In the third chapter of Romans, the apostle Paul wrote that God had set forth Jesus “to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” (Romans 3:25)
Propitiation is a big word that means satisfaction. Because God is a holy God, His anger and justice burns against sin. And He has sworn that sin will be punished. There must be a satisfactory payment for sin so God said, “If I punish man for his sin, man will die and go to hell. On the other hand, if I don’t punish man for his sin, My justice will never be satisfied.”
The solution? God said that He would become our substitute. He would take the sin of mankind upon Himself in agony and blood — a righteous judgment and substitute for sin. His wrath burned out on the cross when His only Son died as man’s propitiation for sin. And that is love!