All Means All

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 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.

The words of the Lord are pure words (Psalm 12:6-7). Every word of God is pure (Proverbs 30:5; Psalm 119:141). And every word is important. You can teach a lot of false doctrine and support it with the Bible. All you have to do is redefine the words. Either that, or you give the same words many different definitions in order to make sure it lines up with your preconceived system of doctrine.

Case in point. Who did Jesus die for, according to 2 Corinthians 5:14? ALL. Which all? The ELECT all? The CHOSEN all? No, 2 Corinthians 5 calls them the DEAD all. The same ALL as in Romans 3:23 – "ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God." If you are a sinner who comes short of God's glory, then 2 Corinthians 5 says that One (Christ) loved you enough to die for you. So much for a limited atonement.Here's another one. Mark 16:15, Jesus commands his disciples, "Go ye into ALL THE WORLD and preach the gospel to every creature." Who comprises the world of Mark 16:15? The ELECT world? The CHOSEN world? No, Mark 16 says THE WORLD encompasses EVERY CREATURE.

So if THE WORLD that Jesus died for (1 John 2:2) really means the world of the ELECT, then in Mark 16 Jesus commands his disciples to preach the gospel ONLY to the elect. Now what Calvinist teaches that?

Further, if THE WORLD that Jesus died for (2 Corinthians 5:19; 1 John 4:14) really means the world of the ELECT, then I guess only the ELECT, only the CHOSEN stand guilty before God (Romans 3:19) and lie in wickedness (1 John 5:19). So much for total depravity.

And one more, if THE WORLD that Jesus died for (1 John 2:2) really means those FOREORDAINED from the foundation of the world, then I guess Jesus was wrong when He told us to love the brethren (John 13:34-35; John 15:12, 17; 1 John 3:16; 1 John 4:7) because that same chapter (1 John 2) says love NOT the world (vv. 16-17).

Praise the Lord, our God says what He means and means what He says. No prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation (2 Peter 1:20-21). So read the Bible. Study the Bible. Live the Bible. Teach the Bible. But leave the words alone. Let the Bible define the Bible. And may God's Holy Spirit lead us into all truth (John 16:13) as He brings God's word to our remembrance (John 14:26). Amen.