The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Literal vrs. Dynamic

Yes, I understand what you are trying to suggest. But the problem in this particular case is that I totally disagree with Vine and his reasoning concerning "atonement". Perhaps I am too simply-minded, but when I see that there are many different words, etymologically unrelated, which the Spirit has used in His Word, my understanding of verbal plenary inspiration forces me to see and accept those differences; not blur the lines which separate them. There was and is a good reason why the Spirit wrote katallage and not hilasko and vice versa. Once again, I would refer you back to the two quotes I supplied from the two most notable, widely accepted and used Greek Lexicons re: hilaskomai/hilasterion. It is that specific and peculiar meaning of those words which I believe must be retained and clearly understood, else a fundamental understanding of God, His relation to sin/sinners and Christ's atonement are lost. Contemporarily, this has been done to a large degree already and the results have been disastrous. Blurring and/or eliminating the wrath of God and the necessity of Him being appeased via the expiation of the sin/sin nature which offends Him and because of which mankind is destined to eternal damnation, you end up with such teachings as, "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." Or, "God loves you just the way you are." Or, "All you need to do is say this little prayer asking Jesus to come into your heart and you will be saved.", etc., ad nauseam.

Frankly, I love that word propitiation and what it really means. And evidently God thought we should know about it as He chose to write that Jesus Christ IS the propitiation three times (not including all the cognates and derivatives of the root word). Yes, I get passionate about the passion of Christ because 1) It is what cut deep into my heart and soul when I stood before Him and confessed my sins as I clutched His garment. 2) It is one of the fundamental doctrines of the faith.

In His Grace,