Did Jesus Die For Everyone
Does God Love Everyone, and Did Jesus Die for Everyone?
By Nick Bibile
We need to preach Repentance first to the Unbelievers, so they will be convicted of their sins and turn to Christ as our goal is to win souls.
If we tell the unbelievers God loves you, then there is no need of a mediator, God loves them any way, then there is no enmity between God and man, there should be peace between the unbeliever and God because God loves them, and there should not be any reconciliation. But in the gospel, we see enmity, mediator, reconciliation and peace. This is the true gospel. Telling the unbeliever God loves you is a false gospel. The false gospel will bring false conversions
Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
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God has a general love to all his creatures as he gives the rain, the sunshine to all. He is the creator of all mankind and we are told to love even our own enemies. But God’s particular, intimate love is with the true believers. Only to the true believer he can say, he loves you.
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20)
If we tell the unbelievers that God intimately loves them, repentance is not needed, as God loves them anyway! But they say, “God loves the sinners but hate the sin.” If Jesus died for every single individual, then why is it that many are going to hell? Why is that the death of Jesus cannot save everyone in hell? Did he fail his mission, or did he come to save his people from their sins. (Mat 1:21)
Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
There are many Christians when witnessing to unbelievers they say, “God loves you and he has a wonderful plan for your life”, this is the most common teaching of the majority of the churches today, but this was not the common teaching of the historical church. There is not one scripture in the Bible to say when apostles were witnessing to the unbelievers they said, “God loves you.” Then why is it today many Arminian Christians are saying to the unbelievers “God loves you.” Let us expose this kind of tradition. By the way Roman Catholicism believes the same as the Arminians so they joined hands together in this issue.
When ever you witness to someone saying, “God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.” It is so tempting to the flesh. Great, if you become a Christian, everything is going to be alright. You will have wealth, health, peace, joy and pleasure for the rest of your life. This is what many think of the wonderful plan. God is going to bless you.
Did Jesus tell his disciples, “God has a wonderful plan for you, follow me and you will have wealth, good health, peace and joy for the rest of your life?”
No, Jesus said the opposite. This is what Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Lu 9:23)
Dear friends, the false church is lying to the people. No wonder, over 90% of the people who makes a decision for Christ fall away. According to Jesus following him is not on the broad road that leads many into hell but the narrow gate which is very difficult to enter. True Christians will go through tough times in this wicked world as they will not conform to the world and the world will make fun out of them.
2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Jesus never told his disciples, “God has a wonderful plan for you. But told the truth, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Arminians say the following
“God loves you” And they will go to John 3:16, they try to make their point by saying God loves everyone and he personally love you, please accept him. They are begging the unbeliever to accept God. Here we see God frustrated if people will not believe in him, going after everyone begging to come to him. Dear friends, this is not the God of the Bible but let us first see John 3:16
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Now Let us Expose this False Tradition
Question:
John 3:16 says; “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This means God sent his Son to die for everyone as it says God loved everyone, that he gave his Son to all men. This is my pastor is teaching and also I heard over the radio many pastors are preaching this message. Is this correct?
Answer:
This is not correct. We will not hold to the popular view but to the correct view. When interpreting scripture it is very important to know the background of the passage, to whom it is being addressed and the context of the scripture, these are the most important issues a word study on a word cannot interpret the scripture unless you have what I have mentioned. Now let’s look at John 3:16
The background.
Jesus the Savior is speaking to Nicodemus, highly respect Jewish leader and a rabbi. Nicodemus have seen the miracles of Jesus regarded him as a divine messenger or a prophet. He was not looking for a spiritual Savior who can deliver him from personal guilt and sin but like all Jews was looking for a deliverer from the foreign yoke of the Romans. We are not sure if Nicodemus came to the conclusion that Jesus was the Messiah but he saw that Jesus was no ordinary man. He came in the night to have a private conversation with Jesus. He came in the night to avoid any fear of being noticed by his colleagues.
Nicodemus believed that the Messiah’s mission is only for Israel. But here in John 3:16 said, God so loved the world. What does it world mean? Every single individual living on earth, including mountains, trees, rivers, sea, rocks, animals and everything in the world that you see? No. Remember Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus, how does a Jew, a ruler of Israel understand the meaning of the world.
To Nicodemus the world means Gentiles. A good example is when we are in the church we say we are of Christ but those outside are of the world, it is the same concept the Jews had. They were the children of Abraham and the world was the Gentiles.
The nations or the world was distinct from the Jews. Let’s see this very clearly. Matthew was a Jew and Luke was a Gentile. Let’s take a verse what Jesus said of the Gentiles and how Matthew being a Jew and Luke being a Gentile wrote on this verse.
Lu 12:30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
Luke was a Gentile and writing not from a Jewish mind but from a Gentile mind. For the Gentile mind it is the unbelievers are nations of the world. Now Matthew who was Jew writes on the same scripture.
Mt 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. To Matthew there are two people, Jews and Gentiles, he would not tell the Jews nations of the world.
When Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” He is speaking to the believers, Jews and Gentiles scattered all over the world.
See the fulfillment of this scripture.
Ac 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. (C/F Ephesians 1:4; 2 Tim 2:9)
Now let us see in context. To get the context you need to go before and after. Let’s begin with verse 14.
Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.
Here we see the picture of salvation, it is Jesus that can take away our guilt and sin and bring healing of salvation to our souls.
Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Whosoever believe in him is a Christian.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God so loved, not only Israel merely, but the world, all believers scattered around the world. God did not sent not his Son to destroy the Gentile nations but to be the Savior of men.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
God could have condemned all of us and send us to hell as God is not obligated save anyone, he did not pardon angels when they sinned in heaven but there is salvation for the chosen ones.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Do all people believe? No only he that believe on him, and only a Christian can believe.
Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Here we see in context, all men will not believe as the natural man the fallen man would love their sins rather than coming to Christ unless God will regenerate them first by his grace.
When you see the word world does it mean believers? No.
Joh 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
Here the world are the unbelievers
Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Here again we see the believers are taken out of the world by Christ and the world hates the true believers.
Joh 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
Jesus was manifested or came to those who were elected by God and they came out of the world, means there is a separation from the others.
Joh 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
We need to take John 3:16 in context, we see Jesus saying God so loved the world and in John as we see 17:9 He is not praying for the world. If God loves everyone then how come Jesus is not praying for all but only to the believers? Jesus did not pray only for his disciples but for all the believers.
Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.
However he did not pray for those who will not believe. Does it mean that God hates unbelievers?
God does not hate all men as creatures but as sinners. God has a general love to all his creatures as he gives the rain, the sunshine to all. But Gods particular, intimate love is with the true believers.
Mt 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
There are two parties angry God and Man. On mans part he is angry with God there is enmity due to sin. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God (Ro 8:7) And from Gods part he is angry with the sinner.
Ps 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
The world does not mean every single individual.
Joh 1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
Ro 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift cameupon all men unto justification of life.
Did all men believe that Christ came to bear witness? Including king Herod, the Scribes and the Pharisees? Did they believe that Christ came to die for them? No. They did not believe that Christ died for them, they did not believe him to be God, the Son of God, the Messiah, and the Savior of men.
Who are the all men who believe in him, whom he will draw and all men whom he will justify? Are they the unbelievers or the believers? Yes believers, because unbelievers cannot believe in him. These scriptures are referring only to the elect.
When Christ died, did he draw all men to him? After he was resurrected, did he appear to all men? Are all men justified? The answer is obvious, No. Then the word all is to be taken in limited sense. It does not mean every single individual.
If we say that Christ came and died for all men, meaning every single individual but every single individual is not saved, then Christ did not die for all. He died only for the true believers. Now we when we preach the gospel we do not know who is elect and who is not. If God put a yellow stripe on the face of all the elect who will hear the gospel and respond, we not waste our time in preaching the gospel to everyone as we know the people who have a yellow strip on their face will respond and we will preach the gospel only to them as we know they will be saved. However, God did not put a yellow stripe on the faces of the elect, so we are commanded to preach the gospel to every creature, however only the elect will respond.
" The whole world has gone after him" Did all the world go after Christ? "then went all Judea, and were baptized of him in Jordan." Was all Judea, or all Jerusalem, baptized in Jordan? "Ye are of God, little children", and the whole world lieth in the wicked one". Does the whole world there mean everybody? The words "world" and "all" are used in some seven or eight senses in Scripture, and it is very rarely the "all" means all persons, taken individually. The words are generally used to signify that Christ has redeemed some of all sorts some Jews, some Gentiles, some rich, some poor, and has not restricted His redemption to either Jew or Gentile ... (C.H. Spurgeon from a sermon on Particular Redemption)
Let us see more on the word all
Lu 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
The good news and the great joy is only for the elect of God. This refers again to his people.
Mt 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
He came as the mediator for his people, his people like any other were the children of wrath, and enemies of God and Christ came to save them.
Isa 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
First, the gospel is preached to them, and then they realize that they are lost and perishing and they need a Savior. Then they are convicted of their sins and they will repent and be converted. The Philippian jailor cried out to Paul and Silas, sir, what must I do to be saved? There was an urgency of the wrath of God that is coming, how can I be saved from this danger? Three thousand people were converted under Peter’s sermon as they saw the danger and were convicted by their sins
1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Some say it was the will of God that all men should be saved, and he died for all.
In this context, the will of God is efficacious, meaning effectual and productive. His will is for his good pleasure. It is based on thy will be done. Therefore, what is accomplished is his effectual will. ," Ps. 115:3. "He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth," If all, then, here be to be understood of all men universally, then God failed on his purpose of his will.
If it was the will of God for all men, that is including every single individual to be saved, then they will be saved. Because who can resist his will? However, it is a fact that all are not saved. Because it is very certain it is not the will of God for all to be saved. The Antichrist is not saved and his followers are not saved. It was the will of God not to reveal the gospel truths to everyone. It was his will that it should be so.
Mt 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
Therefore, it is not his will to save everyone. Then what about 1 Tim 2:4? Read carefully from the beginning.
1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
Apostle says that prayers and thanksgivings be made for all men, then he goes on to say for kings, and for all in authority. This means not men who are only in low class of life but also to men who are in high class of life. It is clear that the word all here is to be interpreted as not every single individual but different classes of people. Let me give a good scripture that goes along with this to understand.
Ge 7:14 They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort.
When Noah and family went to the Ark, did he take every beast to the ark, every cattle, every creeping thing, every fowl and every bird? No, but every animal after his kind. This is speaking of not all the animals but only the different classes of animals. In the same way, Gods desire, his will is that not all men will be saved but all classes of men, men who are in high authority, low authority and different positions to be saved. The power of the gospel is not only to the Jew but also to the Gentile. Therefore, prayers and thanksgiving should be made to the Gentiles too who are in all classes of life.
If someone still does not believe then he has a problem with verse five. The mediator came only for his people. If the all people are not saved then the mediator failed in his work to save his people. On the other hand we received the promised of eternal inheritance because of our mediator.
1 Tim 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Heb 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
By the way this confirms even more if you read I Tim 2:6
1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Again, we know that Christ did not pay the ransom price for every single individual, if all would be ransomed then all would be saved. Again, the context of this passage is all classes of people. The ransom price was paid for all classes of people. We notice that Paul was ordained to preach for the Gentiles. The ransom price was paid not only to the believing Jew but also for the believing Gentile. If the ransom price is paid for every single individual and if they are not saved, then the price that was paid is in vain, it has no value, as they are not all ransomed. The ransom price that Christ paid has infinite value as it satisfied the Father. The ransom price was paid for many for a limited number of people of all classes including the Gentiles.
Mt 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
What about 1 Tim 4:10?
1Ti 4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
First, I would like you to see how Paul made it clear as he distinguished between two. The word specially in Greek here is malista It means chiefly or above all.
1. Savior of all men.
2. Specially of those that believe.
I would like you to use common logic that both cannot be the same and true. If he is the Savior of all men, then why did Paul say specially of those that believe? They should be included in Savior of all men, because he is the Savior of those believe. However, Paul distinguished by saying specially of those that believe that means there is a difference of those that believe and the first statement Savior of all men. The meaning Savior of all men should be different or else it does not make any sense. If Christ is the Savior of all people, including all unbelievers then all must be saved, but some are lost and go to hell so he cannot be the Savior of all people.
Who are HIS people?
Lu 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. This is in reference to what happened in the garden of Eden. We know that everybody had sinned and all are lost but all are not saved. Mt 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Only his people will be saved.
His people are called:
The seed of the woman - Genesis 3:15. (Note, not all mankind as there is a difference between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent.)
The seed of Abraham - Ge 9:9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;
God remembered the elect seed when they were in Egypt.
Isa 41:8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
Elect of God - Isa 65:9 And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.
Mr 13:27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
My People - Ro 9:25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
Ro 9:26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
Peculiar People - Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
My Sheep - Joh 10:26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Body of Christ - 1Co 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ…
Lamb’s wife - Re 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
Holy nation - 1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Jesus Commanded to preach the gospel. The gospel call is universal to every creature as we do not know who is elect and who is not, so we are to preach the gospel to everyone. The elect will hear and will respond, as Jesus said, “My sheep hears my voice.”
Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Fulfillment of John 3:16
Acts 2:5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” Peter gives his famous sermon at Pentecost and they were cut to the heart of their sins against God and three thousand were saved.
But Peter too like Nicodemus still had problems that preaching to the Gentiles. However God decided to use Peter to win the Gentile Roman Cornelius who was a God fearing Gentile. Peter went to pray, then he saw a vision.
Acts 10:11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.
Again God had to repeat three times to Peter. Eventually Peter realized that the gospel must be preached to the Gentiles also, the Gentiles too can come into the Kingdom of God. Peter said to Cornelius, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.” (Acts 10:28)
Acts 10: 34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Acts 10: 44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles.
Acts 11: 1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
God told apostle Paul “I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” Acts 13:47
Ac 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
So my friend, no wonder why Nicodemus could not understand when Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Joh 3:16)
The world is any Jew or Gentile who believes in God.
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.
A mystery is something that was hidden before and now revealed.
What is the mystery?
The mystery is that the believing Gentiles are brought into God’s Kingdom
Eph 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Beloved, let me ask this question, how can the Jew and the Gentile, the two can become one? By abolishing the ceremonial law. The enmity between the Jew and the Gentile was the middle wall of partition. That middle wall was broken by Christ on the cross, now the two are reconciled together and in Christ, there is peace.
Gal 3: 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”
Rev 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation”
Rev 7: 9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Remember the seed of the gospel, Genesis 3:15. The promise of redemption and salvation.
Ge 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
The seed of the woman is Christ and his members, his members are the true church of God. Principal reference to Christ as he alone obtained victory by destroying the works of the devil, yet it is also for his body the church that we will have victory, against this church the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. There will be enmity between the world and the church.
John 3:16 we see “For God so loved the world” Not only the believing Jew but also the believing Gentiles
Now in John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
The world will hate you, you mean the true Christians, there is an enmity hatred, the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God is always at enmity, remember how the devil tempted Jesus by showing the kingdoms of this world.
Luke 4:5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time
Jesus in his High priestly prayer did not pray for the world but prayed for them (true believers) that were given by the Father.
John 17:8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
We see in a nutshell, God promised a Savior in Genesis 3:15. Two seeds will come one from the woman, the Savior and his body, the true elect of God or the believers, then the other seed would be the offspring of the devil, people who will never believe in Christ, they would be of the world. There is going to be enmity all the way through until Christ’s second coming.
Jesus preached the kingdom of God in hand and preached the Kingdom of God, which consists of not only the believing Jews but also the believing Gentiles, the mystery of God is that the Gentiles too can be in the kingdom of God.
Does God hate the unbelievers?
God does not hate all men as creatures but as sinners. God has a general love to all his creatures as he gives the rain, the sunshine to all. But Gods particular, intimate love is with the true believers.
Mt 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Lu 6:27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you.
There is a universal general love of God to all men as God is the creator of mankind. God does not have a particular an intimate love for all mankind as all men are born sinners.
Psalm 51:5 … and in sin did my mother conceive me.
There are two parties angry, God and Man. On mans part he is angry with God there is enmity due to sin. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God (Ro 8:7) And from Gods part he is angry with the sinner. Some say, God loves the sinner but hates the sin. It does not say that in scripture but the scripture says just the opposite.
Ps 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
From the part of God, he is angry with the sinner because of his holiness and righteousness; his eyes are too pure to look at evil.
Hab 1:13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity.
We need to understand anyone who is not a true born again Christian is an anti-Christian.
Mt 12:30 He that is not with me is against me.
Does sin deserve an eternal punishment? The Bible is very clear the sinners will be punished in hell forever. Why is it that the punishment is eternal not temporary? We need to see this from the perspective of God’s holiness. God is infinitely holy.
Isa 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
In the presence of the infinite holy God, even the smallest sin is an infinite sin towards God.
Jas 2:8-10 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Then if sin is infinite toward God, the punishment is infinite. If God is not holy, then he will wink at sins and say it’s ok and there will be no hell. Sin is punished because who God is, he is a holy God.
What is our obligation to God?
Mr 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Why we need to love him with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength? Because God is infinitely worthy of love, honor and to obey. Our obligation to God is great. Sin is a violation of this obligation.
God does not have an intimate love for everyone. If God loves the unbelievers intimately then the sinners does not have to repent, as God loves them anyway, he can continue in his sins. But on the truth is the sinner does not have peace with God.
There are two parties angry at each other; there is no peace between them. There have to be a mediator between the two angry parties. God the Father did not allow man to perish, but sent his Son to be the mediator.
1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
What is the purpose of the mediator? To bring reconciliation. He reconciles the two parties that are angry at each other.
Ro 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.
Once the mediator brings reconciliation, then we have peace with God.
Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.
This is where we will understand how great the salvation is, God has provided through Jesus Christ. We all deserve an eternal punishment as everyone has sinned against God and our sins were infinitely evil and we all deserved an infinite punishment but God in his mercy, instead of judgment, there was the mercy of God, which came through Christ Jesus. He came to fulfill the laws we have broken.
Mt 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill
Christ came as our representative. He fulfilled all of the demanded laws. His obligation to the Father was infinite. He took the deserving punishment on believers’ behalf. At the cross God the Father saw Christ in us as sinners, sinners worthy of his wrath. God executed his fury upon Christ so the believing sinners are set free, we are reconciled to God through Christ Jesus, and we have peace with God. This is the true gospel.
Then how can someone tell an unbeliever that God loves you?
If God loves the unbeliever, then there is no need of a mediator, as there is no enmity, there should be peace between the unbeliever and God, and there should not be any reconciliation. But in the gospel, we see enmity, mediator, reconciliation and peace. This is the true gospel. Telling the unbeliever God loves you is a false gospel. The false gospel will bring false conversions.
Telling an unbeliever God loves you. Will not bring true conviction to his heart on sin. Only a person who is truly convicted of sin will realize his need for Christ. Nowhere in the New Testament, have we seen the apostles telling the unbelievers God loves you. Instead, we see just the opposite.
Ac 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Why were these men convicted of their sins? Because Peter did not say, Jesus loves you. Instead he said, Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. (Ac 2:23)
First the unbeliever need to be convinced of his need of Christ, and need to be convinced of his horrible sin against God, his guilt, the power of sin and the wrath of God that is going to come upon all who are disobedient. Remember when the Israelites were in the wilderness the fiery serpents bit them and many died. Then the Lord told Moses to make a brazen serpent and set it on a pole, anyone who was bitten by a serpent will live when he looks at the brazen serpent on the pole. (Numbers 21:6-9) Jesus said, and as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up. (Joh 3:14) My friend, no one will look to Christ unless they were bitten by the serpents, they will realize the danger of death as the serpent has bitten them.
Telling the unbeliever God loves you will not make the unbeliever see the danger. But telling the unbeliever, that the wrath of God is going to come upon all who are disobedient to God.
Col 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.
Unbeliever should see the sin, as he had violated all the commandments of God and he is continue violating these commandments daily in his life, through speech and action, then he is continually living without any obligation to God. Due to this he is heading towards the wrath of God. Then he will realize he needs to be saved, (salvation) from the wrath of God. When you say, God loves you. The unbeliever will not see the danger or the wrath of God that is going to come upon him; instead the unbeliever will be comforted. This is not from God as it is not biblical it is from Satan.
The English great theologian John Owen (1616-1683) said, before people will come to Christ, they need to know that they are lost, condemned sinners, standing accursed in Gods sight. The Americas greatest theologian Jonathan Edwards said, in his word we have his threatening against sin denounced by himself. He tells us, that if we go on in sin, he will destroy us, and cast us out of his sight, and pour out his wrath upon us, and hold us eternally under misery.
The gospel is called the good news; the good news is we are enemies of God, living in sin. God was angry with the sinner and Gods wrath was upon us, yet because of his grace and mercy he sent his Son to those whom he elected. God reconciled the believer and loves the believer.
Jesus makes it so clear in the following when he said.
John 17: 6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
John 17: 20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.
Jesus gave a commandment but not an option to preach the gospel to all the world.
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Every Christian must be involved in the great commission directly or indirectly. We don’t know who is elect and who is not. The elect are not born with a cross on their forehead. We are to preach the gospel to all; the elect will respond and believe. It’s our job to witness and preach the gospel to all and God will do the saving as salvation is of the Lord.
The church has a crucial role in evangelism. The church is not just a congregation of individual believers. It is also the body of Christ through whom the good news of salvation reaches the world. We need to realize there are millions of people in the church today who have heard a false gospel. They think they are saved, but in reality not, as there is no true repentance. There is a great harvest field. Nicodemus thought that he was saved, but he was not. Many religious people like Nicodemus believe that they are saved, but they are not.
People do not realize they are sinful, unworthy people, they do not adorn the glorious majesty, power, and grace of God; they see the glory of God only in great musical instruments, mega churches and not humbly begging of God. They do not renounce their evil ways, putting away their abominations before Gods eyes. We have a harvest field in our back yard.
If your neighbors house on fire in the night and you know they are asleep, will you not do anything about it? In the same way there are many people around you; do you carry a tract to give? You talk to many unsaved people; have you at least given them a tract, witnessed to them? You are learning here every Sunday what are you doing in what you have learned.
Charles Spurgeon said, surely it is an intolerable disgrace to anyone to profess to be a Christian, and have no concern about the souls of others, while they are perishing by millions.
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