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The Atonement - Adult SS - Lesson 3: The Intention of the Atonement

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  1. Let me pray.

  2. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the cross of Christ.

  3. We thank you for our Saviour and all that he has done for us.

  4. ! We thank you that he is our great high priest,

  5. the one who has made atonement for our sins.

  6. We thank you for the forgiveness that we have in him.

  7. And as we consider his cross today, as we consider the atonement,

  8. help us to understand these things that are far too deep for us.

  9. But by your Spirit, please give us some understanding of this,

  10. a greater appreciation of all that the Lord Jesus has done.

  11. And we ask this in his name. Amen.

  12. So if you're new or you're just jumping in to this series,

  13. this term, we're thinking about the atonement.

  14. So that's the title of this term, the atonement.

  15. And what the atonement means, we're thinking about what Christ was doing on the cross.

  16. Okay?

  17. What Christ was doing on the cross.

  18. And just a heads up, we're going to be doing it.

  19. Usually I do every Sunday School series in half terms.

  20. So usually we'd finish by this coming half term.

  21. I'm actually going to extend this over two half terms.

  22. This is going to be like a mega, mega series.

  23. So we're going to do all of this, this term, this half term and next.

  24. So there's lots more to come.

  25. And last session, we saw what the cross is all about.

  26. So the first one, we saw the need for the atonement.

  27. And then we saw what the cross was all about.

  28. What's happening on the cross.

  29. And we saw Christ's death is not just a random death.

  30. It's not just an unfortunate death.

  31. No, Christ's death is a sacrifice that makes us one with God.

  32. So just like the Old Testament priests would make sacrifices, in that same way, Christ was a sacrifice.

  33. So on the cross, all our sin and guilt and the debt all went on to Christ on the cross.

  34. So this is his people here.

  35. All the debt went on to Christ.

  36. And he substituted in for us.

  37. That's the little dotted line.

  38. So he substituted, swapped in for us and identified with our sin.

  39. And the sin of debt went on to him.

  40. And so he bore the wrath of God.

  41. The wrath of God that is rightly deserved, the penalty for our sin.

  42. That was all diverted and borne on to Christ.

  43. Christ, he paid the penalty that was deserved for our sins.

  44. And by doing so, he reconciled us to God.

  45. So that broken relationship because of the debt and the wrath, we weren't reconciled.

  46. And so we needed to be reconciled.

  47. And so on the cross, Christ was reconciling us back to God.

  48. And so he achieved three things.

  49. Redemption, meaning ransom.

  50. He paid for our debt.

  51. Propitiation, which means he appeased God's wrath.

  52. Ended God's wrath because it was diverted away from us.

  53. And he reconciled us.

  54. So these three things.

  55. And this is atonement.

  56. When we speak of atonement, it means at-one-ment.

  57. Making us at one with God.

  58. And what does that involve?

  59. That involves these three things.

  60. They're kind of the three ingredients to atonement, you could say.

  61. And this is what happened with the Old Testament sacrifices we saw last week.

  62. And this is what happened to Christ.

  63. The Old Testament kind of gives the shape of what Christ is doing.

  64. But today, I want us to ask an important question.

  65. If this is what Christ was doing, if this is what was happening on the cross, and this is what Christ was achieving,

  66. who was he doing it for?

  67. Who are these people here?

  68. I want us to answer the question today, who did Christ die for?

  69. Or if you want to be grammatically correct, for whom did Christ die?

  70. That's the correct term.

  71. That's kind of how people phrase it.

  72. I know whom is the correct term, but it feels weird saying it.

  73. Like, no one says whom.

  74. You're going to get laughed at if you say whom.

  75. Who did Christ die for?

  76. Okay?

  77. And you may not have thought about this question.

  78. Or maybe you think it's a bit of an odd question to even bring it up.

  79. But I want us to see that this is really important to understand the atonement.

  80. It's important to appreciate all that Christ has done on the cross.

  81. And so, who did Christ die for?

  82. I wanted to jump straight in.

  83. There are three major views.

  84. Okay?

  85. View one.

  86. You can see this at the top left of your page.

  87. View one.

  88. Christ died for everyone.

  89. Okay?

  90. So, Christ actually died for every single person.

  91. Actually paid for all their sins.

  92. And so, reconciled every single person on the planet, throughout history.

  93. Every single person.

  94. He reconciled back to God.

  95. And so, to jump to the conclusion of this.

  96. That means that there'll be no one in hell.

  97. That there's no judgment falling on absolutely anyone.

  98. And so, everyone will be in the new creation.

  99. Okay?

  100. And I'm going to just quickly dismiss this one.

  101. Because that is just unthinkable.

  102. Okay?

  103. Right?

  104. We have our doctrine of hell.

  105. We have our doctrine of judgment.

  106. We have our understanding of the need for the gospel.

  107. If everyone's going to the creation, there's no need for the gospel.

  108. Don't worry about it.

  109. Why would Christ tell anyone to preach the gospel?

  110. Okay?

  111. So, view one does make any sense at all.

  112. We can't think that.

  113. And so, we're not going to get into that today.

  114. Okay?

  115. You can ask me more afterwards if you want.

  116. But view two, we're going to consider a bit more.

  117. So, view two is that Christ died hypothetically for everyone.

  118. Okay?

  119. So, this says that Christ died generally for everyone.

  120. There was an intention that he generally died for everyone.

  121. He died to make salvation possible for everyone.

  122. He died to make humanity savable.

  123. But the cross is only made effective to the elect.

  124. To those whom God chooses.

  125. So, in this view, the cross is a bit like a medicine box.

  126. Right?

  127. So, when Christ died, he made this medicine box with, you know, a trillion pills.

  128. Right?

  129. I've made this for everyone.

  130. Christ died generally for everyone.

  131. But not everyone will actually get one of those pills.

  132. Okay?

  133. It's only those who receive it, who believe, who God has chosen.

  134. Okay?

  135. So, that's view two.

  136. But view three is that Christ died for his people.

  137. So, Christ died for a specific number of people.

  138. Not everyone.

  139. But his people.

  140. And all those people will be saved.

  141. There's not a question about it.

  142. And this view is often called limited atonement.

  143. Or definite atonement.

  144. I'm going to use the word definite atonement.

  145. I think that's a better term for...

  146. Well, we'll find out why that's a better term.

  147. And I want us to see today and be convinced of this third position.

  148. All right?

  149. Christ died for his people.

  150. Who are these people?

  151. Who are the people Christ died for?

  152. It is his chosen people.

  153. You could say it's the elect.

  154. But today, I also want to address why people might have issues with this position.

  155. And maybe you're coming with questions and maybe it's not sitting right at the moment.

  156. I want to address some of those issues.

  157. And the common issues are often...

  158. What about the all verses?

  159. Okay?

  160. So, 1 Timothy 2.

  161. Christ gave himself as a ransom for all.

  162. Romans 5.

  163. One act of righteousness leads to justification in life for all men.

  164. Okay?

  165. So, what about the all verses?

  166. What about the world verses?

  167. So, the famous one.

  168. 1 John 2.

  169. He's the propitiation for our sins.

  170. And not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

  171. Huh.

  172. What's going on there?

  173. And another common objection is...

  174. What about evangelism?

  175. So, if Christ didn't die for all people...

  176. If that's not how we're going to say it...

  177. Then, how can we offer the gospel to all people?

  178. And another objection would be...

  179. Well, it's to do with the name limited atonement.

  180. Right?

  181. That's what it's often called.

  182. How can we say that Christ's cross is limited?

  183. Doesn't that say Christ's mercy is limited or his power is limited?

  184. And small in some way.

  185. And some people say, we don't want to limit the cross.

  186. So, we're not going to go with limited atonement.

  187. Well, how do we answer all this?

  188. Well, I want us to see why positively...

  189. First of all, positively...

  190. Why we must think of the atonement as this third position is definite atonement.

  191. And I want us to make a case for that.

  192. And then we can answer some of these questions.

  193. Like, what about the alls?

  194. What about the world?

  195. And I'll try to answer maybe the limited atonement question along the way.

  196. But I want us to jump in.

  197. And I want us to think about all this in the right way.

  198. And to do that, we need to see Christ went to the cross with two things on him.

  199. He went with two things on him.

  200. Christ went to the cross with a belt and a treasure chest.

  201. Okay?

  202. So, to understand definite atonement, to understand the cross, you need to understand that Christ died for his people.

  203. And to see that, you need to understand a belt and a treasure chest.

  204. So, the first point, Christ died for his people.

  205. So, two things I want us to see.

  206. The first is a belt.

  207. Christ went to the cross wearing a belt.

  208. I mean, metaphorically, right?

  209. He wasn't actually wearing a belt.

  210. So, if you cast your minds back to our Sunday school on covenants, on the two giants.

  211. Don't worry if you weren't there.

  212. But if you were, try to cast your mind back on the two giants, Adam and Christ.

  213. So, do you remember there are two giants of the Bible?

  214. Adam and Christ.

  215. And on the belt of these two giants, attached to these two giants, are people.

  216. So, you are either in Adam or you are in Christ.

  217. So, Romans 5.

  218. For as by the one man's disobedience, the many were made sinners.

  219. Adam's disobedience made many sinners.

  220. But the one man's obedience, the many will be made righteous.

  221. So, two people, two effects on two different people.

  222. So, 1 Corinthians 15.

  223. For as in Adam all die.

  224. Everyone attached to Adam will die.

  225. So, also in Christ shall all be made alive.

  226. And Thomas Goodwin, a theologian, he phrased it like this.

  227. This is a helpful way to picture it.

  228. In God's sight, there are two men.

  229. Adam and Jesus Christ.

  230. And these two men have all other men hanging from their girdle strings.

  231. Belt.

  232. Okay.

  233. Right.

  234. So, all of humanity across all time and space.

  235. They are split into two groups.

  236. And they're hanging from two different belts.

  237. Adam and Christ.

  238. And so, whatever happens to these two giants happens to everyone attached to them.

  239. So, if Adam falls, if the giant falls, everyone falls with them.

  240. If a giant stands, if Christ stands, everyone stands with them.

  241. And I want us to see being attached to these giants.

  242. This doesn't just mean at the end of time, everyone will eventually end up on these giants.

  243. No.

  244. I want us to see everything that Christ did in his ministry, he did with a specific people already attached to his belt.

  245. And that includes dying on the cross.

  246. And I want us to see that.

  247. We've got a big breakout section.

  248. So, look at the dotted box.

  249. Lots of questions.

  250. Lots of verses.

  251. Break out into groups.

  252. Answer these questions.

  253. And I want us to see this giant in action in the Bible.

  254. I'll give you five minutes for this.

  255. Thank you.

  256. Thank you.

  257. Thank you.

  258. Thank you.

  259. Thank you.

  260. Thank you.

  261. Thank you.

  262. Thank you.

  263. Thank you.

  264. Thank you.

  265. Thank you.

  266. Thank you.

  267. Thank you.

  268. Thank you.

  269. Thank you.

  270. Thank you.

  271. There we go.

  272. One more minute.

  273. it sounds like people are finished maybe we'll wrap up in a few seconds

  274. okay let's wrap it up there so first question i won't pick on anyone let's just think about this

  275. according to the new testament who has christ come to save that let's just look at the language

  276. it's quite specific isn't it he didn't come to save every single person in the world not everyone will

  277. enter the kingdom no jesus came to save his his specific people matthew 1 he came to save his

  278. church his bride his friends that's who he's laying his life down for and that is a specific known

  279. people and so so think about john 10 so he speaks of his sheep he says he knows his sheep right

  280. that's not every single person he has sheep that belong to him and he knows who they are

  281. it's the flock that he knows and it's and it's those he is laying his life down for

  282. and also it's a specific people known by the father too do you see that so the father has given jesus

  283. a people the father has said here is a people now go and save them right so that's the language that we

  284. see in the new testament and how does christ save these people so he's got people to save how does

  285. he save them it is through the cross so the bible is clear that the cross does something so the cross

  286. is how jesus saves his people and so if jesus came to save a specific people and the cross is how he

  287. saves them then there is a very specific intention to the cross and that's key it's the intention behind

  288. going to the cross right jesus says i am going to the cross to save my people the specific people that

  289. i know and that the father has given me they're the ones i'm going to the cross for because they

  290. are the ones i'm going to save and the cross is how i save them and this this isn't out of the blue

  291. this isn't us trying to kind of cram this onto the new testament's phrasing no this is the exact shape

  292. of the atonement in the old testament so according to the old testament when the priest made sacrifices

  293. who were they intended for intention what was the intention behind the sacrifices so look look back

  294. to the day of atonement leviticus 16 the high priest made atonement for the people for god's specific

  295. people and so notice it doesn't say that he uh it doesn't say he uh he doesn't kill the goats uh

  296. it doesn't say he kills the goat for israel and the philistines and the assyrians and the egyptians

  297. does it and he doesn't say this sacrifice is generally for all nations or just generally

  298. for anyone ambiguously um but really only israel are going to see it and know about it and therefore

  299. it'll apply to them no the priest doesn't even have the philistines in mind when he's doing this

  300. no the sacrifice is intended for a specific people god's people and so related to that whose sin did

  301. the sacrifice atone for right what was the effect um uh what did who did the sacrifice can um apply to

  302. in effect well even on the individual scale we see this here in in that verse when one person sins

  303. any atoning sacrifice that is made it covers their specific sin so the priest shall make atonement

  304. for him for his sin so it's not just a vague sacrifice that just covers sin in general

  305. and then he comes along and maybe the sinner trusts in it and then it covers his sin

  306. no that there was a specific intention it covers his specific sin or think of the day of atonement with

  307. the goat remember we thought about that last week so the priest lays his hands on a goat and confesses

  308. specific sins onto that goat that the goat doesn't just bear sin of the world generally around us no it

  309. doesn't just suffer in general it suffers for those specific sins of that specific people

  310. and so when the high priest made the sacrifices and then entered the holy place was he just acting for

  311. himself or just acting vaguely in general as a vague priest no he was carrying people with him

  312. so that the 12 tribes were written on his breastplate so you could say the people specific people were

  313. written on his heart and that people came in with the high priest and he sacrificed and made atonement

  314. for them that the people on him so not the philistines not the egyptians not generally all people

  315. are on his heart no god's people so so the priest represents a specific people

  316. so we can see here whenever a sacrifice is made it isn't just generally made and then it's up for

  317. grabs for whoever may or may not take it it's not like a medicine box with lots of pills

  318. where there it is just go and grab it maybe some will grab it maybe some won't no whenever a sacrifice

  319. is made it is always intended for a specific people

  320. and that is how we need to think about the cross christ died not just for a general people but

  321. carrying a specific particular definite number of people with him and so we can think of him wearing a

  322. belt so just like adam and christ you know the two giants wear belts think of christ wearing a belt on the

  323. cross metaphorical belt so just like the priests wore a breastplate making sacrifices and then entering

  324. into god's presence with god's people on him not the whole planet well christ on the cross he is like a

  325. giant wearing a belt on that cross carrying a people carrying his people his bride his church

  326. his flock and dying for them so on the cross he was wearing a belt

  327. so let's draw a belt here right that's a belt there are lots of hooks on that belt

  328. on that hook for all his people

  329. all his people that he's substituting him for

  330. and so you can think when you're in christ you can say you can think he was carrying you

  331. on his belt on the cross he was carrying me with him on the cross on his belt

  332. and everyone who will be in his kingdom was on that belt his people we can say he died for us

  333. for our sins and so yes christ is a substitute we thought about that last week he's a substitute

  334. for sinners but but on the cross he's even more than that he's a representative for his people he's

  335. not only substituting he's representing them and so think of a substitute in football so we thought

  336. about that last week so if you come off the pitch and someone else substitutes on for you and they play

  337. um that and let's say that person goes and scores a goal right uh and they win the game uh they win it

  338. for you don't they they're representing the whole team when they sub on and score the goal they're winning

  339. it for their team and not all teams not the other team right that they're subbing in and representing

  340. your team well that is just like christ he represents us and wins atonement for his people

  341. and this is what the confession articulates so have a look at westminster confession 11 4

  342. god did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect his people his flock and christ did

  343. in the fullness of time die for their sins whose sins the elect and rise again for their justification

  344. nevertheless they are not justified until the holy spirit doth in due time actually apply christ unto

  345. them think of last sunday school and the holy spirit and so i think you can see here that this is linked to

  346. election i know this might be opening up a whole nother topic um this is linked to to election and that's

  347. important god knows who he will save that the father already had a people to save and so he gives that

  348. people to christ to save now we don't have a list of who those people are that is a secret for god to

  349. know that that is in the mind of god hidden but god does know that and so he's chosen to save that people

  350. and this is why it's called limited atonement or sometimes called limited atonement not because

  351. it's limited in power or limited a limit of god's mercy like oh yeah god's not that merciful it's not

  352. limiting god's mercy he's not saying it's small but it's called limited atonement because the cross

  353. is limited limited to a specific number of people but there are not those who will never be in a new

  354. creation

  355. there are not these people also included it is limited to his people and that's why i think definite

  356. atonement is probably a better term uh um i think that yeah try to use that term uh definite it suggests

  357. that there is something definite and intentional about the cross and that's i think key to how to

  358. think about this it's the intention what is christ and god's intention going to the cross it's to save

  359. the people on his belt and so think of a belt but also and i'll stop for questions at the end

  360. uh also think of a treasure chest so uh you remember a sin debt hangs over our heads doesn't it

  361. and that debt that is what is owed to god that debt is our lives remember the soul that sins shall die

  362. and so what happened on the cross jesus paid that debt for us with his own life he redeemed us paid

  363. that debt by dying and so uh let's just keep thinking about that think of uh being in debt to a bank okay

  364. so let's say you owe a bank a trillion trillion pounds right just just infinite money and you just can

  365. never repay it this is this is the this is the parable jesus makes in matthew 18 and you can just

  366. never repay it uh well the cross is like jesus carrying a treasure chest full of wealth infinite

  367. wealth into that bank into your bank going to your bank account and just handing over that treasure chest

  368. and paying it all for you paying all that debt wiping it out and it's an infinitely valuable treasure

  369. chest because if you come back to the cross he is the treasure chest it's his life it's infinitely

  370. valuable and so the cross is like jesus going to the bank and actually paying your debt it's a payment

  371. and so the cross actually does something the cross doesn't just potentially save people it doesn't

  372. just potentially pay a debt it actually pays a debt it is the payment into uh into the account

  373. it intentionally saves people so look at revelation 5 for you were slain and by your blood you ransomed

  374. people for god ransomed redeemed redemption paying the debt mark 10 for even the son of man came not to

  375. be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom a payment a redemption for many and tied to

  376. christ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and so christ actually did something

  377. on that good friday he didn't just make us redeemable he didn't just potentially redeem us no he actually

  378. redeemed us something was handed over to god in on that day a payment was actually made and so if you

  379. think of a treasure chest a treasure chest christ was actually handed over on that good friday he didn't

  380. just pay a debt in general and say okay now it's up for grabs some people may have their debts wiped out

  381. maybe not take it or leave it no debt is always specific to sin and that's just like the old

  382. testament sacrifices it's linked to personal guilt right it's payment for specific sins of specific people

  383. so just like the one peter two he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree our personal sins were on

  384. there our personal debt whose sins ours his people the people on his belt jesus hands over the treasure

  385. chest of his life for the people on his belt and the confession again is summarizes this well look at

  386. 8.5 the lord jesus christ by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself which he through the eternal

  387. spirit once offered up unto god hath fully satisfied the justice of his father fully satisfied debt ended

  388. and purchased not only reconciliation but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven for all those

  389. whom the father who's whom the father hath given unto him so christ made a perfect and complete payment for us

  390. and that payment settled the debt the treasure chest and the treasure chest it was so valuable in fact

  391. do you see it purchased something so it not only settled the debt and it not only achieved reconciliation

  392. not only reconciliation but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven for all those

  393. whom the father hath given unto him

  394. so do you see that there is a link between who christ died for

  395. and who will actually be saved the debt is paid for those who will be in the everlasting kingdom

  396. and if we're to say otherwise okay let's just zoom out and just maybe kind of put on the other hat all

  397. right let's say this isn't the case or let's say um someone believes this isn't the case

  398. it presents two really big problems because think about it let's say christ died for all people

  399. every single human being that will ever live and that's the way the father designed the cross

  400. even i'm not talking about saving absolutely i'm talking about hypothetically dying for all people

  401. and let's say that's the way the father designed the cross and christ goes to the cross and he's

  402. thinking i'm laying down my life for everyone ever i'm producing a medicine box for everyone with a

  403. with a trillion plus pills but it turns out not everyone will actually be saved by this

  404. it presents two really big problems that means first of all the cross isn't powerful enough

  405. he went to save them he had them in mind but they didn't get saved he redeemed them from sin

  406. but it didn't work because their sins then remain on them basically the treasure chest isn't valuable

  407. enough which is just unthinkable to say of christ's death so that's the first thing and the second

  408. problem is that if christ pays the debt for everyone so some something was actually happening on the cross

  409. not potentially it was actually happening and he actually paid the debt of everyone hypothetically

  410. right and then potentially everyone will um kind of come and accept that uh that payment of debt

  411. if christ pays that debt but some don't accept the payment and then they go to hell let's say like

  412. these type of people that means they also have to pay the debt for their sins and so uh think of it like this

  413. so let's say let's say christ died for everyone this is everyone this is everyone who lived in the past

  414. in the future absolutely everyone let's say christ in kind of went to the cross intentionally for them

  415. this is view number two and then all that debt went on to christ that that's what we've seen uh

  416. uh happened on the cross so all that debt went on to christ he substituted in for everyone and represented

  417. everyone but let's say someone because this is everyone someone doesn't accept that payment and they

  418. uh so they go to hell okay

  419. and so they go to hell that they face god's judgment what are they doing there in judgment

  420. that they are first of all

  421. receiving god's wrath

  422. okay this is just the teaching of hell

  423. and they're also

  424. in doing so in facing god's wrath in spending eternity in hell

  425. they are paying something they are paying for their sins

  426. they are paying their own treasure chest

  427. right and so have a look if that is the case so christ paid for them on the cross

  428. but then they step out of that don't accept the payment and then they have to pay it

  429. in hell how many payments will be made for their sins

  430. there's two how many treasure chests are there there's two

  431. his life christ's life and their life

  432. and that wouldn't be just if christ has satisfied god's justice

  433. but then they go to hell and have to pay again

  434. then christ hasn't satisfied god's justice on the cross

  435. because it's paid twice

  436. and so that would simply be unjust and couldn't square with god's character

  437. but that isn't what happened

  438. no something remarkable happened on the cross

  439. a treasure chest

  440. was handed over

  441. and every sin of his people

  442. was actually paid for

  443. so the cross doesn't potentially save

  444. it actually does all those attached to his belt

  445. and that is why with his last breath

  446. what does jesus cry

  447. it is finished

  448. the debt is over

  449. guilt ended no more payment no more punishment

  450. and so it is impossible for christ to die for someone

  451. and then for them to have to pay for their sins again

  452. it completely undermines the justice and the satisfaction

  453. and all that christ was doing on the cross

  454. we must say christ died for his people

  455. and this isn't just kind of a niche theological debate

  456. and i was trying to kind of like with the argument

  457. no

  458. this is a huge confidence and comfort for us

  459. this means we can look at the cross

  460. and we can say christ actually died for me

  461. he went to the cross

  462. with me written on his heart

  463. and something actually happened with my sin on that day

  464. christ redeemed me

  465. he went to the cross for me

  466. i was written on his heart

  467. and he was carrying me on his belt

  468. and so my redemption is certain

  469. because he went to die for me

  470. and i want us to see

  471. this is definite atonement

  472. okay

  473. this is it's biblical

  474. and this is what is happening on the cross

  475. okay

  476. but what about the whatabouts

  477. let's get on to that

  478. let's just finish with that

  479. i can't get on to every kind of single puzzling text

  480. but i'll kind of give you a way to think about them

  481. and i'll do some examples

  482. so anything that includes all or every old world

  483. i can't touch on everything

  484. but i hope even before we get on to the the puzzling text

  485. i hope what we can see already

  486. should already kind of clarify what it can't mean

  487. right so if we come across and

  488. christ died for all

  489. or um

  490. god so loved the world

  491. we've got to be careful already

  492. because we know how we kind of

  493. we need to think

  494. so we've got to realize what it can't mean

  495. okay but let's see what they do mean

  496. what about the all verses

  497. so what about 1 timothy 2

  498. who christ gave himself as a ransom for all

  499. one act of righteousness leads to justification in life

  500. for all men

  501. he who did not spare his own son

  502. but gave him up for us all

  503. how will he not also along with him

  504. graciously give us all things

  505. well the first thing to say is

  506. just because you see the word all

  507. it doesn't necessarily mean

  508. and automatically mean

  509. all people

  510. right

  511. every single person ever

  512. it doesn't necessarily mean that

  513. and it just have a look at romans 8 32

  514. okay

  515. so do you see

  516. how will he not also

  517. so it says

  518. gave him up for us all

  519. okay

  520. question mark

  521. what does all mean

  522. how will he not also

  523. along with him

  524. graciously give us

  525. all things

  526. now when he says all things

  527. clearly he doesn't mean

  528. literally all things

  529. christ doesn't give us

  530. every ferrari in the world

  531. at every second

  532. all the time does he

  533. and he doesn't give us lightsabers

  534. he doesn't give us infinite money

  535. right

  536. so it can't

  537. already we've got to think

  538. it can't mean

  539. all

  540. all

  541. right

  542. so we need to be careful with all

  543. he means

  544. all types of things

  545. that we need

  546. and so for one timothy

  547. let's have a look at one timothy

  548. he's saying

  549. christ gave himself

  550. for all types of people

  551. so jew

  552. gentile

  553. rich

  554. poor

  555. male

  556. female

  557. in fact that this is his point

  558. in one in one timothy two

  559. he's saying pray for kings

  560. pray for the people in high

  561. authority

  562. because christ's salvation

  563. is for all

  564. types of people

  565. like don't neglect

  566. even the kings

  567. okay

  568. uh

  569. no it's for

  570. uh

  571. it's not for each and

  572. every all person

  573. it's for all types of people

  574. and that's the same with world

  575. okay

  576. so what about world verses

  577. so look at one john two

  578. he is the propitiation

  579. for our sins

  580. and not for ours only

  581. but also for the sins

  582. of the whole world

  583. i think this may be the one

  584. that catches us most off guard

  585. so john

  586. let's think about the context

  587. john is writing

  588. as an apostle

  589. and he's saying

  590. propitiation

  591. salvation

  592. is not just for

  593. us apostles

  594. and not just for us jews

  595. and not just for a special

  596. sect of people

  597. which is the problem

  598. going on in one john

  599. if you if you remember

  600. in home groups

  601. it's kind of a special

  602. sect of people saying

  603. this is true christianity

  604. no he's not just saying

  605. and not just apostles

  606. not just jews

  607. not just a special sect

  608. of people

  609. no christ's propitiation

  610. is for all types of people

  611. across the world

  612. all types of people

  613. everywhere

  614. that's the same with

  615. john 3 16

  616. for god so loved

  617. the world

  618. god didn't set his love

  619. on jupiter or pluto

  620. or mars

  621. no he set his love

  622. on this world

  623. this sinful world

  624. and that includes

  625. all types of people

  626. whoever do you see

  627. whoever believes

  628. will have eternal life

  629. uh

  630. and so if you ever come

  631. across all

  632. or world

  633. just think

  634. not every single person

  635. it's all types of people

  636. uh

  637. the people hanging on

  638. christ belt

  639. are

  640. you can think

  641. they are all types

  642. of people aren't they

  643. all sorts

  644. we are all types

  645. of people here

  646. okay

  647. but what about

  648. preaching and evangelism

  649. so a common objection

  650. is to say

  651. well if christ

  652. didn't die

  653. for all people

  654. how can we offer

  655. the gospel

  656. to all people

  657. well the first thing

  658. to say is

  659. it's just not our place

  660. to know who the father

  661. has chosen

  662. okay

  663. what we're saying here

  664. isn't that we know

  665. who these people are

  666. and that we

  667. therefore we don't need

  668. to worry

  669. or care

  670. no

  671. we are just called

  672. to preach the gospel

  673. we know god has a people

  674. and we are

  675. our duty is just

  676. to preach the gospel

  677. but actually

  678. definite atonement

  679. so believing that christ

  680. died for his people

  681. this actually gives us

  682. even more confidence

  683. to share the gospel

  684. because definite

  685. atonement says

  686. we can present

  687. a message that says

  688. it is really

  689. with christ

  690. that's not looking

  691. this is the wrong way

  692. to think

  693. it is really

  694. with christ

  695. on the cross

  696. that is

  697. that is where

  698. you will find

  699. atonement

  700. there is no

  701. evil

  702. too great

  703. no sin

  704. too bad

  705. that that treasure

  706. chest cannot

  707. perfectly pay for

  708. because whoever

  709. believes in him

  710. you can really say

  711. christ died for me

  712. not generally

  713. but for my specific sins

  714. he was on the cross

  715. for me

  716. and so definite

  717. atonement

  718. it actually empowers

  719. evangelism

  720. it gives

  721. confidence

  722. it gives us

  723. confidence

  724. that the cross

  725. actually does save

  726. it's not just

  727. hypothetically

  728. maybe it saves

  729. some people

  730. no

  731. when people believe

  732. the gospel

  733. their sins

  734. really are atoned for

  735. and so you can

  736. kind of think of it

  737. this way

  738. it's like saying

  739. trust in jesus

  740. and you will find

  741. you were on his

  742. belt the whole time

  743. we don't know

  744. who's on there

  745. but when you trust

  746. in him

  747. you realize

  748. you were there

  749. the whole time

  750. and this is why

  751. this isn't just

  752. a random debate

  753. this isn't

  754. this isn't just

  755. kind of a niche

  756. thing to think about

  757. no

  758. this actually gets

  759. to the heart

  760. of the atonement

  761. definite atonement

  762. it gives real meaning

  763. to the heart

  764. of the gospel

  765. message

  766. that's been

  767. passed down

  768. to us

  769. but what is

  770. the heart

  771. of the gospel

  772. christ died

  773. for our sins

  774. according to

  775. the scriptures

  776. that's what we're

  777. seeing

  778. it's definite

  779. atonement

  780. let's

  781. do one

  782. or two

  783. questions

  784. you