Just suppose it was true that Jesus Christ died for the purpose of
redeeming every person in the world, and that some of those for whom he died
perished in hell!
WHERE THEN IS THE
LOVE OF GOD? Does God not love his own elect anymore than the rest of the
world? Does he not love Jacob more than Esau, and Peter more than Judas?
Universal redemption reduces the love of God to nothing. What kind of love must
that be which does not save men from hell, when it is able to do so?
WHERE THEN IS THE
WISDOM OF GOD? The sacrifice
of Christ in the place of his people is "the manifold wisdom of God".
But what wisdom is there in the plan of saving sinners by the death of Christ,
if some of those for whom Christ died are not saved?
WHERE THEN IS THE JUSTICE
OF GOD? The death of Christ in the place of sinners was the satisfaction of
divine justice. But what justice is it that demands a double payment for the
same crime? Can God in justice slay his Son in my place and slay me too?
WHERE THEN IS THE POWER
OF GOD? If Jesus Christ, God the Eternal Son, tried by his death upon the
cross to save every person in the world, and some of them go to hell, in spite
of his best efforts, what power does he have? Does not God Almighty have power
to forgive sin, take away unbelief, and give faith to whom
he will?
WHERE THEN IS THE
IMMITABILITY OF GOD? Can God
at one time love a man so greatly that he gave his only begotten Son to die in
his place and at another time burn with such hatred, wrath, and anger against that
same man that he sends him to hell? Did he not say, “I am the Lord, I change
not?”
WHERE THEN IS THE GLORY OF
GOD? The ultimate end of God
in redemption is his own glory. But if some of those for whom Christ died
suffer in hell eternally, he is robbed of his glory.
Know this, my friends,
if Jesus Christ died in the place of any man who suffers the wrath of God in
hell for his own sins, then that awful absurdity must follow – that “Christ
Died In Vain!” Perish the thought! The Son of God did not fail in his work. He
accomplished an effectual redemption. Every soul from whom
Christ died shall believe the gospel. And all who believe shall have eternal
life.