Expiation is the act of making amends or reparation for guilt or wrongdoing, especially sin. It involves removing or cleansing oneself of sin and guilt before God. In the Bible, expiation is linked to concepts like atonement, propitiation, and redemption. Here is an overview of what the Bible teaches about expiation:
Old Testament Background
In the Old Testament, the idea of atonement and cleansing from sin was central to Jewish religion and worship. God provided a system of animal sacrifices as a way for His people to receive forgiveness and be cleansed from their sins (Leviticus 4:20, 26, 31). The blood of animals served as a substitutionary offering to atone for people’s sins before God (Leviticus 17:11). This foreshadowed the ultimate atonement that would come through the sacrifice of Christ.
However, the Old Testament sacrifices were limited in their effectiveness. As Hebrews 10:4 says, “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” The sacrifices provided ceremonial cleansing and looked forward to the perfect and complete sacrifice of Christ.
Meaning of Expiation
The word “expiation” relates to the removal, cleansing, or forgiveness of sin and guilt. In contrast to propitiation, which refers to satisfying God’s wrath, expiation refers specifically to taking away or removing sin. Christ’s atoning work on the cross accomplished both propitiation (1 John 2:2) and expiation (Hebrews 1:3).
Expiation signifies the removal of our sins and guilt before God, through the atonement of Christ. It is because of Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross that believers can be cleansed and their sins can be pardoned by God (Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 1:7).
How Christ Accomplished Expiation
The Bible teaches that Christ accomplished the work of expiation and provided atoning sacrifice for sins in several key ways:
1. As the Lamb of God
John the Baptist declared Jesus “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Like the sacrificial lambs in the Old Testament, Christ was the perfect and ultimate sacrifice for sin (1 Peter 1:19).
2. Through His Shed Blood
Christ’s blood, shed on the cross, cleanses us from sin and guilt (Hebrews 9:14; 1 John 1:7). His blood “purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
3. As a Propitiation and Atonement
God presented Christ’s death as a sacrifice of atonement (Romans 3:25). His shed blood turned away God’s wrath (propitiation) and also took away sin (expiation).
4. As a Sin Offering
Isaiah 53:10 prophesied that Christ would offer Himself as a “guilt offering” for sinners. Christ bore our sins as a sacrificial offering to God, in our place (Hebrews 9:28).
5. Through His Suffering and Death
Christ suffered the penalty of death for our sins, providing expiation. “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross” (1 Peter 2:24). His death accomplished full atonement for sins.
6. As a Ransom and Redemption
Christ gave His life as a ransom payment to free us from sin and death (Matthew 20:28). His blood purchased our redemption from sin (Ephesians 1:7).
7. By Becoming a Curse for Us
Christ redeemed us from the curse of sin by becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). He bore God’s wrath in our place, removing the curse.
8. As a Propitiatory Sacrifice
In His sacrificial death, Christ fully satisfied God’s wrath against sin (propitiation) and also cleansed and removed our sins (expiation) (1 John 2:2; 4:10).
9. Through Imputation
On the cross, God imputed our sins to Christ, and Christ’s righteousness to us (2 Corinthians 5:21). This gracious imputation is essential to both propitiation and expiation.
10. As a Once-for-All Sacrifice
Unlike the repeated Old Testament sacrifices, Christ’s death was a once-for-all sacrifice that fully accomplished redemption and expiation (Hebrews 7:27; 9:12).
Why Expiation Was Necessary
Here are some key reasons Christ’s atoning work of expiation was necessary:
– God is holy and righteous; He cannot overlook sin or leave it unpunished (Habakkuk 1:13).
– God’s justice and wrath demand that sins be paid for and atoned for (Romans 1:18).
– Our sins have separated us from God and warrant His wrath (Isaiah 59:2).
– We are helpless and incapable of atoning for our own sins (Romans 5:6).
– Our good works cannot earn forgiveness or justify us before God (Titus 3:5).
– Only the sinless life and atoning death of the God-man Jesus Christ could provide full and perfect expiation (2 Corinthians 5:21).
In His mercy, God accomplished expiation for sinners through Christ’s willing sacrifice, satisfying His own justice and holiness.
Expiation in Christ’s Resurrection
While Christ’s death was the fundamental accomplishment of expiation, the New Testament also connects His resurrection to our justification and forgiveness:
– “He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” (Romans 4:25)
– God “made us alive together with Christ … having forgiven us all our trespasses.” (Colossians 2:13)
– Christ was “raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:25)
So Christ’s resurrection also relates to the application of the expiation He accomplished for believers.
Results of Expiation for Believers
For all those who have faith in Christ, the results of His expiatory sacrifice include:
– Forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7)
– Cleansing from guilt (Hebrews 9:14)
– Reconciliation with God (Romans 5:10)
– Redemption from sin’s penalty (Ephesians 1:7)
– Liberation from sin’s power (Romans 6:6-7)
– Restoration to fellowship with God (1 Peter 3:18)
– Eternal inheritance in Christ (Hebrews 9:15)
– Confidence to approach God’s throne (Hebrews 10:19-22)
– A clear conscience (Hebrews 9:14)
– Assurance of sins remembered no more (Jeremiah 31:34)
Christ’s perfect sacrifice fully accomplished expiation and opened the way for sinful people to be cleansed and draw near to a holy God.
How Expiation Leads to Obedience
The expiation accomplished by Christ not only cleanses believers from sin’s penalty, but also breaks sin’s power in their lives, freeing them to live in obedience to Christ:
– We love God because He first loved us and accomplished expiation (1 John 4:19).
– The grace of God in Christ teaches us to live uprightly (Titus 2:11-14).
– We die to sin and live to righteousness because of Christ’s sin-bearing death for us (1 Peter 2:24).
– We are motivated to live obediently out of gratitude for the mercy we received (Romans 12:1).
– We walk in the light as Christ is in the light (1 John 1:7).
The cleansing and forgiveness Christ secured should move us to repentance and deep desire to live in a way that honors Him.
Expiation Foreshadowed
Certain events and rituals in the Old Testament foreshadowed and pointed forward to the ultimate expiation accomplished by Christ:
– The Passover lambs sacrificed and blood applied (Exodus 12).
– The sacrifices for atonement of sin laid out in Leviticus.
– The Day of Atonement rituals (Leviticus 16).
– The sacrificial system of priests, altar, and offerings.
– The mercy seat in the tabernacle Holy of Holies (Leviticus 16:14).
– The sacrificial ram provided by God as a substitute for Isaac (Genesis 22).
– The animal sacrifices offered all throughout Israel’s history.
All these cleansing rituals prepared the way and prefigured the final, complete expiation achieved by Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.
Old Testament Prophecies of Expiation
Here are some key Old Testament prophecies that promised a coming Messiah who would accomplish expiation from sin:
– “Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:11)
– “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness.” (Daniel 9:24)
– “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
– “The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)
These prophecies pointed ahead to the Messiah who would provide complete atonement and expiation.
Connection to Justification
Expiation is directly related to the biblical doctrine of justification. Christ’s atoning work not only cleanses us from the guilt of sin, but His perfect righteousness is also credited to believers, justifying them before God (Romans 4:6-8). His sacrifice frees us from sin’s penalty and enables us to be declared righteous (Romans 3:24-26).
Distinction from Forgiveness
Forgiveness and expiation are distinct but complementary aspects of Christ’s work on our behalf:
– Forgiveness remits the guilt and requirements of sin (Luke 1:77).
– Expiation removes and atones for the stain and impurity of sin (Titus 2:14).
– Forgiveness releases the sinner from sin’s consequences (Acts 13:38).
– Expiation satisfies God’s justice and propitiates His wrath (1 John 2:2).
– Forgiveness pardons graciously; expiation propitiates righteously (Psalm 85:2-3).
So forgiveness releases us from the debt and punishment of sin, while expiation restores our purity through cleansing and atonement.
Expiation Guaranteed
For believers, the completeness and sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice guarantees their expiation. His atoning work fully accomplished cleansing from sin, once and for all:
– By a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified (Hebrews 10:14).
– The blood of Christ purifies our conscience from dead works (Hebrews 9:14).
– There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
– He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal (Titus 3:5).
Because of Christ’s finished work, believers can have full assurance their sins are blotted out, never to be remembered or held against them by God (Isaiah 43:25).
Applying the Benefits of Expiation
How then do believers receive and apply the benefits of Christ’s expiatory sacrifice in their lives? The Bible encourages us to:
– Have faith in Jesus and His sacrificial death on our behalf (John 3:16).
– Repent and confess our sins to God (1 John 1:9).
– Plead Christ’s blood and name in prayer for cleansing (Hebrews 4:14-16).
– Trust in Jesus’ high priestly ministry of intercession (Hebrews 7:25).
– Reckon ourselves dead to sin in Christ (Romans 6:11).
– Have baptism testify outwardly to our cleansing from sin (Acts 22:16).
– Partake of the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of Christ’s body and blood (1 Corinthians 11:26).
– Walk in holiness and obedience out of thankfulness (Romans 6:4).
As we rely on Christ’s completed expiation, we experience the profound blessings of forgiveness and cleansing through His amazing grace.
Expiation Points to Christ
The need for expiation points to human sinfulness and guilt before our holy Creator. Christ’s provision of perfect expiation reveals His mercy, grace, and desire for restored relationship with sinners. And Christ’s sinless nature and divine empowerment were essential to accomplish this work of redemption.
Ultimately, the accomplishment of expiation glorifies Jesus Christ – His love, His compassion, His power over sin and death. It testifies that God’s holiness and justice have been satisfied through Christ’s voluntary sacrifice for the undeserving. And it displays God’s amazing grace and wisdom in devising this way of salvation (1 Corinthians 1:18-25).
The centrality and efficacy of expiation direct all praise and glory to the Savior, the Lamb of God, who alone could accomplish it.