The Cross Justifies the Existence of All Life
by Paul E. Penno
But the Father, without whose knowledge not even a sparrow falls to the ground, knew from ancient times every son and daughter of Adam who would ever live upon this earth. And “whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son.” Rom. 8:29. So that instead of predestinating certain ones who would believe only to be saved, God predestinated to eternal life every one who was to be born.5
Consider the phrase “whom He did predestinate.”6 This is completed action. This predestination is in Christ. “In Christ we have already been blessed with all spiritual blessings.”7
“Them He also called.” “All men are called to that which God has prepared for them.”8 God’s gift to every one who has been born would not be well-intentioned unless His call was particular to each individual. Calling involves conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit.9 Surely the Lord leaves no one who has ever been born out of this important step of conversion. “The call of God is addressed to every man individually.”10 “I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.” Isa. 43:1.
“Them He also justified.” This is past action on God’s part. Every one has been given the gift of justification of life. But Paul continues further by saying, “them He also glorified.” How can the unbelieving be said to be glorified? In the same sense that Paul said his unbelieving fellow Jews—“kinsmen according to the flesh”—“who are Israelites” pertained “the adoption, and the glory” (Rom. 9:4). Glorification is the change that comes when Jesus returns and bestows immortality upon mortal flesh and we are no more subject to temptation. In Christ the unbelieving person has been given the gift of legal justification and glorification.
Further confirmation of God’s justification of the world in Christ’ death is set forth in 2 Corinthians 5:19: “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.” Again, we detect judicial language in the word “imputing.” When God takes inventory of the world, He does not reckon or put to its account “their” sins; either intentional or unintentional sins. In Christ the world is legally reconciled unto Himself. Notice that it is the world that needs the reconciliation, not God needing to be reconciled to the world. The reconciliation is wholly unilateral on His part.
Just how God accomplished this reconciliation is fleshed out in the words “for He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21). He, on the cross, was the Representative of sinners,—and “made” the sin of the world; “that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). The word “made” is in the past tense (aorist), as joining the whole justification [“righteousness”] of all whose sins He bore, as one act accomplished, with the sacrifice of Christ. The sacrifice is the righteousness of God. By virtue of God making Him to be sin for us, “in Him” we are made justified. The world stands “in Him” justified, God “not imputing their trespasses unto them.” This is how the reconciliation was effected by God at the cross.
5 W. T. B., “The Election of Grace,” The Present Truth 17, 9 (February 28, 1901), p 132.
6“He did not merely in His premundane decree, acquit them of sin, but also clothe them with glory: the aorist edozaren being used, as the other aorists, to imply the completion in the divine counsel of all these, which are to us, in the state of time, so many successive steps,—simultaneously and irrevocably.” Henry Alford, The Greek Testament, Vol. II,(Rivingtons: London, 1886), p. 599.
7 W. T. B., “The Election of Grace,” The Present Truth 17, 9 (February 28, 1901), p 132.
8 Ibid.
9 “Calling is the drawing of the sinner to Christ, and it is a work wrought by the Holy Spirit upon the heart, convicting of sin, and inviting to repentance.” Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 390.
10 W. T. B., “The Everlasting Mercy,” The Present Truth 17, 10 (March 7, 1901), p. 147.