Will All Men Be Saved?

John 3:15-18 addresses the two-fold split in mankind: Those who believe and those who have not believed in the Son of God.

“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. 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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

This two-fold split between those who believe and those who have not believed is further reinforced by the assignment of their eternal destiny.  To those who believe (trust) in Jesus’ atoning work and have received the free gift of God (Rom 6:23), are currently in possession of eternal life (John 3:15); and those who do not believe are condemned already (John 3:18) because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

The clarity of Scriptures on this issue is without question.  So how could man believe that all will be save?  It seems to be that they value their own thoughts about God above His revealed Word.  They muse: “how could a loving God send people to hell?” In their thoughts a loving god could not. Why? Because, the bottom line is that all men know that they are sinners (Rom 3:23) and because of their offense they cannot stand before a Holy God. This intuitive knowledge that the creation possesses (Rom 1:20) drives men to reinterpret God in their own image.  On the off chance that a just god exits they want that god not to hold man accountable for their denial of available knowledge.  As Romans 1:18-20 states: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”

So man suppresses the truth which God mad self-evident within them; so he stands without excuse or as John said condemned already.  For Paul goes on and adds in Rom 1:28-32: “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

Verse 32 is clear that man knows the ordinance of God; but more than that, they also know that those who practice such things are worthy of death. Hebrews 9:27 states: “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.” So man will die and face judgment.  But in the next verse the confidence of the Christian hope is also stated: “so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” So His death counts only to those who trust Him alone for their salvation, to those who eagerly await Him. Peter at Pentecost lays this out clearly as he explains God’s wonderful solution which He supplied to a lost and dying mankind (Acts 2:22-38): “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know—this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power…This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear…”Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ” Brethren, what shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

But it is verses 40-41 which demonstrate that man must have a Savior and that when he does, he is added to the body of Christ: “And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, ” Be saved from this perverse generation!” So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.”

The following verses also lead to this same inescapable conclusion: that Jesus death on the cross and His resultant resurrection demonstrates that it is through Jesus and He alone that salvation is bestowed.  But it is only bestowed on those who receive Christ through faith, those who have the Son, those whose names are found in the Book of Life.

John 14 :6 “Jesus  said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

John 3.36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

1 Tim 2:5-6 “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.”

1 John 5:11-12 “And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”

Revelation 20:15 “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Copyright 2012 by Watchmen of Grace. (Permission provided to BibleAnswersToQuestion.com to display article in its entirety.)