There are four important Biblical words that define the nature of Christ's work on the cross.
Sacrifices presupposes the idea of punishment for sin.
Propitiation presupposes wrath. Christ's death on the cross for our sins takes away God's wrath from us. The Redemption Paradigm Redemption presupposes the condition of slavery and refers to the ransom that must be paid to free the slave. It is one of the most familiar concepts in the Bible, more emphasized than either reconciliation or propitiation. Although both of these concepts are clearly involved in the old covenant sacrificial system, they are not expounded by both historical events and judicial laws as is redemption.