SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:3 ¶ And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
This modern day of religion has greatly harmed many thousands of souls by their lack of a more careful attention to the scriptures. Reading instant messages on their cell phones has limited their span of attentiveness, and has therefore caused isolated passages to be jerked out of context to form an erroneous gospel. This has been done with that second verse of 1 John chapter two. Removing it from its context seems to support the doctrine of a universal redemption! But our Lord Jesus said, “the scripture cannot be broken.” John 10:35 Therefore if left in its context, and comparing scripture to scripture, it cannot be seen to support such an erroneous statement!
Before the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection here is the command he gave his disciples for their evangelistic commission: Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
But after he was risen, having satisfied the Father, (Isaiah 53:11), by furnishing a completed redemption, here is what he now commands: Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
In that first passage he commands them not to enter into any city except those of the lost sheep of Israel. That evangelism was based upon the multitude of animal sacrifices they had made down through the centuries. For animal sacrifices will not support world-wide evangelism! But after the one sacrifice of Himself, to end all other sacrifices, he now has “all authority,” therefore they are to go to all the world! Hebrews 10:8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, (covenant of the law), that he may establish the second (covenant of grace). {And there will be no ’third’!} 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
And this is that which the Apostle John was referring to in this letter to his “little children” (the born again believers under his care). For John clearly states that Christ is not just a “propitiation” (an atoning sacrifice), for the Jews only, but His sacrifice was now sufficient and appropriate for the evangelism of the entire world of mankind! For the blood of the Lamb of God will now support the evangelism of the entire world!
And when our 1 John 2:2 verse is grouped together with another of religion’s favorite verses, it seems to say that God’s love of the entire world caused Him to give His Son for the salvation of every man, without exception! But that is not the case! For the Lord God gave his Son to redeem all kinds of men, without distinction! All kinds of men are to be saved “out of” every nation! Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
There are only three possibilities concerning the Lord’s redemption. First that he died to save all men, without exception. But if that were true, there would be no one in hell! And we have the Lord’s word that the rich man was in hell when he “lift up his eyes!” Luke 16:23
But some say, “Yes! He did die for all the sins of all men! Its just that some do not believe!” But isn’t unbelief a sin? And if he died for ALL the sins of ALL men, unbelief would have been included. But it’s the one unforgivable sin for which there is no redemption. John 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.
Then the second possibility is that He died for some of the sins of all men! Then no one would be in heaven! For even if one sin is not atoned for, that man cannot enter into the eternally glorious presence of God! James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. And we are to be holy if we are to be acceptable to God! Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Then the final possibility, which is the only truth that is according to the entire body of Scripture, is that the Lord Jesus died for all the sins of those chosen by the Father before the foundation of the world! Does that shock your religious system? It did mine when it was first presented to me! For we all have been under the ‘misinformation’ of a false, social, feel-good gospel! For all those who believe were first ordained to eternal life! Acts 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.
Keep your warm feelings concerning John 3:16! But, be honest and read John 17:9, 10 when our Lord was approaching his cross and was speaking in prayer to His Father. (You have to know that this communion was of perfect truth!) John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
What?!? The Holy Lamb of God, the only mediator between God and man, refuses to intercede for the world? That’s what He said! That kinda gives a different attitude concerning our lovely John 3:16 verse! For God so loved the world of believers. It’s the ‘whosoever believeth’ upon whom the wrath of God shall not abide! Here is John 3:36 again. 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.
And what about that tenth verse in John seventeen, listed above? Just what does the Son mean telling the Father that all mine are thine? And that thine are mine? They are clearly communing together in the realms of their spiritual salvation, formed before the foundation of the world! The Father hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, (Ephesians 1:4) And of the Son we read, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7) Therefore the Son was saying to the Father that he knew that all His in redemption were but all the Father’s in eternal election! And then he states it the other way around: and thine (in eternal election), are mine (for redemption).
If you wish to see the three-fold work of the Triune God, study the first fourteen verses of Ephesians chapter one. In verses three through six you have God the Father at work in sovereign election. And it is done “To the praise of the glory of his grace,” Then in verses seven through twelve you have God the Son at work in an accomplished redemption of those given him by the Father. And it is done That we should be to the praise of his glory, Then finally in verses thirteen and fourteen you have God the Spirit at work in sealing those whom the Father chose and the Son purchased. And this is done unto the praise of his glory. God did not save anyone just to keep them out of Hell! God saved each and every sinner for His own glory! That was clearly stated in our John 17:10 verse listed above! And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
And then the Son prays for even those of us in this age. And he does so in order that we all shall be made as one in God, even as the Son is one in the Father! Wow! That’s far more that our little John 3:16 “keep-us-out-of-Hell” sympathetic understanding! John 17:20 ¶ Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
The Apostle Paul preached to the elders of Ephesus that the Lord Jesus’ death was a “purchase” of the church, the born again body of believers! Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. And as they are ‘bought and paid for’ by the highest price ever paid, the royal blood of the Son of God, as his purchased possession they will, without fail, be brought to him eternally!
Dear Reader, Jonah had to go to Fish School to learn that, “Salvation is of the Lord!” Jonah 2:1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly, 5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. 7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. 8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. 9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
And just what is the significance of that confession? It was highly significant in that Jonah didn’t want anyone to know the Lord but his people, the Israelites! He refused to go to the Ninevites as God commanded, stating, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. 3 Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. He was so prejudice against God saving any souls except Israelites that He had rather die than preach to these Gentiles!
He was so very bitter against God for including the population of Nineveh in His redemption, that he sought for God to kill him! Jonah 4:8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. 9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death. 10 Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: 11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
The Lord was very patient with Jonah, kindly pointing out to him that Jonah had pity on a gourd vine which shaded his head in the day’s heat. So why could he not have pity on a city that had 120,000 little children who did not know the difference between their left and their right hand, and also much cattle?
Jonah wanted the atonement to be limited to only the nation of Israel. But God’s atonement is not limited to only that nation, or any other national people. As has already been stated God shall bring men “out of every nation!” And these shall make up God’s “holy nation” – the church! 1 Peter 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:
The Apostle Paul speaks of “the Israel of God.” And they are those who have been born of the Holy Spirit and made new creations in Christ Jesus! Galatians 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
God instructs us by the Prophet Isaiah that national Israel shall be of no more importance than Egypt or Assyria. Isaiah 19:23 In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. 24 In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: 25 Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.
Our Lord Jesus stated that the house of Israel is left unto them as desolate! Matthew 23:38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Pastor Gene Breed
October 16, 2021