God is love. But the supreme object of that love is himself. And because he loves himself supremely he cannot suffer what belongs to the integrity of his character and glory to be compromised or curtailed. That is the reason for the propitiation.Redemption Accomplished and Applied, 28
Sacrifice views the atonement from the perspective of guilt, propitiation from that of wrath, reconciliation from that of alienation. Redemption has in view the bondage to which sin has consigned us, and it views the work of Christ not simply as deliverance from bondage but in terms of ransom.
propitiation does not detract from the love and mercy of God; it rather enhances the marvel of his love. For it shows the cost that redemptive love entails.Redemption Accomplished and Applied, 28
propitiation is not a turning of the wrath of God into love. The propitiation of the divine wrath, effected in the expiatory work of Christ, is the provision of God's eternal and unchangeable love, so that through the propitiation of his own wrath that love may realize its purpose in a way that is consonant with and to the glory of the dictates of his holiness.Redemption Accomplished & Applied, 27
Propitiation presupposes the wrath of God and displeasure of God, and the purpose of propitiation is the removal of this displeasure. Very simply stated the doctrine of propitiation means that Christ propitiated the wrath of God and rendered God propitious to his people
Propitiation presupposed the wrath and displeasure of God, and the purpose of propitiation is the removal of this displeasure.Redemption Accomplished & Applied, 26
But what does propitiation mean? In the Hebrew of the Old Testament it is expressed by a word which means to "cover." In connection with this covering there are in particular three things to be noted: (1) It is in reference to sin that the covering takes place; (2) the effect of this covering is in cleansing and forgiveness; (3) it is before the Lord that both the covering and its effect take placeRedemption Accomplished & Applied, 26