The first – and, I would argue, principle passage – of the four
passages which contain the actual word „propitiation‟ is Romans
3:21-26. Although I have already looked at this passage, I
include it here, both for sake of completeness, and, more
important, because it plays such a vital role in this major
doctrine. It marks the lynchpin in Paul‟s argument in setting out
the gospel:
But now1 the righteousness of God has been manifested apart
from the law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to
it – the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for
all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace
as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom
God put forward as a propitiation2 by his blood, to be received
by faith.3 This was to show God‟s righteousness, because in his
divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to
show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be
just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom.
3:21-26). |
