Doctrines of Salvation Study
Lesson #2 Words of Salvation (Part 1)
In this lesson we are going to be looking at some to the words from the Bible that are connected with the doctrines of Salvation. The words covered in part one of this lesson will be justification, redemption, propitiation, and reconciliation.
Justification: (Romans 4:24 through Romans 5:1)
Before we begin teaching about justification, we will look at a definition of the word. From the definition we will see that justification is the process by which God see us righteous even though we are not.
Justification – the act whereby God declares a person righteous even though they are not.
Why does a person need to be justified?
This is the easy part to understand because the word of God says, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). If you have ever even committed just one sin, that makes you a sinner. Being a sinner, you are therefore guilty before God.
Now God is Holy, Just, and Righteous so he cannot overlook sin. The only way to get to Heaven is going to be that you must be justified or somehow seen as righteous in the eyes of God. Many say that their good works make them righteous but as we will see shortly a man is not justified by works. Remember if you could earn salvation then why did Jesus die on the cross for your sins? Others may say that I am a good person, the word of says there is none righteous no not one and there is none that doeth good no not one. (Romans 3:10-12) So the bottom line is to get to heaven you are going to have to be justified to get there.
How is a person justified?
We are justified by faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1 ; 5:9 ; Acts 13:39 ; Galatians 2:16)
by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
The above verses plainly show that a person is not justified by works but by faith. Therefore the moment that a person asks God to save them, trusting in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, they are saved and justified in the sight of God.
What are the results of Justification?
As a result of being justified by God we have great blessing. One we are seen as righteous even though we are not (2 Corinthians 5:21). Number two, we have peace with God (Romans 5:1), that is we are no longer at odds or separated from God because of our sin. Last of all we are saved from wrath through being justified by the blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:9).
Redemption : (Romans 3:24 ; Colossians 1:14)
We find the word redemption in the word of God many times and it is a word that is often used in the preaching and teaching of God’s word. Therefore, as we have done before we will begin by giving a definition of the word.
Redemption – to purchase or to deliver from the power of another.
As a result of Adam’s sin we are under the power of death (Romans 5:12). The result of sin is death (James 1:14-15). The word of God says that the devil was connected with this power of death and that people through fear were subject unto bondage their whole life (Hebrews 2:14-15).
This is the reason why the Lord Jesus Christ came and died on the cross to redeem us from sin and the power of the devil. Paul said that the law brings the knowledge of sin (Romans 7:7). So, once we realize that we are sinners before God as the word of God says that we are in Romans 3:23, we need to be saved. Therefore, in Galatians 3:13 it says that Jesus died to redeem us from the curse of the law. The Law shows us that we are sinners and the penalty for sin is death, therefore it is called the curse of the law. But through redemption in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ we have forgiveness of our sins and eternal redemption (Colossians 1:14 ; Hebrews 9:12)
The price that was paid for our redemption was the blood of Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:14 ; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
Propitiation: (Romans 3:25 ; 1 John 2:2 ; 1 John 4:10)
Even though we only see this word 3 times in a King James Bible it is an important word for us to understand regarding our salvation. The word redemption implies that a price must be paid to redeem someone. Jesus paid this price by shedding his blood on Calvary. But how do we know God accepted this payment? This leads us to the definition of our next word, Propitiation.
Propitiation – the act of appeasing wrath and conciliating the favor of an offended person.
The use of this word in the above scriptures is extremely important because it shows us that God accepted the payment of Jesus Christ for our sin. Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God’s wrath has been appeased. Since Adam sinned against God, that makes God the offended person. Therefore, it is God alone that needed to be appeased. Jesus Christ was not only the price of our redemption, but he is the propitiation for our sins. He is the payment, and that payment is accepted by God. This was prophesied in the Old Testament in a passage dealing with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:1-12). Note in verse 10 that it pleased the Lord to bruise him (this is a reference to Jesus Christ), and in verse 11 God is satisfied when he sees the travail of his soul. It is hard to imagine that God could be pleased with the torture that Jesus Christ endured on the cross, but this is the price that Jesus Christ paid for God’s wrath to be appeased. We should really think about this when we consider just what God has done for us regarding our salvation. This also gives us a different insight into what God thinks of those who reject his Son and the payment that he made for their sin. When you consider the fact that God took pleasure in the sacrifice of his Son so that his wrath on our sin could be appeased, it is a little easier to understand how he could place those in the Lake of fire who reject what Jesus Christ did for them.
Reconciliation: (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)
In the passage above we see the word reconciled or reconciliation several times so let us first give a definition of the word.
Reconciliation – the act of restoring something to a former state of peace of harmony.
As a result of sin, we are separated and out of fellowship with God. But through the blood of Jesus Christ, we can be reconciled or restored to the position that Adam had with God before he sinned. That is what happens to us when we are saved and that is why the word of God refers to us as the sons of God after we are saved (John 1:12-13 ; 1 John 3:1).
Most reconciliation process always require a middleman who can get the two parties involved in the dispute back together. In the case of salvation God and man are the two parties that are need of being reconciled and therefore the middleman is the Lord Jesus Christ. God accepts the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore accepts us on his behalf. And it is only through the Lord Jesus Christ that we can be saved and go to heaven (John 14:6). This is the reason why the Lord Jesus is called the only mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5).
In salvation we are reconciled to God by Jesus Christ, but we are also given the ministry of reconciliation (1 Corinthians 5:18). We cannot reconcile anyone to God ourselves, but we can point them to the Jesus Christ who can. This means that every saved person is to be a witness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Doctrines of Salvation Study
Lesson #2 Words of Salvation (Part 1)
1) Give a good definition for the word Justification.
2) How are we justified?
3) List three results of being Justified.
a.
b.
c.
4) Give a good definition for the word Redemption.
5) What was the price of our Redemption? Give a reference.
6) Give a good definition for the word Propitiation.
7) Why is this word so important?
8) Give a good definition for the word Reconciliation.
9) What is the ministry of Reconciliation?