READ: Romans 3:19-26
“In whom we have REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” – Ephesians 1:7
Through the power of the blood of Jesus salvation has come to the world. Through the blood of Jesus you receive forgiveness. Forgiveness means that God has stopped feeling angry towards you. He has pardoned you and written off your debts.
After being forgiven you need cleansing because there is often a scent of the past evils that contaminate you – 1 John 1:7. This process takes you one-step further than forgiveness did.
Sanctification takes you even further than forgiveness and cleansing do – Hebrews 13:12. It means you have been set apart for a sacred religious purpose. It is only the sanctifying power of the blood of Jesus that can move you so far from your past evil state. This is the power that can utterly transform a criminal into a priest of God!
The next step in this process is redemption – Revelation 5:9-10. To redeem is to get, to win, or to buy someone or something back. To redeem a slave means to buy back a slave. Christ has legally bought us back from the devil’s slave camp. He paid for us with His blood. When God went shopping, He paid the bill with His blood. God wanted to have a permanent relationship with us. Your forgiveness, your cleansing and your sanctification are permanent. You belong to God. The devil has no legal access to you.
Final reconciliation with God comes because you are forgiven, cleansed, sanctified and redeemed. You can now enjoy a reconciled relationship with God. This is what propitiation is all about. Propitiation involves a regaining of the favour and the goodwill that you lost with God. Through the blood of Jesus you will appease the heavenly Father and restore a beautiful relationship with Him.