Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
What happened when Jesus died on His cross? What did He accomplish? There are two radically opposite views held by sincere Christians on both sides:
(1) Christ died to forgive people who repent and obey Him. He did not give the gift of a legal justification to "all men"; His sacrifice does the unrepentant no good. Only the believing, penitent ones enjoy the benefits of His cross. This view is cherished as a concern to preserve the importance of obedience to God's law. For the Father to forgive everybody, to pronounce on everyone a "judicial verdict of acquittal," will encourage people to go on sinning. Thus there can be no universal, legal justification.
(2) The other view sees that Christ did indeed accomplish for "all men" a legal justification, which is the "judicial verdict of acquittal for all men" that the New English Bible renders Romans 5:15-18 as teaching (and which all responsible translations also say). This is why God can treat "all men" as though they have never sinned, why He can send His rain on the just and on the unjust. "All men" have enjoyed the benefits of Christ's sacrifice whether or not they believe, because our very physical life is the purchase of the cross. Seen in this light, every meal becomes "a sacrament"--the Lord's supper, in reality. "Every man" is already totally in debt to Christ for all he has; and heart-conversion is a response to God's much more abounding grace, not a grasping for eternal life. It's saying "Thank You" for that eternal gift ALREADY GIVEN "in Christ."
Which view is biblical? When on His cross Christ prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," did His prayer embrace the world of "all men"? Did the Father do that, or did He forgive only those few who have believed?
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: June 4, 2002.
Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/
To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to: dailybread@1888message.org
------------------------------
Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.
