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Navigation: Index >> Previous >> Next Expiation
“Through
His [Jesus’] blood, God made him the means of expiation for all who believe” (Romans
3:25a, The New American Bible).
This
subject has been largely neglected in Biblical studies of modern times. Its absence is especially apparent in devotional materials that tell us "I'm o.k.-You're o.k." It has become unfashionable to mention to anyone anything that might warp their concept of God as being warm and soft-hearted. How impatient some people get when "the religion of antiquity" is thrown in their
face! It seems to them that the God of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is an anachronism inconsequential in the twenty-first century. God, their Great Psychiatrist, is thought to be the one who can handle their mental, emotional, and behavioral problems. For an excellent critique of modern psychology
in which it is “argued that psychology has become a religion, in particular, a
form of secular humanism based on worship of the self,” read Paul C. Vitz, Psychology As Religion: The Cult Of
Self-Worship. Little do they seem to realize that
any contributions that psychiatry may offer, significant as they may be, cannot
and will not solve the “sin sickness” with which we are all afflicted. The
foregoing suggests why the subject to which we now turn is not a popular one.
The following will help us to see expiation in its indispensable role for our
salvation. And where shall we turn for this information?—to the only source
available upon which we may fully rely, the Bible.
Actually, we learned many of the benefits of expiation when
we were examining atonement, although we did not use the word. Since we have
already studied atonement at some length, we simply refer the reader back to
that part of lesson three. Before we
consider some distinct features of expiation, we need to gather before us a few
related Scriptures upon which to base some observations. Our basic Bible text
is the New American Standard Bible. Renderings from other translations are given in brackets in the
quotations. “But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even
unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying,
‘God, be merciful, (Note: or propitious) [have mercy, NIV] to me, the sinner!’” (Luke 18:13, emphasis added). “… Christ Jesus whom God displayed publicly
as a propitiation (Note: a propitiatory sacrifice) [NIV, a sacrifice of atonement; Or, Note: as
the one who would turn aside his wrath, taking away sin] in His blood through
faith” (Romans 3:24b-25a, emphasis added).
… He had to be made like His
brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high
priest in things pertaining to God, to
make propitiation [KJV, to make reconciliation; NIV, to make atonement] for
the sins of the people (Hebrews 2:17, emphasis added).
… above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat… [NIV, atonement cover; or Note: mercy
seat] (Hebrews 9:5, emphasis added).
… He Himself is the propitiation (Note: satisfaction) [NIV, atoning sacrifice] for our sins; and not for ours
only, but also for those of the whole world (1 John 2:2, emphasis added).
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us
and sent His Son to be the propitiation [NIV, atoning sacrifice] for our sins” (1 John 4:10, emphasis added).
These six references give us an amazing insight into the
sacrifice of Christ. In these texts there are thirteen different translation
phrases that vary, albeit some slightly. This variation appears in spite of the
fact that they are all derived from the same root word in Greek! The word is hilasmos, which basically means in its
noun form, “what appeases or propitiates.”
A reader may reasonably ask what all of this has to do with
expiation. The following shows the close connection with our subject. Although
the word “expiation” is not found in the King James Version, the New American
Standard Bible or New International Version, it is found in The New American
Bible and The New English Bible. In these two Bibles, the word “expiation” is
the word used in translation at Romans 3:25 and Hebrews 2:17, 9:5. Both Latin
and English dictionaries inform us that “expiation” means “atonement.” These
three verses are in the list above. This shows the family character of the
group of words with which we are dealing. Thus, we have quite a linguistic
array from which to extract some very important biblical truths. What does all
of this mean? In the translations we are using, there is no justification for
calling into question the translation of any of the verses we have before us.
For the sake of clarity, we list the words and phrases from
the six passages that pinpoint what is involved in expiation and how expiation
is achieved.
(1) MERCIFUL
(2) PROPITIOUS
(3) HAVE
MERCY
(4) PROPITIATION
(5) PROPITIATING SACRIFICE
(6) SACRIFICE OF ATONEMENT
(7) ONE WHO WOULD TURN ASIDE HIS WRATH
(8) TO MAKE RECONCILIATION
(9) TO MAKE ATONEMENT
(10) MERCY SEAT
(11) ATONEMENT COVER
(12) SATISFACTION
(13) ATONING SACRIFICE
All of these terms and phrases have to do with our salvation.
They are all intertwined like threads reflecting the warp and woof of a fabric.
Just as a fabric would not exist without threads woven together, so our
salvation would not be possible without the great work of God in Christ Jesus our
Lord. That work is described by each of these terms and phrases. We have
already studied atonement that is listed in numbers 6, 9, 11, 13. Since we are
examining “expiation” under the expansive umbrella of God's grace, we need not
be repetitive by further analysis of numbers 1, 3, 10 that deal with mercy.
Why, then, did we list thirteen items, seven of which have
already been analyzed? First, our present topic, “expiation,” is inherent in
all of the listings. Second, each of the listed words is derived from the same
Greek word in its various forms. Third, discussion of the six remaining items
2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12 has been reserved until now because they describe the
purpose, nature, and result of Christ's sacrifice for our sins in dimensions
that have not yet come to light.
Hilasmos is “what appeases, or propitiates.”
This is seen in expiation. So, the questions arise: What is it that appeases?
What is appeased? Who is involved? What are the results of appeasement
(propitiation)?
The “anger of the Lord” is a prominent theme in the biblical
history of salvation. It is found in all the literary classifications of the
Bible, except New Testament history. This means that Old Testament law,
history, poetry, and prophecy, as well as the gospels, epistles, and Revelation
of the New Testament speak of the “anger of the Lord.” Note the confirming
examples. “For a fire is kindled in My anger
(aph), / And burns to the lowest part
of Sheol …” (Deuteronomy 32:22). “And the anger of the Lord burned against
Therefore, as we look into the subject of God's wrath, we
must not do so with the idea that it is an overdrawn misconception of God
brought over into our sophisticated age from a naïve superstitious past.
Rather, we should see God's wrath as another one of the many facets of His
Being that must be taken very, very seriously. We are called upon to “… leave
room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will
repay,’ says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19). “For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance
is Mine, I will repay.’ And again, ‘'The Lord will judge His people.” It is a
terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:30-31).
This is said with reference to him who has “… trampled under foot the Son of
God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was
sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace” (Hebrews 10:29).
It should be obvious from the numerous passages given that
all people are potential subjects of God's wrath, including God's people—those
who have been sanctified by the blood of Christ and have subsequently “insulted
the Spirit of Grace!” Thus, one must not conclude that a realistic discussion
of God's wrath runs counter to God's grace. Rather, the very opposite is true.
An enlightened view of God's wrath should lead us to a greater appreciation of
His grace! On the other hand, an enlightened view of God's grace should lead us
to a more solemn respect and fear of His wrath.
The writer of the Hebrew letter penned some very sobering
statements that preceded his remarks above.
… in the case of those who have once been enlightened and
have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and
then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance,
since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open
shame (Hebrews 6:4-6).
Note those Spirit-filled believers knew God's Word. They
were enlightened; yet, they fell away because they nullified Christ in their
lives and shamed Him before others. This state of separation from and rejection
of the Christ they once knew made it impossible for them to repent. They had
insulted the Spirit of God's grace. They had grieved God's Holy Spirit.
This is something about which early Christians had been
warned (Ephesians 4:30a). Christians are forthrightly instructed not to “quench
the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Why are the solemn warnings given not to
grieve, quince, or insult the Spirit of God's grace? In our progressive study
of God's salvation we are now in the context of God's grace and the place and
meaning of expiation in relation to grace. We have pointed out that expiation
is that which appeases or propitiates. And, we have also taken pains to show
how extensive and severe God's wrath is. We are now to the point where we can
see the relationship between God's grace and God's wrath.
God's wrath, if unappeased, assures the destruction of all
ungodliness and ungodly people. God's grace, fully received and retained,
assures the salvation of all who accept it. Thus, the apostle Paul can say, “… by
grace you have been saved …” (Ephesians 2:5), as he writes to the Christians at
However, let us continue with another question. Why is God
so angry, wrathful? Why does He become so indignant and infuriated? Sin is the
answer. Satan is the culprit. The struggle emerges in the unfathomable past.
Its history is shadowy. Its full development and comprehensiveness is beyond
our human scope of perception. The Bible is amazingly brief. Information is
scarce. The cosmic dimension of sin is glimpsed briefly in Scripture as the
fiend of evil is almost constantly lurking about. Although chronology evades us
and should not be pressed, occasional references to Satan help us catch a
glimpse of the gigantic struggle between God and Satan, good and evil. For
example:
And there was war in heaven, Michael
and his angels waging war with the ragon. And the dragon and his angels waged
war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for
them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is
called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to
earth, and his angels were thrown down with him (Revelation 12:7-9).
The seventy returned with joy saying, ‘Lord, even the demons
are subject to us in Your name.’ And He said to them, ‘I was watching Satan
fall from heaven like lightening’ (Luke 10:17-18).
In the book of Job, Satan (adversary) is spoken of as one
who had access to the presence of God and freedom to range widely over the earth
(Job 1:6-7; 2:1-2). His power, though great, is pictured as being less than
God's power and readily under the constraint of God's will (Job 1:12; 2:6).
When free choice and human beings were brought together in
God's creation of Adam and Eve (Genesis 1:27; 2:1-17), Satan saw an opportunity
to strike at the very heart of God. These two human beings were created in
God's image, His likeness. Their power of choice was not accidental,
metaphysical, or theoretical. It was real. They were in God's likeness—the God
who acts as He chooses. Satan struck at their humanity, causing them to mar
their godliness. They yielded to temptation and sinned in their disobedience to
God. This, of course, separated them from their creator God who is absolutely
pure. Death means separation. Satan, and his role in man's fall, is the key to
God's wrath, anger, fury.
But what was God to do about it? His beloved children must
continue to have the power of choice; otherwise, they would not be in His
image. They must also be freed from sin; otherwise, they would not be after His
likeness. A dilemma, indeed! Ironically, it was made more complicated by God's
justice. God is absolutely just. He cannot act contrary to His justice any more
than He can act contrary to His love and truth. It is His nature (essence) to
be loving, true, just. Therefore, God could not say to Adam and Eve something like
we as parents may have said at one time or another to our child. “You know what
you did was wrong. We do too, but we forgive you anyway.” No. Something more
fundamental than wish, whim, good intentions, or sentiment, is involved.
Justice requires punishment for the guilty. This applies
across the entire spectrum of life. God is no respecter of persons. He shows no
partiality (Acts 10:34; Romans 2:9-10). This explains the foundation upon which
the wrath of God is based. He hates its effects. He hates what it does to
people who fall into its grip (Romans 1:18; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:5-7).
God's response to this dilemma about which we are speaking
is fantastic. It was so extraordinary that it challenges our capacity to grasp
it. It contains an extravagance in outreach and an ingenuity of execution. We
stand in awe before God's great plan of redemption for fallen, sinful mankind.
We have studied many facets of this plan in past lessons, but this is the first
time we have looked at it through the lens of God's wrath.
How is God's wrath to be placated? The answer is found in
Christ's expiatory role. It was
propitious, a propitiation, a propitiatory sacrifice, one who would turn aside
God's wrath. Christ's death on the cross resulted in appeasing God. God was
placated. This does not mean that God's wrath is a thing of the past. It means
that a way of escape is available. Unless we accept and follow that way of
escape, we are still as subject to the wrath of God as we were before the
propitiatory sacrifice of Christ.
Paul says to those who are impenitent, “But because of your
stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the
day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God” (Romans 2:5).
Paul also writes to the Christians at
Indeed, who is able to stand? No one is able to stand
approved by God by his own power. His only sure hope of escaping the wrath of
God is to avail himself of the sacrifice of Christ—the one who is able to turn
aside His wrath—taking away sin by His blood through our faith. (Romans
3:24b-25a, See NIV). Here we get a broad view of the relationship between God's
wrath and God's grace. God's wrath is a consuming fire. His grace provides a
fire escape. God's wrath is a destructive force. God's grace offers us a
constructive life in Christ Jesus.
The good news (Gospel) is not God's wrath. The Gospel (good
news) is God's love as seen in sacrifice of Christ for our sins. The apostle
Paul explains this Gospel when he wrote to the church at
Now I make known to you, brethren,
the Gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you
stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I
preached to you, unless you believed in
vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received,
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was
buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures … (1
Corinthians 15:1-4, emphasis added).
Paul stresses this is of first importance because at the
point of His sacrifice Jesus literally became God's “seat of mercy.” His shed
blood was the atoning cover for our sins. The term “mercy seat” has reference
to the lid of the Ark of the Covenant which was housed in the most holy place
in the tabernacle of God during the wilderness wanderings of the Hebrews. Each
year, on the day of atonement, the high priest went into the most holy place
and sprinkled the blood of animals on the mercy seat (Exodus 25:17-20;
Leviticus 16:13-15). All of this was of utmost significance to the people. We
learn from the New Testament just how important it truly was. It pre-figured
the sacrifice of the Messiah in which He gave His own blood as an atonement for
sins. “… not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood,
He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption”
(Hebrews 9:12). From this we learn that
the sacrificial blood of Christ is the basis for God's mercy. Mercy flowed from
the cross. The future need not look gloomy nor seem hopeless. The mercy of God
is now available for those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb.
This is the path of reconciliation to God. We are told that
Jesus became “a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God,
to make propitiation (to make reconciliation, KJV; to make atonement, NIV) for
the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17). The idea of reconciliation brings to
our mind one of our most heart-warming experiences. How many broken
relationships have been salvaged by reconciliation? Many separated friends, broken
marriages, and congregational divisions have felt the relief and comfort of
being united again. Reconciliation is a wonderful experience. However, it is
not always easy. Sometimes, it is very costly. Therefore, we should not be
surprised to learn that reconciliation to God is both costly and difficult. It
was difficult because it involved appeasing God's wrath, fulfilling His
absolute justice, making the necessary sacrifice, and legitimating His mercy. Difficult? To read the words is to scarcely touch the hem
of the garment. The task was made even more challenging for God because He had
to lay all the groundwork. The wrath, justice, sacrifice, and mercy were things
God had to deal with Himself in order to make reconciliation a reality.
What resource and motive would make it possible for Him to
do so? Wisdom and love blended. His all-knowing (intelligence) made Him realize
exactly what had to be done and who had to do it. Would the effort be worth it?
God knew (knows) what He was doing
was not based on our worth (Isaiah 64:6; Luke 17:10; Romans 3:9-12). God knew that relatively few people would
accept His gracious and merciful offer of reconciliation (Matthew 7:13-14; 22:14).
Our human sense of equity makes us view this effort at reconciliation as a difficult,
if not impossible, task. Doesn't it take at least two parties to reach
reconciliation with concessions and compromises? God knew what He had to do. He knew what we have to do in order for a reconciliation between Him and us to be
consummated.
His love overcame all obstacles. He so loved that He gave
Jesus for our salvation. “For while we were still helpless, at the right time
Christ died for the ungodly … God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6, 8). As John wrote
in praise of Jesus in the last New Testament book he said, “To Him who loves
us, and released us from our sins by His blood” (Revelation 1:5b). In his first
epistle John said, “In this is love, not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the
propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10, emphasis added).
God's love came to our rescue. But one must be cautious at
this point. Careful thought must guide us. God's love is not our escape hatch.
He did not dismiss the difficult things involved and let love “take over.” He
did not spare His Son because He loved Him so much. He did not say to
humankind, “You are ugly and unclean because of the sins you have committed.
However, I am God, so I will declare you forgiven and pure. I will reconcile
you to Me by fiat.” The very nature of God would not allow our restoration to
His fellowship in such a fashion. Wrath, justice, sacrifice, and mercy are all
equally a part of God's nature. Love is the over-arching motive that directs
all these aspects to our benefit. “We have come to know and have believed the
love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides
in God, and God abides in him” (1 John 4:16).
What does love mean to the modern world? The answers are
many. They range from nobility to depravity, from sacrifice to selfishness,
from service to sensuality. And the list goes on. Today, love is often equated
with unmitigated tolerance, unrestrained acceptance, or emotional
sentimentality. Love often means what people want it to mean. This all too
frequently translates into a frantic seeking for self-satisfaction. All of this
being the case, it seems insufficient to merely speak of God's love. We must
come to see the scriptural teaching that love motivates what God does. Then, we can know the meaning of
the statement, “For this is the love of
God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome” (1
John 5:3, emphasis added).
In view of all of this, how should one understand God's
wrath, anger, and fury? How do we stand before His absolute justice? How do we
feel deep inside when we read about the death of Jesus on a cross? How is God's
mercy expressed in anger, justice, and sacrifice? Anything less than Biblical
answers will get us into trouble, contradictions, and bewilderment. The
struggle with such questions as these often leads to a denial of faith or
failure to come to faith.
God's wrath is a terrible thing. It is very real. It still exists. The objects of God's wrath are Satan, sin, and evil. He is furious when human beings created in His likeness are marred or destroyed by sin. He hates the character-destroying effects of sin (Proverbs 6:16-19). We are all sinners (Romans 3:23). Are we in a hopeless condition? We are unless we escape the wrath of God. There is only one escape. We must respond to a God of love who hates sin because it destroys those whom He loves. Paul speaks of those who were "strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12b). However, he goes on to say “But now in Christ Jesus, you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace …" (Ephesians 2:13). In Christ the blood of Christ brings peace. God's wrath is appeased, expiated, by Jesus' sacrifice. Jesus was the propitiation (atoning
sacrifice, 1 John 4:10, NIV). Paul stresses the results of this sacrifice.
“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from
the wrath of God through Him” (Romans 5:9).
The lengthy foregoing discussion has led us to see that all
the hindrances to our salvation have been resolved in Jesus Christ. God worked
it all out to His “satisfaction” (1 John 2:2; the NASB reads at 1 John 2:2
“propitiation” with a reference that states, “or satisfaction”). This satisfaction is not to be confused with popular ideas. Satisfaction
is often thought of in such human terms as satiation or surfeit. Perhaps we
have all heard of the uncouth guest who pushed back laboriously from an elegant
dinner. Patting his extended belly, he said loudly, “Boy! Am I satisfied!”
God's satisfaction is not like that!
God was satisfied because the great plan of redemption was
finalized. All was harmoniously completed. His love was shown fully in His gift
of Christ. His wrath was appeased by Christ's sacrifice. His justice was
maintained. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might
become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). God's justice
could not be set aside. It is absolute and is in full effect all the time.
God's satisfaction could not continue if any of His immutable attributes ran
contrary to another attribute. “Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13b). It
does not negate nor set aside judgment. Our sins make us guilty before God.
“Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness”
(1 John 3:4). The guilt of sin demands punishment. Justice demands it. Are we
doomed? Not necessarily! Jesus took the punishment we deserve. His immeasurably
costly sacrifice for our sins satisfied God's absolute justice. The price was
paid; Christ's blood was shed. Jesus became at the same time the satisfaction
of God's absolute justice and the expression of His infinite mercy. “Thanks be
to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he
is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ
and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ
reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them,
and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore … be
reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:17-19, 20b).
Grace
“And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace,
which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those
who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32).
We are now dealing with what makes it possible for us to
become the righteousness of God in Christ. This is not to be confused with the
question, “What must I do to be saved?” That is a very good question. It is one we will examine in due time.
However, our present concern is what makes it possible for us to ask that
question realistically.
The dictionary tells us that grace means, among other
things, “unmerited divine assistance given to man…” It is difficult, if not
impossible, to overstate the significance of this definition. However, grace
must not be left hanging by this “thumbnail” definition. It screams out for
elaboration. Please note that the unmerited aspects of grace refer to the
recipients of grace, not the source of grace. As discussed earlier, we are not
merely sinful. We are so sinful that
we are not able to save ourselves. Thus, we are helpless, lost, completely
undone if we rely upon our own strength for our salvation. We are not only
sinful: We are helpless, in ourselves, to escape from sin. Therefore, if we are
to be saved, we must realize that in our sinful condition we are without any
merit. From the perspective of recipients of grace, we understand why it is
called “unmerited favor.”
On the other hand, the definition states that grace is
“divine assistance” given to man. Man, being unworthy, receives from God that
which is so worthy it cannot be measured. Enacted grace from God on our behalf
is metorious without limit. It cost God the crown jewel of heaven. Jesus left
there and came here. The apostle John recorded, “And the Word became flesh, and
dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the
Father, full of grace and truth”
(John 1:14, emphasis added). The incarnation of Christ, with all of its
ramifications, reveals fully the grace of God. Paul wrote of “the ministry
which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts
20:24b, emphasis added).
The Gospel of the grace of God! What a message. What a
proclamation. It is no small wonder that Paul wrote to the Corinthians, saying,
“I was determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him
crucified“ (1 Corinthians 2:2). He addressed the Ephesians, saying, “In Him we
have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according
to the riches of His grace which He
lavished upon us” (Ephesians 1:7-8a, emphasis added). He speaks “to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely
bestowed on us in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6, emphasis added).
The riches and glory of God's grace have been lurking in
every aspect of salvation we have been studying. Marvelous themes of Scripture
such as providence, atonement, redemption, freedom, righteousness, forgiveness,
and justification, are actually themes of grace. Therefore, each specific
subject pertaining to our salvation that we have studied, and others we shall
refer to, are virtually permeated with God's grace. It does not take a second
thought to understand why. All of our study has concentrated on what God has
done and is doing for our salvation. The following topics we have examined
either refer to grace or an action of grace: the Word of God (John 1:14), God
the Father (1 Peter 5:10), God the Son (Acts 15:11), God the Spirit (Hebrews
10:29), God's providence (Ephesians 1:3), atonement (Acts 8:32-35), Jesus the
Lamb of God (1 Peter 1:19), redemption (Romans 3:24), justification (Titus
3:7), and grace (Galatians 1:6). There are several more subjects we need to
explore that will clarify our understanding and deepen our appreciation of
God's gracious salvation.
Redemption’s Way
“A highway will be there; it will be called the Way of
Holiness … But only the redeemed will walk there” (Isaiah 35:8a, 9b).
This study is about salvation. Every part of this study has
been designed and written with salvation as its major theme. The immensity of
the subject sometimes makes it seem complex. This is what we should expect. For
examples: When we see a space shuttle successfully launched to Mars, we know it
took years of meticulous preparation followed by flawless execution. When we
see a patient in the hospital eating a hearty meal who has received an
implanted mechanical heart, we simply stare in amazement. We do not know all of
the processes that produced the marvels. However, we do sense we are looking at
watershed events. We will not be able to look at ourselves from this time on
without realizing barriers are broken down. Horizons are extended. One may get
the feeling that we are no longer earth-bound or “merely” mortal. The grandeur of
these two examples is partly the result of their complex intricacy and our
difficulty in understanding them.
The same is true concerning God’s glorious scheme of
salvation. He has not deliberately made it difficult. It is involved by its
very nature. It does not take much effort to illustrate. We have been examining
God’s plan and action for our salvation. We learned the plan was in place
before the “foundation of the world.” We are told it was instigated “out there”
and expedited “here.” We see the gulf between these two “worlds” was bridged
when God the Son left “there” and came “here.” While “here,” He did the
Father’s will by fulfilling His mission. This was accomplished “by the
appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and
immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10). Jesus has gone back
“there.” However, He has made it possible for all of us who have obeyed the
gospel to make ready to go with Him back to the Father (John 14:1-3). Those who
refuse to accept that gracious invitation will face a different destiny “when
the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming
fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do
not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thessalonians 1:7b-8).
Can we fully understand all of this? We can hardly perceive
a realm of reality that is far superior to ours. It is rather awesome to learn
of an enduring existence with a dimension that will be forever, forever,
forever. We do not understand time. How can we grasp eternity? Fortunately, we
not only have a God who loves us; our God has the answers. He has provided a
way for us to escape the bonds of earth, sin, and death. He has unfolded this
in the context of historical revelation. The Bible is a book that not only
gives us the record of this historical saga; it also gives the meaning,
interpretation, of history. This account is in words we can study and apply in
our lives. However, the profundity of the grand old story makes us desire to
know more and to seek Him while He may be found.
We know that our saving faith comes from the Word of God
(Romans 10:17). “Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that
while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—for we walk by
faith, not by sight—we are of good courage, I say, and prefer to be absent from
the body and to be at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8). We are ready
to proceed in our study of redemption’s way.
When one speaks of redemption’s way, one may raise the valid
question, “What is this way?” The answer is grounded in Scripture. We have said
that God has provided a way for us to escape the bonds of earth, sin, and
death. The way is the Lord’s way. It is impressed with footprints of Jesus, in
whose footsteps we are called to walk. Peter wrote, “For you have been called
for this purpose, since Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example for you
to follow in His steps…” (1 Peter 2:21). This way is God’s way for us to reach
eternal life. It is the path to follow. Notice that it is the WAY, not a way. Jesus spoke of Himself as the exclusive way. There is no other. He
said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father,
but through Me” (John 14:6).
This way of which we speak was announced in the Old
Testament hundreds of years earlier before Jesus came and personified it in His
incarnation and teaching ministry. He was the Master Teacher; He was the
Savior. He was the way. Isaiah prophesied concerning God’s work in preparing
the way for His distraught people to return to their homeland in peace and
tranquility. He wrote:
A highway will be there, a roadway,
/ And it will be called the Highway of Holiness. / The unclean will not travel
on it, / But it will be for him who walks that way, / And fools will not wander
on it. / No lion will be there, / Nor will any vicious beast go up on it; /
These will not be found there. / But the redeemed will walk there … (Isaiah
35:8-9; see also Isaiah 40:3-5).
Of course these prophecies have to do with the care that God
showed for His chosen people, the Jews. He was to provide for them a highway by
which they would be able to return to their beloved
By way of digression, we point out that prophecy has always
been the playground of some who exploit the emotions of unsuspecting readers.
This has been a long-standing practice from early times. However, as the close
of the second millennium A.D. approached, the chorus reached a crescendo. The
presses hummed as a flood of books came forth containing vivid word-pictures of
a world that was about to end, etc. etc. Readers were constantly bombarded with
doom and gloom scenarios. Too many people spend too much money and time buying
and reading such things. Hindsight suggests the great literary stampede was
crass literary commercialism. History shows it all turned out to be a flight of
fancy.
With the outbreak of terrorism in countries across the world
at the beginning of the 21st century, we should not be surprised if
another storm surge of sensational forecasts hit’s the market. Apocalyptic
visions of global disasters will likely be gruesome and catastrophic. A
discerning reader will benefit from reading Jesus’ teaching recorded in
Matthew, chapter 24, especially verses 1-14. From this reading one learns there
will always be wars and rumors of wars. There will always be those who will try
to mislead us. There will always be many difficulties and tribulations as the
love of many grows cold. There will always be those who fall away. However, the
saving gospel will always be preached. Those who remain faithful to it until
the end will be saved.
These teachings from the lips of Jesus are almost two
thousand years old. They are as true today as they ever were. But the end is
not yet. The sinful world remains fallen. The things Jesus described are
“natural” events in a fallen world. We do not need harbingers of doom to remind
us of this. We do need hope, encouragement, teaching, guidance, and assurance
that we can overcome this world of sin by traveling the “highway of holiness”
to a land where all is peace and rest. We can come out of darkness because
Jesus is the light. He said, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me
shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).
We need hope. It is available in “Christ Jesus, who is our hope …” (1 Timothy
1:1). We need encouragement. We can find it. Paul speaks of “our Lord Jesus
Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us
eternal encouragement and good hope … (2 Thessalonians 2:16, NIV). We need
teaching. It is readily accessible. “All Scripture is inspired by God and
profitable for teaching …” (2 Timothy 3:16a). We need guidance. Jesus spoke to
His apostles, saying, “I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go
away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I
will send Him to you … But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide
you into all the truth…” (John 16:7, 13a). And we need assurance. It comes to
us by way of the Gospel. Paul wrote to the Thessalonian Christians, “For our Gospel
came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and
in much assurance …” (1 Thessalonians 1:5a, KJV).
We trust the reader is convinced that we are not resorting
to prophecy for “personal” reasons. As we have said, the prophecies we referred
to from Isaiah consisted of God’s assurance to
To begin, we find that all four gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke,
and John—refer to Isaiah’s words. Matthew’s gospel speaks of John the Baptist
and his ministry of preparing the way for Jesus. He explains the Baptist’s
ministry as a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prediction: “The voice of one crying in
the wilderness, / ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight!’ ”
(Matthew 3:3). Mark begins his gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, with
reference to the words of Isaiah the prophet in connection with the ministry of
John the Baptist. “Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, / Who will prepare
Your way; / The voice of one crying in the wilderness, / ‘Make ready the way of
the Lord, / Make His paths straight.’ ” Thus, “John the Baptist appeared in the
wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Cf.
Mark 1:1-4 for complete context). When Luke speaks of Isaiah’s prophecy, he
records, “… the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.
And he came into all the district around the
The voice of one crying in the
wilderness, / “Make ready the way of the Lord, / Make His paths straight. /
Every ravine will be filled, / And every mountain and will be brought low; /
The crooked will become straight, / And the rough roads smooth; / All flesh
will see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:2b-6)
John’s Gospel also includes this prophecy. A delegation of
priests and Levites was sent by the Pharisees from
The intent of giving the accounts from all of the Gospels is
to show the clear, unmistakable, and consistent presentation of Isaiah’s
prophecies in their second fulfillment. The first fulfillment was when God’s
people, the Jews, returned to their ancient home in
Of course, Isaiah’s prophecy, like many others, was given in
metaphorical, figurative, language. He was not speaking of an Interstate
highway system which requires the blasting of mountains and filling of valleys.
The language of metaphor is often very vivid, designed to capture the attention
and imagination of the hearer or reader. It is not literal by its very nature;
and, by analogy, the language often is designed to carry a deeper and more
significant meaning than a literal analysis would suggest. Isaiah was speaking
of God’s providential care for His people. He removed the obstacles that
prevented them from returning home. He prepared a way for them. In like manner,
God’s wondrous, loving providence has opened up a way for all people to “return
home.” He has removed all of the humanly insurmountable obstacles from our way.
Isaiah’s prophetic words take us beyond a consideration of
ethic origins, geographical localities, or earthly habitation. Imbedded in
Isaiah’s pronouncement are the words “And a highway will be there, a roadway,
and it will be called ‘the way of holiness.’ The unclean will not travel on it …
but the redeemed will walk there, and the
ransomed of the Lord will return …” (Isaiah 35:8a, 9b-10a, emphasis added).
Therefore, since God the Father has prepared through God the Son, let us now
look into the details of this travel agenda that we may arrive at the
destination to which it leads. And where does it lead? It leads to what
Abraham, the father of the faithful (Galatians 3:7), sought. “He was looking
for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God”
(Hebrews 11:10).
The writer of the New Testament letter to Hebrew Christians
records in chapter eleven an impressive list of “heroes of the faith,” along
with their various deeds. He then lays out a general challenge. In doing so he
uses figurative language like Isaiah did in describing the way we must go. He
uses the common figures of the stadium, the race track, and the runners.
Therefore, since we have so great a
cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and
the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race
that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of
faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame,
and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2).
We call our travels the running of a race. It is interesting
to note that the word “race” (agona)
is “curriculum” in Latin. We remember that Latin was well-known in the first
century A.D., as the inscription on the cross of Christ attests (John
19:19-20). Jerome’s Vulgate Bible was completed shortly after the end of the
fourth century, A.D. It became and remained the prevailing Bible for about a
millennium! Thus, those who were familiar with this translation of Scripture
may have viewed our passage under study in broader outline than we may. In
fact, our present day usage of “curriculum” shows we have seized upon the word
as an adjective. For example: We speak of curriculum materials. Such materials
are so designated because they instruct, describe, set forth parameters, and
give guidance.
This is at the heart of our study of running the royal race
of redemption. It is a way (race) based on instruction. Jesus said, “Every one
who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me” (John 6:45b). It is a
way that is unique. Those in the way are noted for their distinctiveness (Titus
2:14; 1 Peter 2:9). Early Christians were identified as those of the Way (Acts
9:2, 19:9, 23, 24:14, 22). This way was prescribed, delineated. It had set
boundaries. Jesus, the Master Teacher who left His footprints for us to follow,
was addressed with these words, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach
correctly, and You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth”
(Luke 20:21). Jesus taught that “the way is narrow that leads to life, and few
are those who find it” (Matthew 7:14b). However, John says it is not a solitary
journey, “but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have
fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from
all sin” (1 John 1:7). This is the race of redemption we will be running. This
is the “highway” on which we shall go. This is the way we will travel while
“fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of faith …” (Hebrews 12:2a).
You may recall our plan of procedure. Stated briefly, we
stressed what God has done for our salvation. We should be struck with the
realization that God did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Thus, the
grace of God has loomed large in our study, as it does in Scripture. With the
stage set and way prepared, we are now ready to study how we may personally and
actively travel this highway (run this race). What must we do to begin the
journey? What must we do to complete the journey? Every journey is completed
only if the sojourner does the necessary traveling. He must also be on the
correct road—the one that leads to where he wants to go. We have covered a
large number of indispensable things God has done for us through Jesus Christ,
His Son. We now enter a careful analysis of what we must do in order to receive
the precious gift of salvation.
(Basis Bible text: New American Standard Bible. Other translations are so noted) |
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