1 Peter 3:18

Peace to you my brothers and sisters.

Today’s Bible Verse: [1 Peter 3:18 KJV] 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

Another verse that goes with this:

[2 Corinthians 5:15 KJV] 15 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.

Who is the all here? Is it the whole world? No, it is for the elect only.

This is the principal of limited atonement found in the acrostic TULIP. My non-Calvinist friends can try to argue against this all they want but it is a scriptural principal.

[John 3:16 KJV] 16 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.

Here we see that He loved the world.

[Hebrews 2:9 KJV] 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Here we see every man.

[1 John 2:2 KJV] 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.

And here we see the whole world.

In the words of Erik Raymond in his blog Did Jesus Die for Everyone, “Jesus Christ either died for everyone, nobody, or the elect.”

If we look at the sacrifices in the Torah we see that the animals were sacrificed for a limited number of people; at the time, Israel. All of Israel was the elect. The animals were not being sacrificed for the entire world. This is the same with the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

From John Murray:

“If we concentrate on the thought of redemption, we shall be able perhaps to sense more readily the impossibility of universalizing the atonement. What does redemption mean? It does not mean redeemability, that we are placed in a redeemable position. It means that Christ purchased and procured redemption. This is the triumphant note of the New Testament whenever it plays on the redemptive chord. Christ redeemed us to God by his blood (Rev. 5:9). He obtained eternal redemption (Heb. 9:12). “He gave himself for us in order that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify to himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works” (Tit. 2:14). It is to beggar the concept of redemption as an effective securement of release by price and by power to construe it as anything less than the effectual accomplishment which secures the salvation of those who are its objects. Christ did not come to put men in a redeemable position but to redeem to himself a people.”

This shows the limitation of the atonement:

[John 10:26 KJV] 26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

[John 10:14-15 KJV] 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my [sheep], and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

[John 10:27 KJV] 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

[Revelation 3:20 KJV] 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Only the elect hear His voice and are His sheep.

So, if only the elect hear His voice then why even preach? After all, they are saved.

[Matthew 22:14 KJV] 14 For many are called, but few [are] chosen.

There is a catalyst that causes the awakening to salvation. A heart change takes place. One day you are in the world and then suddenly God reveals Himself to you. If you look at the videos of Ray Comfort you will see it many times.

For me, when I was in Hebrew Roots, I would have said that I got saved in 2009 when I started to go down that path, but it was not then. I would say that it now was ten years later that His Holy Spirit woke me up. The specific moment was when His Holy Spirit showed me the meaning of the Book of Revelation.

I keep teaching through these devotionals because that may be somebody’s catalyst. I also do it because that is where His Holy Spirit is leading me.

If you are not saved, I pray that you get your catalyst soon.

We all have a job.

[Matthew 28:18-20 KJV] And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.

All of the disciples of Jesus are to spread His word and the gospel.

This is the gospel:

[1 Corinthians 15:1-6 KJV] Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

[Acts 2:22-24 KJV] 22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

Go forth and spread this good news.

I pray that God has revealed Himself to you and that you have salvation.

Remember, God is sovereign. That means that he controls everything.

I hope this has been a blessing to you. May the rest of your day be blessed. Peace.