The Father imposed His wrath due unto, and the Son underwent punishment for, either:
- All the sins of all men.
- All the sins of some men, or
- Some of the sins of all men.
In which case it may be said:
- That if the last be true, all men have some sins to answer for, and so none are saved.
- That if the second be true, then Christ, in their stead, suffered for all the sins of all the elect in the whole world, and this is the truth.
- But if the first be the case, why are not all men free from the punishment due unto their sins?
You answer, “Because of unbelief.” I ask, Is this unbelief a sin, or is it not? If it be, then Christ suffered the punishment due unto it, or He did not. If He did, why must that hinder them more than their other sins for which He died? If He did not, He did not die for all their sins!
– Dr. John Owen (1616-1683), Vice Chancellor of Oxford University
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed … He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5, 11).
“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep … I lay down my life for the sheep … But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep” (John 10:11, 15, 26).
“I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine” (John 17:9).
“Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified … He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Romans 8:30, 32-34).
“As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” (Romans 9:13).
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25).
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