VICARIOUS ATONEMENT (8)
For Whom? (4)

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X. The world of God's people internationally – as in the following texts. John 1:29: "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" John 3:16f: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 4:42: "this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world." 2 Corinthians 5:19: "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself." 1 John 2:2: "And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world." 1 John 4:14: "the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world."

1. Again, the word "world" does not mean "all without exception" (as various universalists aver).

i. When the Pharisees complained regarding Christ that "the world has gone after Him!" (John 12:19), they excluded themselves.

ii. When "a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered" (Luke 2:1), all nations not under the Roman Empire were excluded.

iii. Christ declared to His Father, "I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me" (John 17:9).

2. The Greek word in all these instances translated "world" is kosmos, which has a variety of meanings:

i. the entire universe or all of creation (Romans 1:20): "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen."

ii. the earth in contrast to the heavens (1 John 3:17): "But whoever has this world's goods ...."

iii. mankind (John 1:9f): "That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him."

iv. that system of sin that is alienated from God and opposed to Him (John 12:31): "Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out."

v. Gentiles as distinguished from Jews (Romans 11:12, 15 "their" in these verses denotes Jews): "their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles .... their being cast away is the reconciling of the world."

vi. unbelievers as distinguished from believers (John 15:18f): "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."

vii. God's people only, as distinguished from unbelievers (in instances here under consideration; see below).

3. In texts declaring Christ died for "the world", kosmos or "world" denotes believers internationally, of both Jews and Gentiles. (Texts cited below are quoted above.)

i. This is the "world" loved by God and saved by Christ for all eternity (John 3:16f; 4:42; 1 John 4:14).

ii. This is the "world" whose sin has been taken away by Christ the Lamb of God (John 1:29).

iii. This is the "world" who has received life from Christ the Bread of God (John 6:33).

iv. This is the "world" who has been reconciled to God through Christ having been made sin for them, and by virtue of their being in Christ and having been made by Him a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:18-21).

v. This is the "world" for whom Christ is the propitiation for their sins (1 John 2:2).

-- Christ is and has done all these things actually and unconditionally to and for all His people, not hypothetically or conditionally for all without exception. Man's unbelief will not nullify any aspect of Christ's glorious atonement.

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