Guilt is met with sacrificial Expiation.
Isaiah 53:10 (niv)—“The Lord makes his life a guilt offering.”
Ephesians 5:2—“Christ…gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Hebrews 9:26—“He has appeared once for all…to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.”
Guilt is by definition liability to punishment. The punishment for offending God is life. Sin disqualifies a person morally from living (Rom 6:23—the wages of sin is death). The only other alternative to individual death of infinite duration is a perfect, sinless, vicarious sacrifice of life—Christ’s death on the cross.
This is an OT idea based on the sin offering and the entire Levitical sacrificial system. Actually, however, OT sacrifices anticipated the yet future sacrifice of Christ (Heb. 9:23). Sacrifice brings expiation or the removal of the guilt of sin. Christ’s sacrifice brought final expiation of sin.
Bondage is met with Redemption or Ransom.
Matthew 20:28—The Son of Man [came]…to give his life as a ransom for many.
Ephesians 1:7—“In him we have redemption through his blood.”
To redeem means to buy out of slavery by the payment of a ransom price; to release by payment that which has been lost. Apart from the payment of the life of Christ all men live in bondage:
- to the Law (OT) (Gal 3:10, 13; Gal 4:4–5).
- to sin (John 8:34; Gal 3:22; Titus 2:14; 3:3; 1 Pet 1:18).
- to an inability to do any good thing (Ps 14:1, 3; 53:1–3; Rom 3:12; 8:7–8)
Wrath is met with Propitiation.
Because he is perfectly holy, God is righteously enraged by sin on a daily basis. Apart from the satisfaction of that wrath, God will eternally and righteously despise the sinner because of his sin:
Psalm 7:11 (kjv)—“The Lord is angry with the wicked every day.”
Psalm 11:5—“The Lord hates those who love violence.”
John 3:36—“The wrath of God abides on him.”
The theological term for the appeasement or satisfaction of God’s wrath is propitiation. Jesus took the just deserts of sin and placated God’s righteous anger, making love possible (1 John 4:10).
- John 2:2—“He is the propitiation for our sins.”
Enmity and Alienationare met with Reconciliation
Sin produces estrangement and hostility between God and man:
Isaiah 59:2—Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God.
Ephesians 2:12—“You were at that time separate from Christ, excluded… strangers…without God.”
Colossians 1:21—“You were formerly alienated and hostile.”
Reconciliation is the theological term for the removal of that hostility and the restoration of peace, harmony, and favor. Reconciliation affects both God (Matt. 5:23, 24) and man (Rom. 5:10).
Romans 5:10—“While we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son.”
2 Corinthians 5:18—“God reconciled us to himself through Christ.”
The NT idea of “peace” is tied to reconciliation. Often we speak of peace as a means by which God communicates his approval about a decision we wish to make. This is never taught in Scripture. “Peace” in Scripture is the absence of conflict between God and man that derives from the reconciling work of Christ and is enjoyed as we remain obedient to God’s moral will.
Eph 2:11–17 ties peace with reconciliation.
Philippians 4:7–9 ties peace with obedience.
Stand Firm! 