Saturday, May 17, 2014

BOTH THE FEW AND THE MANY NEED SALVATION

There is an age old debate which distracts many Christians from obeying Christ's command to proclaim the Gospel, to then baptize the converts, and finally, to teach new believers to enlist in the Lord's campaign to reach a lost world for Him (Mt. 28:19-20).  Actually, there are dozens of doctrines that fall into that category, but the Doctrine of Election (whether a man can choose to believe and be saved, or that only those who are arbitrarily chosen by God can be saved), is the topic of today.

Perhaps the solution to the two main views of election can be found in the words, "For MANY are called, but few are chosen" (Mt. 22:14).  One can better understand the word "many" as it is used in Romans 5:19, which reads, "For as by one man's disobedience MANY were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous."

The same Greek word is used in both verses:  πολύς (polys), which means, wait for it, wait for it..."the many, as in the opposite of the few."  Since we KNOW that Adam's sin "contaminated ALL of humanity," then the MANY called, should be viewed as ALL are called.  It is God's prerogative as to whom He chooses to become His child, but knowing He wishes NONE to perish (2 Pet. 3:9), we can therefore KNOW that He "at least" calls ALL to come to Him; otherwise, could Paul have written: 

"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 (ALL) ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened" (Rom. 1:19-21).

Since Jesus died for ALL sinners, and ALL have sinned, His death was therefore the "...propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 Jn. 2:2 - see also:  Jn. 1:29; 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 9:28; etc.).


Preach the Gospel which glorifies God!  Arguing Scripture is counter productive!

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