BIBLE STUDY SIX
What Did Christ
Accomplish
by His Sacrifice?
Part II: The New Testament Evidence
A. INTRODUCTION
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Christ’s
messages and miracles demonstrate a universal application of grace to
"all men." He never asked for a prerequisite condition for His
work of healing, raising the dead, or for any gift of His ministry.
B. THE BIBLE EVIDENCE
Matthew 3:17.
The Voice that embraced "My beloved Son" embraced the human
race. 1
Matthew 14:19-21.
No tickets or prepayment were required for the "5000" to have
a meal.
Matthew 25:14, 15.
The "talents" are given to "every man," by virtue of
Christ’s sacrifice.
Matthew 26:28.
Christ’s blood was shed for "many for the remission of
sins," that is, for "all." 2
Mark 4:3-18.
The Lord’s seed is sown everywhere, much of it apparently
"wasted."
Mark 8:2-9.
"Four" thousand had a free meal, no repentance, worthiness, or
work required.
Mark 14:3-9.
Mary’s prodigality with her "very precious" ointment
illustrates the prodigal, universal justification Christ gives to
the world — most of which appears to be "wasted" as
was her perfume.
Mark 16:15, 16.
The Good News of what Christ has already accomplished for "all the
world" is to be preached to every one first; then "he that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved" unto eternal life,
this present life being the intended prelude to that eternal life.
Luke 2:9, 10.
The "you" to whom comes "good tidings of great joy"
is "all people," for unto them "is born ... a
Saviour, ... Christ the Lord."
Luke 3:3-6.
"All flesh shall see the salvation of God" accomplished for
them in Christ. 3
Luke 23:34.
All who crucified Christ are forgiven before they ask for
forgiveness. 4
John 1:4.
Every person has "life" only because he is already redeemed
"in Christ.
John l:5, 9.
By His grace, Christ freely "lighteth every man that cometh into
the world."
John 1:29.
As "Lamb of God" Christ takes away the sin of the world,
not only of those who repent. His work accomplished applies to all
people in the world.
John 3:14-19.
Christ being "made sin for us who knew no sin" (as the
"serpent"), and being "given" for "the
world," implies a two-fold redemption: (a) this present life for
all, and (b) for those who believe, this present life becomes eternal
life.
John 4:42.
Christ is already "the Saviour of the world."
John 10:10.
As the purchase of His sacrifice, this present life is far more than the
physical existence the animals enjoy; it includes all the blessings of
"the more abundant life" that modern Baby Boomers or Gen-Xers
enjoy in such generosity from His hand. (Do they realize it? Someone
must tell them!) 5
John 16:8.
The Holy Spirit cannot "convict the world of sin" unless first
of all "the world" has been given an atonement "in
Christ." 6
Romans 3:12, 14.
The same "all" who "have sinned" are "being
justified freely by His grace," present tense. 7
Romans 4:25.
The same group "on account of" whose "offenses"
Christ died are given "justification" "on account
of" His resurrection." That group is "all men."
Romans 5:8.
The sacrifice was made long before "we" believed. Thus
"all" are included.
Romans 5:15.
The same group ("the many," that is, all men) who are
mortal receive two blessings: (a) "the grace of God," and (b)
a "gift by grace" which abounds to the same the
many" (all).
Romans 5:16.
That "gift" is justification — which reverses the
"condemnation" they received "in Adam." 8
Romans 5:17.
Receiving this "abundance of grace" given leads
to eternal life.
Romans 5:18.
But this present "justification of life" is given to "all
men" "even" as Adam gave them "condemnation." 9
Romans 6:13, 14.
"All men" are even now "alive from the dead." Many
don’t know it.
2 Corinthians 5:14.
Thus, when Christ died, in a certain real sense "all" of us
"died." 10
2 Corinthians 5:18, 19.
In an objective sense, "the world" was "reconciled"
to God in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:19.
God could not "impute" the world’s trespasses unto
themselves, else they would have died the second death immediately —
before they could repent. 11
Ephesians 1:5, 6.
The "us" "accepted in the Beloved" is the human
race. 12
1 Timothy 4:10.
Our Saviour is also "the Saviour of all men," referring to the
objective atonement. "Especially of those that believe" refers
to the subjective atonement, that is, the atonement received by faith. 13
2 Timothy 1:10.
Christ "abolished" the second death for mankind by redeeming
and saving the world. But those who rebel against His grace choose to
share the second death with Satan and his angels, a totally unnecessary
fate save for their persistent unbelief. The "condemnation"
that Christ took from them they voluntarily take back upon themselves. 14
2 Timothy 1:10.
For "all men" Christ has brought life; for those who believe,
He has also brought "immortality."
Titus 2:ll.
"The grace of God brings salvation to all men," not merely
offers it.
Hebrews 2:9.
The "death for every man" which Christ "tasted" has
to be the second death. Thus for "all men" He has exhausted
the penalty of sin.
Hebrews 2:14, 15.
Those for whom He objectively "destroyed [paralyzed, Creek] the
devil" are subjectively, experientially "delivered" from
"the fear of death." All have been "all their lifetime
subject to bondage" — the human race.
Hebrews 3:18, 19; John 3:17-19.
The only reason anyone will be lost is his unbelief.
1 John 2:1, 2.
The "propitiation" is not for "us" only, but also
for the sins of the world. Thus any sinner can claim Christ as his
"Advocate" if he will. 15
Revelation 18:1-4. The "voice"
that effectively delivers God’s "people" from Babylon is the
revelation of Christ as the "Lamb of God" and tells of His
glorious sacrifice. 16
C. SUMMARY OF PART II
The Bible supports the exaltation of the
cross of Christ as "the sacrifice for the sins of the whole
world," not merely for those of the "saints." It supports
the 1888 concepts.
D. CONCLUSION
Jones’ and Waggoner’s idea of Christ
having legally, objectively saved the world, dying every man’s second
death, bearing the iniquity of all sinners, legally justifying "all
men," is the evangelistic message in Revelation 14. It is "the
everlasting gospel" because it alone can truly reconcile the
alienated heart of sinful man to God and to His holy law. This message
was in fact "the beginning" of the light that is to lighten
the earth with glory, and it was "in a great degree kept away from
our people" and "from the world" by its rejection by the
General Conference leadership of that day. We cannot expect the
Sunday-keeping Evangelicals to tell it to the world for us for they can’t
understand it clearly; we must do so ourselves. Has not the time come
that the General Conference of today must recover the message in its
fullness and restore it to our people and to the world? 17
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Notes
-
See DA 113; AA 209. [return to study]
-
Roman Catholicism rejects a universal redemption and justification for
"all men," insisting instead on a continual repetition of the
sacrifice. If we reject a universal
legal justification for all men accomplished at one point of time, we
come perilously close to implying a similar idea. Romanism counterfeits
the 1888 idea of justification. [return to study]
-
There would be no point in "all flesh" seeing it if it were
not accomplished for them. [return to
study]
-
But they do not receive experiential forgiveness until they
receive from Him the gift of repentance. [return
to study]
- Those who in
unbelief enjoy this present life and its pleasures do so only by virtue
of Christ’s sacrifice. He says, "Verily I say unto you, they have
their reward." He Lets them have and enjoy what they want — all
because of His cross. Faith in a sacrifice of justification already
accomplished is an appreciative response for this grace of life, and
transforms selfish people into converted ones. [return to study]
-
Otherwise "the world" would perish before conviction could
come to them. Sinners receive the atonement experientially
when they repent (Romans 5:11). The Holy Spirit convicts of the sin of
unbelief (John 16:9). But unless something has been accomplished for
"the world" for them to see, there is nothing for them to dis-believe.
Thus, no conviction of sin would be possible. [return
to study]
-
There is no mention of faith in this statement. The justification is (a)
‘free," (b) given, (c) "by His grace" (which never
requires merit), (d) through "redemption" (of the world), (e)
"in Christ." [return
to study]
-
All major responsible translations recognize that this justification is
a gift to all men. Only our own "Adventist Bible," The
Clear Word, denies this and renders Paul as saying Christ only
offers it. [return to study]
-
The word "offer" does not appear in this or any other passage;
a gift is given. When Ellen White uses the word "offer" she
does not mean to limit God’s grace thus; the 1888 message emphasized
the "much more" dimension. [return
to study]
-
In no way does this imply that we have been our own co-saviours. We
cannot atone for our own sin in any degree. We only identify with Him in
His death, by faith, by heart-appreciation for His agape. [return
to study]
-
Imputing them unto Christ instead, the "reconciliation"
already is an accomplished fact. The gospel is therefore the News of
"the word of reconciliation" "committed unto us" so
that the atonement can be received. [return to
study]
-
See DA 113: AA 209. This does not mean that God is reconciled to sin.
But He loves and accepts the sinner in Christ, for whom He has already
paid the supreme price. [return to study]
-
The preponderance of evidence in the New Testament indicates that the
Greek malista means "especially" and not "that
is" (cf. for example, Acts 20:38: Philippians 16: 1 Timothy 5:8:
Philippians 4:22; Galatians 6:10). [return to
study]
-
See Waggoner on Romans, pp. 69, 71, 89, 101. [return
to study]
-
It can be argued that John’s statement encourages antinomianism. But
his context forbids this conclusion. He who in truth claims the Advocate
also "confesses" his sins (1:8, 9), and immediately is
motivated to "keep His commandments" (2:3). [return to study]
-
Abundant testimony from Ellen White tells us that Christ and Him
crucified is to be the light that finally lightens the earth with glory.
"The Lamb" is the Hero of the Book of Revelation, mentioned
some 25 times. [return to study]
-
Some encouragement to remind us that the phenomenal soul-winning
effectiveness of the "loud cry" message (GC 612) will include
the revelation of what Christ accomplished on His cross: [return
to study]
"If those who today are teaching
the word of God, would uplift the cross of Christ higher and still
higher, their ministry would be far more successful. If sinners can be
Led to give one earnest look at the cross, if they can obtain a full
view of the crucified Saviour, they will realize the depth of God’s
compassion and the sinfulness of sin" (AA 209, emphasis added).
"Paul ... appealed to the heathen
to behold the infinite sacrifice made in man’s behalf. ... If those
who had long been groping in the darkness of heathenism could but see
the light streaming from Calvary’s cross, they would be drawn to the
Redeemer" (AA 248, 249).
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