PART THREE
The greatest weakness in the predestinarian doctrine
is that the Bible is so clear in statement after statement that Christ died for all.
Calvin and Augustine’s all
Naturally, you ask, “If John Calvin was so intelligent, why didn’t he see that?” Remember, Calvin was intelligent, but he was wedded theologically to Augustine, and Augustine had been a thorough student of philosophy. It is easier to make a philosophical case for predestination than it is to make a biblical case.
Calvin (and Augustine) reasoned away the difficult texts. When they came across a text that said Christ gave himself a ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:6), they said that the “all” means people out of all classes, in all places.
Bible’s all
John makes the Bible position very clear:
“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: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:1-2).
You couldn’t have it much clearer than that, could you? John says that Christ is the atoning sacrifice, or propitiation, for the sins of the whole world, not just for believers.
Restricted all
It is true that occasionally the word “all” has a restricted meaning in the Bible.
For example, “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed” (Luke 2:1 KJV). I’m quite sure the Aborigines in Australia were not included in that tax. So there are places in the bible where the word “all” has a limited meaning.
A sample of texts
But it is impossible to limit the wide range of texts that obviously mean Christ died for all.
Here is a sample:
“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” (Hebrews 2:9).
“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:” (2 Corinthians 5:14).
“Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” (Romans 5:18).
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
In John 3:16 two circles are drawn. A bigger circle-“God so loved the world” -you can’t have a bigger circle than that. The whole world! And a smaller circle-“that whosoever” -of those in the world who would believe. It is impossible to equate the two circles as Calvinists try to do.
More inclusive texts
The Bible also says, “But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.” (Romans 14:15). People for whom Christ died can lose their way.
The Bible talks about:
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” (2 Peter 2:1).
This is a clear text. Here we have wicked people denying the Lord that bought them. Clearly, all of us were bought, including the wicked.
We are all ransomed. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6).
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).
“For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” (1 Timothy 4:10).
Potentially, God saves all. But he won’t force people to believe because God is a Gentleman.