“For Whom Christ Died”

1. “For Whom Christ Died” 1 Corinthians 8:9-11 - Romans 14:13-15

2. 1 Corinthians 8:9-11 • “But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. • 10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols. • 11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?”

3. The Calvinist Doctrine of Limited Atonement • Who did Christ die for? • Only the elect? • Is the atonement of His shed blood limited? • If so, how is it limited? • Calvinists claim… • “Christ’s redeeming work was intended to save the elect only and actually secured salvation for them. His death was a substitutionary sacrifice of the penalty of sin in place of certain specified sinners…” – Steel/Thomas, p. 17.

4. Romans 14:13-15 • “3 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. • 14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. • 15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.”

5. For Whom Did Christ Die? • What Does God’s Word teach? • We will let God’s word answer this question! • Who benefits from Christ’s death? • Is it the “elect” only? • Or… • Those who obey the gospel of Christ?

6. For Whom Did Christ Die? • Christ died “for every man”! • “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” • Hebrews 2:9 • “9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. • 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” • 2 Peter 3:-10

7. For Whom Did Christ Die? • Christ died for “whosoever”! • “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” • John 3:16 • “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” • Luke 9:24 • “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” • Revelation 22:17

8. For Whom Did Christ Die? • Christ died for “all men”! • “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” • 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 • “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” • 1 Timothy 4:10

9. For Whom Did Christ Die? • Christ died for “the ungodly” & “sinners”! • “6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. • 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. • 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” • Romans 5:6-8

10. For Whom Did Christ Die? • Christ died for the “whole world”! • “1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: • 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” • 1 John 2:1-2

11. For Whom Did Christ Die? • Christ died for “the world”! • “16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. • 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” • John 3:16-17

12. For Whom Did Christ Die? • Christ died for “the world”! • “For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world” • “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” • John 6:33; 51 • “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” • John 1:29

13. For Whom Did Christ Die? • Christ died “for many”! • “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” • Hebrews 9:28 • “26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. • 27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; • 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” • Matthew 26:26-28

14. For Whom Did Christ Die? • Christ died for “the church”! • “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” • Acts 20:28 • “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” • Ephesians 5:25

15. For Whom Did Christ Die? • Christ died for His “Sheep”! • “11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. • 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. • 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. • 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. • 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. • 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. • 17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. • 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father: • John 10:11-18

16. For Whom Did Christ Die? • Christ died for all who have “gone astray”! • “4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. • 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. • 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” • Isaiah 53:4-6

17. For Whom Did Christ Die? • Those who deny him! • “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction” • 2 Peter 2:1 (cf. Luke 23:32-43) The unbelieving Jews at His crucifixion denied Him and the unbelieving thief “railed on Him”

18. For Whom Did Christ Die? • Christ died “for our sins”! • “1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; • 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. • 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; • 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” • 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

19. For Whom Did Christ Die? • Christ died for “all” who were “dead”! • “14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: • 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” • 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

20. For Whom Did Christ Die? • Christ died for “that nation” & “children of God”! • “49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, • 50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. • 51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; • 52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.” • John 11:49-52

21. The Gospel – The Power of God unto Salvation! • Who is it that who will be saved 0r lost? • “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” • Romans 1:16 • “7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, • 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: • 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;” • 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9

22. The Command of Jesus! “Go teach all nations”! • “18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. • 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: • 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” • Matthew 28:18-20

23. Who are the Children of God? • “25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. • 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. • 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. • 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. • 29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” • Galatians 3:25-29

24. Conclusion • Christ died for… • The weak brother! • Every man! • Whosoever! • All men! • The whole world! • The ungodly! • His sheep! • Those gone astray! • Those who deny Him! • Our sins! • All the dead! • The Jews & Gentiles

25. The Efficacy of His Death • Efficacy Defined: • The capacity for producing a desired result or effect; effectiveness. • Offering of Christ was “once for all…” • Hebrews 10:1-10

26. Who is Saved By His Death? Only those who obey the Gospel of Christ are beneficiaries of His Death! • “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” • 1 Peter 4:17