A Ransom for ALL

Ho 13:14 "I will RANSOM them (all mankind) from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be your plagues; O grave, I will be your destruction!"

1Ti 2:3-6 "Our saviour will have ALL men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself A RANSOM FOR ALL, to be testified in due time."

"And He will destroy the veil that is spread over all the nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces." (Isa 25:7-8) "and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Re 21:4) What does the word "RANSOM" mean?

How will this RANSOM bring an end to all sorrow, pain and even death itself?

Justice or Just-us?

God’s justice does not mean "just-us." Yet, many teach that only Christians will ever be saved. If this is true, then 95% of the human race is doomed to everlasting death (or worse)-merely because they never heard the name of Jesus. This includes billions of Asians, Africans and all who lived before Jesus.

Did Jesus die on the cross merely to save comparatively few Christians?-those who would believe in him before Page: 2 his second advent? The Bible tells us: NO! Christ died "the propitiation (satisfaction) for our (the Christians’) sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole (presently unbelieving) world." 1Jo 2:2 The Father lovingly provided His only-begotten Son to die "for all" while all were still in sin. (Joh 3:16; Ro 5:8). God’s Plan will provide all-even non-believers-with a full opportunity to benefit from Jesus’ sacrifice. (Heb 2:9) After being raised from the dead, each person will be taught about Christ and righteousness. Past crimes will be punished but with mercy based on repentance. God will pour out His holy influence on all people through Christ, providing an opportunity for each person to reach mental and moral perfection. (Joe 2:28) Only those who consistently refuse to make progress will be destroyed. (Ac 3:22-23; Eze 18:20-22) Consider the logic of God’s Plan to save all men from evil and death: Father Adam, perfect, sinned. The penalty of death passed upon him and the prospective human race yet in his loins. Deliverance from death required the payment of a corresponding price, the death of a perfect man. No member of the sinful (imperfect) human race could pay this price. (Ps 49:7) Only Jesus, who was "holy, harmless, separate from sinners" could. (Heb 7:26) The perfect man Jesus died for Adam’s sin, taking his place in death, thereby redeeming Adam and all his offspring-the human race-from death.

"For Christ also has once suffered for sins; the just (Jesus) for the unjust (Adam), that he might bring us to God."

1Pe 3:18 "by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men. Therefore, as by the offense of one (Adam) judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one (Jesus) the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." Ro 5:12,18

"THE RANSOMED OF THE LORD SHALL RETURN!"

Isa 35:10 (FROM THE PRISON-HOUSE OF DEATH) The ransom given by Jesus guarantees restitution for the entire human race. This restoration to the perfection lost in Eden is the main purpose of Jesus’ return: "And He shall send JesusWhom the heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things" Ac 3:20, 21 "The purpose which He has cherished in His own mind of restoring the whole creation to find its one head in Christ; yes, things in heaven and things on earth." Eph 1:10 (Weymouth) During Christ’s 1,000 year earthly kingdom (the Day of Judgment), "All that are in the graves shall hear" Jesus’ voice, and will "come forth." (Joh 5:28, RSV) This "Resurrection of the dead" will be in two parts: "the just and the unjust." (Ac 24:15) The "just" are Christ’s faithful followers. They receive a special salvation, ahead of the "unjust" non-believing masses. (1Ti 4:10; 2Co 6:2). The "just" will become the heavenly "Bride" of Christ and reign with Jesus over his earthly kingdom. (Re 20:4; 21:2). The "unjust" masses will be saved when Jesus and his bride resurrect and rehabilitate them. The unjust will learn righteousness by merciful judgment and punishment according to past guilt. (Isa 26:9; Mt 16:27; Lu 12:48; Mic 4:1-3). Jesus and his Bride will offer the water of life to the repentant unjust masses (Re 22:17) who will walk up the "Highway" leading to holiness and everlasting life on the perfected earth. (Isa. 35:8). Any who then refuse to have God’s law written in their hearts will be sentenced to eternal extinction, the "second death." (Jer 31:33-34; Rev. 21:8) The desert shall blossom, making plenty of room for resurrected mankind. The willing and obedient will live for endless ages on earth in peace and happiness. Mankind will glorify God, saying: "this is our God! we will be glad and rejoice in His Salvation!" (Isa 25:9) "... for the former things are passed away" Re 21:4

GOD’S SCALES OF JUSTICE

A Perfect Life...

The RANSOM is the means by which God could justly release Adam (and all mankind) from the death sentence of Eden. The word RANSOM is translated from the Greek word "Antilutron," meaning "...for as in ADAM All Die ...

... for a Perfect Life "an equivalent, corresponding price." This concept of the corresponding price is a fixed law of God’s universe! It is expressed in Israel’s Law Covenant: "You shall give LIFE for LIFE, eye for eye, tooth for tooth" Ex 21:23-24 ... even so in CHRIST shall All be made Alive."

1Co 15:22 JESUS’ RANSOM FOR ADAM SATISFIES JUSTICE It permits Adam and all mankind to be brought back to life!

"For since by a man (Adam) came death, by a man (Jesus) came also the resurrection of the dead."

1Co 15:21 (NAS)

THE CORRESPONDING PRICE

ADAM 1. A Perfect Man-with the right to live forever, as long as he obeyed God. JESUS A Perfect Man. (Not of Adamic descent born of a virgin by God’s power.)

ADAM 2. Sinned through disobedience JESUS Obeyed God perfectly.

ADAM 3. Condemned to death. "In the day that you eat of it you will surely Die"ge 2:17; "For the wages of sin is death." Ro 6:23; "The soul that sins, it shall die." Eze 18:4 3. JESUS Had the right to Live forever, because obedient. "If a man be just, and do that which is lawful and righthe shall surely live, says the Lord God." Eze 18:5, 9; "Walk in His ways that you may live." De 30:16

ADAM 4. All of Adam’s children (the entire human race) inherit Adam’s sin and sentence of death. Ro 5:12,17-18; 1Co 15:21-22 4. JESUS If Jesus had fathered children, his descendants would inherit his perfection, and if obedient, live forever.

5. Adam and all mankind would be condemned to eternal death and dying-unless another perfect man offered to give his life as a ransom in Adam’s place. JESUS Jesus gave up his own perfect human life to die as a ransom in place of Adam, thereby releasing the death sentence upon Adam and all his posterity! ADAM