Jesus Christ: For whom did He die?
There are millions of people who not only don’t know the answer to this, but they don’t even know the true reason why He died. There are many who think He just came to set an example by the way He lived. While it is certainly true that Jesus Christ was a man of humility, truth, and much more, He really didn’t come into the world just to set an example for these things. It is the Bible that tells us why He came? Notice the simple answer He gave about that during the time of His earthly ministry.
John 10:10
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. [Emphasis added]
Here’s another statement He made about His purpose in coming.
Luke 19:10
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. [Emphasis added]
To get the details about how one is saved, and heaven bound through Him, one must go to the writings of the apostle Paul. Only there are the details clearly stated. Here is a wonderful and clear example of that.
I Corinthians 15:1-4
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel [the good news] which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [Emphasis added]
Most people don’t even know their need for salvation, let alone the means to gaining it. That’s why someone must make a presentation to them of that information if they’re to be saved.
Romans 10:14-15
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher [someone who makes a presentation of it]?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! [Emphasis added]
When he mentions this “gospel of peace” he’s speaking of Christ’s reconciliatory work on the cross where He provided a way for man’s state of enmity with God to be changed to one of peace.
Colossians 1:21-22
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: [Emphasis added]
Here we are told that God has done a work to provide a way for man’s reconciliation to Him.
Ephesians 2:13-15
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off [a reference to Gentiles] are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one [Jews & Gentiles], and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; [Emphasis added]
This tells us there was a longstanding wall or barrier between Jews and Gentiles, but there was also a sin wall between man and God. Exactly how did He address this problem? Here’s the explanation of it, setting forth what God did through Jesus Christ.
II Corinthians 5:18-21
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
In the last part of that verse, we are told that if we’ve received His work of reconciliation by faith, we now have a ministry, that is, an opportunity and a responsibility to provide this same information to others.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
That last phrase, saying to be reconciled, says anyone who hears of this message needs to respond with faith for their own personal reconciliation to God. We then read that if they’ll do that, God’s righteousness will then be credited to them for their salvation.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]
All this was made possible through the work of Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. That event happened for all mankind, not just some. The apostle John and many others spoke of this. The details are not given in this next passage, but because we now know of the accomplished work of Christ through the writings of the apostle Paul, we can understand clearly what is being stated.
John 1:29
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. [Emphasis added]
We also see this in other places in his writings.
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world [not just some, but all mankind], that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [Emphasis added]
I John 2:2
2 And he [Christ] is the propitiation for our sins [meaning Christ satisfied the just demands of God in payment for all mankind’s sins]: and not for ours [believing Israel] only, but also for the sins of the whole world. [Emphasis added]
I John 4:14
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. [Emphasis added]
We also see that the apostle Peter spoke of this.
II Peter 2:1
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. [Emphasis added]
Even the writer of Hebrews spoke of it.
Hebrews 2:9
9 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. [Emphasis added]
Then the apostle Paul gives us a fuller explanation of all this, informing us that Christ was resurrected to provide a way for our justification.
Romans 4:25
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. [Emphasis added]
Romans 5:18-19
18 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.
This imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us that occurs when we put our faith in Christ for salvation results in this which is called our justification.
19 For as by one man’s disobedience [Adam] many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [Jesus Christ] shall many be made righteous. [Emphasis added]
Many blessings become ours the moment all this occurs. Those blessings are not felt or seen but they are real and eternally ours.
Romans 8:32
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? [Emphasis added]
As a result of all this, we are compelled to live for Him.
II Corinthians 5:14-15
14 For the love of Christ constraineth [SUNECHO = controls] us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all [all mankind], then were all dead:
15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. [Emphasis added]
This is why man has no excuse for not responding with faith to what He provided.
I Timothy 2:5-6
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. [Emphasis added]
It is His matchless love for us that serves to motivate and move us to be of service to Him. This is because there’s never been anyone who’s done something like this for us.
Did you know that this is a truth that is denied by most mainline churches? They believe Christ only died for “the elect,” those who believe the gospel. They believe in what is formally called “limited atonement.” That means what Christ did was limited to those who would accept Christ, putting their faith in what He did for them through His death, burial, and resurrection. However, the Bible clearly tells us otherwise. The truth of the matter is that what Christ did He did for all mankind, not just those who believe in Him. This is important because it tells us that what God did in Christ, He did so that anyone at any time could gain salvation. Scripture is plain about this.
I Timothy 4:10
10 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. [Emphasis added]
Wherever there’s a person who seeks God out, this salvation message and the salvation it provides are given. [For more information on this, go to our website and do a search for the article entitled— Gospel: What about those who have never heard the gospel?] Salvation is available to everyone. No exceptions!
Titus 2:11
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, [Emphasis added]
God’s grace appears to man in many ways. The whole creation provides the evidence for the existence of a Creator [Romans 1]. Where there’s a desire for truth about Him, God always delivers.
There are surely people in your life who need to hear of all this. If you haven’t already, why not now make it your objective to present this message of grace and salvation to as many people as possible?
