John 1:29
The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
Hal Lindsey explains: “The Israelites thought He came to take away the sin of Israel. He says that He came to take away the sin of the world.” (The Gospel of John)
Both the Jews and 5-Point Calvinists have it wrong.
In terms of Jesus taking upon Himself the sins of the world, 4-Point Calvinist, William MacDonald, explains: “...by His death on the cross, the Lord bought the world and all who are in it. But He did not redeem the whole world. While His work was sufficient for the redemption of all mankind, it is only effective for those who repent, believe, and accept Him.” (Believer’s Bible Commentary, p.2295)
MacDonald adds: “The NT distinguishes between purchase and redemption. All are purchased but not all are redeemed. Redemption applies only to those who receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, availing themselves of the value of His shed blood (1 Pet. 18, 19).” (Believer’s Bible Commentary, p.2295, emphasis mine)
5-Point Calvinist, R.C. Sproul, sums up the Arminian viewpoint: “Historic Arminianism embraces particularism: not all people are saved, only a particular number of them. That particular group of people who are saved are those who respond to the offer of the gospel with faith. Only those who believe appropriate the benefits of the saving atonement in Christ.” (What is Reformed Theology, p.165)
This seems to match Jesus’ own analogy of Calvary, as explained to Nicodemus at John 3:14-15, as it pertains to Numbers 21:6-9.
Nevertheless, Sproul warns: “What would have happened to the work of Christ if nobody believed in it? That had to be a theoretical possibility. In this case Christ would have died in vain.” (What is Reformed Theology, p.167)
However, how could that be a “theoretical possibility,” when yet at the very moment that Jesus was on the Cross of Calvary, Abraham’s Bosom (as per Luke 16:19-31) was already full of the Old Testament Saints? And what of all those who were alive and believed in Jesus during His earthly ministry? Did Sproul simply slip up in his logic?
5-Point Calvinists interpret “the world” to mean the world of the elect, though John Calvin disagrees:
John Calvin comments: “And when he says the sin of the world he extends this kindness indiscriminately to the whole human race, so that the Jews might not think the Redeemer had been sent to them alone. From this we infer that the whole world is bound in the same condemnation, and that since all men without exception are guilty of unrighteousness before God, they have need of reconciliation. John the Baptist, therefore, by speaking about the sin of the world in general wanted to make us feel our own misery and exhort us to seek the remedy. Now it is for us to embrace the blessing offered to all, that each may make up his mind that there is nothing to hinder him from finding reconciliation in Christ if only, led by faith, he comes to him.” (John: The Crossway Classic Commentaries, p.37, emphasis mine)
Calvin writes: “It is incontestable that Christ came for the expiation of the sins of the whole world.” (Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God, p.148, emphasis mine)
Incontestable indeed. Consider other occurrences of “the world”:
Therefore, no one can say that Jesus didn’t die for them. Jesus takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), and His flesh gives life to the world (John 6:51), because He is the Savior of the world. (John 4:42) He died for all. (2nd Corinthians 5:14-15), having given Himself as a ransom for all. (1st Timothy 2:5-6) His grace abounds to all. (Romans 5:15) He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. (1st John 1:1-2)
Calvin writes: “On the other hand, we must remember that while ‘life’ is promised to everyone, to ‘whoever believes’ in Christ, faith is nevertheless not common to everyone. Christ is made known to everyone and seen by everyone, but only the elect have their eyes opened by God to seek him by faith.” (John: The Crossway Classic Commentaries, p.77, emphasis mine)
Since the world is meant “indiscriminately to the whole human race,” as Calvin states, then why wouldn’t God open everyone’s eyes, whom He “so loved”? (John 3:16) After all, John 1:9 states: “There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.” Challenge the Calvinists to be logically consistent in the usage of the word “world” found in the Gospels. For if God truly loves the world, and died for the world, “the just for the unjust,” then Pass-By Calvinism implodes.
Here is a Blog discussion on this point.
Adrian Rogers asks: “Can you imagine John the Baptist standing there on the banks of Jordan saying ‘Behold, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the elect’? No, the sins of the world.” (Jesus - Our Redemption Provided)
Adrian Rogers adds: “He was talking about you there. We are in this world. Our redemption is prophesied.” (Jesus - Our Redemption Provided)
John 1:9-10: “There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.”
John 3:17: “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
John 4:42: “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”
John 6:33: “For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.”
John 6:51: “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”
John 12:47: “‘If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.’”
Romans 5:15: “For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.”
2nd Corinthians 5:14-15: “For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.”
1st Timothy 2:5-6: “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.”
1st John 1:1-2: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.”
Question: What does it mean that Jesus took upon Himself “the sin of the world”?
Answer: It means that the wall of separation between man and God is over, and that through Christ’s blood, man can be forgiven and reconciled to God, in which the apostle Paul states: “We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2nd Corinthians 5:20) This is made possible because Jesus took upon Himself, the sin of the world.
