I came across this statement by John MacArthur in my study of John 6:41-59 yesterday. MacArthur is commenting specifically on verse 51 where Jesus said"...and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh". MacArthur writes:
"The concept of Jesus giving Himself sacrificially for sinners is a repeated New Testament theme (e.g. Matt. 20:28; Gal. 1:4; 2:20; Eph. 5:2, 25; I Tim. 2:6; Titus 2:14). The Lord referred prophetically here to His death on the cross (2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; I Pet. 2:24), one of many such predictions recorded in the Gospels (John 2:19-22; 12:24; Matt. 12:40; 16:21; 17:22; 20:18: Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34; Lk. 9:22, 44; 18:31-33; 24:6-7). It is Jesus' offering of His 'flesh' that is the price of redemption. Had He merely come and proclaimed God's standards, it would have left the human race in a hopeless predicament. Since no one can keep those standards, there would have been no way for sinners to have a relationship with God. But to make reconciliation between sinful man and holy God possible, 'Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God' (I Pet. 3:18; cf. 2:24; Isa. 53:4-6; Rom. 3:21-26; 2 Cor. 5:21)...
...His death, for all who believed and would believe, God accepted as the full payment for sin...
The death of Christ was a real, genuine, actual, satisfaction of divine justice. It was a true payment and atonement in full- actually, not potentially, paid to God by Christ on behalf of all who would ever believe, because they were chosen and redeemed by the power of God. The death of Christ was definite, particular, specific, and actual on behalf of God's chosen people, limited in extent by His sovereign purposes, but unlimited in effect for all for whom it was rendered.
Redemption is the work of God. Christ died to accomplish it, not merely to make it possible and then finally accomplished when the sinner believes. The Bible does not teach that Jesus died for everyone potentially, but no one actually. On the contrary, Christ procured salvation for all whom God would call and justify; He actually paid the penalty in full for all who would ever believe. Sinners do not limit the atonement by their lack of faith; God does by His sovereign design" (The MacArthur N.T. Commentary, 258-259).
What a statement on the atonement!
That is indeed a weighty statement...and we actually touched on that briefly this past Wednesday in our small group study on John. Greg Messenger mentioned that Christ's sacrifice on the cross was certainly SUFFICIENT to atone for every man's sin, but was not MEANT to cover every man's sin. As stated above, Christ died for those who, by God's sovereign design alone, were chosen before the beginning of time! How amazing is His love and grace to us, helpless sinners, who deserve death but have been given LIFE and, as we've been learning in church, FREEDOM in Christ!
ReplyDeleteAnd I also just wanted to say thank you to everyone who got this project going for taking the time to create this blog - this is such a great way to review and share what we've been learning in all our studies, and it's a great opportunity to bombard Andy with more questions! So thank you, and I look forward to all the future posts and comments.
Laura Bonser
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ReplyDeleteMacArthur also made this statement (if I can remember it...I am in Florida right now and am bookless)... "Christ did not die for everyone potentially, but nobody actually." This is simply another way of stating that the atonement was specific, particular, and limited to God's chosen people. To say otherwise logically makes Christ deficient.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I do not mind being bombarded with questions. Although, I do not claim to have all the answers. I simply enjoy the dialogue. I get excited when others get excited about theology. There is nothing more stimulating.