By Gabe Hall
1 John 2:2 says Jesus is our “propitiation.”
Here John explains that Christ is not only the propitiation for our (believers’) sins, but also for the sins of the whole world.
This is not proclaiming universalism in any way, it is simply explaining that Jesus’ atonement is able to overcome the sin of all, and He died so that anyone could come and have access to the Father through Him.
Paul says this as well throughout Romans 5, especially in verse 18, which states, “as through one man’s offense judgement came to all, resulting in condemnation, even so, through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all, resulting in justification of life.”
1 John 2:2 does have something to say against the Calvinistic belief in “limited atonement” and predestination. Jesus did not just die for the sake of those who would come to know Him as Lord, but He also offered the opportunity for anyone to come to Him for life.
The Greek word used here for “propitiation” is “hilasmos,” which basically means sacrifice.
In Romans 3:25, the word translated as “propitiation” is the Greek word “hilisterion.” Hilisterion carries the added meaning of “mercy seat” or covering. There we see that Jesus was set as a sacrifice and mercy seat (covering and protection from the penalty of sin through the law) by faith. This is an important distinction. Jesus died to be a sacrifice for all (so anyone has the capability to come to Him now)…but He only becomes the mercy seat to those who do come to Him in faith.
This idea is also summed up well in John 3:16 which says, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
God’s love and sacrifice is universal, but His forgiveness and salvation is only imparted by faith in Christ.
Read more on this and 1-3 John at
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