Did Christ die for all men?
My answer is Yes:
2 Corinthians 5:14, 15
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. |
If only believers were the ones who died with Him, then it follows that only believers were fashioned into His Body on the cross. But because there was yet no believer (Ephesian, Corinthian, nor even Paul himself) when the One New Man was created on the cross, then the One New Man on the cross has a Head BUT without a Body. But this is not the case.
The Father through the Son created a One New Man on the cross (Eph 2:11-19): Christ the Head; humanity (Jews & Gentiles) the Body. When the Head died, the Body of course likewise died. It was in His Body where Jesus carried the sin of humanity on the tree (1 Pet 2:24). And rightly so, because humanity was His Body on the cross! And He is the Lamb that takes away the sin not only of the believers but the sin of the world (John 1:29).
Christ's death on the cross was first represented by the first death of an animal on the very same day Adam fell into sin, as well as with subsequent animal sacrifices in the old covenant. Instead of man dying to pay for his sin, another died for him, so man can have another shot at life eternal. True, Adam, by his own death that same day he sinned, could have paid for his sin, but that would be the eternal end for him. He could have paid for his sin God hates, but God would have eternally lost the sinner He loves. But God was not caught unaware. He had already devised a plan where man could not only pay for his own sin but at the same time have another shot at eternal life. So, on that very same day man sinned, God implemented the plan of redemption He devised before the foundation of the world, before the beginning of time (2 Tim 1:8-10). No wonder, Christ is called the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world!!!
The plan of redemption portrayed by the first death of an animal in Eden, found fulfillment in the life, death and resurrection of our Lord, and covered all of Adam's race, no one exempted nor left out. Fashioned into His Body on the cross, we are In Christ. When He - the Head - died, we - His Body - died. When He resurrected, we were made alive TOGETHER with Him (Eph 2:4-6; Col 2:13), born again into a living hope of life eternal (1 Pet 2:24). Being part of the Body of Christ Who is our Strength (Phil 4:13), and given faith (Rom 12:3) so that we can please God (Heb 11:6) and gain victory over the world (1 John 5:4), we have His Power (Rom 8:37) to overcome evil with good (Rom 12:21). And overcomers will NOT be blotted out from the book of life (Rev 3:5).
| KJV Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. |
Sadly, if at the end of one's journey in life, one is found to be overcome of evil, instead of him overcoming evil with good, he has no one else to blame but himself, for having been empowered - being part of the Body of Christ, it is NOT a question of INABILITY, but one of REFUSAL to overcome evil with good. His name will be blotted out from the book of life, expelled from membership in the family of God, detached from being part of the Body of Christ.
Revelation assures us that all whose names are found written in the Book of Life will be allowed entry into the heavenly portals (Rev 21:27), but those whose names are not found there, will be cast into the lake of fire (Rev 20:15).
