Jesus Was The Only Acceptable Propitiation For Sin
It doesn’t honor God when we think He punishes us or turns from us when we sin. It may sound all spiritual coming from religious books and sermons, but it totally denies that Jesus fully paid for our sins. Jesus alone was the full propitiation for sin (see 1 John 2:2). Propitiation means “to satisfy a deity”. Yes, God is 100% satisfied with what Jesus did on the cross and He’s not doling out additional punishment.
Religion waters down the only acceptable punishment for sin, which is DEATH. There is no biblical message of a lesser penalty. We’re not forgiven “just enough to get into heaven”. We’re forgiven here and now too. So should we just sin more? No, of course not. But let’s at least have the courage to stop playing half Christian and half Pharisee and give credit to the God of the universe who said “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin” (see Heb 9:22).
I don’t know about you, but I much more trust the blood to satisfy the payment for sin than I do my perfect performance.
Author: Mike Cynar
Mike Cynar was raised in a church setting where he frequently noticed that many attendees would eventually drift away. The church labeled these individuals as ‘back sliders’ or ‘fake Christians’ just looking for ‘fire insurance’. However, Mike realized the issue was rarely with these individuals but instead with the church’s message itself. The teachings heavily emphasized behavior improvement and one’s flaws, with only a fleeting mention of one’s identity in Christ. It felt as though every sermon was tailored to the church of Corinth, who as we know or committing sins that even unbelievers don’t partake in. This trend was noticeable not just in one denomination, but across Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal, and many other churches. Upon understanding the true essence of the gospel – that our righteousness comes from Jesus’ actions, not our own – Mike was inspired to liberate believers from lifeless sermons and reconnect them with the genuine teachings of Jesus. He believes that one can nurture a vibrant and growing bond with Jesus, unhindered by rigid religious practices. And thus, “Jesus Without Religion” was born.
It turns out that it is grace that leads to repentance. And if our heart is to get others to walk in the Spirit and live a godly life, then the best approach is not a beat down sermon, but rather to remind other that it is only when we understand our true identity in Christ that we will live it out. Yes, it’s true, if you’re convinced that God thinks you’re a dirty sinner, you will ultimately continue a lifestyle that mirrors that view, but if you truly believe that even on your worst day, you are called holy, sanctified, justified, and will be presented blameless in the end, well, it turns out this is the secret to living out on the outside what has been worked in to the inside.
