Question about Jesus dying for everyone and salvation. - Biblical Christians only, please.?

Question

I am only wondering what Bible-believing Christians have to say about this - no offense to athiests, etc.

If Jesus died for everyone, and salvation is entirely of God, does it logically follow that anyone could possibly go to hell under any circumstances?
If you say, "But you have to accept Jesus," then salvation is not entirely from God, it is from cooperation between God and man... and if this is the case, why does one person accept Him and another not accept? Again, that goes back to all God, or else you have to say 'man,' and then salvation is not only of God again.

It seems that you can only say, "Jesus didn't die for everyone," "everyone is saved/no one goes to hell," or "salvation is not ONLY of the Lord." Which do you choose? Can you think of a fourth option?

People: if you belive that salvation is entirely of God, then how can you suggest that we have to add something, like our repentance? People keep saying "free will..." what do you mean by that?

Answer 1

Jesus died for many. Not for everyone. Not everyone will exercise their free will and choose Christ.

Mar 10:45 For the Son of man also is not come to be ministered unto: but to minister and to give his life a redemption for many.

Mar 14:23 And having taken the chalice, giving thanks, he gave it to them. And they all drank of it.
Mar 14:24 And he said to them: This is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many.

Mat 20:27 And he that will be first among you shall be your servant.
Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a redemption for many.

Answer 2

Isn't it what God Himself has to say on any subject what Really Matters? Not what anyone else claims -- not even people who claim to serve & have a close relationship with Him? So, let's consult Him by reading what he's had recorded for us in his word. These articles thoroughly cover the questions you've asked, and more:

1a.
What Has Happened to Hellfire?
~ ~ A Brief History of Hellfire
~ What Really Is Hell? http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2002/7/15/article_01.htm

1b.
The Hereafter--Where Will It Be?
~ Earth--Just a Testing Ground?
~ Eternal Happiness - In Heaven or on Earth? http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2000/10/1/article_01.htm

2a.
Is There Any Hope of Salvation?
~ Jesus Saves - How?
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2001/11/15/article_01.htm

2b.
Have You Been Saved?
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/1996/2/1/have_you_been_saved.htm
~ What We Must Do to Be Saved < < < < < < < < <

3. Select: The Wonderful Gift of Free Will link#4.

Does God Really Care About Us? :
~ An Earth Free From Suffering
~ How We Can Know There Is a God
~ God Informs Us About His Purposes
~ The Wonderful Gift of Free Will < < < < < < < <
~ Why God Has Permitted Suffering
~ What Has Been the Result of Rebellion?
~ God's Purpose Moves Toward Fulfillment
~ How We Know We Are in "the Last Days"
~ The Marvelous New World of God's Making
~ The New World's Foundation Now Being Laid
http://www.watchtower.org/library/dg/index.htm

4.Where we can find accurate answers to our questions.

True Teachings--Where Can You Find Them?
~ True Teachings That Please God:
~ ~ How Old Is [the Bible?
~ ~ How Is It Organized?
~ ~ Can You Trust the Bible?
~ ~ What Does the Bible Teach Us?
~ ~ What Will You Do?
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2005/7/15/article_01.htm

"Make Sure of All things; Hold Fast to what is Fine!" 1Th5:21
Rather than asking various people's opinions, aren't we wise to seek God's answers?

Answer 3

This is were mans free will is looked at. There are bible beliefs that man has free will and may or may not "accept" salvation. Some beliefs are also based on predestination of salvation. That is where people were predestined to be saved. There is also a way to look at it as this. If everyone was to go to heaven anyway then why would there be a need for sin and such. Therefore the part of mans free will comes into play. I think the main issue here may be in the translation of the bible. here it says Christ died for everybody may really be died for all those that will accept him. So there are many ways it could have been translated?.?. Hope this gives more insight or maybe raises more questions for you.

Answer 4

Jesus died for all, even those who are lost (1 John 2:2).
Some will go to hell (Matthew 7:13-14).

The correct answer, according to the Bible:
Salvation is not "entirely of God." Salvation is by grace (Ephesians 2:8), but not by grace only, or else, as you correctly reasoned, everyone would be saved since God wants all to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4).

Man has a part in salvation; he must obey the gospel (Romans 10:16; 1 Thessalonians 1:8), including being baptized to wash away his sins (Acts 22:16) because baptism saves us (1 Peter 3:21).

Answer 5

Hello,

Ephesians 2:8-9 says that by grace we are saved. Our Salvation is a gift from God that we can not work for. God however, will not force us to accept his gift of salvation, and so in that sense he needs our willingness, but it's not anything we've earned, worked for. Your logic is off because God's character is that He does not lie (he would not be perfectly good, if he did) and so not anyone could possibly go to hell under any circumstance because God has promised that those who put their trust in Christ will have an eternal relationship with Him.

In terms of Jesus dying for everyone. The Scriptures tells us God's heart. God sent Jesus to die on the cross to pay for the sins of the world, and he desires everyone in the world to receive Him. God is omniscient and does not see things in the way we do. The bible says before a word is formed on our lips He knows it. He knows already who will accept and reject Him. So He died that everyone would have the opportunity to know Him, though not everyone accepts Him.

It's like going to a party with 50 people and you buy 50 ice creams (so you say i bought ice cream for everyone) even though everyone may not eat your ice cream- it's available and was meant for everyone- but people had to make their personal choice.

Hope that helps...

Answer 6

Aw man....you asked for logic again. How many times can I say this - Christianity and logic are mutually exclusive! they cannot coexist!!! See proof of this directly above my response - they cannot even fathom your question! Seems strange that Jesus would tell you that the only way to Heaven is THROUGH HIM....and of course, what that means is through the Church...because it is all an elborate hoax devised to part you with your money and freedom of thought. I cannot wrap my head around an all loving God that would damn anyone to hell - beleiver or not. It simply doesnt make sense. God creates us, gives us free will and then punishes us for making the wrong choices, coming to the wrong conclusions???? What kind of all loving god is that???

With that said, I can think of a fourth option - God doesnt exist. Never has, never will, no matter how hard you believe. And I can prove it......just remember how hard you used to believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy. But they arent real, now are they?

Answer 7

Jesus died for everyone. Jesus was God. He still is. In the Bible where the angel appeared to Mary (human) the angel said that the Holy Spirit would come to her, & that Mary would have Jesus (so then He was Divine, too). He do have to accept Jesus & follow Him. He gives us the choice to accept Him. That is why some accept & some don't (they choose so). There will be people who go to hell (the unrighteous), but they do not burn forever. Think about it: when you burn a log in the fireplace, if you don't do anything to it (that is, after you start the fire), won't the fire eventually die out? Won't you then be left with ashes? Can you burn ashes? Tell ya what, just email me. :)

Answer 8

Greetings,
Jesus did take on the sins of the whole world just before he died on the cross. The whole world past,present and future. By doing this then God freely dispensed grace to those that chose to believe and follow His only begotten Son. The bible declares that there is only one name under heaven that can save and that name is Jesus.By this we are allowed to enter His kingdom but we will not be given the status that possibly a prophet might receive or one that has preached the gospel and converted many to His Son,but we will reach His kingdom.
Now the bible also states that none can come to the Father exept by through Me that He has called. So we may be called but we may by our own free will or choice determine if we will heed that call or ignore it and rely upon our own resources or to live our lives of the worldinstead of by the spirit by which we have been called to. So in a word it is by our own choice to follow goodness and rigteousness or to follow evil and degradation.
God does not force His will or His plan of salvation upon anyone, but allows everyone to decide for themselves what path they might take.

Answer 9

There IS no fourth opinon. Jesus died for us all. Plain and simple. He loves us all way too much to NOT die for us.

And...anyone could go to hell...if they deny Christ daily. If you just live by the minute and do this and do that...and continually sin, you will probably go to hell. Not that i'm JUDGING or anything...but, that's what happens.

I think people don't accept Him because they are too wrapped up in "ME" and have no room for "CHRIST". Everyone is called to let Him live in them at some time in there life, it just depends on if they will notice it or not.

And, lastly, Salvation is ONLY OF GOD. man cannot even make a tree grow, so how can he decide if you go to hell or you go to heaven? Man is SO powerless. And God, is so mighty. He is so far above us, we are way to unworthy of His Mercy.

Answer 10

I don't know how the atheists feel, but I'VE taken offense! Y'know, Catholics DO believe in the bible! Not only as a book but as the inspired word of God! We just know better than to take it literally!

To your question, if it's acceptable for me to answer it being a Catholic. Jesus was both God AND man, so salvation IS from God and man isn't doing anything but accepting that God will save him. God doesn't need man to accept him to save man, but God, through free will, is giving man the choice of whether or not he wants to be saved. In that way, God ALLOWS man to participate in salvation, but God doesn't need man to be a part of it. Not bad for a Catholic, eh?

Answer 11

The apostle Paul was someone who really knew how to debate and argue with Greek and Roman philosophers. In Romans, his answer is just about as complicated as your question, so if you check it out, you will probably understand what he was saying, probably better than me.
But, lemme throw this out to you. What Bill Gates came out one day and said, "I have money for everyone in the world, and I want to give it out." Some people would not believe there wasn't strings attached, or that it was true, so they would choose not to take him up on it, while others would take the money without questions, and others would ask a lot of questions before taking the money. The first group would not get the money, but does that mean Bill Gates didn't intend the money for everyone. No, the intent of that money was for everyone, and he can't make everyone take his money. So it comes down to free will, we have the choice to accept a gift that is out there for everyone, or ignore it. How nice do you think Bill Gates would be if he ran to all the people who didn't want his money and held them at gun point to take his money?