To understand the gospel message of salvation one must first understand the goal of salvation which is Christ. God’s first priority is the exaltation of Christ. This is the reason for the fall, for history and for everything else. Salvation is a cosmic reality not just an individual one. John 3:16 says “the cosmos” giving the truth that ultimate salvation is for the individual as well as a creation restoration. After the fall God begins, in Genesis, to reclaim the universe for the second Adam, Christ.
The message of repentance and belief in Christ is a message that must be given to everyone, everywhere, without distinction. This is the message of the Bible. This is the message of Christ. The universal love of God for all people even condemned sinners. In other words, if you will believe and repent, God will save you. Christ gives an invitation in Luke 14:17 which says, “and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, come; for all things are now ready.” This is our mandate in our understanding of the free offer of the gospel. To go out into the world and tell everyone, “Come.” But what does it mean to come to Christ? It means to deny self-righteousness and cling to the cross and resurrection of Christ.
We have in the nature of the Atonement a plea to the world (1 John 2:2). There are two groups of people here. There are those who use words like, “many,” “sheep,” “the church” which believe that the atonement is limited to all who are elected unto saving grace by God and given graciously to Christ and it is those for whom Christ gave His life. Then there are those who use words like, “all,” “world,” “all men.” These people believe in an unlimited atonement (1 John 2:2). The death of Christ is sufficient for everyone who repents and believes.
The main issue here is union with Christ. A uniting with Christ. We can say to everyone, “Jesus died for you if you repent and believe.” The whole world is invited and those who do not come will bear the penalty of their own sins. God is commanding the world to be in Christ. When we preach we are not preaching to the elect but to sinners. We should have one message, “Christ died for the world, be found in Christ.” With this thought, all will be found responsible. However, if all you have is a general call and a free offer, we know how everyone will respond – NO. We hate God, we love sin. We are unable to respond to the general call by itself because we are wicked. The general call without the Holy Spirit is universal condemnation. No one is standing before God saying there was no sacrifice for me, but I am a sinner and deserve condemnation.
We are not talking about people being drawn apart from their will. As the word is proclaimed the Spirit is working invisibly to open eyes and hearts so they can see the excellencies of Christ. Those who respond to the gospel freely come to Christ; they want Christ, this is why we can give a general call. We must rest solely on the grace of God.
An invitation to an unbeliever should include everything I have just stated. Christ will save anyone who repents and believes that He alone is the way of salvation and it is only by the grace of God and faith that they can come. It is a desire to be in union with Christ. A desire to be identified with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ that one is saved. Do you want to be saved? Then come to Christ and believe and you will be saved. This is as simple as I can put it and it is what the Bible says. The message of the gospel is, “For all who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Filed under: Creation, Doctrine, Eternal Security, Evangelism, Justification, Missions, Perseverance of the Saints, Salvation, Sin, The Christian Life, The Holy Spirit
