Page 141 - Biblical Theology Textbook - masters

God offers every man the possibility of receiving the gift of salvation, because He made it possible for
every man to be saved. I John 2:1-2 says, “And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father,
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Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but
also for those of the whole world. Propitiation is a theological word that means “satisfaction.” The
verse says that Jesus Christ was the satisfaction for the sins of those who receive Him and also for the
sins of those who do not (the whole world).

God does not want any person to be condemned because God is eternal love. He died for every person.
So how does a person receive the gift of eternal life offered?

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with
you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

“Anyone” means exactly that: ANYONE! He desires every person to turn from their sin and accept
Christ’s provision of salvation by grace.

John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in
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Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the
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world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who
does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten
Son of God.

The world is everyone. And the offer is opened to “whoever believes.”

John 1:10-12He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know
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Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received
Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

He is the Word, the logos of God, Christ Jesus. He made the world (people) and people did not
recognize Him. He even came to Israel (His own) but they rejected Him. But ANYONE who receives Him
become His children by faith (belief).

A.T. Robertson put it this way: “Grace is God’s part and “faith is our part.” 110 God developed the entire
plan of redemption and accomplished the entire work for us. There is nothing a person must actually do
to obtain salvation. It cannot be earned by works. It is a GIFT from God which is received by faith!

If someone wants to give you a gift and goes out and shops, buys, wraps, and comes to you to present
you the gift, what do you have to do to receive it? They did it all. All you must do is put out your hands
and receive the gift when they offer it to you. God offers every person the opportunity to receive His
redemptive gift. The sad truth is that most people will reject Him, just as they did when He came to
earth.

Matthew 7:13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to
destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

110 A.T. Robertson, word Pictures in the New Testament, Nashville: Broadman, 1930, 4:525.

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