"How That Christ Died For Our Sins"

Ferrell Griswold

First, Christ is said to be a "PROPITIATION for our sins." I John 2:1, Romans 3:25. A propitiation, is an offering made to render a person propitious, or favorably disposed to some other person Through His death Christ rendered God propitious. Man had offended God through his rebellion, and could not be treated with favor until Justice was satisfied This was done in Christ, and now God deals favorably with us. Christ has become a mercy seat, which is the meaning of the word "propitiation"

Second, Christ is said to be "MADE SIN for us" II Cor 5.21 The modernists will not have this. To them the death of Christ was nothing more than an exainple to stimulate us to reformation. But Christ was made sin; i. e , He was treated and made to suffer in the same manner as if He had been a sinner This was so that we might be treated through Him as though we were righteous.

Third, Christ is said to "BEAR THE SINS of many" Heb 9:28. This certainly teaches that Christ did not die a martyr's death, but that on the cross He was dying as a guilty sinner, in the room and stead of His people... ("many").

Fourth, Christ is said to be "MADE A CURSE for us" Gal 3:10. This means that the curse of the divine law was imputed to Him, and He suffered the equivalent in our place. These great facts show that Christ was dealing a death blow to sin and although the Christian is never free from the principle of it this side of the grave, yet, he has been delivered from the curse, damnation, love and power of sin.