Therefore, just as
through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death
spread to all men because all sinned.
-Romans
5:12
If one understands
what Paul the apostle is teaching here, we would conclude God is not being
fair. Let me explain. Paul is saying because of the original sin of Adam back
in the Garden of Eden, all of his descendants sinned as well. But how someone
may ask. Because we were all in the loins of Adam when he committed the sin.
God imputed or transferred our original father’s sin nature to all of us. We
are guilty by association. David in Psalm 51:5 hit this reality on the head
when he said, “I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother
conceive me”.
`Even a newborn child no matter how beautiful, cuddly and precious they are is a sinner by nature, and very shortly will prove to be a sinner by choice, and action. Sin begets sin. One can barely turn the pages of scripture and not see the word sin on it somewhere. Why? Because sin has not only pervaded the human soul, sin has corrupted the entire universe.
Romans 8:19-22 says this, “For
the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the manifestation of
the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but
because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will
be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children
of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs
together until now."
These
four verses describe the pain God’s creation is in because of our sins. The
earth awaits our glorification. For when we are glorified, God will soon
re-create the earth to the paradise it once was. Remember what God told Adam in Genesis 3:17b-18,
“Cursed is the ground for
your sake. In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns
and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the
field."
Do we get a better picture of
how powerful sin is; How it has destroyed everything it touches? Let me be more
specific.
Because
of sin God destroyed the whole world with a flood during the time of Noah. Only
8 souls were saved and some animals that were in the ark (Genesis 7). Sodom and
Gomorrah was destroyed because of the sin of homosexuality (Gen 18 & 19). Because
of sin, God destroyed the Egyptians in Exodus 14. Because of Israel’s disobedience
with the Moabites, a plague went through the land and twenty four thousand
people died (Numbers 25:9). Moses and Aaron were not permitted to go into the promised land because they misrepresented God (Numbers
20:12). Saul’s disobedience led to God rejecting him as king ( I Sam
15:23c;26). David’s sin of adultery with Bathsheba and murder of her husband
Uriah led to the death of his child with Bathsheba and trouble in his house until his
death (2 Sam 11 & 12). David decries his sin in Psalm 51.
Wise King
Solomon in his old age was the cause of the kingdom of Israel being divided
into two nations after his death because of his many foreign wives along with
the worship of their gods. These pagan women turned his heart away from the
Lord (I Kings 11 & 12). Because of sin, God sent King Nebuchadnezzar of
Babylon to destroy Jerusalem for their unfaithfulness (Jeremiah 39; 52:1-34; 2
Chronicles 36:11-21). Because of sin God through the Prophet, Daniel predicted
the destruction of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. This happened in 539 B.C.
(Daniel 5:26-30).
Because
of sin, Judas betrayed Jesus (Psalm 41:9; Matt 26:16;25; Mark 14:10; Luke 22:3-6;
John 13:27). Ananias and Sapphira dropped dead because they lied to the Holy
Spirit about their giving (Acts 5). Stephen became the first Christian martyr
of the church for preaching the gospel (Acts 7). The Holy wrath of God is
unleashed in the book of Revelation because of the sins of the entire world. Over
half of the world’s population will perish in a series of 21 judgments. This is
yet future. This will culminate with the
return of Jesus Christ to set up His eternal earthly kingdom.
Do
you now have a better picture of why Jesus had to come and die for our sins? So that
those of us who believe can be delivered from its penalty…death, eternal death
and receive eternal life. The Father God sent the Son to die for His people
(Matt 1:21). What was the motivation for God to do this? Why would Father God
send His sinless Son to die for unworthy, wretched sinners? The Bible tell us.
He did it because He so loved us (John 3:16). We read this in Ephesians 1:5, In
love He predestined us to adoptions as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself
according to the pleasure of His will. Ephesians 1:4 tells us when God chose
us, before the foundation of the world. So we learn from these texts that
before the universe was formed God determined to save a people for Himself; to
become His sons and daughters when they believe in the completed work of Jesus
work on the cross. Those that believe are adopted into the family of God. These
believers are also justified which is a forensic term. When one believes his or
her sins are imputed or transferred to Christ. And in exchange, Christ’s
righteousness is imputed to the believer. What is so beautiful about this is
God did this because it pleased Him to do so.
Since
we are now justified through belief in Christ, our sins can never condemn us
again – meaning we cannot be sent to hell for them. Why? Because Christ took
our sins upon Himself and canceled our sin debt. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us (italics mine)
that we might become the righteousness
of God in Him. 2 Peter 2:24, Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on
the tree that we having died to sin might live for righteousness. By whose
stripes we are healed.
It is very
important the reader understand that Christ’s atonement is sufficient for all but only efficient for those who believe in Him. These are the one whom Jesus
saves. The death of Christ delivers no benefit to those who reject the gospel
message and go to hell. Why am I stating what seems obvious? Because most
Christians believe that Jesus died for the sins of every person that will ever
live (I John 2:2); even those that never believe and perish. Let us think about
this for a moment. If Jesus died for all sins, wouldn’t the sin of unbelief be
included? The answer obviously is yes. So why then are numerous people going to
hell for the sin of unbelief? The answer is that none of their sins were atoned
for by Christ. Jesus did not die for all sins except unbelief. He died for
every sin including unbelief. My point is how can Christ die for every single
human being’s sins and any of them go to hell unless none of their sins were
atoned for? Jesus either died for all of your sins or none of them. If Jesus
truly died for your sins it is because you decided to believe in Him for
salvation. This separates believers from non- believers.[i]
Christ’s
atonement was a complete and satisfying sacrifice to God the Father. It
appeased God’s holy wrath against sin. The Father punished His only Begotten
Son for our sins (Isaiah 53:6b). Whose sins? Them that believe. Let me ask this
question if one says Christ died for their sins and that person dies and goes
to eternal damnation, were their sins ever forgiven? There are those that
believe and teach that to say Jesus paid for someone’s sins in full, and that
person dies in sin and pays eternally for their owns sins is a form of double
jeopardy. I agree. It makes no sense to me. It also diminishes the efficacy of
Christ’s atoning work on the cross. Christ did not die to make men savable. He died
to actually save men from every tribe, tongue, and nation. That is what it means
when the scripture says Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. Christ died
for all people without distinction regardless of their color, socio-economic
status, nationality, geography, language, etc. He did not die for all people
without exception. Most Christians will disagree. They insist Christ died for
every human being who will walk the face of the earth because that is what is
fair. To imply Christ died for some and
not all is heresy most would say. Christ’s atonement on the cross was
completely successful; Jesus saved all whom God gave to Him. Let me amplify
that point. In John 6:37-40 we read the words of Jesus, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and those who come to Me I
will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven not to do My
own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me,
that all He has given Me I should lose
nothing but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of
Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have
everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
These
powerful verses tell me that God the Father sent His Son on a recovery mission
to gather up His lost sheep and bring them into His fold to dwell forever with
Him (Psalm 23:6).
The aforementioned should be the
aim of all men, once one realizes they have been born into sin or in sin; they should endeavor to be born again. Not to be born again is to
degenerate from being born in sin to dying in sin (John 8:24). That person’s
life has been a waste. From birth to death that person has lived their entire
life in sin – rebellion against God. The
goal of every human being should be to
become regenerate; from being born in sin to be re-born in Christ (John 3:3;2 Cor 5:17; Eph 1:1,4).
[i]
Please read the following articles on my blog: Sovereign Election Parts I &
II, Did Jesus die for every sin?
Whose sins did Jesus die for? Limited vs Unlimited
Atonement.