100 Scriptural Proofs Jesus Christ is the Savior of All Mankind
Under this heading, we have been listing Scriptural proofs that Jesus is Savior of all prepared by Thomas Whittemore in 1840. In the previous issues of Dew we listed 10 proofs per issue. In this issue we will list 30. When we have published all 100 in Dew, Father willing, we will then print a booklet containing all 100 proofs.
The Death of Christ
Because God not only wills the salvation of all men; not only hath purposed
to save them all; not only hath promised it; not only hath confirmed that
promise by an OATH (see previous issues); but also hath provided the means,
in the death of Christ, for the salvation of all men. Jesus died for all.
"He gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (1 Tim. 2:6)
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering
of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he, by the grace of God, should
taste death for every man." (Heb. 2:9) "And he is the propitiation for our
sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1
John 2:2) Here are three expressions: 1st, "ALL;" 2nd, "EVERYMAN;" 3d, "THE
WHOLE WORLD." It seems as though the sacred writers took the utmost care to
guard against being misunderstood in this important particular. Some would
have us believe (see Prof. Stuart's Com. on Heb. 2:9) that these expressions
are to be understood only in a general sense, in opposition to the contracted
opinions of the Jews, who confined the blessings of God to their own nation
only; and that the words are intended to declare, that Jesus died for Gentiles
as well as Jews. We cannot so restrict the sense. Look at the connection in
which these passages are found, and it will be seen that the terms used, apply
to all men, in the widest sense of these terms. Paul instructs Timothy to
pray for all men; not for Jews and Gentiles in the general sense, but for
kings and all in authority; for this is good and acceptable in the sight of
God, who will have all men to be saved. So John says, "if any man sin, we
have an Advocate with the Father." (1 Epistle John 1:1) Is not the language
here designed to apply to all men: Who can dispute it?
The labor of Christ will be efficacious for all for whom He died. "He shall
see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied." (Is. 53:2) "And I,
if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me." (John 12:32)
If the Redeemer died for all men, can He be satisfied with the salvation of
a part only? Can He look back upon his work and say, it is well done? Will
He not rather draw all men unto Him, by the power of His truth, and make them
holy and happy forever? Are we not authorized to expect such a result, from
the fact, that He gave Himself a ransom for all? And if they are all drawn
unto Him, will they not all be saved?
When Jesus was born, the angel said to the fearful shepherds, "Behold,
I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." (Luke
2:10) The tidings of the Redeemer's birth, were certainly good tidings to
all people. They should all hear these tidings, and to all they should be
good tidings. But how can this be, if a part of the human race are never to
be benefited by the Redeemer's sacrifice?
The people who heard Jesus preach said, "we have heard Him ourselves, and
we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world." (John 4:42)
Jesus cannot be the Savior of the world, if the world will never be saved.
What Jesus taught the Samaritans, that induced them to regard Him as the Savior
of the world, may be inferred, 1st. from His conversation with the woman at
the well of Jacob, (John 4) and 2nd, from the exclamation of the Samaritans,
in the 42nd verse. He evidently did not preach to them the doctrine of endless
misery; for would they have concluded from the fact of his preaching that
doctrine, that he was THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD?"
John, the beloved disciple of Christ, said, "We have seen, and do testify,
that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world." (1 John 4:14)
This is the same character that the Samaritans judged the Lord to possess,
from his personal instruction. (John 4:42) John says, "We have seen;" i.e.
he knew it from his acquaintance with his Master. And do testify. We cannot
hide this truth; we will proclaim to men, that Jesus is the Savior of the
world.
The Testimony of the Prophets
All the holy prophets have spoken of the restitution of all things. "And
He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, whom the heaven
must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath
spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets, since the world began." (Acts
3:20,21) This is an important passage of Scripture. "And he shall send Jesus
Christ, which before was preached unto you, (but who hath been crucified,
and hath ascended unto heaven, and ) whom the heaven must receive (or contain)
until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the
mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." This "restitution of
all things" is to take place, when Jesus comes down from the heavens, in the
sense in which he had ascended into heaven. He had ascended into the heaven
bodily; the heavens would contain Him until the times of the restitution;
and then He would bodily visit the earth again. Now when shall he visit the
earth again bodily? Answer, at the resurrection of the dead. (See Acts 1:10,11,
and 1 Thess. 4:16) We conclude from this, that the restitution of all things
is to take place at the resurrection of the dead. The learned Parkhurst gives
this view of the subject, and quotes Stockius at large as agreeing with him.
We do not understand, that the restitution shall not begin until the time,
but that it shall then be completed, and filled up, so that it may be said,
all things are restored. This is begun in part in this life; but it will be
completed and finished at the resurrection. What is this restitution? It is
the putting of things back into their original condition. See A. Clarke, on
the passage. Man was originally created in God's image; but the divine image
has been obscured by sin; and men now bear the image of the earthly. But at
the resurrection, when Christ shall appear, the restitution of all things
shall take place, and then mankind will be restored to the image of God again;
for St. Paul says, that at the resurrection mankind shall be changed from
the earthly to the heavenly image. (1 Cor. 15:49) This heavenly image which
we have lost, we obtain back again at the resurrection of the dead; and to
this the Saviour's language agrees, for He saith, that in the resurrection
men shall be as the angels of God in heaven; i.e. they shall bear the heavenly
image; (Matt. 22:30) that they can die no more, and "shall be the children
of God, being the children of the resurrection." (Luke 22:36) This God hath
spoken by all his holy prophets since the world began; not fully and clearly
as He hath revealed it in the gospel; but He hath spoken by the prophets of
the recovery of all things from the dominion of sin, and their reconciliation
to God, and the gaining again of the heavenly image. The reader is referred
to a long and excellent passage in A. Clark's Com. on Acts 3:21, which he
closes by saying, "as therefore, the subject here referred to is that, of
which all the prophets from the beginning have spoken, (and the grand subject
of all their declarations was Christ and His words among men,) therefore the
words are to be applied to this, and no other meaning. Jesus Christ comes
to raise up man from a state of ruin, and restore to him the image of God,
as he possessed it at the beginning."
Moses, one of the earliest prophets, foretold the destruction of all evil,
when he represented sin under the figure of a serpent, whose head the seed
of the woman was to bruise. "I will put enmity between thee and the woman,
and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt
bruise his heel." (Gen. 3:15)
David also said, "all the ends of the world shall remember, and turn unto
the Lord; and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him." (Psalms
22:27) This agrees precisely with the promise of God to Abraham, that all
the nations, families, and kindreds of the earth shall be blessed in Christ
Jesus.
David also said, :all kings shall fall down before Him (Christ), all nations
shall serve Him,--men shall be blessed in Him, all nations shall call Him
blessed." (Psalms 72:11,17) This is of the same import with section 38.
David also said, "All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship
before thee, O Lord, and shall glorify thy name." (Psalms 86:9) This must
certainly include all the nations of the earth; God made them all, from Adam
to the latest born.
David also said, not less than twenty-six times, in that part of his meditations
embraced in the 136th Psalm, "his mercy endureth forever." What kind of a
mercy is the mercy of God, which is to endure forever: it is a universal mercy.
See the next section.
He also declared, that that mercy which is to endure forever, is over all
the works of God. "The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over
all his works." (Psalms 145:9) God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.
He also said, "all thy works shall praise thee, O Lord, and thy saints
shall bless thee." (Psalms 145:10) Can all God's works praise Him, if a part
are consigned to eternal fire?
He also said, "the Lord is gracious, and full of compassion, slow to anger,
and of great mercy." (Psalms 145:8) Can endless misery be ordained by such
a god as this?
He also said; "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous
in mercy. He will not always chide; neither will He keep His anger forever."
(Psalms 103:8,9) This could not possibly be true, if God purposed to make
any of His creatures forever miserable. If we allow that torment shall be
endless, can we say, that "God will not always chide," nor "keep His anger
forever?"
Isaiah represented, that there was no sin which might not be pardoned.
"Though you sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they
be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isa. 1:18) The evident intent
of this language is, that there was no sin so deep-dyed in the soul, that
it could not be washed away. That is here said of Israel, is true of every
individual.
It is said, that "all nations shall flow into the mountain of the Lord's
house,"--a figurative representation of the covenant of the Gospel. (Isa.
2:2)
In this mountain, the Lord of Hosts hath made for all people a feast of
fat things. "And in this mountain, shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people
a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees; of fat things full of
marrow, of wines on the lees well-refined." (Isa. 25:6) By "mountain," here,
is meant the covenant of the Gospel; the place of the establishment of the
ark is made a metaphor, to signify the Gospel. Adam Clarke says, this feast
is "salvation by Jesus Christ." Com. On the place. This salvation is prepared
for all people; it is sufficient to supply the wants of all.
"God will destroy, in this mountain, the face of the covering cast over
all people, and the veil, that is spread over all nations." (Isa. 25:7) This
salvation is not uselessly prepared. Unbelief shall be done away. The darkness
of the nations shall be removed. The covering cast over all nations shall
be destroyed; they will then all see the truth.
"God will swallow up death in victory. " (Isa. 25:8) This is to take place
at the resurrection of the dead, for Paul quotes these words, and applies
them to the resurrection of the dead, in 1 Cor. 15:54.
"The Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces: (Isa. 25:8) The
work of the Gospel will not be fully done, until tears shall be wiped away
from all faces. Sorrow shall cease. Paul applies the subject to the resurrection
of the dead.
Isaiah said, "the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall
see it together." (Isa. 40:5) This is the declaration of Yahweh, for the prophet
adds, "the mouth of the lord hath spoken it." If the Lord hath declared, that
all flesh shall see his glory together, surely it must be done.
Isaiah represents the Gospel as being completely successful in accomplishing
the purpose for which it was sent into the world"--that, as the rain and snow
come down from heaven, and return not thither, but water the earth, and cause
it to bring forth and bud, so shall the word of God be; it shall not return
void, but it shall accomplish the divine pleasure, and prosper in the thing
for which God sent it. (Isa. 45:10,11) Thus all who allow that God sent the
Gospel to benefit all mankind, must here see, that that beneficent object
will surely be accomplished. If any reject the Gospel, and are lost forever,
can it be said in truth, that God's word does not return unto Him void?
Isaiah, speaking in the name of Yahweh, said, of Christ, "I will also give
thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the
end of the earth." (Isa.49:6) In this verse, the prophet affirms, that the
blessings of the Gospel should not be confined to the Jews. "I will also give
thee for a light to the Gentiles;" for what purpose? Answer; "that thou mayest
be my salvation unto the end of the earth." This expression is intended to
signify the greatest possible extension of the blessings of the Gospel. Is
this consistent with the supposed fact, that countless millions of the human
race shall never hear of the blessings of the Gospel?
Isaiah represented Yahweh as saying, "I will not contend forever, neither
will I be always wroth; for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls
which I have made." (Isa 57:16) Is this declaration consistent with the doctrine
of endless misery? According to that doctrine, will not God contend forever?
Will He not be always wroth?
Yahweh saith, by Jeremiah, concerning the covenant He made with the house
of Israel, " I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their
heats; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall
teach no more every man his Neighbor, and every man his brother, saying ,
know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the
greatest of them, saith the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I
will remember their sin no more." (Jer. 31:33,34) The spirit of the passage
is universal grace. What God here saith He will do for the Jews, He will also
do for the Gentiles. The former is a pledge of the latter. (See, for additional
argument on this subject, section 88)
Jeremiah bore testimony against the supposition, that God would inflict
any punishment on His creatures which is not for their good. "THE LORD WILL
NOT CAST OFF FOREVER. But though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion
according to the multitude of His mercies, for He doth not afflict willingly,
nor grieve the children of men." (Lamen. 3:31-33) O, what a precious declaration
is this! Though God cause grief, yet He will have compassion according to
the multitude of His mercies, for He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve
the children of men. This is the principle of the divine government. God does
not afflict for the purpose of afflicting, but for the good of the sufferer.
How, then, can endless torment be inflicted?
Daniel said, of the reign of Christ, "there was given Him dominion, and
glory and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve
Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom, that which
shall not be destroyed." (Dan. 7:14) If all people, nations, and languages
serve the Savior, will they be endlessly miserable? Will they not be endlessly
happy? This passage should be applied, undoubtedly, to all for whom the Savior
died. Jesus seems to have referred to the declaration of the prophets, in
what He said after His resurrection. (Matt. 28:18)
Hosea said, "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem
them from death. O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave (or Hell, Sheol),
I will be thy destruction." (Hosea 13:14) Let the light of inspiration guide
us. St. Paul applies these words to the resurrection of the dead, at the last
day. (1 Cor. 15:54,55) At the resurrection of the dead, then, God will destroy
Sheol, HELL. He does not raise His creatures from the dead in order to punish
them forever in sheol,(Hell) for sheol (Hell) shall then be destroyed.
Micah said, of Yahweh, " He retaineth not His anger forever, because He
delighteth in mercy." (Micah 7:18) A most precious assurance! Altogether at
variance with the doctrine of endless misery.
