Of the objects of redemption by
christ
John Gill
Thirdly, the objects of
redemption come next under consideration. These are a special and distinct people;
they are said to be "redeemed from the earth"; that is, from among
the inhabitants of the earth, as after explained, "redeemed from among men"; and one end of Christ's redemption of them is,
"to purify to himself a peculiar people", #Re 14:3,4 Tit 2:14. The
inspired writers seem to delight in using the pronoun "us", when
speaking of the death of Christ, and redemption by it; thereby pointing at a
particular people, as the context shows: "Christ died for us"; God
"delivered him up for us all; who gave himself for us, that he might
redeem us; hath redeemed us unto God by thy blood", #Ro
5:8 8:32 Tit 2:14 Re 5:9. They are many indeed for whom Christ has given
"his life a ransom", a ransom price, the price of their redemption,
#Mt 20:28. But then these are so described as show they are a peculiar people;
they are the "many" who are ordained unto eternal life; the
"many" the Father has given to Christ; the many whose sins he bore on
the cross; the "many" for whom his blood was shed
for the remission of their sins; the "many" who are made righteous by
his obedience; the "many" sons, he, the Captain of their salvation,
brings to glory. That the objects of redemption are a special people, will
appear by the following observations.
1. The
objects of redemption are such who are the objects of God's love; for
redemption, as has been observed, flows from the love of God and Christ; and
which love is not that general kindness shown in providence to all men, as the
creatures of God; but is special and discriminating; the favour which he bears
to his own people, as distinct from others; "Jacob have I loved, but Esau
have I hated": and the love which Christ has expressed
in redemption is towards his own that were in the world, whom he has a special
right and property in, "his" people, "his" sheep,
"his" church; as will be seen hereafter.
2. The objects of election and
redemption are the same; "Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect?--It is Christ that died!" died for the elect: so
the same, us all, for whom God delivered up his Son, are those whom he
foreknew, and whom he predestinated; and whose calling, justification, and
glorification are secured thereby, #Ro 8:30-33 and the same us, who are said to
be chosen in Christ, before the foundation of the world, have redemption in him
through his blood, #Eph 1:4,7. Election and redemption are
of equal extent; no more are redeemed by Christ than are chosen in him; and
these are a special people: what is said of the objects of the one is true of
the objects of the other. Are the elect the beloved of the Lord? and does the
act of election spring from love? Election presupposes love: so the redeemed
are the beloved of God and Christ; and their redemption flows from love. Are the elect a people whom God has chosen for his peculiar
treasure? the redeemed are purified by Christ, to be a peculiar people to
himself. Do the vessels of mercy, afore
prepared for glory, consist of Jews and Gentiles; even of them who are called
of both? so Christ is the propitiation, not for the sins of the Jews only, or
the Redeemer of them only; but for the sins of the Gentile world also, or the
Redeemer of his people among them. Are the elect of God a
great number, of all nations, kindreds, people, and tongues? Christ has
redeemed those he has redeemed unto God, out of every kindred, tongue, people,
and nation. Is it true of the elect, that they cannot be totally and finally
deceived and perish? it is true of the ransomed of the Lord, that they shall
come to Zion with everlasting joy; Christ will never lose any
part of the purchase of his blood.
3. Those for whom Christ has
died, and has redeemed by his blood, are no other than those for whom he became
a Surety. Now Christ was the Surety of the better testament, or covenant of
grace; and of course became a Surety for those, and for no other,
than who were interested in that covenant, in which he engaged to be the
Redeemer: Christ's suretyship is the ground and foundation of redemption; the
true reason of the sin of his people, and the punishment of it, being laid upon
him, and of his bearing it; of the payment of the debts of his people, and of
redeeming them out of the hands of justice; was because he engaged as a Surety,
and laid himself under obligation to do all this. But for
those for whom he did not become a Surety, he was not obliged to pay their
debts, nor to suffer and die in their room and stead. Christ's suretyship and
redemption are of equal extent, and reach to the same objects; they are the
Lord's Benjamins, the sons of his right hand, his beloved sons, that Christ,
the antitype of Judah, became a surety for, and laid himself under obligation
to bring them safe to glory, and present them to his divine
Father,
4. The objects of redemption
are described by such characters as show them to be a special and distinct
people; particularly they are called, the people of God and Christ; "for
the transgressions of my people", saith the Lord, "was he
stricken"; that is, Christ was, or would be, stricken
by the rod of justice, to make satisfaction for their sins, and thereby redeem
them from them, #Isa 53:8 and when he was about to come and redeem them,
Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, at his birth said, "Blessed be
the Lord God of Israel! for he hath visited and redeemed his people"; by
sending Christ, the dayspring from on high, as he afterwards calls him, to visit them, and redeem them by his blood, #Lu 1:68,78.
Hence, also, the angel that appeared to Joseph, and instructed him to call the
Son that should be born of his wife by the name of Jesus, gives this reason,
"for he shall save his people from their sins", #Mt 1:21. Now though
all men are, in a sense, the people of God, as they are his creatures, and the
care of his providence; yet they are not all redeemed by Christ;
because those that are redeemed by Christ are redeemed "out of every
people"; and therefore cannot be every or all people, #Re 5:9 the redeemed
are God's covenant people; of whom he says, "They shall be my people, and
I will be their God": they are his portion and his inheritance; a people
near unto him, both with respect to union and communion; a people given to
Christ, to be redeemed and saved by him; of whom it is said,
"Thy people shall be willing", &c.
5. The objects of redemption;
or those for whom Christ laid down his life a ransom price, are described as
"sheep"; as the sheep of Christ, in whom he has a special property,
being given him of his Father; and who are represented as distinct from others, who are not his sheep, #Joh 10:15,26,29 and such things
are said of them as can only agree with some particular persons; as, that they
are known by Christ; "I know my sheep", not merely by his
omniscience, so he knows all men; but he knows them distinctly as his own;
"the Lord knows them that are his", from others; he has knowledge of
them, joined with special love and affection for them; as he has not brothers, to whom he will say, "Depart from me: I know
you not". Likewise Christ is "known" by those sheep of his he
has laid down his life for; they know him in his person, offices, and grace;
whereas there are some that neither know the Father nor the Son; but those know
the voice of Christ; that is, the gospel of Christ, the joyful sound; whereas
the gospel is hid to them that are lost: and the sheep Christ has died for "follow" him, imitate him in the exercise of
grace, of love, patience, humility, &c. and in the performance of duty; and
this is said of the redeemed from among men; that they "follow the Lamb
whithersoever he goes", #Re 14:4. It is also affirmed of those sheep, that
they shall "never perish"; whereas the goats, set on Christ's left
hand, shall he bid to go, as "cursed", into everlasting fire, #Mt
25:33,34.
6. The objects of redemption are
the sons of God; redemption and adoption belong to the same persons; according
to the prophecy of Caiaphas, Christ was to die, not for the nation of the Jews
only, but to "gather together in one the children of God that were
scattered abroad" throughout the Gentile world, #Joh 11:52 and those who are predestinated to adoption by Christ are said to have
redemption in him, through his blood, #Eph 1:5,7 and the blessing of adoption,
in the full enjoyment of it, in the resurrection, is called "the redemption
of the body"; when redemption, as to the application of it, will be
complete also, #Ro 8:23. Now these sons, or children of God, are a peculiar
number of men, who are given of God to Christ, to redeem; the
seed promised to him in covenant, that he should see and enjoy; and to whom he
stands in the relation of the everlasting Father; these are they on whose
account he became incarnate, "took part of the same flesh and blood";
and these are the many sons he brings to glory, #Heb 2:10,13,14. Now these are
not all men; "the children of the flesh", or such as are never born
again, they are "not the children of God"; only such
are openly and manifestly the children of God who believe in Christ; and this
is owing to special grace, to distinguishing love; and is a favour that is only
conferred on some, #Ro 9:8 Ga 3:26 Joh 1:12 1Jo 3:1.
7. The objects of redemption
are the church and spouse of Christ; it is the church he has
loved, and given himself as a sacrifice and ransom price for; it is the church
he has purchased with his blood; even the general assembly, the church of the
firstborn, whose names are written in heaven; that is, the elect of God, whose
names are written in the Lamb's book of life, #Eph 5:25 Ac 20:28 of that church
of which Christ is the head and husband, he is the Redeemer; "thy Maker is
thine husband; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of
Israel!" #Isa 54:5. This cannot be said of all communities and bodies of
men: the whore of Babylon is not the spouse of Christ; nor sects under the
influence of false teachers, though there may be "threescore queens, and
fourscore concubines", of this sort; yet, says Christ, "my dove, my
undefiled, is but one"; and who only is redeemed by Christ, and espoused
to him, #So 6:9.
Now from all this it appears,
that redemption is not universal, is not of all men; for though they are many
for whom the ransom price is paid; yet though all are many, many are not all;
and if the redeemed are such who are the objects of God's special love and favour, then not all men; for there are some of whom
it is said, "He that made them, will not have mercy on them; and he that
formed them, will show them no favour", #Isa 27:11. If they are the elect
of God who are redeemed by Christ, and them only, then not all men; for all are
not chosen; "The election hath obtained it"; and "the rest are
blinded", #Ro 11:7 if only those are redeemed for whom Christ became a surety, then not all men; since Christ did not engage
to pay the debts of all men; and if they are the people of God and Christ, then
not all; since there are some on whom God writes a "loammi", saying,
"Ye are not my people; and I will not be your God", #Ho 1:9. And if
they are the sheep of Christ, to whom he gives eternal life; then not the
goats, who will go into everlasting punishment; and if they are the children of God, and the church and spouse of Christ; then not
all men; for all do not bear these characters, nor stand in these relations.
What may be further necessary, will be to produce some reasons, or arguments,
against universal redemption; and to give answer to such scriptures as are
brought in favour of it. It should be observed, that it is agreed on both
sides, that all are not eventually saved: could universal
salvation be established, there would be no objection to universal redemption;
the former not being the case the latter cannot be true; Christ certainly saves
all whom he redeems.
7a. First, I shall give some
reasons, or produce some arguments against the universal
scheme of redemption. And,
7a1. First.
The first set of arguments shall be taken from hence,
that
universal redemption reflects highly on the perfections
of God; and
what is contrary to the divine perfections,
cannot be true; for God cannot deny himself, nor say, nor
do
anything
contrary to his nature and attributes.
7a1a. The
universal scheme greatly reflects on the love of God to
men: it may,
at first sight, seem to magnify it, since it
extends it to all; but it will not appear so; it lessens
it,
and reduces
it to nothing. The scriptures highly commend the
love of God,
as displayed in the death of his Son, and in
redemption
by him; but what kind of love must that be, which
does not
secure the salvation of any by it? it is not that
love which God bears to his own people, which is special and
distinguishing;
when, according to the universal scheme, God
loved Peter
no more than he did Judas; nor the saints now in
heaven, any
more than those that are damned in hell; since
they were
both loved alike, and equally redeemed by Christ;
nor is it that love of God, which is immutable, invariable,
and
unalterable; since, according to this scheme, God loves
men with so
intense a love, at one time, as to give his Son
to die for
them, and wills that they all should be saved;
and afterwards
this love is turned into wrath and fury; and
he is determined to punish them with everlasting
destruction.
What sort of hove must this be in God, not to
spare his
Son, but deliver him up to death for all the
individuals
of mankind, for their redemption; and yet, to
multitudes
of them, does not send them so much as the
gospel, to acquaint them with the blessing of redemption by
Christ; and
much less his Spirit, to apply the benefit of
redemption
to them; nor give them faith to lay hold upon it
for
themselves? Such love as this is unworthy of God, and of
no service
to the creature.
7a1b. The
universal scheme, highly reflects on the wisdom of God:
it is
certain, God is "wonderful in counsel", in contriving
the scheme
of redemption; and is "excellent in working", in
the
execution of it: he is the wise God, and our Saviour;
and is wise as such. But where is his wisdom in forming a
scheme, in
which he fails of his end? there must be some
deficiency
in it; a want of wisdom, to concert a scheme,
which is
not, or cannot be carried into execution, at least
as to some
considerable part of it. Should it be said, that
the failure is owing to some mens not performing the
conditions
of their redemption required of them; it may be
observed, either
God did know, or did not know, that these
men would
not perform the conditions required: if he did not
know, this
ascribes want of knowledge to him; which surely
ought not to be ascribed to him that knows all things: if
he
did know
they would not perform them, where is his wisdom,
to provide
the blessing of redemption, which he knew
beforehand,
would be of no service to them? Let not such a
charge of
folly, be brought against infinite Wisdom.
7a1c. The
universal scheme, highly reflects on the justice of
God: God is
righteous in all his ways and works; and so in
this of
redemption by Christ; and, indeed, one principal end
of it is,
"To declare the righteousness of God, that he
might be just", or appear to be just, "and the
justifier of
him which
believeth in Jesus". But if Christ died for the
sins of all
men, and the punishment of their sins is
inflicted on
him, and bore by him, and yet multitudes of
them are
everlastingly punished for them, where is the
justice of God? It is reckoned unjust with men, to punish
twice for
the same act of offence: if one man pays another
man's debts,
would it be just with the creditor to exact,
require, and
receive payment again at the hands of the
debtor? If
Christ has paid the debts of all men, can it be
just with God to arrest such persons, and cast them into
the
prison of
hell, till they have paid the uttermost farthing?
Far be it
from the Judge of all the earth to do so, who will
do right.
7a1d. The universal scheme, reflects on the power of God;
as if
he was not
able to carry his designs into execution;
whereas,
"The Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot
save";
but, according to this scheme, it seems as if it was;
for if
Christ has redeemed all men, and all men are not
saved, it must be either from want of will in God to save
them, or
from want of power: not from want of will; for,
according to
this scheme, it is the will of God that every
individual
man should be saved: it must be therefore for
want of
power; and so he is not omnipotent. Should it be
said, that some men not being saved, is owing to evil
dispositions
in them, obstructing the kind influences and
intentions
of God towards them; to the perverseness of their
wills, and
the strength of their unbelief. But, what is man
mightier
than his Maker? Are the kind influences of God, and
his gracious intentions, to be obstructed by the corrupt
dispositions
of men? Is not be able to work in them, both to
will and to
do, of his good pleasure? Cannot he remove the
perverseness
of their wills, and the hardness of their
hearts?
Cannot he, by his power, take away their unbelief,
and work faith in them, to believe in a living Redeemer?
Far
be it to
think otherwise of him, with whom nothing is too
hard, nor
anything impossible.
7a1e. The
universal scheme reflects on the immutability of God,
of his love, and of his counsel: God, in the scripture,
says,
"I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of
Jacob are
not consumed", #Mal 3:6. But, according to this
scheme, it
should be, rather, I am the Lord, I change; and
therefore
the sons of men, or at least some of them, are
consumed, are lost and perish, though redeemed by Christ;
for the love
of God, as has been observed, is changeable
with respect
unto them: one while he loves them, so that he
wills their
salvation; at another time his love is changed
into hatred,
and he is resolved to stir up his wrath to the
uttermost against them. He is said to be "in one mind,
and
who can turn
him?" and yet, according to this scheme, he is
sometimes in
one mind, and sometimes in another; sometimes
his mind is
to save them; and at another time his mind is to
damn them.
But let not this be said of him, "with whom there
is no variableness, nor shadow of turning".
7a1f. The
universal scheme disappoints God of his chief end, and
robs him of
his glory. The ultimate end of God, in the
redemption
of men; as has been observed; is his own glory,
the glory of his rich grace and mercy; and of his
righteousness,
truth, and faithfulness: but if men, any of
them who are
redeemed, are not saved, so far God loses his
end, and is
deprived of his glory; for should this be the
case, where
would be the glory of God the Father, in forming
a scheme which does not succeed, at least with respect to
multitudes?
and where would be the glory of the Son of God,
the
Redeemer, in working out the redemption of men, and yet
they not
saved by him? And where would be the glory of the
Spirit of
God, if the redemption wrought out, is not
effectually applied by him? But, on the contrary, the
"glory
of
God", Father, Son, and Spirit, "is great in the
salvation"
of all the redeemed ones, #Ps 21:5.
7a2.
Secondly, Another set of arguments against universal
redemption, might be taken from its reflecting on the grace
and work of
Christ: whatever obscures, or lessens, the grace
of Christ in
redemption, or depreciates his work as a
Redeemer,
can never be true. Whereas,
7a2a. The universal scheme reflects on the love and grace
of
Christ. The
scripture speaks highly of the love of Christ,
as displayed
in redemption; and Christ himself intimates,
that he was
about to give the greatest instance of his love
to his
people, by dying for them, that could be given; even
though and while they were enemies to him, #Joh 15:13. But
what sort of
love is that, to love men to such a degree as
to die for
them, and yet withhold the means of grace from
multitudes
of them, bestow no grace upon them, and at last
say to them,
"Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting
7a2b. The
universal scheme reflects upon the work of Christ;
particularly
his work of satisfaction, which was to finish
transgression,
to make an end of sin, by satisfying divine
justice for it; by putting away sin by the sacrifice of
himself.
Now, either he has made satisfaction for every man,
or he has
not: if he has, then they ought to be set free,
and fully
discharged, and not punishment inflicted on them,
or their
debts exacted of them: if he has not made
satisfaction by redeeming them, this lessens the value of
Christ's
work, and makes it of no use, and ineffectual; and
indeed,
generally, if not always, the advocates for general
redemption deny
the proper satisfaction, and real atonement
by Christ;
plainly discerning, that if he has made full
satisfaction for the sins of all men, they must all be
saved; and
so the work of reconciliation, which is closely
connected
with, and involved in satisfaction, is not perfect
according to
the scriptures: Christ, by redeeming then with
the price of
his blood, has made satisfaction to justice for
them, and thereby has procured their reconciliation; for
they are
said to be reconciled unto God by the death of his
Son; and
peace is said to be made by the blood of his cross,
which is the
redemption price for them; and he is pacified
towards them
for all that they have done; which is meant by
Christ being a propitiation for sin, whereby justice is
appeased.
But, according to the universal scheme, God is
only made
reconcilable, not reconciled, nor men reconciled
to him:
notwithstanding what Christ has done, there may be
no peace to
them, not any being actually made for them; and,
indeed, the work of redemption must be very incomplete;
though
Christ is a "Rock", as a Saviour and Redeemer, and
his work is
"perfect", his world of redemption; and hence
called a
"plenteous" one; and Christ is said to have
obtained
"eternal redemption" for us; and yet if all are not
saved through it, it must be imperfect; it cannot be a full
redemption,
nor of eternal efficacy; the benefit of it, can
at most, be
only for a time to some, if any at all, and not
be for ever;
which is greatly to depreciate the efficacy of
this work of
Christ.
7a2c.
According to the universal scheme, the death of Christ,
with respect
to multitudes, for whom he is said to die, must
be in vain;
for if Christ died to redeem all men, and all
men are not saved
by his death, so far his death must be in
vain: if he paid a ransom for all, and all are not
ransomed;
or if he has
paid the debts of all, and they are not
discharged,
the price is given, and the payment made, in
vain.
According to this scheme, the death of Christ is no
security
against condemnation; though the apostle says, "Who
shall condemn? It is Christ that died!" so that there
is no
condemnation
to them whose sins are condemned in Christ; and
he has
condemned them in the flesh, #Ro 8:1,33 and yet
there is a
world of men that will be condemned, #1Co 11:32
and
therefore it may be concluded, that Christ did not die for
them, or otherwise they would not come into condemnation;
or
else
Christ's death has no efficacy against condemnation.
7a2d. The
universal scheme separates the works of Christ, the
work of
redemption, and the work of intercession; and makes
them to belong to different persons; whereas they are of
equal
extent, and belong to the same; for whom Christ died,
for them he rose
again from the dead; and that was for their
justification;
which is not true of all men: for those he
ascended to
heaven, to God, as their God and Father, for the
same he entered into heaven, as their forerunner, and
appears in
the presence of God for them and ever lives to
make
intercession for them; and for the same for whom he is
an advocate,
he is the propitiation; for his advocacy is
founded upon
his propitiatory sacrifice: now those for whom
he prays and intercedes, are not all men, himself being
witness;
"I pray for them; I pray not for the world",
#Joh 17:9.
Yet, according to the universal scheme, he died
for them for
whom he would not pray; which is absurd and
incredible.
7a2e. If Christ
died for all men, and all men are not saved,
Christ will
not see of the travail of his soul and be
satisfied;
as was promised him, #Isa 53:11 for what
satisfaction
can he have to see his labour, with respect to
multitudes, all lost labour, or labour in vain? it was the
joy that was
set before him, of having those for whom he
suffered and
died, with him in heaven: but what joy can he
have, and
what a disappointment must it be to him, to see
thousands
and millions whom he so loved as to give himself
for, howling in hell, under the everlasting displeasure and
wrath of
God?
7a3.
Thirdly, Other arguments against universal redemption, may
be taken
from the uselessness of it to great numbers of men.
7a3a. To
those whose sins are irremissible; whose sins will never
be forgiven,
neither in this world, nor in that which is to
come: that
there are such sinners, and such sins committed
by them, is certain, from what Christ himself says,
#Mt 12:31,32
and the apostle speaks of a sin which is "unto
death",
unto eternal death; which he does not advise to pray
for, #1Jo
5:16 and surely Christ cannot be thought to die
for such
sins, for which there is no forgiveness with God,
and no prayer to be made by men for the remission of them;
to say that
Christ died for those, is to say that he died in
vain:
besides, there were multitudes in hell at the time
when Christ
died; and it cannot be thought that he died for
those, as he
must, if he died for all the individuals of
mankind; as the men of Sodom, who were then, as Jude says,
"suffering
the vengeance of eternal fire"; and the
inhabitants
of the whole world, the world of the ungodly,
destroyed by
the flood; those that were disobedient in the
times of
Noah; whose spirits, as the apostle Peter says,
were, in his time, in the prison of hell, #Jude 5:7 1Pe
3:20
if he died
for these, his death must be fruitless and
useless;
unless it can be thought, that a jail delivery was
made at his
death, and the dominions and regions of hell
were cleared
of their subjects.
7a3b.
Redemption, if for all, must be useless to those who never
were
favoured with the means of grace; as all the nations of
the world,
excepting Israel, for many hundred of years were;
whose times
of ignorance God winked at and overlooked, and
sent no messengers, nor messages of grace unto them; see
#Ps
147:19,20 Ac 17:30 and since the coming of Christ,
though the
gospel has, in some ages, had a greater spread, yet
not preached
to all; nor is it now, to many nations, who have
never heard
of Christ, and of redemption by him, #Ro 10:14.
7a3c. The
universal scheme affords no encouragement to faith and
hope in
Christ: redemption, as it ascertains salvation to
some, it
encourages sensible sinners to hope in Christ for
it;
"Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with him is plenteous
redemption", #Ps 130:7 a redemption full of salvation;
and
which
secures that blessing to all that believe. But,
according to
the universal scheme, men may be redeemed by
Christ, and
yet not saved, but eternally perish: what hope
of salvation
can a man have upon such a scheme? it requires
no great discernment, nor judgment of things, to determine,
which is
most eligible of the two schemes, that which makes
the
salvation of some certain; or that which leaves the
salvation of
all precarious and uncertain; which, though it
asserts a
redemption of all; yet it is possible none may be
7a3d. Hence,
even to those who are redeemed and saved, it lays no
foundation
for, nor does it furnish with any argument to
engage to
love Christ, to be thankful to him, and to praise
him for the redemption of them; since the difference
between
them and
others, is not owing to the efficacy of Christ's
death, but
to their own wills and works; they are not
beholden to
Christ, who has done no more for them than for
those that
perish; they are not, from any such
consideration, obliged to walk in love, as Christ has loved
them, and
given himself for them; since he has loved them no
more, and
given himself for them no otherwise, than for them
that are
lost; nor are they under obligation to be thankful
to him, and
bless his name, that he has redeemed their lives
from destruction; since, notwithstanding his redemption of
them, they
might have been destroyed with an everlasting
destruction;
it is not owing to what Christ has done, but to
what they
have done themselves, performing the conditions of
salvation
required, that they are saved from destruction, if
ever they are, according to this scheme: nor can they
indeed
sing the
song of praise to the Lamb, for their redemption;
saying,
"Thou art worthy--for thou wast slain, and hast
redeemed us
to God by that blood, out of every kindred, and
tongue, and
people, and nation!" since, according to this
scheme, Christ has redeemed every kindred, every tongue,
every
people, and
every nation.