The Big Picture!
The Big Picture?
It is difficult to believe that God intended Christ’s death for every person, which is enjoyed upon the condition that they believe in him, when he has not arranged for every one to hear the gospel. While it is true that Christ has commanded his church to carry the gospel to the nations, it is equally true that many people throughout the centuries have lived and died in spiritual darkness. It would be impossible to assert that Christ died for those whose eternal destiny had already been sealed in death, who were at the time of his death in hell.
Scriptures tells us that God’s special saving revelation is given to those he chooses to give it to, and freely by his grace. It was God who chose Israel to be his chosen people, and this was not because they were great people or that they chose him. God in the Old Testament related to this nation in a way, which he never did to any of the gentile nation.
He left the Gentile nations "alienated from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in this world" (Eph 2;12)
What are we to make of this verse? As I read the passage I take it to mean that the gentile nations were not part of the chosen people (Jews), they were without the covenants of promise (which would include the principles of salvation) and were without hope and without God in this world. God was not in relationship with these people. I once used this verse when I was studying at Carey Baptist College and one teacher told me that I was trying to make a doctrine out of one verse, but I do not think this is true. I was not making a doctrine but stating a truth with evidence. As the Bible goes on to say,
Throughout Old Testament times he "let all the nations go their own way" (Acts 14;16) and "overlooked their ignorance" in a sense that he did not nothing to directly overcome it (Acts 17;30). Exclusively to Israel did God entrust the oracles of God (Rom 3;1-2) . And the Psalmist even evokes praise to the Lord because "he has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the Lord" (Ps. 147;19-20). Without revelation or God’s rules there is no way to know God or to cover one sins by following God’s rules. It was to Abraham who was given the promises and gospel (Gal 3;8) and it was by faith in this that the OT saints were saved. This was not given to any other nation. Amos 3;2 says, "You only have I known (loved convenantally) of all the families of the earth.
For we know that without faith in the promises of Christ and faith in Christ for people beyond the cross, there is no salvation in any other form that saves.
So did Jesus die for the all those who had lived and died in there own sin, which were already in hell when Jesus went to the cross. I don’t think so…
I think the evidence supports that God has chosen a people out of the world (the Jews), who would at the time of the cross incorporate a people out of the gentile nations for salvation. It is for these people that I believe Jesus died for, as the bible makes it clear that after we die there is no second chance (Heb. 9; 27).
It is difficult to believe that God intended Christ’s death for every person, which is enjoyed upon the condition that they believe in him, when he has not arranged for every one to hear the gospel. While it is true that Christ has commanded his church to carry the gospel to the nations, it is equally true that many people throughout the centuries have lived and died in spiritual darkness. It would be impossible to assert that Christ died for those whose eternal destiny had already been sealed in death, who were at the time of his death in hell.
Scriptures tells us that God’s special saving revelation is given to those he chooses to give it to, and freely by his grace. It was God who chose Israel to be his chosen people, and this was not because they were great people or that they chose him. God in the Old Testament related to this nation in a way, which he never did to any of the gentile nation.
He left the Gentile nations "alienated from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in this world" (Eph 2;12)
What are we to make of this verse? As I read the passage I take it to mean that the gentile nations were not part of the chosen people (Jews), they were without the covenants of promise (which would include the principles of salvation) and were without hope and without God in this world. God was not in relationship with these people. I once used this verse when I was studying at Carey Baptist College and one teacher told me that I was trying to make a doctrine out of one verse, but I do not think this is true. I was not making a doctrine but stating a truth with evidence. As the Bible goes on to say,
Throughout Old Testament times he "let all the nations go their own way" (Acts 14;16) and "overlooked their ignorance" in a sense that he did not nothing to directly overcome it (Acts 17;30). Exclusively to Israel did God entrust the oracles of God (Rom 3;1-2) . And the Psalmist even evokes praise to the Lord because "he has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the Lord" (Ps. 147;19-20). Without revelation or God’s rules there is no way to know God or to cover one sins by following God’s rules. It was to Abraham who was given the promises and gospel (Gal 3;8) and it was by faith in this that the OT saints were saved. This was not given to any other nation. Amos 3;2 says, "You only have I known (loved convenantally) of all the families of the earth.
For we know that without faith in the promises of Christ and faith in Christ for people beyond the cross, there is no salvation in any other form that saves.
So did Jesus die for the all those who had lived and died in there own sin, which were already in hell when Jesus went to the cross. I don’t think so…
I think the evidence supports that God has chosen a people out of the world (the Jews), who would at the time of the cross incorporate a people out of the gentile nations for salvation. It is for these people that I believe Jesus died for, as the bible makes it clear that after we die there is no second chance (Heb. 9; 27).
posted by Rich7 at 8:55 PM
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