What do you think of when you hear the question: For whom did Jesus die? The answer seems rather obvious: for the world. John 1:29 says, after all, that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. As a result, many interpreters assert Jesus died for the entire world and not for a predestined number of people. And when one asks how does God reconcile sinners to himself and to each other. The answer also seems rather obvious in the NT: by the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ, on behalf of Jewish and Gentile sinners (Rom. 3:25; 4:25; al. 3:13; Eph. 1:7; 2:13, 16).
However, a question that some advocates of the above interpretations are unwilling to answer and in some cases unwilling to consider is what does the term “world” mean when used in association with Jesus’ death? Does it refer to everyone without distinction or to everyone without exception? And how does Jesus’ death intersect with reconciliation.
Everyone without distinction means that Jesus died for all kinds of people from every tongue, tribe, people, and nation. Everyone without exception would mean that he died for every single individual person.
In my view, Jesus died for all of the sins of all of the people in the world without distinction instead of dying for all of the sins of all of the people without exception. That is, Jesus died for all of the sins of all of the races of people whom God specifically chose to be saved before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4-7, 11). God chose to save the elect/chosen based on his good pleasure apart from works or foreseen faith (Rom. 8:29-30; 9:1-29), and he sent Jesus to die on the cross for their sins so that they and only they would receive salvation (Rom. 3:25; 4:25; 5:8-10; Gal. 3:13-14; Eph. 1:7).
To support the above interpretation, I primarily discuss below selected texts from Paul’s letters.[1] In these texts, Paul suggests Jesus’ death actually achieved salvation for those for whom he died. Paul does not present Jesus’ death as hypothetically accomplishing the salvation of all people without exception, but as actually accomplishing salvation for all for Jesus died. And I discuss how Jesus’ death for all of the elect intersects with reconciliation.
Romans 3:24-30: Jesus’ Blood and Justification by Faith
Paul states that Jesus’ death justifies (declares not guilty) sinners by faith in Christ. In Romans 3:24-30, Paul connects justification by faith with Jesus’ blood. He asserts that God justifies sinners by faith because he offered Jesus to die for their sins. In 3:23-24, Paul states all sinners must be freely justified by God’s redemption provided by Jesus because all have sinned (1:18-3:20, 23). Justification is God’s gracious gift and comes to all sinners freely through the redemption accomplished by means of Jesus’ blood (3:24-25) and resurrection (4:25).
Paul connects justification by faith in 3:21-22 with “redemption” (3:24) and with the idea of bloody sacrifice (3:25). This connection suggests that Jesus’ blood accomplished liberation for those for whom he died. In light of Paul’s remarks in 3:20, that the law justifies no one, and in 3:24, that all people must be graciously justified through redemption in Jesus Christ, Paul explains in 3:25-26 how God justifies sinners through Jesus’ redemption. He states that God “offered Jesus to be an atoning sacrifice,” that this sacrifice is received “by faith,” and that Jesus’ “blood” accomplished justification for the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:25-26).
Yes, this redemption is inclusively for “all” who have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (3:23). This is why Paul boldly affirms that God is the justifying God of both Jews and Gentiles who have faith in Jesus (3:29-30). Yet, this redemption is exclusively “only” for those who have been justified freely by faith by God’s grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus (3:21-22, 24-25; 5:1). And God upheld the integrity of his justice by satisfying his wrath in the cross of Jesus on behalf of the Jewish and Gentile sinners who are justified, reconciled, and saved by Jesus’ blood and resurrection (4:25; 5:6-10; 2 Cor. 5:20).
In Rom. 3:28-30, Paul expresses that God justifies Jews and Gentiles by faith. Jew and Gentile are ethnic/racial categories. Jesus’ death and resurrection provide universal salvation for all races of people who are justified by faith in Christ and his blood reconciles them to God (Rom. 4:25; 5:8-10; 2 Cor. 5:20) and to each other (Eph. 2:13, 14-16). Paul’s comments in Rom. 3:21-31 are embedded between earlier comments in 1:18-3:20 about God’s universal condemnation of both Jews and Gentiles due to their inability to meet Torah’s demands to the fullest. His comments are also embedded between later remarks in 4:25 that Jesus “was handed over for our sins and was raised for our justification.”
Those for whom Jesus died, those who are justified by faith, and those whom God predestines to be in Christ (Rom. 8:29-30) are the same group. Paul makes this point especially clear in Eph. 1:4-5 and 1:7 when he connects election, predestination (Eph. 1:4-5), redemption, and forgiveness of sins with the blood of Christ (Eph. 1:7).
A straightforward reading of Eph. 1:4-7 suggests God chose some Jews and Gentiles to be in Christ before the foundation of the world (1:4), predestined them in love to be in God’s family (1:5), and Jesus redeemed those whom God chose and predestined by accomplishing their forgiveness of sins (1:7).
Romans 5:6-11: Jesus’ Death, Reconciliation, Justification, and Salvation
Justification on the basis of Jesus’ death is the foundation of the hope that Paul mentions in Rom. 5:1-5 (5:1-8:39). In 5:6, he states that Jesus died for the weak. In 5:7, he states that someone would scarcely die “for a righteous person” and that someone would perhaps die “for a good person.” Then, in 5:8, Paul clarifies by stating that Christ died “for us.” Christ’s death “for us” is a death for sinners since Paul states in 5:8 that Christ’s death “for us” occurred “while we were sinners.” In 5:9-10, Paul declares that Jesus’ blood accomplished justification, salvation, and reconciliation for those sinners for whom he died.
In 5:9, Paul connects Jesus’ death mentioned in 5:8 with salvation: “Therefore, how much more we will be saved through him from wrath, because we were justified by his blood.” Jesus’ death for sinners—and his resurrection—is the basis underneath justification by faith and the other benefits of salvation accomplished by his blood in 5:8-10. Paul states that Jesus died for sinners in 5:8 and in 5:9-10 that Jesus’ blood justifies, saves the ungodly from God’s wrath, and reconciles the ungodly to God with the result that the ungodly are no longer enemies of God. Paul further emphasizes this latter point in 5:11 when he expresses that those whom God has justified, saves, and reconciles by Jesus’ blood have received reconciliation. In light of his remarks in 8:29-30 and 9:6-29, those who receive the benefits of salvation mentioned in 5:6-11 are those whom God predestined to be in Christ. And this predestined group is a group of Jews and Gentiles for whom Jesus shed his blood and to whom he extended the blessing of Abraham by faith (Gal. 1:4; 2:11-3:29; esp. 3:13-14). Here’s a point that should not be missed: everyone for whom Jesus died will certainly be saved by his resurrection from God’s wrath by faith.
Therefore, Paul again applies Jesus’ blood exclusively to Jews and Gentiles within the believing community. He affirms Jesus’ death has accomplished salvation only for those who identify with the believing community. He does not in this text give any indication that Jesus’ death hypothetically accomplished salvation for all people without exception, but for all people without distinction. That is, all Jews and Gentiles who believe in and who are united to Christ by faith will receive the gift of eternal life because he died for their sins (Rom. 3:21-5:21).
Again, Paul affirms this very point in Eph. 1:4-5 and in 1:7 when he says that God provides redemption and forgiveness of sins through Jesus’ blood for those whom he chose in love to be in Christ and predestined for adoption before the foundation of the world. Those whom God chose and predestined in Christ are the ones whom Paul believed would hear the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation, believe it, and be sealed with the Spirit for the praise of God’s glorious grace (Eph. 1:13).
But how does limited atonement intersect with reconciliation on the cross?
6 Practical Applications
Paul’s presentation of Jesus’ death as a death for all elect Jews and Gentiles without distinction should encourage all Christians to pursue reconciliation with all kinds of Jewish and Gentile people. I offer six specific reasons that Christians should be encouraged by the doctrine that Jesus died to save the elect from every tongue, tribe, people, and nation.
First, Christians can be confident that Jesus’ blood conquers the power of sin and death for every tongue, tribe, people, and nation found in him. Everyone for whom Jesus died will receive the saving benefits of his death by faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ death victoriously liberates sinners from sin and disarms the power of the devil. Both of these truths become apparent when those for whom Jesus died respond to his saving work with faith and obedience.
Second, Jesus’ death for elect Jews and Gentiles creates a reconciled community and serves as the foundational reason why the Spirit can enable Christians from every racial stripe to pursue reconciliation with diverse people (see Gal. 5:16-21).
Third, Jesus’ blood guarantees his elect will be saved when the Spirit awakens them after they hear the gospel. Jesus came from heaven to seek, find, and purchase his elect sheep (John 3:16; 10:1ff). The blood of Jesus secures a place in the sheepfold for some from every tongue, tribe, people, and nation (Rev. 5:9). Christians should, therefore, cling to the blood of Jesus Christ as our only hope in life and death, along with his victorious resurrection. And we should pursue reconciliation with the “other” with the kind of intensity that Jesus came to earth to seek and to save his church to redeem her.
Fourth, Christians can evangelize anyone from every tongue, tribe, people, and nation with God’s help in the power of the Spirit. It is God’s redemptive plan to redeem everyone for whom Jesus died to redeem. The verbal proclamation of the gospel makes known to the elect the salvation accomplished by Christ for them, and the Spirit—when he’s willing—will create faith in the hearts of all of the elect (John 3; 6:44; Eph. 2:1-10).
Evangelism, then, is simply the Christian act of announcing to all sinners what God has done in Christ to save sinners. And Christians should proclaim this message to anyone who will listen regardless of the differences. And pray for and watch the Spirit create life in the hearts of the elect and apply the benefits of Jesus’ death to them when he’s willing.
Fifth, Jesus’ death for the elect should assure Christians of their salvation. Many Christians doubt their salvation. However, since Jesus’ blood was shed specifically for elect Jews and Gentiles, we can be confident that the blood of Christ will cover all of our sins. We can also be certain that Jesus’ blood alone is sufficient to plead for us before the throne of God above. By faith, the elect become God’s friends through the blood of Jesus.
Sixth, Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, shed his blood for all kinds of elect people. Therefore, the church of Jesus Christ should relentlessly pursue gospel racial reconciliation in such a way that the death of Jesus (and the resurrection) is at the very center of all calls for racial harmony and justice. Jesus’ shed blood for the elect from every tongue, tribe, and nation creates the necessary motivation for Christians from every ethnic and social stripe to strive toward gospel unity with all people in the church.
[1]I realize that any exhaustive defense of limited atonement requires a detailed analysis of multiple biblical texts—an exercise outside of the purview of this post.
Much of the information in this article comes from Jarvis J. Williams, For Whom Did Christ Die? The Extent of the Atonement in Paul’s Theology, Paternoster Biblical Monographs Series (Milton Keynes, UK: Paternoster, 2012) and Jarvis J. Williams, Christ Died For Our Sins (Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick, 2015). Used here with permissions. A version of this post originally appeared on the Desiring God website. http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/for-whom-did-christ-die. I’ve produced material here with permission.
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While great and Godly individuals have discussed this issue for millennia, and I am quite confident that the discussion will continue until Jesus comes.
Here is one example which supports the “everyone without distinction” position:
Ruth 4:9-10. 9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.
Please note that Boaz (whose name means redeemer) redeemed everything that was Elimelech’s, everything that was Chilion’s, and everything that was Mahlon’s. He took Ruth as his wife, and he would have taken Orpha as his wife also, if she had returned with Namoi and Ruth.
Blessings.
From my perspective, as a committed Bible-follower, I do not not believe that embracing “limited/definite atonement and reprobation” is biblically sound and neither does it help to foster racial reconciliation around the world.
The work of atonement that Jesus had died on the cross is fully sufficient and fully sincere for everyone without exception. That is not hypothetical or fruitless offer of plea. Christ’s death and victorious resurrection has already fully accounted for every person’s faith and defiance. In the end no one has any excuse to reject Christ.
I believe according to Scriptures that God has sincerely called every single soul towards salvation in His own time and ways. That does not mean that God is a loser for claims of not being able to gain the trusting faith of the sinner. All initiation and results of faith comes solely from God Himself.
Our Sovereign Lord does not need to preemptively use Predestination as a particular requirement to ensure that a certain number of people from every tongue, tribe, people, and nation would be represented in God’s Redeemed Kingdom. I believe God calls everyone from every tongue, tribe, people, and nation to come to Him. God will always make a way without needing predestination or reprobation.
I am Not a universalist. Only those who repent and respond to accept God’s calling will be saved. That is the Sovereign Will of God. Responding to God’s calling is not a meritable action or prideful decision from the repentant sinner. It is God’s demand for every single created human being to trust in Him. Nothing prideful to compare with others.
I believe Christ has paid a heavy price to have bought and fully secure the salvation for every single person. It is the person who rejects God’s grace and only remedy. That does not mean anyone should be more prideful that another. For all fate and salvation of everyone rests in God’s hands.
Some would accuse me for being logically inconsistent without any Scriptural proof-texts. But I stand firm in how I believe God’s Sovereign Grace and His Fatherly Role-Model as portrayed in Scripture without the elements of “limited/definite atonement and reprobation”.
I believe God calls everyone from every tongue, tribe, people, and nation to come to Him as how a True Personal Father and Sovereign Creator would. I believe all people should learn from the impartial Heart of Christ as a Perfect Fatherly Role-Model to love and reconcile with each other despite of each other’s ethno-linguistic background, gender, disability, past transgressions, national affiliation or socio-economic class.
I believe Christ died truly and fully without reservation for everyone and to uphold and proclaim God’s Justice and Biblical Morals to be followed by everyone in this world. This is the Heart of a Sincere Personal Father to each soul ever-created. If Christ died for all while we are still evil sinners without any special elective distinction, then we must learn from His prime example to forgive everyone and pray for each other and those who still have thoughts of anger, hurt, trauma or deep-rooted prejudice or those who still engage in revengeful retaliation. May God’s Glory shine through us and refine the faith in us as His witnesses.
Dear Brother Jarvis
You have used many Scriptural texts to substantiate your argument for “definite/limited atonement”.
But particularly noticing is the way you depict only certain parts of Romans 8:29-30 and parts of Ephesians 1:4-7.
Below are 2 of the several the Scriptural Texts you have frequently used
Romans 8:28-30 (ESV)
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
I would want to request why you have left out the words
“For those whom he foreknew………………..to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” ?
Ephesians 1:3-14 (ESV)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
I would want to request why you have left out the words
“that we should be holy and blameless before him.”
I believe from just these 2 Scriptural texts, the undisputed Sovereignty of God’s Infallible Foreknowledge and His Pleasing Will for the intention and outcome of Predestination is not related with “definite/limited atonement or reprobation of specific people”.
I believe according to my understanding of Scripture that No evil sinner is specially predestined to be saved before the foundation of the world.
But I clearly believe that God has predestined the results of Salvation, the process of Sanctification, the secured promises of eternal life to the repentant sinner, and the intentions of its outcome for the Glory of Christ according to His Pleasing Will.
I believe strongly in the Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Solus Christus and Soli Deo Gloria, but however not in Sola Particular Predestination.
Just as I believe every single human soul is created beautifully in every shade of God’s Image, but tarnished by our own sins, I strongly believe Christ died to fully purchase the salvation for each and every person of Black descent and non-black descent.
No matter where they are or what period of time in history, No one in God’s Created Image is left out to be discriminated or marginalized and falsely attributed as “un-elected vessels for common use to be destroyed”.
But I do stand together with other Reformed American and European Christians of Black descent, and Reformed Christians in Africa, in fostering the unbreakable unity of all God’s People of Colour regardless of any denominational or creedal convictions as a witness to the nations for the Glory of Christ.
Thank you for kindly allowing me to clarify and express my views on your webpage.
God Bless Jarvis.
Hi Jarvis
I know that everyone is an evil sinner deserving of eternal death and shunned by God.
To put it this way, I am also curious if it is in God’s abundant mercy and greatest desire to save and reconcile with every single soul from every tongue tribe, people and nation that He himself personally created with great loving care and detail?
Or is it in God’s abundant mercy and most pleasing will to save and reconcile with only representative samples from every tongue tribe, people and nation to be represented in His library collection?
I strongly believe God’s Sovereign Grace fittingly serves the Holiness of His Impartial Justice to be accomplished by His Unchanging Written Promises.
Sorry for the blunt remark.
From Nemav
Hi Jarvis
I know that faithfully accepting what roles and purposes that God has given us with (be it us only being as a scrap paper or a reference book in God’s library collection) for God’s own use is itself already the greatest joy and undeserving gift that we would want to have with God for eternity.
But I do not believe that God’s abundant mercy and most pleasing will is to save and reconcile with only “representative samples” from every tongue, tribe, people and nation.
Because I think that such a theological position would not help to serve any good biblical example for sinfully flawed people like ourselves to easily misinterpret and presume that we Christians are spiritually predestined “representative samples” of each of our own kind of tongue, tribe, people and nation.
Thus I fear that the “limited atonement” position would not bring any meaningful reconciliation, but unfortunately instead bring about more pride, skepticism, speculation and prejudice within each of our own kind of tongue, tribe, people and nation.
Hence I do not believe that the “everyone without distinction” position reflects God’s Word in His Sovereign intention as I do not believe God would want His people to misinterpret His Words and think of it that way.
Sorry Jarvis.
Thank you for kindly allowing to post my comments here.