Go with me if you would back
to 2 Corinthians 5. 2 Corinthians 5, let's read verses 14 and 15. For the love of Christ constraineth
us, because we thus judge that if one died for all, then we're
all dead. And if 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. Now here's the
question for the morning. Here's the title of the message.
Did Christ die for everybody? That's the question. That's the
title. Did Christ die for everybody? When he died on that cross, was
he dying for everybody? The end of verse 14 says, if
one died for all, then we're all dead. The beginning
of verse 15 says, and that he died for all. Did Christ die for everybody? Let me show you a few scriptures,
okay? Go with me over to John 3. John chapter 3 verse 16 says,
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. Now watch verse 17. For God sent
not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the
world through him might be saved. Did Christ die for everybody? Turn with me over to Romans chapter
5. Romans 5 verse 18 says, Therefore,
as by the offense of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation. Judgment came upon all men to
condemnation. Isn't that right? Therefore,
as by the offense of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation. Even so, By the righteousness
of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of
life. What is he saying right there?
Did Christ die for everybody? Go with me to 1 John chapter
2. 1 John chapter 2. 1 John 2 verse 2 says, And He is the propitiation for
our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the
whole world. Did Christ die for everybody? This is important for us to look
at. I believe we all know why. What about 1 John 2 verse 2? What about Romans 5 verse 18?
What about John 3, 16 and 17? Did Christ die for everybody? This is something that everybody
needs to get to the bottom of. All of us need to get to the
bottom of it. If He is our hope, is He our hope? If He is our
hope, and He died for everybody, and anybody ends up in hell,
then we don't have a sure hope. We don't have a very good hope
at all. If He is our hope, and He died for everybody, and anybody
ends up in hell, then we don't have a good hope at all. We have
one terrible hope. If that's the case, how can we
look to him? How can we trust him? How could
you trust him? How could we hope in him? How
could we hang our souls on him if he died for every everybody,
but men and women are still going to hell? If he died to save everybody,
but men and women are still lost. Then what difference did his
death make? What difference? Did Christ die for everybody? Is that what these verses are
saying? I want to give the answer. And then I want to explain the
answer. And then I want to prove the
answer. OK? I want to give, explain,
and prove the answer. And I want to do it all with
Scripture. Every bit of it with Scripture.
Now go back to our text and let's give the answer. 2 Corinthians
5. Paul is writing this second letter
to the Corinthians, but he's not writing it to all the Corinthians.
He's writing it to the church of God, which is at Corinth with
all the saints which are in Achaia. That's what he said in chapter
one, verse one. This is going to the church of God with all
the saints that are in Achaia. That's who he's writing it to.
He's writing it to a particular people. All right. And in chapter
five, Verse 14, he says, For the love of Christ constraineth
us. Us. The love of Christ constraineth
means to hold together, to arrest, to keep. The love of Christ keeps
us. Verse 14 says, Because we thus
judge that if one died for all then we're all dead and that
he died for all that they those which live should not henceforth
live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose
again verse 16 says wherefore henceforth no We know man after
the flesh. Yea, though we have known Christ
after the flesh, yet now henceforth, no, we him no more. Verse 17 says, therefore, if
any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed
away. Behold, all things are become
new. Did Christ die for everybody? Here's the answer. No, he did
not. No, he did not. He died for every
soul that God the father put in him. Every soul God put in
him. Only those who are in Christ
will be spared from damnation and wrath. Only those who are
in Christ will receive redemption and justification from death,
from eternal death and wrath. Only those who are in Christ
will be a new creature through our Lord's death, burial, and
resurrection. Only those in Christ. Well then
why did John 3.16 say God so loved the world? Why did we just read in 1 John
2 that Christ was the propitiation, not only for the sins of John
and the other apostles, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Why did we read that? It's because God in his goodness,
in his kindness, in his mercy, he chose to send the gospel to. He chose to send his mercy to. He chose for this good news,
this declaration of Christ crucified to be preached to the Jew first
and also to the Greek, the Gentile. If you were born into the tribe
of Judah, you are a Jew. And if you were born into any
other nation on earth, you are a Gentile, a Greek. The entire rest of the
world is Gentile. Now, I am so glad for these wonderful
verses of Scripture we just read. Stay away from those three verses.
Don't go near those three verses. John 3, 16, cut that out of your
Bible. Romans 5, 18, 1 John 2, 2. Don't go anywhere, don't bring
it up. If people say something to you about it, avoid it. No. I would be fine for those to
be listed on our sign outside. Those are the declaration of
hope for us. Those are the ground of our good
news. That's our gospel. My simple mind would have said,
had God not given us those verses, my mind would have said, okay,
well, God's mercy is going to be shown to the tribe of Judah
and to the country of Greece, the Jews and the Greeks. And
I'm neither one of those. He said, no, my grace and my
mercy is going to be extended to the whole world. It's going to the whole, it's
going to the utmost parts of the earth. I love that. That's my hope. What's your hope
built on? John 3.16, Romans 5.18, 1 John
2.2. He said it's going to Kingsport,
Tennessee. It's not staying in Israel. It's
going to the whole world. Turn with me, if you would, to
Revelation 5. Revelation 5 verse 9 says, And
they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book,
and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain, and hast
redeemed us to God by thy blood out of. You see those two little words
right there? out of, those are two tiny little words, but they
are two extremely important words in understanding the truth of
the matter. Those are two very important words. Thou art worthy
to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou was
slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every
kindred and tongue and people and nation. God's mercy has redeemed
men and women out of the whole world. Out of the whole world. Our Lord did not die for everybody. The declaration of the gospel,
the declaration of his death, it does go out to all the world. Have they not all heard? It goes
out to all the world, but His actual death only effectually
applies to the souls who are in Him. Therefore, if any man
be in Christ, in Him, the souls that His Father selected to have
mercy on, put them in Him. Now let's prove that by the Word,
alright? We've already given the answer.
We've already explained the answer. Let's prove the answer by the
word. This must be proven to us by the word. It has to be
proven by the word. We can't just rest on a man's
opinion of it. Cannot do that. The only way
we can know this is so is through the word of God himself. Go with
me, if you would, to Matthew chapter one. Matthew chapter 1 verse 21 says, And she shall bring forth a son,
and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his
people from their sins. His people. Who did Christ come
to save? Who did Christ die for? His people. He is the successful Savior. He is not the trying Savior. He is not the begging Savior.
He is the successful Savior. And the reason is because He
came to save a particular people. And He laid down His life to
save those particular people. And not one of those particular
people are lost. Not one. He shall save His people
from their sins. Turn with me to Matthew 7. Matthew 7 verse 21 says, Not
everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father
which is in heaven. What is the Father's will? Come to Christ. Believe on Christ. Bow the knee to Christ. That's
my beloved Son. That's the King on the throne.
That is your God, bow the knee to Him. Let every tongue confess
that He is Lord and Christ. Verse 22, Many will say to me
in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name,
and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done
many wonderful works, and then will I profess unto them, I never
knew you. Depart from me, ye that work
iniquity. Do you mean he would die for
them? Do you mean to tell me he would die for them, but not
acknowledge that he knew them? He would die for them? He would
literally give his own life for them? He would give an account
for their sins before the great judge of the earth, but not let them into his kingdom?
No, he said, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and
him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Turn with me to John 3. Back
over to John 3. John 3 verse 3, Jesus answered
and said unto Nicodemus, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except
a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus
said unto him, How can a man be born when he's old? Can he
enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus
answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God. That which is born of the flesh
is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel
not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind
bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof,
but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth.
So is everyone that is born of the Spirit. Have no idea where
it's coming from? No idea where it's going to?
That's how every person who is born of the Spirit, marvel not
that I say unto you, you must be born again. And it's of God. You have no idea when, what,
until it's done. It's of God. Man has no influence,
no control. We don't influence or control
the wind. It's of God. 1 Corinthians 1.30 says, Of God
are you in Christ Jesus? It's of God. How does a person get in Christ?
It's of God. You must be in Christ. Well,
how does a person get in Christ? It's of God. John 1.13 says it's not in a
family bloodline. It's not in the will of the flesh. It's not in the will of man.
It's of God. Salvation is not an offer. Salvation is the will and the
purpose and the work of God. God's choice, God's work in his
time is God's call. Turn with me to John 10. John 10 verse 1. Barely, barely,
I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold,
but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
To him the porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice, and
he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when
he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the
sheep follow him, for they know his voice. And a stranger will
they not follow, but will flee from him for they know not the
voice of strangers. Verse 14, I am the good shepherd
and know my sheep and am known of mine. As the father knoweth
me, even so know I the father. And I laid down my life for the
sheep. 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."
Verse 24, Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto
him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ,
tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you,
and you believed not. The works that I do in my Father's
name, they bear witness of me. But you believe not, because
you are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. My father which gave them me
is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of
my father's hand. I and my father are one. Did
Christ die for everybody? Did he die for everybody? Absolutely
not. He died for his sheep. Not one drop. And here's the blasphemy of saying
that Christ died for everybody. Not one drop of his precious
blood, not one drop was wasted to say he died for everybody.
That means his blood was wasted. Not one drop was wasted trying
to make a general payment for the sins of the whole world.
Not one drop. Go with me to John 17. John 17 verse 1, These words
spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father,
the hour is come. Glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son
also may glorify Thee. As Thou hast given Him power
over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many
as Thou hast given Him. That He should give eternal life
to as many as Thou hast given Him. And this is life eternal,
that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom Thou hast sent. I have glorified Thee on the
earth. I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do. And
now, O Father, glorify me with Thine own self, with the glory
which I had with Thee before the world was. I have manifested
Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest me out of." There's those
two words again. Out of the world, thine they
were, and thou gavest them me, and they kept thy word. Verse
9 says, I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but
for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine. Oh, I
believe Christ died for everybody. You see, what I believe is Christ
died for everybody. That's just what I believe. I
believe Christ died for everybody. You mean to tell me that you
believe Christ would empty His body? Empty His own body, His own precious
blood and take the life that is in His, you know the life
is in the blood, isn't that right? He would take the life that was
in His own blood and He would make an atonement for a man's
soul? Make intercession to God on His
behalf? eternally put away his sin and
then not pray for him. No, he said, I pray for him.
He said, Peter, I've prayed for you. Is that not an awesome thought? And I say the word awesome in
a way that is not said today. Is it not an awesome thought
to think that God prays for each one of his people? You pray for
your children. Do you ever bring them before
the Lord by name? So does God. I pray for him. Peter, I've already
prayed for you. He goes on to say in verse 11,
I'm no more in the world, but these are in the world. I'm come
to the Holy father. Keep through that own name. Those
whom thou has given me the ones you gave to me that they may
be one as we are. While I was with them in the
world, I kept them in thy name. Those that thou gavest me, the
ones you gave to me, I've kept. None of them is lost. but the
son of perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now I
come to thee and these things I speak in the world that they
might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I've given them thy
word and the world hath hated them because they are not of
the world, even as I'm not of the world. This is what he did.
Christ died for the world. He said, the ones that you gave
to me and I died for are not even of the world. He said, I
pray for them. I don't pray for the world. Verse
15, I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but
that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of
the world, even as I'm not of the world. Not of the world. Our Lord gave
His precious life for the people who were precious to Him. And
this is what made us precious to Him. You know, there's nothing
in us worthy to be precious to Him. You know what makes his
people precious to him? Who gave us to him. We're precious because who gave
us to him, they were a gift from his father and he loves his father
and his father said, if you ask of me, I'll give you the heathen. And that makes us, it came from
the father. And I love him and I give my
life for him. And go with me back to our text,
2 Corinthians 5. Verse 14, For the love of Christ
constraineth us, because we thus judge that if one died for all,
then we're all dead. That's where he found us, all
of us, every one of us, dead in trespasses and sins. Verse
15 says, 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. Wherefore, henceforth, no, we
no man after the flesh, no means regard or respect We don't regard
or respect any man after the flesh, even though we regard
and respect Christ for what He accomplished in the flesh, even
though He's not with us anymore on this earth. That's what He's
saying right here in verse 16. Wherefore, henceforth know we
no man after the flesh, yea, though we have known Christ after
the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more. Verse 17
says, therefore, because of what Christ accomplished in his flesh,
because of his death, therefore, if any man be in Christ, he's
a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold,
all things are become new. Now, I just want to leave us
with this. I want to leave us with this
right here. Our Lord didn't die for everybody. He only died for
His sheep. I want to leave us with this
one question. I believe this ought to be the final question
of every message. I really do. Did He die for me? Did Christ die for everybody?
No. Did He die for me? Did he die for me? I know that
he didn't die for everybody. I know he didn't. But did he
die for me? Go to Luke 19. Luke 19 verse 9 says, and Jesus
said unto him, this day is salvation come to this house for as much
as he is also a son of Abraham. He's a son of the covenant. Verse
10 says for the son of man is come to seek and to save that
which was lost. Did Christ die for me? Well,
let me ask you this. Are you lost? Are you lost? Has God done a
work of grace in your heart that causes you to say, I'm lost. I'm lost. If he does not come
find me, I will die right here in my sin. If the answer is,
oh, no, I'm not lost. No. Now, I do know a lot of people
who are, but I'm not. If that's the answer, then we
have our answer. But if God in his kindness has
caused us to cry, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. I am the chief of sinners. And
you are my only hope. If that's our hearts cry, then
there's our answer. He said, all that the Father
giveth me, this is what he said, I'm going to repeat this verse.
He said, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me. They will come crying, begging. They will come pleading, Lord,
show mercy to me. And he said, him or her that
comes to me, begging, pleading, crying, hoping, trusting. I will
in no wise cast out. I will in no wise cast out. Has Christ died for me? Has Christ
died for me? If I need him to die for me,
he has. Has Christ died for me? If I
need him to, he has. Are you in a state right now
where you need Christ to die for you? No. If I need Him to, He has. Lord,
die for me. Die for me. We need Him to, don't
we? Alright, let's all stand together.