I believe3 from my bible study that all sin was forgiven when Christ died on the cross, all the way back to Adam and all the way forward to the last person born. That he has done all he is going to do in regards to forgiveness.
But mans greatest need is regeneration, to be born again because he is spiritually dead because of Adams sin. I believe if each person will place there trust for everlasting life (spiritual life) in the gospel of grace, (Christ died for out sins, was buried and rose from the dead for our justification - 1 Cor 15: 1-4) we will receive salvation, which is restoration of spiritual life found only in the Spirit of Christ that indwells the new believer. This is referred to as objective or universal forgiveness.
Romans 5:6
"For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly (the lost - unsaved). 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners (lost), Christ died for us"
Romans 5:10
"For if when we were enemies (lost) we were reconciled to God (past tense) through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (resurrection)."
I believe when a person remains impenitent and an unbeliever, he is still pardoned by God ''objectively'' and really -- but he does not benefit from that awesome truth.
He is like a person who has had a fortune deposited into his bank account, in reality, yet despises that fact and continues to live and die as a pauper. The reality of the gift and the love of the Giver is not changed, but the personal blessing is forfeited.
Jimmy |
