Supplicate God or propitiate God?
“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. 4:10). “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). “And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1Jn. 2:2).
Christ alone can propitiate God. None else than His only divine Son can satisfy and bring peace to the heart of God. Not the most repentant sinner, not the most exalted unfallen angel can do this. Of His Son alone did God say, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17).
“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (Jn. 1:17). “And no man hath ascended up to Heaven, but He that came down from Heaven, even the Son of man which is in Heaven.” (Jn. 3:13).
“He that cometh from above is above all: He that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: He that cometh from heaven is above all.” (Jn. 3:31). “For the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.” (Jn. 6:33).
Jesus is our High Priest. “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb. 4:14,15).
We have a High Priest “who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that He Himself also is compassed with infirmity….
Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared.” (Heb. 5:2,7). None can fear God like the Son of God.
He is our mediator. “For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1Tim. 2:5,6).
He is our intercessor. “And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore His arm brought salvation unto Him; and His righteousness, it sustained Him.” (Is. 59:16).
He is our pattern. “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps.” (1Pet. 2:21).
He was God’s ambassador of reconciliation to us, and now we also are to be His ambassadors for the reconciliation of the world. “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 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.” (2Cor. 5:19,20).
Christ supplicated the very throne of God for us, and now we may supplicate Him for our friends and loved ones. “Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared.” (Heb. 5:7).
“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee.” (Jn. 17:1). “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine.
And all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I am glorified in them.” (vs. 9-10).
Yet, though we may supplicate the throne of Christ for our loved ones, we cannot propitiate God for them. No pastor, no priest, no member of the church can be the ransom for another sinner. “None of them can by any means redeem His brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (for the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)
that he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.” (Ps. 49:7-9).
We are full of sin. By trusting in Christ to be our ransom He can cleanse us and our past sins. We can walk free of guilt and shame, leaving thepast in the past; but it is only by His grace that we stand in innocence. Our justification can only be claimed by faith. The reality before God is that not till Jesus returns will our rabid human natures be changed into what Adam had in the garden.
So, let’s be the messengers of mercy and reconciliation. Let our prayers of supplication and tears ascend to God like sweet incense, as if God, through the righteousness of Christ, sees us as “golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.” (Rev. 5:8). “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish.” (2Cor. 2:15).
We can be assured that we have One praying for us and through us. “Another Angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto Him much incense, that He should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the Angel’s hand.” (Rev. 8:3,4).
Christ’s Spirit “helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” ( Rom 8:26,27). “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” (Eph. 5:2). But let’s never assume the role of Propitiator to God. Let us stand before God only with Christ in between.
Let us approach Christ humbly, yet boldly, esteeming His great love and mercy. Let it content us to not be—and let us be thankful to Him that we are not—authorized or qualified to appear before the Father, the great God without Christ. But as dear children, let us quietly and peacefully approach Christ for all of our needs, temporal and spiritual.
Christ alone can propitiate God. None else than His only divine Son can satisfy and bring peace to the heart of God. Not the most repentant sinner, not the most exalted unfallen angel can do this. Of His Son alone did God say, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17).
“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (Jn. 1:17). “And no man hath ascended up to Heaven, but He that came down from Heaven, even the Son of man which is in Heaven.” (Jn. 3:13).
“He that cometh from above is above all: He that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: He that cometh from heaven is above all.” (Jn. 3:31). “For the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.” (Jn. 6:33).
Jesus is our High Priest. “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb. 4:14,15).
We have a High Priest “who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that He Himself also is compassed with infirmity….
Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared.” (Heb. 5:2,7). None can fear God like the Son of God.
He is our mediator. “For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1Tim. 2:5,6).
He is our intercessor. “And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore His arm brought salvation unto Him; and His righteousness, it sustained Him.” (Is. 59:16).
He is our pattern. “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps.” (1Pet. 2:21).
He was God’s ambassador of reconciliation to us, and now we also are to be His ambassadors for the reconciliation of the world. “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 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.” (2Cor. 5:19,20).
Christ supplicated the very throne of God for us, and now we may supplicate Him for our friends and loved ones. “Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared.” (Heb. 5:7).
“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee.” (Jn. 17:1). “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine.
And all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I am glorified in them.” (vs. 9-10).
Yet, though we may supplicate the throne of Christ for our loved ones, we cannot propitiate God for them. No pastor, no priest, no member of the church can be the ransom for another sinner. “None of them can by any means redeem His brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (for the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)
that he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.” (Ps. 49:7-9).
We are full of sin. By trusting in Christ to be our ransom He can cleanse us and our past sins. We can walk free of guilt and shame, leaving thepast in the past; but it is only by His grace that we stand in innocence. Our justification can only be claimed by faith. The reality before God is that not till Jesus returns will our rabid human natures be changed into what Adam had in the garden.
So, let’s be the messengers of mercy and reconciliation. Let our prayers of supplication and tears ascend to God like sweet incense, as if God, through the righteousness of Christ, sees us as “golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.” (Rev. 5:8). “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish.” (2Cor. 2:15).
We can be assured that we have One praying for us and through us. “Another Angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto Him much incense, that He should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the Angel’s hand.” (Rev. 8:3,4).
Christ’s Spirit “helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” ( Rom 8:26,27). “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” (Eph. 5:2). But let’s never assume the role of Propitiator to God. Let us stand before God only with Christ in between.
Let us approach Christ humbly, yet boldly, esteeming His great love and mercy. Let it content us to not be—and let us be thankful to Him that we are not—authorized or qualified to appear before the Father, the great God without Christ. But as dear children, let us quietly and peacefully approach Christ for all of our needs, temporal and spiritual.
posted by David | 12:10 PM
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