Christ, Our Propitiation

The story is told of DL Moody who had a preaching engagement out of town in St. Louis and he invited a British preacher named Harry Moorhouse to preach in his absence and he did what most preachers do when someone fills the pulpit.

His wife had been present to hear this new preacher and he inquired of her.

When he returned about his preaching and this is what his wife said well he preaches a little different from you. He preaches that God loves sinners he is wrong. Moody shot back.

Moody's wife advised him to withhold judgment until he had heard Moorhouse preach. I think you will agree when you hear him because he backs up everything he says with the Bible.

Moody did subsequently. Here Moorhouse preach and realized a serious imbalance in his preaching and vowed to change his emphasis that may strike us a bit. See the kind of imbalance in the preaching of an era of Christianity, but it shows us how prone we are to presenting truth about God in an unbalanced way that has in its overall effect of distorting of the God that were trying to set before people see Moody wasn't alone in his unbalanced preaching. Preaching as a rule hundred, 250 years ago portrayed God as stern, demanding and cruel. They so magnify God's wrath that they virtually his love God was preached primarily only as a fierce judge whose very bare burned against sinners. Well, we have an imbalance in our day. But it's not that inbound. The problem the day is that the pendulum has swung and swung in such an extreme fashion, that God is presented as having one basic attribute that of love but just as in Moody's day that unbalanced was unhealthy. In our day imbalance.

We see is unhealthy because it presents God in the lack of fullness as he has revealed himself in Scripture.

If the love of God is divorced from his righteousness and his justice and his holiness. Then we have a distorted view of the love of God is my conviction that people who are speaking the most in our day about the love of God.

It seems to me understand that the least because for many in our day.

God's love and goodness ultimately nullify his righteousness is justice is holiness and his wrath. People have had God set before them. God is envisioned as a God who's a kind heavenly grandfather type. He's tolerant. He's lenient these permissive he's devoid of any real displeasure over sin. He forgives accepts people as they are because it's God's business to love well that's a distortion. So my desire tonight is that we when we come to the Lord's table and gather around the table that her understanding of the love of God will be deepened in our response to the love of God will be enhanced because we have an appreciation of what God has done in the person and work of Christ to redeem us while still satisfying his righteousness is holiness and his justice. So in order to properly understand the biblical doctrine of the love of God, we must see it in his relationship to the wrath of God. Those two doctrines they're not in conflict with one another. There complementary.

They enhance each other and until we have this balance we will not have a correct and a proper view of God is.

I've read to you from first John 473 21 her size.

I say 27 references to the love of God.

John weaves the threat of love throughout his letter, not just in this chapter, but throughout the letter and when it comes to the greatest, the grandest manifestation of the love of God word as he points. Notice verse 10 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. The consummate proof of of God's love of divine love is seen in the cross of Jesus Christ. But to be biblically balanced. We must also add you want to see the wrath of God.

The wrath of God is also seen in the cross and the work of Jesus Christ. So tonight in preparation for the Lord's table.

I've taken a break from our study in the book of Revelation, but we've been dealing and we will be dealing with the manifestation of the just wrath of God upon an unbelieving world.

At the end of this age sold overnight in Revelation. The theme is basically the same. I want to talk to you tonight about the wrath of God and I have four questions that I want to ask and answer from the Scriptures question number one is God angry is God angry is there a place in our thinking in our theology for divine wrath does the Bible teach the doctrine of the wrath of God. That's the first question question number two assumes an affirmative answer to the first question question number one is got angry.

Question number two. Why is he angry question number three with home is got angry in question number four. How is God's anger satisfy those four questions again question number one is God angry and in the context of the content here of first John four demands and it affirmative answer is got angry. Yes, he's angry, and why is he angry will will answer that in a moment, but notice again verse 10 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 so that's a theological word that is very seldomly referred to but it is a critically important theological word propitiation means and speaks of a sacrifice designed to turn away the wrath of an offended deity Jesus Christ offered himself once and for all is an offering to God as a propitious Tory sacrifice to God to satisfy God's just wrath, not against him, but against us.

Christ did that as our substitute now is got angry. Yes he's angry but listen to how God's anger and God's wrath are set in a context that also speaks of the love of God, not just there in first John, but listen to John chapter 3 will know John 316 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believe it in him should not perish but have everlasting life were 17 for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.

Verse 18. He who believes in him is not condemned but he who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God. John's going to conclude that same chapter with the same emphasis John three verse 35, the father loves the son and has given all things into his hand. He who believes in the son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. God's wrath is abiding on those who will not have not and refused to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

What is a person have to do to come under this condition refused to believe some people say well, I've done anything that would cause God to be angry with me or for God's wrath to be upon me this Texas the wrath of God is abiding on those who have not believe so any in my hearing. Who have not believed on the Lord Jesus Christ to the saving of your soul. The Bible says God's wrath is abiding on you. It's over you it's hanging on you who are in the condition of condemnation before God. That's a horrible state to be in God is done something for sinners to remedy that situation.

Listen to Romans chapter 1 were answering the question is got angry is a place.

Is there a doctrine of the love of God in Scripture. Paul is talking about the gospel and John are in Romans one verse 16 he says, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written, the just shall live by faith.

Verse 18 for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

You may have a translation that renders that first part of verse 18. I read it got the wrath of God is revealed. You may have a translation it says is being revealed and that nuance captures the fact that it is a progressive tense something that's in the future. It's something that's happening right now the wrath of God is right now in our day. In Paul's day being revealed against Tom against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

So is God angry is there a place in the Bible where we can find the doctrine of the wrath of God set before us and the answer is absolutely the good news of the gospel is not that God is willing to overlook sin and forgive sinners if that's the good news, then God has compromised his holiness that would leave justice unfulfilled. That would trample on true righteousness and furthermore that would not be love on God's part, but would be apathy. You see, after devoting 2 1/2 chapters to show how the entire race is Kirsten under the wrath of God in Romans chapters 1, two and three and under the wrath of God because of sin.

Paul expounds how Christ death was God's wise plan to demonstrate his justice at the present time so as to be just and the justifier of all those who believe in Jesus and again in that wonderful salvation passage Romans 321 through 26 verse 25. The Bible tells us that Jesus has been set before us, given to us as a propitiation in his blood. The blood of Jesus Christ is the propitious Tory sacrifice that he offered on the cross of Calvary to satisfy the wrath of God for those who will believe upon that's the doctrine of propitiation. So again, not only does the Bible teach the doctrine of the wrath of God. But we have clearly set before us. At the same place in the same time, God's remedy for those who are under the wrath of God, we could turn to Romans chapter 3, Paul is spent three chapters demonstrating to the regardless of what place a person finds himself in society where there Jew were there Greek whether there educated, whether they're uneducated. Whether they're rich whether their poor, that all are guilty before Almighty God. What then are we better than they know. Not at all, for we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin, then he goes on with the passage there 10 through verse 18 verse 19 he says now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin will know for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But it's amazing the blindness of the human heart member talking to my brother about this basic universal reality and he bowed up, got red in the face because I dared to include him in all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Simply saying what the Bible says, but the blindness of the unregenerate heart and mind. So the evidence is clear, it is irrefutable. It is undeniable. The Bible teaches the doctrine of the wrath of God. God is angry and there must be a place in our theology for this difficult doctrine of the wrath of God. Now there are a number of reasons why people struggle with this doctrine.

Psalmist just out and out rejection. I don't like it. I don't care what the Bible says I don't believe it. That's clear enough, but most people are a little more sophisticated than in the rejection. A lot of people are fashioning a God after their own image is not uncommon for us to hear people say, will my God would do this or that what we say when were talking with people and they come across my God wouldn't do this. My God wouldn't send anyone to hell my God would be angry with anyone, I beg to differ with you, your God may not, but the only God were interested in is the God was revealed himself in the Scriptures, and that God says, and then we pointed to the word of God.

People are guilty of what Psalm 50 verse 21 condemns people for God says you thought that I was just like you, I will rip you, reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes. People want to create a God like themselves.

Maybe a little bit is a little bit better than me.

Now he's a lot like me, we struggle to comprehend an infinite God with our finite minds and things are going to get a little bit more challenging. Here's a try and listen carefully to what I'm trying to get across to you in human experience wrath and love normally abide in fully exclusive compartments. Love drives wrath out or wrath drives love out.

We have difficulty reconciling how a loving God can at the same time be wrathful or angry but unlike us with God. There is nothing intrinsically impossible about wrath and love being directed toward the same individual or people at the same time, I hear you you're going all right. You can have to you're going to have to flesh that out again after illustrate that show it to me in Scripture I plan to do that one commentator helps us here when he says this quote God in his perfections must be wrathful against sinners, for they have offended him. God in his perfections must be loving toward sinners, for he is that kind of God quote is got angry all the only conclusion to draw.

When examining the biblical evidence is yes, God is angry God is a wrathful God question number two. Why, why is he angry. Why is God angry. Why is God wrathful will the simple answer to that question is because of sin because of sinful disobedience. God's wrath is directed against human wickedness, all of sin and come short of the glory of God.

All are liable to the wrath of God. Wrath is a function of God's holiness against sin were God in his holiness confronts his image bearers in their rebellion. There must be wrath, or God is not a jealous God. He claims to be, and his holiness is impugned when we dilute God's wrath. We diminish God's holiness.

Do you understand what I'm saying when white when we dilute God's wrath we diminish his holiness. It is because God his holy perfectly holy that he demands but justice. He demands sin to be punished and dealt with. We have no respect for Judge or for judicial system that doesn't punish wrongdoers that doesn't punish lawbreakers. God is a just God and he will demand payment for sin. So were asking some questions and answering them is God angry by now, you would say I don't like that doctrine.

I don't like the emphasis on that doctrine. I'm uncomfortable with that doctrine. But the Bible teaches it, and therefore there must be a place in my theology for wise he angry well he's angry because of sin.

He's angry because those who have been made in his own image.

Have marred his image have misrepresented him have defiled and broken his law with whom is he angry with whom is got angry. Well, he's angry with all evil doers. He's angry with all on repentant sinners, God is angry. The Bible says with the wicked every day 14 times in the first 50 Psalms alone. We are told that God hates the center that is wrath is on the liar and so forth.

So in the Bible the wrath of God rests both on the sin and on the center. It simply will not do to hold to the popular cliché that what God hates the sin that he loves the center. You've heard that right now it appeared all the time now. There is a small element of truth in those words. Let me explain. God is nothing but hate for the sin, but it would be wrong to conclude that God has nothing but hate for the center, so there is a distinction that we must hold to let me try and explain that distinction. The difference must be maintained between between God's view of sin and his view of the center.

We know that God is often angry with those who are the objects of his everlasting love say well help me I will listen to Romans chapter 5 in verse 10 for if when we were enemies. And if we were enemies, we were under the wrath of God right if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life before salvation. Even the elect of God were enemies of God. Paul says in Ephesians chapter 2 sees describing the condition of lost men doomed disobedient, deceived, he says we were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. Why is this important what is important to demonstrate to you this distinction, but it's also important to understand these verses because it refutes drives a nail through the coffin of anybody who believes in eternal justification. That is, that God in eternity past justified us. He's always seen as justified.

No you are under the wrath of God. Your enemy of God until you exercise faith and belief.

That's an important biblical reality. God genuinely and sincerely loves those who are the objects of his wrath. Now it's not satisfactory to attempt to resolve the difficult question here about divine love by concluding that God actually withholds his lovingkindness and his compassion and his mercy from all but the elect seek that's how someone out was review resolve this apparent contradiction. Well, when the Bible talks about the love of God is reserved only for the elect of God.

There's no love for the non-elect will you and have a hard time proven that from the Bible.

I had a man asked me one time to preach and he gave me the topic topic was what you preach on the heresy of common grace.

I said heresy of common grace. He said yes heresy of common grace. Grace is reserved for salvation. It is a salvific term.

You only use grace and for the elect of God, and it's only directed to the people of God graces a category that is foreign to unbelievers, so in his mind and he EC wasn't alone and that there's a there's people that believe strongly about that. So in my negativity. I said Thomas a brother. I'm not real sure where you're going with the topic because the last time I checked, the sun was coming up over everybody's house and my neighbor in a fight of been a little more mature. I probably wouldn't of been so cheeky with my response, but that's the way I understand common grace. That's a manifestation of God, the love of God allows the rain to fall on the just and the unjust ally sun to rise on the just and the unjust ally so there's got to be a place in our theology for common grace, but I think that whole subject comes down to terminology words get down to it the concepts I it's it's it's irrefutable the doctrine of common grace. You want to call it something else okay but the concept is in my opinion, irrefutable one more question.

How is God's anger. How is God's wrath satisfied well. Our text. First John four verse 10 and this is love, not that we love God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. The Bible teaches us that God loves us and why does he love us because he chooses to love because it's his nature to love. He is love. God's love John says in this passage God loves us, not because he's under some obligation to love us nothing but God's own sovereign good pleasure compels him to love sinners because God is righteous hey must punish sin, he can't do anything other than that, to be God, we can simply absolve guilt, he can't leave justice unsatisfied and it is the death of Christ, that totally satisfies God's justice satisfies his righteousness and satisfies his holy hatred of sin. Sinners, for whom Christ died were worthy of nothing but God's wrath in God's remedy in the gospel is that his son became the substitute he stood in our place. He bore God's wrath upon us for our sins. That's what the Bible teaches at the cross God's love is shown to undeserving sinners, and his wrath is poured out on his beloved son, who had done nothing worthy of any kind of punishment like that Butler focus be tonight.

What has been our focus tonight, but will we rejoice in at the table tonight.

Chris Anderson's him his robes for mine puts in!

On this subject tonight when he writes his robes for mine. A wonderful exchange clothed in my sin. Can you get your mind around that perfect son of God, who knew no sin. The hymn writer says, clothed in my sin and because he was clothed in my sin. Your sin in the sin of every believing person Christ suffered 'neath God's rage God's wrath.

God's rate was poured out upon his son because Christ took our sins upon himself stands at three his robes for mine. God's justice is a P. Jesus is crushed and thus the father's police Christ drank God's wrath on sin folks. That's why we need the table. That's why we need these reminders to worship our Savior to thank him around the elements for doing for us what he did.

Christ drank God's wrath on sin, then cried tears done since wage is paid propitiation one. The last stanza his robes for mine. Such anguish, none can know Christ, God's beloved condemn as though his foe. He as though I accursed and left alone what I deserve what you deserve. I as though he embraced and welcomed home.

Thus, the doctrine of substitution that highlights the satisfaction of God's wrath toward sin and the reconciliation of God toward sinners. And that's what we rejoice in his Christians. That's what's on our hearts and minds as we come around the table. The table is conspicuously focused on the person and work of Jesus Christ. What he did for sinners like us what he did and not compromising his godhood not compromising his deity, not compromising his holiness, not compromising his justice but satisfying all of that and at the same time, requiring payment for sin.

Jesus paid it all folks all to him. We'll spring father how we thank you tonight for your son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the one you gave to redeem us from sin and its curse or Jesus, we thank you that you willingly endured the just wrath of Almighty God, in order that we might be forgiven. We worship you tonight. We remember you the way you told us to remember you and this Lord's table service. A man