Last time we took up a study of the doctrine of witnessing based on Jesus' command in Mark 16:15; to go into the entire world and preach the Gospel to the entire creation.
In our study last time we were discussing the doctrine of redemption whereby the Lord Jesus Christ paid for our freedom from slavery to sin. He redeemed us or bought us out. We noted that only a free person could do this.
Jesus Christ was the only person who was born free because of He was born of a virgin. Jesus is therefore the only one who was qualified to purchase our freedom from this slavery and imprisonment to sin.
He paid the ransom necessary to free us from the slave market of sin: 1Peter 1:18,19, "Redeemed with the precious blood of Christ";
1Cor 6:20, " ... we are bought with a price..." This freedom (from the slave market of sin, and from debt) is dependent upon the exercise of an individual's positive volition toward the identity of Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
He was judged on the cross for our sins as our substitute and as a result the door of the slave market has been removed we are therefore free to leave the slave market of sin at any time but there is only one way out.
John 14:6, " ... I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes unto the Father, but through me ...";
John 8:36, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." So the only remaining issue is What do you think about Christ? Who is He?
We leave the slave market when we believe that Jesus is the Son of God. John 3:16; That is why He is the only way of salvation. Acts 4:12;
This is what the believer must understand about redemption in order to be an effective witness.
In order to witness effectively for Christ the believer must also understand the man ward side of salvation called reconciliation.
Reconciliation is stated as a doctrine in 2Cor 5:18, "Now all these things are from God who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation." Eph 2:16; Col 1:20-21.
The Greek word "eirene" that is translated "peace" is the word that is used to technically refer to the doctrine of reconciliation.
"Peace" and "reconciliation" are used as synonymous terms in Eph 2:14-15, 17, Eph 4:3; and Eph 6:15.
Part of Jesus Christ's work of salvation on the Cross is reconciliation, Eph 2:16; Eph 4:3; Col 1:20.
The moment anyone believes in Christ they are reconciled to God, but the work that enables reconciliation actually took place on the cross when God judged all personal sins in Jesus.
Peace or reconciliation between God and man is ratified in each individual case through personal faith in Jesus Christ. Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ has ratified God's peace treaty with mankind. Believing in Jesus Christ is ratification.
Acts 16:31; "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved; and if anyone in your household believes in Christ, they will also be saved."
Peace or reconciliation between God and man also has a unity application with mankind because peace between God and man leads to individual peace between man and man and the elimination of conflict that arises from differences between people.
Many of the differences that cause conflict are products of first birth and cannot be helped. We can become defensive and feel threatened by these differences in gender, culture, race, economic prosperity, and political or ideological identities because we all have an old sin nature.
When a person has no human or spiritual self- esteem, these barriers become the basis for self justification and self identity resulting in conflict. This is why our nation and for that matter the entire world is in such conflict today. Satan and his minions exacerbate these conflicts with divisive accusations. Rev 12:10c;
The reconciliation of man to God through the salvation ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ provides the basis for removing the barriers between God and man and, at the same time, between man and man.
Arrogance exacerbates these experiential differences but when the believer attains the humility associated with spiritual self esteem through spiritual growth these experiential barriers become non issues. 1Cor 2:15; because our identity with Jesus Christ supercedes them. Eph 4:13;
Reconciliation is defined in 2Cor 5:19; "Namely, that God (the Father) by means of Christ (the agent of reconciliation) was reconciling the world to Himself by not imputing their sins to them, having deposited in us the doctrine of reconciliation."
Our personal sins were imputed to Jesus Christ on the Cross where God the Father judged them. The imputation of sins to Christ becomes the major factor in the removal of all barriers between God and us.
The Imputation of our sins to Jesus and God's righteousness to us is the basis for the removal of all barriers between God and us. 2Cor 5:21;
Rom 5:10; "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be delivered by His life."
All Church Age believers in their role as royal ambassadors have this ministry of reconciliation under the universal function of witnessing. Every believer is mandated to witness in 2 Cor 5:18-20.
As an ambassador for God every believer has a responsibility toward those who are not yet reconciled to God, Eph 6:15;
Another doctrine that the believer must understand In order to be an effective witness is the doctrine of propitiation.
Propitiation is the God ward side of the work of Christ in providing the way to salvation. God the Father is satisfied with the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Propitiation is the work that addresses the integrity or Holiness of God.
Propitiation means what our Lord' judgment for mankind's sins satisfied the Father. God's integrity or Holiness is satisfied with that judgment and that satisfaction was visibly demonstrated with Jesus' resurrection.
Propitiation frees God's justice to immediately give anyone who believes in Christ God's righteousness that is the positional side of God's integrity. This is the down payment on our salvation and the basis of our irrevocable position in union with Christ. Rom 11:29;
Salvation adjustment to the justice of God by faith in Christ frees God's justice to provide blessings for the believer at salvation. These blessings include both our logistical grace blessings for time and escrow blessings for time and eternity.
The imputation of perfect righteousness at salvation means instant justification. so God is righteous when He blesses us. 1John 1:9;
Divine justice had to judge mankind's sins before divine righteousness was free to bless mankind. Rom 4:25;
When the justice of God judged our sins in Christ on the cross, both the righteousness and justice of God were propitiated.
In other words, the Holiness of God was satisfied. Now that same justice of God can provide blessing to us without compromising any attribute of His perfect divine essence.
Propitiation is the God ward side of salvation. Reconciliation is the man ward side, redemption frees us from enslavement to sin and expiation cleanses us by removing the guilt that results from sin.
Propitiation therefore relates directly to the integrity of God, since it is the God ward side. Propitiation means that the act of judgment satisfies the integrity of God. Rom 3:25-26 says that Jesus Christ was publicly displayed as a propitiation, for the entire world. 1John 2:2; because of God's integrity love for the world. 1John 4:10; John 3:16;
Propitiation is the removal of God's wrath through the offering of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins.
Propitiation is the basis for justification and is acquired only by faith alone.
Rom 3:20-28; "Because by means of the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.