John Stott wrote a book in 1988 called the Cross of Christ. In the opening part of that book he makes a statement that in years past i would have read right through without giving second thought. However, this one sentence has been fueling a lot of my thoughts the last couple of months. “The distinction between an “Objective” and “subjective” understanding of the atonement needs to be made clear in every generation.” p15. In other words, did Christ work on the cross accomplish something that would effectively echo throughout all eternity or was He simply making a “way” for people to be saved. Did Jesus save people on the cross? Or was He simply hoping that people that would come after Him would trust in Him? Did He know whose were His throughout the ages? Did He redeem and purchase people when He declared “It is Finished?”
My hope is that the three readers who read this will see the beauty in this as i do. Just a disclaimer, this is no new thought this is one of the main points of the reformation and down throughout the history of our faith.
Is 53:11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Mathew 1:21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins
Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
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,
John 10:15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
For the sake of time i will not post any more verses. And for the sake of those who may read this and wish I would have posted more text about Christ death for All men, here ya go. In the NT there are many verses that speak of both Christ dying for the many or the sheep, and Christ dying for all men. So for which did he die, and was there a difference in the accomplishment of the Cross for the many and for all?
What i hope readers might see in the few verses that i posted is that Christ totally and fully bought you on the Cross. When Jesus declared “It is finished” He actually purchased and sealed people for God. He knew specifically knew who He lived and died for. Eternally before the foundation of the world God determined that He would save and redeem you out of your sinful spiritual death. And here is the awesomeness of the power of the cross. The fact that people all over the world, every day are becoming Christians is testimony to the effective, objective purpose in the cross. If you are in Christ you are of the many that He specifically died for.
You may ask “What about the world?” I would respond and i think the bible and church History would agree, that Christ died for all men in a “general” way “Common Grace (Google it)” but in a saving way for His people “1 Tim 4:10”. When I was 5 years old i did not know that Christ bought me on the cross. However one day the Holy Spirit revealed to me that i was lost. The Holy Spirit lifted my deadness off of me so that i might see my need of and the beauty of Jesus. Jesus work on the cross will echo throughout all eternity. Praise Him.
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