NT Framework - All In Games

Legal Scholars, Theologians, Intelligentsia, and the Arrogant, they all play word games to make themselves look smarter; hence 'all' doesn't really mean 'all'.

More information about Beyond the Walls, including additional resources can be found at www.beyondthewalls-ministry.com 

This series included graphics to illustrate what is being taught, if you would like to watch the teachings you can do so on Rumble (https://rumble.com/user/SpokaneBibleChurch) or on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtV_KhFVZ_waBcnuywiRKIyEcDkiujRqP).

Jeremy Thomas is the pastor at Spokane Bible Church in Spokane, Washington and a professor at Chafer Theological Seminary. He has been teaching the Bible for over 20 years, always seeking to present its truths in a clear and understandable manner. 

Chapters

• 0:00 Setting Up The Question Of “All”
• 0:26 God’s Will Versus Human Sin
• 2:03 Praying For God’s Will On Earth
• 3:07 Can God Desire Salvation For All?
• 3:43 The “Alls” In 2 Corinthians 5
• 5:01 Adam, Christ, And Two Senses Of “All”
• 6:08 Limiting Atonement Or Taking “All” Seriously
• 7:20 Resources And Closing Appeal

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Welcome to Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas and our series on the New Testament framework. Today, a smaller, bite-sized piece from the larger lesson. We hope you enjoy it.

SPEAKER_01: 0:11

This is a way, and they're very clever at it. But this is a way of turning the Bible on its head and making it say exactly the opposite of what it says. Exactly the opposite. So if we are to pray for all men, is that without exception, or is it just some? See? If it's without exception, then God desires all men to be saved without exception. And see, here's it, let's talk about God's desire. Does God really desire that all men be saved? Well, the Calvinists say, well, no, if he desired it, everybody would be saved. This is their idea, because this Greek word, fellow, right? Sometimes translated wish or sometimes will, God's will. Especially they like the word will because, of course, everything that happens, they say it's God's will. Well, then when I sinned, that's got to be God's will too, right? I mean, you see, this type of thinking doesn't work. It's obviously not God's will for me to sin. Is it God's will for you to sin? No. Do you sin? Yes, you do. Is that God's will? I hope you would say no. Because over and over in the Bible, God is telling us not to sin. So it can't be his will for us to sin. So does everything that happens in the world, is everything that happens God's will? No. It's most definitely not. And so in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, in, I mean, the Lord's, what we call the Lord's Prayer, John 6, Matthew 6, he says, pray in this way, that thy will be done. There's the Greek word, thy will, fellow, be done on earth as it is in heaven. Now, why would we need to pray that if his will is always being done? That doesn't make any sense. What we're waiting for is God's will to be done on earth. Now, it's always done in heaven. Okay? And that's the point. We want heaven, so to speak, to come to earth, so that God's will, which is always done in heaven, is always done on earth. That's what we want. That's what we're praying for. And what Jesus is telling them to pray for is the kingdom, the kingdom to come, because the kingdom will come on earth and Jesus will rule and reign it, right? Then God's will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. But see, it's not now. And so obviously, God's will does not always happen. So can God desire or will or wish that all men be saved, as this verse says, and yet not all men be saved? Obviously. Obviously, this is really not that complicated. It's not. Most people can read this and say, yeah, God desired everybody to be saved. Without exception. But we're told that's not what it really means. 2 Corinthians 5. 2 Corinthians 5. Here's some of the more alls. More alls. The Armenians said, hey, you have to take these seriously. Calvinists said, we are taking them seriously, and they seriously don't mean what they seem to be saying. 2 Corinthians 5, 14 and 15. For the love of Christ controls us, that's obviously believers, 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 live for him who died and rose again on their behalf. Now, let's go through this. Love of Christ controls us, it's the believers, right? Having concluded something. Okay, in other words, why does the love of Christ control us? Because we drew a logical conclusion from the events of the cross. Because on the cross, what's Christ doing? He's He's showing His love for us. So that constrains us. It leads us to love others as He loved us. That's the point. So one died for all, therefore all died. Now, who did He die for here? Just the elect? Or did He die for all? Without exception. Or is he saying, well, he just died for all believers? You know, you can see how people get ideas, but therefore all died. Now wait, now wait a minute. If he died for all, who are those who die all who are the all who died? All is actually used in two separate senses here. It's used first of all for all people without exception. And it says, then therefore all died. Okay. Well, let me back up. This is this this can be confusing. You died for all. All died in Adam, right? Yes or no? We all died in Adam. Romans 5. Therefore, uh, therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world and death through sin, so death spread to all men because all sin. Somehow we were seminally in Adam, meaning we derive ultimately from him. If you trace everybody's genome back, we will also all be traced back to Adam. Even Eve will be traced back to Adam because she was taken out of Adam, right? So there is a single source from which every human comes, and that single human is Adam. And when he sins, somehow then we were in him, right? And therefore we sinned in him. Now, that sets up what Christ does on the cross, right? He died for all. Now, is it limited? I mean, did everybody die in Adam, but not at die, Christ didn't die for everybody? Like, that doesn't make sense. It would seem that if Adam, if we all died in Adam, then Christ would die for all who were in Adam. And that's what he's saying, okay? So verse 15, and he died for all. There it is. He died for everyone. So that why? They who live. Now that's different. That's a different group, isn't it? They who live might no longer live for themselves. Who are those who live? Those who have everlasting life. Believers. Believers. See? The Calvinist says, well, um, all without exception did die in Adam, they agree with that. But he did not die for all without exception. Jesus didn't do that. Because if he'd done that, then everybody'd be saved. Universalism. So they say, well, the all in that case must mean the elect. He only died for those who are the elect, that is, those who live. So they limit the all here again. In other words, again, all doesn't really mean all. Because if it didn't mean all, everybody'd be saved. Okay, this is just games. This is just games.

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You can find those on Rumble and on YouTube under Spoke and Bible Church. That is where Jeremy is the pastor and teacher. We hope you found today's lesson productive and useful in growing closer to God and walking more obediently with Him. If you found this podcast to be useful and helpful, then please consider rating us on your favorite podcast app. And until next time, we hope you have a blessed and wonderful day.