In connection with salvation, the words "all", "many", and "few" are all applicable in their proper contexts.
1. Salvation is offered to ALL since God desires the salvation of ALL.
2. Christ died for the sins of THE WHOLE WORLD.
3. MANY are called (through the Gospel) but the FEW (who obey the Gospel) are saved.
4. Those who are saved become the SHEEP of the Great Shepherd. All others are outside the fold.
Hi Nehemiah,
You know that I don't agree with that. 'the whole world' would be those whose names were written in the book of life before the world began. This is demonstrated in Revelation by the following scripture:
"And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was slain."
"And those who dwell on the earth whose names were
not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet will be."
These scriptures tell us two things:
1). There were names chosen for salvation who were written in the book of life and names that were not written.
2). Their names were written in the book of life before the world even began
Then you have the following scriptures:
"When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who [
were appointed for eternal life believed."]
To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
and,
“A stone of stumbling
and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word—[
and to this they were appointed]
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So, according to these scriptures, some were appointed to believe and others were appointed not to believe. Those who were appointed, their names are among those that were written before the world began. Those who were appointed to not believe, their names were not written. We have other scriptures which demonstrate God's Sovereign election in the follow scripture:
"Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom [
prepared for you from the foundation of the world.]
The above is of course speaking regarding the sheep and the goat judgment. Notice that the millennial kingdom was prepared for them before the world began, but not for the others. As it is stated in Romans regarding salvation:
"So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.
The saved and unsaved was determined by God's Sovereign choice for His own pleasure and will. So when it says, "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish," the world represents those whose names were written in the book of life before the world began. God is the One who did the choosing and saving. It's not a free-for-all invite!
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