ALL?

In John 6:44, Jesus stated, "No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."  This verse clearly indicates that man is incapable of coming to Jesus, in and of himself, but that he must be attracted to Christ by the wooing of the Father.  There are a couple of clear facts we can gain from this.  First, that man is by nature, not inclined to gravitate toward the Savior without the prompting of God (Rom. 3:11).  The very fact that a man does seek to know Christ, is evidence that the Father has drawn him.  Secondly, those who respond to God's drawing, by placing their faith in Christ, will be part of the First Resurrection (Rev. 20:5-6).

In John 12:32, Jesus declared, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL men unto Me."  The next verse explains His meaning; "This he said, signifying what death He should die."  Jesus was saying that by His being nailed upon a cross to die for the sins of the whole world (Jn. 3:16; 1 Jn. 2:2; etc.), all men would be drawn to Him (2 Pet. 3:9).

These statements, taken together, do not seem possible.  Literally billions have lived and died without hearing the Gospel, that is, that Jesus "died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3-4).  How then can it be said that God has drawn all men to Jesus?

What I am about to say may get me in serious trouble with many, if not all of my Christian brethren, but please hear me out.  First, Jesus is God (Isa. 9:6; Jn. 1:1, 14; Phil. 2:6; Titus 2:13; 1 Jn. 5:7; etc.)!  So, when someone is drawn to God, it is the same as them being drawn to Jesus; they are One.  That is why the Old Testament saints, most of whom never heard of God's Son or His Passover-like sacrifice of Himself for their sins, are declared righteous by faith in God (Heb. 11:1 - 12:2). 

Man is drawn to faith in God, and hence, in Jesus, by the marvels of natural revelation.  "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse" (Rom. 1:19-20).  In other words, when man sees the works of creation and he worships the Creator, he is worshiping Jesus (Jn. 1:1-3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:1-2).

Man is drawn to faith in God, and hence, in Jesus, when God reveals Himself through the super-natural revelation of His Word.  Jesus said, "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me" (Jn. 5:39).   In describing the Lord's conversation with two very despondent travelers on their way back to Emmaus, Luke writes, "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself" (Lk. 24:27).

Jesus died and rose again to offer salvation to all who place their trust in God.