For Whom Did Christ Die?-- Part 4

Believers tremble in contemplation of the weakness of the flesh, the hatred of their enemies, and the difficulties with which they grapple. However, when they turn from these things and consider Christ Jesus, who is their High Priest, they know that their Representative is above all things and has authority over all mankind. Therefore, all true believers can be sure they have a Divine Intercessor at the Father’s right hand. They have a great announcement in the words of Christ, “I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world.” The announcement is followed by an explanation, “but of those whom Thou has given Me; for they are Thine; and all things that are Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine, and I have been glorified in them” (John 17:9, 10 NASB).

Believers belong to God by purpose, redemption, and regeneration. The three Persons of the Godhead are united in the Divine essence, and they have a mutual interest in the saints of God. The Father chose the saints, the Son redeemed them, and the Holy Spirit regenerates them. Furthermore, the extent of all three is equal in number.

Having finished His redemptive work on behalf of the elect, Jesus Christ returned to the Father not as a private individual, but as the Representative of the redeemed. Therefore, Christ is the pledge of the Father’s love to the elect, the seal of His salvation for them, and the earnest of His glory in them. Christ’s going to the Father speaks of resurrection and exaltation. Just to sing “The Old Rugged Cross” is poor theology. The cross was an instrument of death, and was significant of the curse. That work is over, finished, and never to be repeated. Hope today is that He who died as the Substitute for the elect is at the Father’s right hand as the Representative of the elect.

Jesus Christ prayed His longest recorded prayer in John 17. The disciples could not participate in this prayer. He not only prayed, but He interceded for His own sheep given to Him by the Father. The Greek verb used here is erotao, meaning to ask, request, or to ask on behalf of someone. In John 17, Jesus Christ was requesting some things from the Father on behalf of His sheep whom He redeemed. This verb is used three times in Christ’s prayer. “I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world…” (v. 9), “I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one” (v. 15), and “I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word” (v. 20).

All the petitions in John 17 have reference to spiritual blessings. Believers often fail to pray for themselves, but Christ never forgets. Christ’s intercession is founded upon His redemptive work. He is not only the radiance of God’s glory, but He is the exact representation of the Divine nature. Furthermore, “…When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…” (Heb. 1:3 NASB). Therefore, Christ’s intercession includes the same people for whom He died. In other words, Christ did not die for more people than He represents before the Father. It would be no honor to God to ascribe to Him a purpose in which He failed. The purpose of God is known by the results.

The object of giving all authority to Christ was in order that He may give eternal life to all the ones the Father permanently gave (perfect active indicative of the verb didomi—John 17:9—meaning to give permanently) to Him. It is not enough that hindrances be removed; the chosen ones must be qualified to enjoy life in time and enter the eternal kingdom. Therefore, Christ takes away sin, conquers death, gives a new heart, slays the enmity, and subdues the flesh until death is swallowed up in victory.

Since grace is not experienced by all without exception, redemption did not include all without exception. The fact is that Christ’s redemption is as extensive as the grace of the Father. Scripture does not speak of the possibilities of Christ’s work, but of things real and certain. Jesus Christ is not only the submissive Savior, but He is the satisfied and successful Savior. The prophecy concerning the Savior is flawless. Isaiah said, “But the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors” (Is. 53:10-12 NASB).

Christ prayed for His disciples, not for the world. There are seven considerations mentioned in John 17—(1) “I manifested Thy name to the men whom Thou gavest Me out of the world” (v. 6). (2) He pleaded the Father’s interest in them—“Thine they were…” (v. 6). (3) He claimed the elect for Himself—“…Thou gavest them to Me…” (v. 6). (4) He directed His attention to the elect’s reception and faith in God’s message—“…the words which Thou gavest me I have given to them; and they received them, and truly understood that I came from Thee, and they believed that Thou didst sent Me” (v. 8). (5) He referred to His glorification in them—“and all things that are Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I have been glorified in them” (v. 10). (6) He directed attention to the hatred of the world against the elect—“I have given them Thy word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world” (v. 14). (7) He pleaded or claimed the elect belonged to Him in His defense of the world’s hatred against God’s people—“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (v. 16). (See Rom. 8:28-39.)

There are seven petitions presented in John 17—(1) “Holy Father, keep them in Thy name” (v. 11). (2) “Sanctify them in the truth” (v. 17). (3) “That they may all be one…” refers to unity (v. 21). (4) “Father, I desire that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am…” (v. 24) refers to perfected fellowship in glory. (5) Fellowship with Christ assures believers that they will “behold My [God’s] glory,” which produced a hope that could never be disappointed (v. 24; Rom. 5:2-5). (6) God’s eternal love in Christ bestowed upon the elect in time is sufficient forever (vv. 24-26) because “…you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God” (I Cor. 3:21-23 NASB). (7) God’s love and Christ being in the chosen ones surpass all knowledge (v. 26).

There was a glory given to Christ which could be bestowed on others, but there is a glory in the Godhead that is incommunicable. The essential glory of the Godhead could not be received by Christ because it is essentially His. The glory of Christ as Mediator was received, but it was also incommunicable (John 1:14; Col. 1:18). However, there is a glory given to Christ in order that out of His fullness the elect receive grace and truth: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14 NASB). The glory of John 1:14 is the glory which is beheld by faith in time. However, the glory of John 17:24 is the glory which shall be beheld by sight in eternity.

Christ’s requests on behalf of those the Father gave Him do not include either healthy bodies or prosperity in all circumstances. This is the reason: the chief good is spiritual instead of physical, and temporal prosperity is insufficient to satisfy the cravings of the redeemed soul. Job and Paul are classic examples of both the physical and prosperous realms (Job 1:1-2:10; Gal. 1:13-17; Phil. 3:1-11; II Cor. 12:7-10).

Christ prayed that the elect might be kept while they are in the world. He pleaded the Father’s interests in them—“I have given them Thy word….” He pleaded their calling—“…they are not of the world….” He pleaded their dignity as being identified with Christ—“…they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” He pleaded their danger—“…the world has hated them…” (John 17:14, 17).

Believers are not kept from afflictions which are either the consequences of sin or the chastening of God (Heb. 12:6-10; I Cor. 11:32). This is true concerning suffering for righteousness (II Tim. 3:12), spiritual conflict (Eph. 6:11, 12), trials (I Cor. 10:13), humiliating failures (Luke 22:31, 32), sins of the old nature (Rom. 7), and the hatred of the world (John 15:19).

Believers are kept in the world even though they are not of the world. This fact must be considered from several points of view. Christians are sent into the world to find other chosen ones (John 17:18-20). Believers are kept by God because of the evil one who constantly lays snares in their path. It has been said, the Shepherd of the sheep keeps His people in the eternal power of God, in the eternal wisdom of God, compassed in the eternal faithfulness of God, enshrined in the eternal love of God, possessed with the eternal grace of God, and to be crowned with the eternal glory of God.