Without a doubt it can be said that Christ died for all who truly believe. God is “just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Rom. 3:26) It is often easier and less offensive to state the extent of Christ’s death this way but is it the way it is most often set forth in the scriptures? I don’t think so. At best it is only a partial declaration of what is true of God’s word and may be a withholding of that which actually confronts man with God as He is in His sovereignty and glory. Christ declared the design of His redeeming death in this precise and particular way: “I lay down my life for the sheep.” “I give my life for the sheep.” This He did before and apart from anyone since then believing. Paul told the Ephesian elders in 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.” Again he tells us in Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;” These and many other texts show Christ as having accomplished the redemption of His people in His cross death without His success in doing it depending in any way upon what they do or don’t do! What He DID is the cause of what they DO! He redeemed THEM and THEY will be brought by His Spirit to believe, believe the truth about His death! “All Israel shall be saved..” The definite death of Christ for a particular people is part of what Paul calls “the offense of the cross” but it is at the same time what distinguishes Him from “another jesus” and ascribes to Him that great glory! Christ died for all who believe is true but is it the whole truth? Is it all “the counsel of God?” The efficacy of Christ’s death is in itself and not dependent on anything, even His people’s believing in Him. There is no guile in God who states this blessed truth clearly and repeatedly. Let there be none in us. The sheep for whom He died will hear His voice and follow Him! They will all sing to Him, “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” (Rev. 5:9)

Gary Shepard

If you are at a loss about the extent of Christ’s Death, and know not what part to take in the controversy about general and particular Redemption, look to your way-marks, the scriptures, and take your direction from thence; and there you will observe, that those whom Christ saves from their sins are his own people, for whose transgressions he was stricken; that he gave his life a ransom for many, for all sorts of persons, for all his elect, Jews and Gentiles; that they were his sheep he laid down his life for; that he loved the church, and gave himself for it; and that he tasted death for every one of his brethren, and of the children the Father gave him; that those that are redeemed by him, are redeemed out of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation. {Mt 1:21; 20:28; Joh 10:25; Eph 5:25; Heb 2:9-12; Re 5:9}

John Gill

Made for frivolities?

Were you made only to be a machine for digging holes, laying bricks, or cutting out pieces of wood? Were you created only to stand at a counter and measure or weigh out goods? Do you think your God made you for that and that only? Is this the chief end of man? to earn so many dollars a week, and try to make ends meet? Is that all immortal men were made for? As a man with a soul, capable of thought and judgment, and not a mere animal like a dog, nor a machine like a steam engine; can you stand up and look at yourself, and say, "I believe I am perfectly fulfilling my destiny"? God has made man that he may glorify him; and whatever else man accomplishes, if he attains not to this end, his life is a disastrous failure. Others are lovers of pleasure. They are merry as the birds, their life is as the flight of a butterfly, which lightly floats from flower to flower, according to its own sweet will. It cannot be that an immortal spirit was made for frivolities; spending all its time on the playthings of the world. So great a thing as an immortal soul could not have been made by God, with no higher object than to spend itself upon trifles as light as air. Oh, pause a while, you careless, godless one! There is something more than the fool's laugh. All things are not a comedy. Death and heaven and hell are serious; and should not life be? The charms of music, the merriment of the gay assembly, the beauties of art, and the delights of banqueting; there must be something more for you than these; and something more must be required of you than that you should waste your precious time from morn to night upon nothing but to please yourself!

C. H. Spurgeon

In the great affair of our salvation, our God stands single and alone. In this most glorious work, there is such a display of justice, mercy, wisdom and power, as never entered into the heart of man to conceive, and consequently, can have no parallel in the actions of mortals. “Who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside Me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside Me.” (Isa 45:21)

William Rushton

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1Jo 3:1)

BEHOLD WHAT LOVE!

Behold what love the Father did,

On all His loved ones show.

On them confer His fam’ly name,

On them His love bestow.

Could I be called a child of God?

And I, such mercy shown?

Could I a rebel sinner born,

A son to God be known?

What sovereign mercy came to me!

What grace from God alone!

To raise me from the dunghill low;

And set me in His throne.

Yet, Tis the case with all His sheep!

The Shepherd for them gave,

His life, His all, His righteousness,

From all their sins to save.