I find myself as an adult trying to distinguish between propitiation, redemption, justification, & reconciliation. Anybody else in that boat?
We’re reading The Cross of Christ by John Stott in our Theology Club. Today’s chapter gave me so much clarity and distinction on these four terms. The author used imagery to help and laid it out like this.
Propitiation = Temple: God took his own loving initiative to appease his own righteous anger by bearing it all in his own son.
Redemption = Marketplace: We have been ransomed, not merely delivered, bought with a price.
Justification = Court of Law: Our sins are forgiven, but we are justified through faith, made right with God.
Reconciliation = Home: Opposite of alienation. We are at peace with God, adopted by Him.
You probably heard that a teenage girl was pulled from the rubble after 15 days. I can’t believe it when I see people continuing to be pulled out alive after days without food and water.
It made me think about what a life-changing event that must be and what so many of our lives are about and not about. I asked myself the question, what would my life look like if I was “presumed dead” for over 2 weeks but was back to life again? We live too often with the assumption that tomorrow is coming and that there is enough time ahead of us to make an impact…
…but what if there wasn’t? If you were presumed dead for 2 weeks and given back your life, what changes would you make?
