Christ died for God’s Elect — For All God’s Elect

Only for God’s Elect

Recently I saw two young men standing on a Danville street corner wearing large placards over their coats, that read, “No matter who you are Jesus died for you.” I am sure those young men are very sincere; but they are horribly deluded. The Scriptures teach nothing of the kind; and those who declare such an absurdity are really saying to all who pay attention to them, — “The fact that Jesus died on the cross is totally meaningless. His death is of no benefit to anyone.”

The Scriptures teach otherwise. The Lord Jesus declares that he laid down his life for his sheep, not for goats (John 10:15, 26). If he hated Esau, as the Book of God asserts (Romans 9:13) and Judas was already in hell, why would he have died for them? The Word of God teaches us that the objects of election and redemption are the same. It is written, "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is Christ that died" (Romans 8:33-34). That bold challenge of faith makes sense only if you understand that Christ died for God’s elect, for all God’s elect, and only for God’s elect, and infallibly secured their salvation by his death.

The “us all” for whom God delivered up his Son are the same as those whom he foreknew and predestinated, whose calling, justification and glorification were accomplished from eternity by God’s sovereign purpose of grace toward them. Paul teaches this same thing in Ephesians 1:4 and 7. The “us” who are there said to be chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world are the same as those who have redemption in him through his blood and the forgiveness of sins. Those for whom Christ died, those who are redeemed by his precious blood are those for whom he makes intercession (John 17:9, 20).

Yes, the objects of election and redemption are the same. No more were redeemed by Christ at Calvary than were chosen in him before the foundation of the world, and no less. God’s elect are special to him above all people in the world. Special things belong to them which belong to no one else. Yet, we see that everything which is said to be true of the elect is also true of the redeemed. Therefore, we must conclude, according to the Scriptures, that the elect and the redeemed are the very same people.

Are the elect the beloved of the Lord? Does the act of election spring from love? Election presupposes love. So the redeemed are the beloved of the triune God. And our redemption by Christ’s precious blood flows from God’s everlasting love toward us in him.

Are the elect a people whom God has chosen for his peculiar treasure? The redeemed are purified by Christ to be a peculiar people to himself.

Do the vessels of mercy, afore prepared for glory, consist of Jews and Gentiles alike? So Christ is the propitiation, not for the sins of the Jews only, or the Redeemer of the Jews only, but for the sins of the Gentile world also, the Redeemer of his people among the Gentiles (1 John 2:1-2).

Are God’s elect a great number,  a multitude  which no man  can number out of all nations, kindred, peoples and tongues? So Christ’s redeemed ones are those he has redeemed unto God, out of every kindred, tongue, people and nation.

Is it true of the elect that they shall never perish, that they cannot be totally and finally deceived and perish? So, too, it is true of the ransomed of the Lord. They shall come to Zion with everlasting joy. Christ will never lose any part of the purchase of his blood.

            It is ludicrous to imagine that the Lord Jesus Christ died in the place of any whom he did not come to save. He came into this world to save his people (They were his people by Divine election long before he came to save them!) from their sins by the sacrifice of himself as their Substitute. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, chose his people and them alone. He redeemed his people and them alone. He prays for his people and them alone. And he will save his people, all of them, and only them.

Don Fortner

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