Predestination And Free-Will
What About Verses Stating That Jesus Died For All Men?
To further clarify the issue of limited atonement we need to look at what the Bible is referring to when the word ‘all’ or the term ‘the whole world’ are used in regards to salvation. Otherwise, we will think there is a contradiction when we look at various scriptures that appear to be saying that Jesus died for every single person in the entire world, even those who do not receive Him.
Here are many of the verses that seem to say that the sacrifice of Christ was for the sins of everyone (including those who will end up in hell):
John 1:7,9 – “The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all {pas} men through him might believe. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man {pas} that cometh into the world {kosmos}.”
John 3:15-16 – “That whosoever {pas} believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world {kosmos}, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever {pas} believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 6:33, 37, 39, 51 – “For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world {kosmos}. All {pas} that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all {pas} which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world {kosmos}.”
John 12:32 – “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all {pas}men unto me.”
1Timothy 2:4 – “Who will have all {pas} men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
1Timothy 4:10 – “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all {pas} men, specially of those that believe.”
Hebrews 2:9 – “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every {pas} man.”
2Peter 3:9 – “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all {pas} should come to repentance.”
1John 2:2 – “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole {holos} world {kosmos}.”
We will now show that the words “all” and “whole world” can have multiple meanings. This idea of multiple meanings is common in the English language as well as in the Greek. People frequently use expressions in English that are clearly figures of speech or hyperbole – not to be taken literally.
Summary: This article is a section of a much larger article on the Bible doctrines of Election and Predestination called “Who accepts Whom?“. You are urged to check out that larger article for many other thought provoking questions pertaining these “Doctrines of Grace”. — RM Kane