For Whom Did Christ Die?-- Part 2

Jesus Christ did not purchase salvation for any person to whom it will never be applied. Such a view devaluates the redemptive work of Christ. Furthermore, it discredits Divine election and the eternal covenant of grace. The good Shepherd does not have, nor will He ever have, sheep who have not or will not have redemption applied to them. Christ said, “…I have other sheep, which are not of this fold (aule, fold for sheep); I must bring them also, and they shall hear my voice; and they shall become one flock (poimne, flock of sheep) with one shepherd” (John 10:16 NASB).

Christ’s flock takes in more sheep than the fold of Judaism. All nations and ages are included in John 10:16. There are goats within the fold, but there are no goats within the flock. The sheep hear the voice of the Shepherd, but the goats renounce what they hear with unsanctified ears. The religious Pharisees could not understand the remarks of Christ in John 10:17-18—“For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father” (NASB). These words of Christ appeared to be foolish to the natural minds of the Israelites who were Pharisees. A man laying down his life in order to take it again was strange language to the unregenerate Jews.

The Pharisees of John 9:39-41 are the antecedent of the plural pronoun “you” of John 10:1. “TRULY, truly, I say to you” is never the beginning of a discourse. Such a statement is either a reply to a question, or it is the continuation of a discourse. Therefore, John 10 is a continuation of the preceding chapter. John 9 and 10 give a Divine commentary of Romans 9:6-8. All of Abraham’s descendants are not spiritual. His seed must also be viewed as natural (John 8:33, 37; Rom. 9:7), spiritual (Rom. 9:7, 8), and spiritual that is not natural (Gal. 3:29; John 10:16; Eph. 2:12-18).

The fold (aule) was a roofless enclosure where many flocks of sheep were protected at night while the shepherds were sleeping. The fold separated the sheep from their enemies in the world except those who entered the fold unlawfully. The Pharisees were unauthorized teachers and rulers. The same Pharisees in John 9 who were reported by Christ as saying, “We see” (v. 41), are denounced in John 10:1 and 8 as “thieves and robbers.” Those who came before Christ were the false teachers that had troubled Israel.

The Pharisees were unauthorized teachers and rulers. Nothing is as offensive to Jesus Christ as false teachers who claim to be sheep. On the other hand, all true undershepherds are brought to the feet of the great Shepherd and recognize they are under His orders. “Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (I Pet. 4:11 NASB).

Pharisaism originates when obedience ceases to be the outcome of an inward principle. Since everyone is a hypocrite by nature and the religious world thrives on hypocrisy, people make a show of religion. Hypocrites are like pictures on canvas. They show fairest at a distance. Will painted gold enrich? Will painted water refresh the person who is thirsty? Will painted holiness be a cordial at the hour of death?

The words “sheep” and “election” are used synonymously in Scripture. There were some chosen people among the persons of a chosen nation. Through the Jews have come not only the oracles of God (Rom. 3:1-6), but also from them would proceed the Savior (John 4:22). Therefore, the chosen among the Jews were predestined to learn that salvation, which was from the Jews, would come through Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:21).

In Jesus Christ perfect Deity is united to perfect humanity. The Divine Person did not assume a human person. He assumed a holy human nature: “And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35 NASB). “Concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 1:3, 4 NASB). The fullness of the Godhead cannot dwell in a human person, but the fullness of the Godhead dwells in a Divine Person who assumed a human nature: “For in Him all the fulness of the Deity dwells in bodily form” (Col. 2:9 NASB). This means that all the wonders of the world have to take a back seat since the mystery of the incarnation: “And by confession great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Beheld by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory” (I Tim. 3:16 NASB). If this is not enough to hold Christians spellbound, consider the following facts: (1) Jesus Christ who made woman was born of woman (Gal. 4:4). (2) Abraham’s birth preceded the birth of Jesus Christ, and yet He existed before Abraham (John 8:56-58). (3) He who was David’s Son was also David’s Lord (Matt. 22:43; Rom. 1:3, 4). (4) He who had a Father in eternity also had a mother but no father in time. (5) He who had no beginning of days or ending of life in eternity, had a beginning of days and an ending of life on earth in time. (6) He whom the heavens cannot contain was contained in the womb of a virgin (I Kings 8:27; Luke 1:35). (7) Christ was the fruit of the womb, but not of the loins (Luke 1:42).

There are fifteen direct references to Christ’s sheep in John 10. The flock of spiritual Israel is the covenant of promise. The eternal covenant of grace was brought to light through them: “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever, Amen” (Heb. 13:20, 21 NASB). In his second letter to Timothy, Paul said, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher” (II Tim. 1:8-11 NASB).

God’s electing love separates God’s sheep from the rest of mankind. That is particular redemption because it is for specific persons. God’s chosen ones have been permanently loved and kept in the eternal covenant of grace. Both agapao and tereo are perfect passive participles in Jude 1. Even though the elect of God were permanently loved and kept, they fell in their human head, Adam (Rom. 5:12). However, they did not fall out of their covenant Head, Jesus Christ. All the chosen ones of God are assured of being effectually called at God’s appointed time (Jude 1; II Tim. 1:9; Rom. 8:28).

Subsequent to Christ’s statement, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11 NASB), He also said to the Jews, “I have other sheep which are not of this fold (Judaism)” (John 10:16 NASB). This caused a division among the Jews. Many of them accused Christ of possessing a demon and being insane. Others were saying, “A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?” (John 10:21 NASB). While the Jews were walking in the temple portico of Solomon, they gathered around Christ and were asking Him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep” (John 10:24-26 NASB). The Savior completely destroyed the teaching that Christ died for the sins of all men.

All who reject limited redemption devalue every aspect of Divine truth. Christ gave an explanation of the “figure of speech” (paroimia which means parable, proverb, or figure of speech) of John 10:6. There is a direct reference to the blind Jews of John 9. Professing Christendom today is being led by thieves who are robbing people of the Biblical principles concerning Christ’s Person and Work.

There are three important unions in theology and soteriology: (1) There is union of essence in the Godhead. (2) There is union of the Divine and human natures in Jesus Christ. (3) There is union of Christ and His sheep. Since there is no union between God and man without an intervening agent, God was in Christ as Mediator. Therefore, God the Father has union with the elect in Christ. The Son has union with the elect by redemption, and the Holy Spirit has union with the elect by regeneration. All three unions are equally the same.

The most popular view of Divine election states, “God’s election is based on His foreseen faith of each person.” This statement completely ignores the fact that man’s will is depraved. If man’s will is capable of determining itself, then the action is both cause and effect. Since every effect has a cause, one must stop with an uncaused cause. Therefore, the uncaused cause is by necessity self-existent and must be eternal and unchangeable. No act of the will can come into existence without a cause. Furthermore, every act of the will is determined by some act of a superior will to determine it.

Salvation is not by grace and faith, in the sense of grace being God’s part and faith being man’s part. Scripture teaches that those who had been appointed to eternal life believed (Acts 13:48), and they “believed through (dia, ablative of means) grace” (Acts 18:27; Eph. 2:8). As grace is from God, inability is from man. God is capable, but man is incapable. Any self-effort scorns grace, ignores God’s choice, and disclaims the work of Christ. Grace is never offered because it is given. God descends to man because man cannot ascend to God. Man cannot give birth to himself. Free will dethrones God and enthrones man.