Chapter 4: Answering the second major argument for universal atonement
I conclude that the entire argument for universal redemption, when all is said and done, rests on the misuse of one word: world. But that word is used in many different ways in Scripture. Unless we are willing to wrest it from context and twist it to suit our preferences, it cannot bear the weight of this doctrine.
In every case, the world Christ saves is His people throughout the world—not every individual without exception, but all His sheep, scattered across every nation and generation.
Let the Christian reader heed the apostle's command: "Test all things; hold fast to what is good."
(1 Thess. 5:21)
Book IV, Chapter 4 Answer to the Second General Argument for Universal Redemption Texts that mention "all men" and "every man"
The second major argument raised in defense of universal redemption is based on passages where Scripture speaks of "all men" or "every man" in the context of salvation or Christ's death. These texts are often repeated with great confidence—as if the mere sound of the words could settle the matter. But while such expressions are loudly proclaimed, they are rarely carefully studied.
The core of the argument goes like this:
"If God wills all men to be saved, then Christ must have died for all men.
But 1 Timothy 2:4 says that God wills all men to be saved.
Therefore, Christ died for all men."
This may sound persuasive on the surface, but the entire weight of the argument rests on the word "all"—which is commonly misunderstood.
The Word "All" in Scripture The word "all" is frequently used in Scripture, but not always in the same sense. It can mean:
All people universally, without exception.
All kinds or sorts of people, without distinction.
To assume it always means the first is to ignore the rich and varied use of language in the Bible. There are hundreds of examples where
"all" clearly does not mean "every individual," but rather "people of all kinds, ranks, and nations."
So, what do we do with these texts? We must ask two key questions:
1. What Is the Will of God in 1 Timothy 2:4?
"God desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth."
What does this will of God mean?
Scripture speaks of God's will in different ways:
His sovereign, decretive will – what God actually brings to pass. "My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose" (Isa. 46:10).
His moral or preceptive will – what God commands or approves, even if it is not fulfilled (e.g., the command not to sin).
In this passage, the word "will" refers to God's preceptive will— what is pleasing and desirable in itself, not what He has decreed will certainly come to pass. For if God had decreed the salvation of all men without exception, then all would certainly be saved. But we know this is not the case.
So, the passage teaches that God approves and commands the salvation of all kinds of people—not that He decreed to save every individual.
2. Who Are the All in 1 Timothy 2?
We must pay close attention to the context of the passage.
Paul has just instructed Timothy to offer prayers for all men (v.1), and then immediately explains what he means: kings and all in high positions (v.2). Why?
Because the Jewish mindset at the time was narrow. It assumed salvation was largely restricted to their own nation and religious elite. But Paul insists that God's saving purpose extends to all sorts
of people—not only to the poor, but even to kings; not only to Jews, but to Gentiles.
So when Paul says Christ gave Himself as a ransom "for all," it means:
He died for all kinds of people, in every station of life—not only the familiar or expected ones.
This understanding also makes sense of verse 6, where Christ is said to be a ransom "to be testified in due time." The preaching of the gospel across nations is the testimony that God's saving purpose includes people of every kind, from all over the world.
God's Will and the Salvation of "All Men"
(1 Timothy 2:4, continued) I now turn to examine the nature of God's will in this passage. When
Scripture says that God "desires all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4), what exactly does that mean?
We must understand that the will of God in Scripture is spoken of in more than one way. It refers either to:
1. God's will of command – what He commands and approves; or 2. God's will of purpose – what He has sovereignly decreed and will certainly bring to pass.
These are distinct. Let's apply both senses to this passage and see what follows.
1. If "God wills all to be saved" refers to His will of command:
This would mean that God commands, invites, and approves of all people seeking salvation by the means He has appointed. In other words, God is pleased when people pursue salvation through Christ and calls all to do so.
If that's the case, then Paul is saying nothing more than what we find elsewhere in Scripture:
"God commands all people everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30).
But note this critical point: God's command to seek salvation does not imply that Christ died for each individual in particular.
Rather, God's command arises from the connection He has established between faith and salvation. Christ's death is fully sufficient to save every believer—but the promise of salvation is attached only to faith, and not all believe.
So if this is the correct reading of God's will in 1 Timothy 2:4, it does not support the claim that Christ died for every individual.
2. If "God wills all to be saved" refers to His will of purpose:
If this speaks of God's sovereign intention—His eternal and effectual will—then the conclusion must be:
All whom God purposes to save shall indeed be saved.
There is no failing in God's sovereign will:
"He does according to His will… none can stay His hand" (Dan.
4:35).
"Whatever the Lord pleases, He does" (Ps. 115:3).
"Who has resisted His will?" (Rom. 9:19).
If the "all" in this passage truly refers to every single person without exception, then one of two impossible conclusions must follow:
1. God fails to save some whom He intends to save, which is contrary to His power and nature; or 2. All people will certainly be saved, which contradicts the whole witness of Scripture.
Therefore, to avoid these unacceptable conclusions, we must consider a third question:
Who Are the "All" in 1 Timothy 2?
Paul is not speaking of all individuals, but rather of all kinds of people—people from every class, race, and nation.
This interpretation fits both the context and the language of the passage:
Paul has just called for prayers to be made for all people (v.
1), and explains that to include kings and those in high positions (v. 2).
This was a radical idea in a time when many believers thought salvation was mostly for the Jewish people or for the poor.
Paul is affirming that God desires the salvation of all kinds of people, not just one kind.
Thus, in verse 4, when he says God "wills all to be saved," it must be understood as:
God intends to save a people from every kind of background, and not just one nation or group.
Who Are the "All" in 1 Timothy 2:4?
Paul writes, "[God] desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4). Those who argue for a universal atonement claim this proves that Christ died for every individual without exception. But let's look more closely.
What does "all people" mean?
According to the context and the plain sense of the passage, "all people" refers to all kinds of people, not every single person without exception.
This is not only consistent with how the Bible often uses the word all, but also flows directly from Paul's purpose in the passage. He is urging believers to pray for all sorts of people—especially for those in high authority—because the grace of God is no longer confined to one nation (Israel), but now extends promiscuously and indiscriminately to people of every class, race, and position in the world.
Even the Arminian theologian Arminius admitted that Paul is speaking here of "all kinds of men," especially those living under the gospel in the New Testament era.
Why "all sorts" makes better sense than "all individuals"
Let's consider five reasons why this is the right understanding:
1. The word all in Scripture often means many of all kinds It's common in the Bible for all to refer not to every individual, but to people from every category. For example:
Jesus healed "every disease"—not meaning every possible disease in every person, but all kinds of diseases (Matt. 9:35).
The Pharisees tithed "all herbs"—not literally every herb in existence, but herbs of many kinds (Luke 11:42).
So unless the context forces a universal interpretation, the natural reading of all is all types or classes.
2. Paul himself explains what he means Paul's own clarification is decisive. In 1 Timothy 2:1–2, he says:
"Pray for all people, for kings and all who are in authority."
He explicitly applies all to different ranks and classes of people.
He does not mean every individual, but every kind. This is further confirmed by examples like Jeremiah 29:1–2, where "all the people" taken into exile are shown to be some of all ranks and vocations.
Paul is saying: Now that the gospel is going to all nations, pray for all kinds of people—including those in high places—because God is calling out his people from every class and corner of the world.
3. We're not commanded to pray for everyone without exception
Paul is calling the church to pray for all kinds of people—not for every individual. Why? Because there are some whom we are expressly told not to pray for (see 1 John 5:16)—those who have sinned the sin unto death. That is, God has not appointed prayer for those who are reprobate and hardened.
We are to align our prayers with God's revealed purpose—not praying for what He has not promised.
4. God's will is always accomplished If God truly intended every individual to be saved, then every individual would be saved. For who can resist His will? (Rom.
9:19). But Scripture is clear that not all will be saved—some will be condemned (Matt. 25:41–46). Therefore, "all" cannot mean every single person, or else God's will would fail.
But God's will does not fail. He accomplishes all He pleases (Ps.
115:3). So the "all" whom He desires to be saved must mean something else—namely, His elect, from all nations and ranks.
5. Coming to the truth and being saved go hand-in-hand Notice that Paul says God wills all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. These are parallel ideas—equal in scope. But has God revealed the truth to everyone in the world? Clearly not.
God revealed His word to Israel, not to other nations (Ps.
147:19–20).
In earlier ages, He allowed the nations to walk in their own ways (Acts 14:16).
The gospel was hidden from ages past (Col. 1:26) and not revealed to all.
Jesus himself said that the Father hides truth from some and reveals it to others, "for so it seemed good in His sight" (Matt.
11:25–26).
If God does not will everyone to come to a knowledge of the truth, neither does He will everyone to be saved. But He does will to save
His people from every tribe, tongue, and nation, and they shall come to the truth.
Christ Gave Himself as a Ransom for All (1 Timothy 2:6) Paul writes that Christ "gave Himself as a ransom for all." Some conclude from this that Jesus died for every single person in the world. But when we consider this verse in its proper context, we find that "all" means all kinds of people—not every individual without exception.
A ransom implies deliverance A ransom is not a vague offer—it's a price paid that sets someone free. The language used here implies an actual effect: those for whom the ransom is paid are released. Therefore, this verse teaches not a general possibility of salvation, but the actual redemption of a definite people.
If Christ truly paid a ransom for every single person, then all must be set free. But Scripture and experience alike show that not all are.
Many remain lost and under judgment. This proves that the "all" for whom Christ gave Himself must be those who are truly set free— the elect, drawn from all nations and ranks, as Revelation 5:9 makes clear.
The objection from universal language Some insist that since we are to pray for all (v.1), and Christ gave
Himself as a ransom for all (v.6), then "all" must refer to every person. But this relies on a misleading use of the word "all."
In truth, Paul is highlighting the universal scope of the gospel—not its individual application to everyone. Christ did not die for one race or class, but for all sorts of people: rich and poor, rulers and servants,
Jew and Gentile. That's the good news we now proclaim to the world.
If "all" meant every individual, then:
Everyone would be ransomed.
None could be lost.
The ransom would fail in its purpose—which is unthinkable.
So we affirm that Christ gave Himself for "all" kinds of people, not all people without distinction.
"Not Willing That Any Should Perish" (2 Peter 3:9) Peter writes, "The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise... but is patient toward you, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
This is often taken to mean that God desires every person to repent and be saved. But Peter makes it plain that he's speaking to believers
—those he calls "beloved" (v.1) and who have received "precious promises" (1:4). So when he says, "not willing that any should perish," he means not willing that any of us—his chosen, believing people—should perish.
Who is the "you" and "us"?
The entire letter is addressed to Christians. Peter is not speaking abstractly about the entire human race, but pastorally about God's patient love for His people. He delays final judgment so that all of His elect may be gathered in repentance and faith. As Jesus said,
"This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed... and then the end will come" (Matt. 24:14).
To argue that God wills every single person to be saved because He delays judgment is to ignore the very audience Peter is addressing.
Can this verse support universal redemption?
Not at all. Consider:
If God truly willed every person to repent and be saved, then all would be.
But we know that not all are saved.
Therefore, this must refer to those whom God has purposed to save—the elect.
If "all" meant every individual, then we would have to conclude that God is frustrated in His will, unable to accomplish what He desires— which contradicts all of Scripture:
"Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases" (Ps.
115:3).
God's patient purpose God's patience is not weakness. It's the mercy by which He waits for all His chosen people to come to repentance. He withholds final judgment so that not one of His sheep will be lost.
God is not willing that any of His people should perish.
He is willing that all His people come to repentance.
And He will accomplish this purpose fully.
Hebrews 2:9 — "That He by the grace of God should taste death for every man."
This verse is often cited to support the claim that Christ died for every single person. But when carefully examined, it teaches something far more precious and particular.
The phrase "for every man" (or, more literally, "for all") needs to be understood in context. Scripture often uses universal language in a limited sense—not to mean every person without exception, but every person within a specific group.
Consider these examples:
In Colossians 1:28, Paul speaks of "warning every man"—yet he plainly refers to everyone to whom he preached, not the whole human race.
In 1 Corinthians 12:7, the Spirit is said to be given to "every man", meaning every believer gifted by the Spirit, not all mankind.
Likewise, in Hebrews 2, the context clearly identifies the "every" for whom Christ tasted death. They are not all people without distinction, but rather all of God's elect, those chosen for salvation.
Let's walk through the reasons why.
1. Christ's death is substitutionary and effective To say Christ "tasted death" is to say He fully drank the cup of judgment that was due to sinners. He didn't merely sample it—He drank it dry. And He did this on behalf of others, so that they would never taste condemnation themselves.
But here's the key: if Christ drank the cup for you, there is none left for you to drink. That is the beauty and power of substitution.
If He died for you, then your death is conquered. But we know that many do die in their sins. So Christ did not taste death for them. He only died in the place of those who will never face God's wrath—His people (Matt. 1:21).
2. The phrase "for every" fits the apostle's purpose The writer to the Hebrews is addressing Jewish believers who were tempted to think that the benefits of Christ were for them alone— for Jews only. He uses the word "every" or "all" here not to teach a universal redemption, but to emphasize the wide scope of God's grace—that Christ died for all of God's elect, whether Jew or Gentile.
The apostle is not teaching that Christ died for everyone, but that the benefits of His death extend beyond the borders of Israel to God's people throughout the world.
3. The context of Hebrews 2 defines the "every" as the elect If we let the passage explain itself, we find that those for whom
Christ died are:
"Many sons" brought to glory (v.10) Those who are "sanctified" and "brethren" of Christ (v.11)
The "children God has given Him" (v.13) Those "delivered from the fear of death" (v.15)
Can these things be said of all people? Surely not. Christ is not "Captain of salvation" for those who reject Him. He is the Savior of those who obey Him (Heb. 5:9)—those in whom God works faith and sanctification.
The "every" here, then, is not every person without exception, but every one of God's chosen children, whom Christ redeems and leads to glory.
2 Corinthians 5:14–15 "For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."
This passage is often cited to prove that Christ died for every individual. But a careful reading shows that the "all" Christ died for is a specific people—those who are made alive by His death and live unto Him.
Let's consider the key arguments and examine them in light of Scripture and sound reasoning.
1. Does "all" in verse 14 mean every single person?
Some argue that the two uses of "all" must refer to the same group— that is, Christ died for all people because all were dead. But that's not what the apostle actually says. He does not say, "All who were dead,
Christ died for," but rather the opposite: "If Christ died for all, then were all dead."
In other words, the "all" who were dead are the same "all" for whom Christ died—not vice versa. The scope of the second "all" is governed by the first. He's speaking not about all humanity, but about a particular group—those whom Christ died for, and who, as a result, are dead to sin.
2. Does "living unto Christ" apply to all people?
It is claimed that because all people ought to live unto Christ, therefore He must have died for them all. But the text doesn't say that all people ought to live unto Christ; rather, it says that those for whom Christ died actually do live for Him.
This is not an abstract moral obligation. It's the effect of His death applied to them. These are the people who, by union with Christ, have died to sin and now live for His glory. That does not describe the world at large, but believers—those made alive by grace.
3. Does "all must appear before the judgment seat" mean Christ died for all?
Verse 10 of this chapter does indeed say that all must appear before Christ's judgment seat. That is true: every human being will stand before Him. But Paul is not referring to that "all" here in verse 14.
The context makes it clear he's speaking about believers, especially gospel ministers, who are constrained by the love of Christ. He says
"the love of Christ controls us."
So again, "all" here is limited by the group Paul is discussing—all who are united to Christ and made alive in Him.
4. Christ's death is effective, not hypothetical
Christ did not die for people with the vague hope that they might respond. He died to redeem, to rescue, to secure eternal life for His people. That's exactly what this text affirms. The result of His death is that "those who live" (the same "all" He died for) now live for Him.
His death didn't merely make salvation possible—it actually brought about spiritual life. As Romans 6:5–8 says, all who are
"united with Him in death" are raised to "newness of life." This is not true of every human being, but of those who are born again.
5. The "death" in verse 14 is death to sin, not spiritual death in Adam When the apostle says, "Then were all dead," he is not referring to the universal fallen condition of mankind, but to the death to sin that results from union with Christ. Even Arminian scholars like
Grotius and Vorstius admit this.
This death is the beginning of new life. It's the death of the old self, the crucifixion of sin, the death that leads to sanctification. Christ's death is effectual for this result. It causes those for whom He died to become "new creations" (v. 17), to receive forgiveness (v. 19), and to become "the righteousness of God" in Him (v. 21). These blessings do not belong to all humanity, but only to the elect.
5. 1 Corinthians 15:22
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."
This verse is often quoted to support the idea that Christ's work brings life to every single human being, just as Adam's sin brought death to all. But the comparison Paul makes here is not universal in extent—it is covenantal in nature. He is not addressing every human being without exception, but every person in union with Christ.
Paul is writing in this chapter specifically about the resurrection of believers.
His arguments and illustrations are aimed at encouraging those who trust in Christ with the certainty of resurrection glory. The whole chapter focuses on the resurrection of the godly, not the general resurrection that includes the wicked.
We can tell this from the nature of the resurrection he describes: it is a resurrection to glory (v. 43), to imperishability (v. 42), to victory over death (v. 54). That cannot refer to the resurrection of the wicked unto judgment.
Even if one grants that all die in Adam—something Scripture elsewhere teaches—the phrase "in Christ shall all be made alive" is limited by the context. It refers only to those who are in Christ, who are His, as verse 23 makes plain: "Christ the firstfruits, then at His coming those who belong to Him." He is not the firstfruits of the damned.
In sum: this text teaches that all who are in Christ—united to Him by faith and by the Spirit—will be raised to eternal life. It does not
teach that Christ's work applies equally to all humanity.
6. Romans 5:18
"Therefore as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life."
At first glance, this verse might seem to suggest a symmetrical universality—condemnation came to all through Adam, and justification comes to all through Christ. But a closer look reveals that Paul is not teaching a one-to-one parallel between all descended from Adam and all saved by Christ.
Let's consider the flow of Paul's argument.
In verse 14, Paul says that Adam was a type of Christ. But Adam was not a type by design—he became a pattern by how his sin affected those he represented. So also, Christ stands as the covenantal head of His people. Both Adam and Christ act as representatives for those in union with them—Adam by nature, Christ by grace.
That's the heart of the comparison: representative headship. All who are "in Adam" by natural descent receive condemnation. All who are "in Christ" by spiritual union receive justification.
The "all" in both halves of verse 18 refers to the entirety of the group represented by each head, not to the entire human race universally. This is confirmed by the surrounding verses:
In verse 17, those who receive the "abundance of grace" and "the gift of righteousness" are the ones who reign in life.
In verse 19, it is those who are "made righteous" by Christ's obedience.
These cannot include those who are lost, unbelieving, or under God's wrath.
If we interpreted the "all" in Christ as every human being, we'd be forced to conclude that every person is justified and made righteous—which directly contradicts the rest of Scripture. Some do not believe (2 Thess. 3:2), and the wrath of God remains on them
(John 3:36). Clearly, then, Paul's "all" must refer to all of those whom Christ represents—His elect.
So, in Romans 5, Paul is not comparing the number of people affected by Adam and Christ, but the power and effect of each one's representative act. Adam's one sin brought condemnation to his race; Christ's one act of obedience brings justification to His own.
Response to Thomas More's Use of the Adam–Christ Analogy In The Universality of Free Grace, chapter 8, Thomas More bases one of his primary arguments for universal redemption on Paul's comparison of Adam and Christ. He claims that as Adam was a representative head for all humanity, so also Christ was a public representative for all humanity in His obedience and death. More asserts that Christ stood in the place of every single person, without exception, just as Adam did.
Let us examine this.
1. Was Christ a Public Person for All Mankind?
We fully agree that Adam was a federal head—he stood as a public person representing all his natural offspring. His sin brought guilt and corruption upon all his posterity. In this, he serves as a type of Christ.
We also agree that Christ is a federal head, a public person. But for whom? Not for all humanity without exception, but for all His people
—those given to Him by the Father (John 6:37, 17:2). These are the elect. He stood in their place. He bore their guilt. He satisfied divine justice on their behalf.
To say, as More does, that Christ stood in the place of every person— including those eternally reprobate, some of whom were already under condemnation before Christ even died—is to make Christ's
mediatorial work ineffective for multitudes, and His intercession void. It is to say that He suffered and obeyed for people who will still suffer under God's wrath forever. This is not only unbiblical—it is a serious theological error that undermines the very efficacy of Christ's atoning work.
How can Christ be a substitute and surety for those whom He never knew (Matt. 7:23), whom He did not intercede for (John 17:9), and who, according to the Father's purpose, were never appointed to salvation (Rom. 9:22)? To suggest that Christ stood in their place is not a doctrine of comfort or gospel hope—it is a monstrous distortion of divine justice and grace.
2. Examining More's Seven Reasons More attempts to defend his claim with seven arguments. Let us review each:
(1) Adam lost not election, therefore Christ did not die only for the elect.
Answer: While Adam was not entrusted with the election of individuals, his fall indeed condemned the elect along with the rest of mankind. But Christ came precisely to redeem those same elect— those lost in Adam. The point is not that Adam "kept" election, but that the elect were lost in Adam and redeemed in Christ (Rom. 5:17–
19).
(2) If Christ didn't die for all, He failed to match Adam as a type.
Answer: The comparison between Adam and Christ in Scripture (Rom. 5:14–21) is not about the extent of those represented, but the efficacy of their actions. Adam's sin truly condemns all he represents; Christ's obedience truly justifies all He represents.
Christ's work is not lesser than Adam's—it is greater. But He does not represent the same people.
(3) Hebrews 2:9 says Christ came to restore all lost in Adam.
Answer: No, it says that Christ tasted death for "everyone," which, as shown earlier, must be understood within the context of those He sanctifies, brings to glory, and calls His brothers (Heb. 2:10–11).
"All" does not mean every individual, but all His people.
(4) Christ took on flesh, was under the law, and bore the sins of mankind.
Answer: Indeed, Christ took on flesh to save His people. But why?
Hebrews 2:14 answers: "Because the children share in flesh and blood, He likewise took part of the same." He took on human nature not for the sake of humanity in general, but for the sake of the children given to Him (cf. John 6:37–39; Heb. 2:13).
(5) Romans 14:9 and Philippians 2:8–11 show that all mankind was once given to Him.
Answer: Neither passage says this. Christ is Lord over all by right of creation and exaltation, but not Redeemer of all. In John 17:6, Jesus clearly distinguishes between the world and those the Father gave
Him. He gave eternal life only to the latter (John 17:2).
(6) He is called the "last Adam."
Answer: Yes, but the meaning is not that He represents all humanity. Rather, as the first Adam was head over all his natural descendants, so the last Adam is head over all His spiritual offspring
—those united to Him by faith.
(7) Christ is a public person in the room of all, as since the first Adam, 1 Cor. 15:45.
Answer: That text teaches that Christ is the head of a new creation.
He gives life to those who are His (1 Cor. 15:23), not to all humanity.
"As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive"—but only those who are "in Christ."
3. More's Dangerous Claims More asserts that Christ's death delivered all from the death of Adam. But the death Adam brought was spiritual death—dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1). If Christ freed all from this, then all must be spiritually alive. But Scripture and reality contradict this.
Many remain dead in sin.
Even more troubling, More claims the ultimate goal of Christ's death was that He might present Himself alive and justified before the Father. This is plainly contrary to Scripture. Paul tells us the purpose of Christ's death was to redeem and sanctify the church:
"Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her… that He might present her to Himself in splendor…" (Eph. 5:25–27)
The goal of Christ's death was not simply self-vindication, but the salvation of His beloved bride.
A Refutation of the False Parallels Between Adam and Christ Thomas More, in continuing to argue for universal redemption, attempts to draw further parallels between Adam and Christ. He insists that Christ stood as a public representative for all humanity in the same way Adam did. But upon inspection, these comparisons are not only irrelevant to the matter at hand, but deeply confused, doctrinally dangerous, and at times blasphemous.
Let me give the reader just a sample of these claims so they can judge their worth—without spending undue time or energy on what is so clearly unworthy of serious attention.
1. A Shocking Assertion of Universal Satisfaction More claims that when Christ died, rose, offered Himself as a sacrifice, and made satisfaction, this entire work was, in God's sight, the death, resurrection, satisfaction, and redemption of all people, individually and collectively.
In other words, according to More:
God accepted Christ's work as the redemption of every single person.
Christ's death was, in God's account, their death.
His resurrection was their resurrection.
Let's pause here.
What could be more contradictory and offensive to the gospel?
If Christ's death was accepted by God as the death of every person, then what are we to say of those who are now suffering eternal death? Did God accept a full satisfaction for them—then send them to hell anyway? Did Christ bear the penalty for their sin—only for them to bear it again forever?
This is not merely an error—it is a blasphemous distortion of divine justice.
2. The Impossible Implications of More's View If what More teaches were true, then the following would also have to be true:
Those already in hell when Christ died (such as Cain, Pharaoh, Ahab) would have been accepted by God as having died, risen, and made satisfaction with Christ—even while they were already under God's eternal judgment.
Those who are eternally lost would have had satisfaction made on their behalf, yet they would still be punished for the same sins Christ supposedly paid for.
Those who never believe would have their debt fully paid by Christ, yet still be held liable for it.
Such claims are contradictory, absurd, and utterly incompatible with both Scripture and common sense.
3. The Death of Christ Is Effectual for the Elect Alone The Bible never teaches that Christ made satisfaction for the sins of all men universally. Instead, it teaches that He gave Himself for His sheep (John 10:11), for His church (Eph. 5:25), for His people (Matt.
1:21), for those given to Him by the Father (John 17:2, 9).
If Christ stood in your place, then your debt is paid. If He died your death, you will never die eternally. To claim otherwise is to deny the sufficiency and efficacy of His substitution.
4. The Judgments of God Are Hidden That such shocking views would be published and promoted under the name of Christianity is, indeed, cause for trembling. It is no surprise, for the apostle Paul warns of this very thing:
"God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth…"
— 2 Thessalonians 2:11–12 Sometimes God gives men over to their delusions as a judgment. We tremble to think of it.
Christ Did Not Die as a Public Representative of All Humanity In the third part of his parallels, Thomas More takes yet another step toward error by claiming that Christ's obedience and its effects— just like Adam's disobedience—applied to all people without exception. He argues that just as all of Adam's descendants fell into sin and death, so all people are redeemed, restored, made righteous, and justified by the obedience of Christ. He even cites Romans 3:22 to support this, but notably removes the essential qualifier in the verse: "the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe."
By omitting "for all who believe," he distorts the passage to make it sound like righteousness automatically applies to everyone, whether they believe or not. This is not just sloppy—it's a willful corruption of the Word of God, akin to how Satan twisted Scripture when tempting Christ (Matthew 4).
Let's consider what this view implies:
That people are restored, yet still lost.
That they are made righteous, yet remain wholly wicked.
That they are justified, yet remain under God's condemnation.
That unbelievers possess the righteousness of God, though they perish in their sins.
These are not only contrary to Scripture, but are logical absurdities. More attempts to rescue his view with a few vague cautions, but they cannot resolve such clear contradictions.
Frankly, to linger further in this theological wreckage would be a waste of the reader's time. Those who refuse to love the truth may feast on these husks if they choose, but the true sheep of Christ will not.
Seven Reasons Christ Did Not Die in the Place of Every Person Let us now reverse the argument and offer seven clear reasons why Christ was not a public representative for all people indiscriminately, but rather for the elect alone—those given to Him by the Father:
1. The Seed of the Woman Does Not Represent the Seed of the Serpent Christ is the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15), appointed to crush the serpent's head. But the reprobate—those eternally hardened in sin—are called the seed of the serpent (John 8:44). Christ was not appointed to redeem Satan's offspring, but rather to conquer them.
2. Christ Set Himself Apart Only for Those Given to Him In John 17:19, Jesus says, "For their sakes I sanctify Myself"— speaking of those given to Him by the Father (John 17:6). He was set apart to be their representative—not the world in general, but His chosen ones.
3. Christ Was a Surety Only for Those in the Covenant of Grace
Hebrews 7:22 calls Jesus the "guarantee" (or surety) of a better covenant. But not everyone is in that covenant. It is made only with those who are effectually called and regenerated. Christ cannot be a surety for those who reject Him and perish in unbelief.
4. Christ Made Satisfaction Only for Those Who Will Not Be Condemned Isaiah 53:5-6 makes clear that Christ bore the punishment for those whose sins He carried. But Romans 8:33-34 says, "Who shall bring any charge against God's elect?" Christ's intercession and atonement are effective only for those who will never be condemned.
5. Christ's Work Is Never Wasted Jesus did not die in vain. He said, "It is finished" (John 19:30). If He had died for the damned—those already in hell when He suffered— then His work would have been pointless and ineffective for them. But the Son of God does nothing in vain.
6. God Was Not Pleased with the Reprobate in Christ Ephesians 5:2 says that Christ's offering was "a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." But if He represented reprobates like Cain and Pharaoh, then God would have to be pleased with them in Christ— yet Scripture plainly says He hates all workers of iniquity (Psalm
5:5).
7. The Testimony of Scripture Is Clear