R.C. Sproul

Propitiation

has to do with the object of the expiation.

A way to remember it is the prefix.

Ex usually means away from or out of.

Pro usually means for.

Now propitiation has to do with that which brings about a change in God's attitude.

where we are restored into fellowship and to the favor with God.

There is a sense in which we can talk here of God's being appeased.

You know how the word appeasement

functions in military and political conflicts.

You know, the so-called politics of appeasement, that if you have a rambunctious world conqueror on the loose rattling the sword, rather than risk the wrath of his blitzkrieg, you try to assuage his wrath and appease him by giving him something that'll satisfy him so that he won't come into your country and mow you down.

That's a kind of ungodly manifestation of appeasement.

But if I am angry or if I am violated and you satisfy my anger, appease me, then you are restored to favor and the problem is removed.

Now, sometimes the same Greek word is translated both by expiation or propitiation.

Do you see the slight difference here in the terms?

The expiation is the act that is done that results in the change of God's disposition toward us.

Expiation is what Christ does on the cross.

The result of Christ's work of expiation is that God is propitiated.

And the bottom line result is that we are then reconciled.

This would be the distinction between the ransom that is paid and the attitude of the one who receives the ransom.