When we refer to appeasing God, we mean righting our wrong deeds before God in accordance with God’s word. It is correcting the negative things in our lives and with a determination to maintain the right things in our lives as God expects from us. It is showing regret or remorse for sin before God. The regret must come from the heart and not by mere payment of compensation which we often think.
Proverbs 6:35 says that the Lord will accept no compensation, nor be appeased though we multiply gifts. Other translations say that God will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou give many gifts. The state of the heart from which the appeasement originates is what matters. We also read from Psalms 66:18 that if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.
So an unrepentant sin blocks our appeasement in God’s sight and drowns our voices for requests. God’s preference is for us to have a changed or pure heart rather than to offer gifts to him from a sinful heart.
What is a change of heart?
A change of heart is a continuum. It starts from a conviction of wrongdoing called sin either against God or a neighbor or both. We then accept our sins or wrongdoing as the Holy Spirit may convict us. We make a true and sincere repentance or regret for the sin from the heart. Then, we ask for forgiveness from God through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. We thereafter invite Jesus Christ into our hearts as Lord and personal Saviour to take control and we obey as his unworthy servants.
The door then opens unto us to appease God. However in appeasing God, we must abstain from the convicted sin with due resolve never to repeat it. We must ask Jesus Christ to complement our weakness by his grace, mercy and love because we cannot do it alone. Romans 8:26 says that the spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. Christ Jesus also intercedes for us from the right hand of God, Romans 8:34.
An acceptable appeasement also involves payment of adequate recompense, restitution, restoration or compensation to the offended person, if it is possible. We must also appreciate and thank God for his mercy with our substance. If we do not satisfy the conditions, our substance for appeasement no matter how people may recognize it will be worthless before God.
Maintaining our hearts
Our pacification becomes meaningful if we maintain a changed heart. Romans 12:2 says that do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. A change of heart comes by only the conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit. John 7:24 says that do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment. We judge appeasement wrongly by looking at appearances rather than the heart.
The heart is the seat of our conduct and this is why God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus, Romans 2:16. Without conviction of sin, there is no change of heart. A change of heart is a spiritual phenomenon by the Holy Spirit. Having the desire to do the right thing does not mean we have done the right thing. Our approach may be wrong in any case. Doing it right or getting it right is another thing.
Doing it right involves Jesus Christ. He said that I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me, John 14:6. There is no other way except through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord.
Appeasement by Christ Jesus
Let us first approach the throne of Christ Jesus with a penitent heart whenever we have to appease God following our conviction of sin. He is faithful and just to hear us and to make our sacrifice worthy before the Lord God Almighty.
Are we ready to make a worthy appeasement to our heavenly king? 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says that may the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Only Jesus is worthy to sanctify our pacification. Through whom and by which medium do we try to reach God? Jesus Christ is the ONLY WAY.
Prayer
Create in us a clean heart, Oh Lord that we may appease you as worthy servants through the blood of Jesus Christ. Thank you Jesus for answered prayer, Amen!!
