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It is sometimes considered a question as to whether Christ bore the sins of all men or only of those that believe. |
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If we say that Christ bore the sins of all men we run up against the difficulty that if men don’t believe then they will effectively bear their own sins again in the lake of fire. To that extent Christ’s sufferings will achieve nothing. |
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If on the other hand we say that Christ only bore the sins of those that believe then it is difficult to preach a clear Gospel, because we cannot simply tell people that Christ died for their sins because we don’t know whether they will believe or not and it would only be true if they do come to a saving faith in Christ. |
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The mistake in both cases is assuming that Christ bore a certain quantum of sins. Put another way that he bore X or Y number of sins depending on whether he bore those of everyone or only of those that believe. The teaching of Scripture as we shall show is that He was a sacrifice for sin and that what he suffered would not have been greater or smaller whether the sin of the world was only that of Adam or that of him and every other sinner that has since committed sins. Paul could say : “The Son of God, who has loved me and given himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Christ had to suffer on the cross just as much as if Paul were the only sinner in the world. We should I think take that to heart for it applies as much to each one of us as to Paul. Not to avail oneself of the value of Christ’s work is probably the worst kind of sin. |
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People get the benefit of Christ’s sacrifice if they believe. What we have is “righteousness of God by faith of Jesus Christ towards all, and upon all those who believe” (Romans 3:22). Only those that believe get the benefit of Christ’s finished work. God’s judgement is like a forest fire that is rushing towards us faster than we can run from it. What should we do? Light another fire and when that has burnt an area large enough for us all to stand on get onto the burnt area. Where the fire has passed it cannot pass again. What has been burnt will not burn again. If we do not stand on the burnt area we shall be caught by the raging fire. Christ by his death has born the judgement of God so that all those who take advantage of what he has done will not be consumed by God’s judgement themselves. He has made a place of safety for all those who |