God's plan to reconcile all things to Himself through
Christ does not mean that Christ by His death has saved all
people. Scripture speaks of an eternal hell and makes clear
that only believers are saved--that is, obedient believers
(see "Disciple" and "Faith..." in the
Glossary). When Adam and Eve sinned, not only was the harmony
between God and man destroyed, but also disorder came into
creation:
Romans 8:19-22: "The creation waits
in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the
creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but
by the Will of the One Who subjected it, in hope that the creation
itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into
the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the
whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth
right up to the present time."
So when Christ died on the cross, He made peace possible
between God and man, and He restored in principle the harmony in
the physical world, though the full realization of this harmony
will come only when Christ returns, (Romans
8:21).
The peace
of God through the blood of Christ is not a blanket peace for all
of mankind. This peace falls on those on whom God's
favor rests. On whom does God favor rest? We have
access to this peace--access to the Father--only through
Christ by one Spirit. We must be IN Christ, His blood having
purified us from all sin:
Isaiah 48:22: ""There is no
peace,' says the Lord, "for the
wicked.'"
Isaiah 53:5: "But He was pierced
for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the
punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we
are healed."
Luke 2:13-14: "Suddenly a great
company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God
and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace
to men on whom His favor rests.'"
Romans 5:1-2: "Therefore, since we
have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have gained access by faith
into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope
of the glory of God."
Romans 8:5-7: "Those who live
according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that
nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit
have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of
sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life
and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to
God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful
nature cannot please God."
Ephesians 2:11-18: "Therefore,
remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called
"uncircumcised' by those who call themselves "the
circumcision' (that done in the body by the hands of
men)--remember that at that time you were separate from
Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the
covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the
world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away
have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For He
Himself is our peace, Who has made the two one and has destroyed
the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in His
flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose
was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making
peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God
through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility.
He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to
those who were near. For through Him we both have access to
the Father by one Spirit."
Colossians 3:15: "Let the peace of
Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were
called to peace. And be thankful."
1 John 1:7: "But if we walk in the
light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all
sin."
