MANY AND ALL, Christian, ministry, a web page of Leslie John

“MANY” AND “ALL”

I was a participant in a debate in Bible study on one Sunday, when a brother raised a question if Jesus died for all, is it equivalent to saying that everyone in the world could be saved. It was in interesting discussion. The final outcome of the discussion was that only if a person accepts Jesus Christ as his/her personal savior he/she is saved otherwise not.

Some consider it as confusion but that is not a confusion at all, but it simply is a question by unbelievers.

"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous". Romans 5:19

The word, "many" is a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by 'as' or 'too' or 'so' or 'that'; amounting to a large but indefinite number, while the word, "All" is used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class,

"Sin" is breaking of divine or moral law especially by conscious act.

The words "many" and "all" are used in the reference in Romans 5th chapter 19th verse are to show that the sin entered in to the world by the disobedience of one man, Adam, the salvation is offered by the obedience one, Jesus Christ, who is referred to as the, "last Adam" as in 1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit".

Few other wofds, like "trespass,which means an unlawful or unauthorized intrusion, or "justification", which means, showing the justice or rightness (not righteousness), or a person or act, etc, demonstrate the correctness of (an assertion etc.), or "righteousness", which, means ,morally right, virtuous, law-abiding, or "Faith" which means, complete trust or confidence, firm belief especially without logic also come in to consideration while pondering over the salvation offered to the one, who believes in the death, burial, resurrection of Jesus Christ, whom one needs to accept as one's own personal savior and acknowledge him as his "Lord".

It would be apt to read the following references in connection with the subject. The references are: Matt. 2:4, 2:16, 3:5, 3:10, 3:15, 4:4, 4:7, 7:8, 7:12, etc.

"the whole world has gone after him" Did all the world go after Christ?

"then went all Judea, and were baptized of him in Jordan."

If the literal meaning of the word is taken, Was all Judea, or all Jerusalem, baptized in Jordan? "Ye are of God,little children", and the whole world lieth in the wicked one".

Does the whole world there mean everybody? The words "world" and "all" are used in some seven or eight senses in Scripture, and it is very rarely the "all" means all persons, taken individually.

Adam is the federal head of human race. Every one of us existed in the form of seed within Adam. Imputed sin is "to ascribe to" or "reckon". Imputation of sin is charged to all because we are all connected with Adam's race. God not only imputes the sin of Adam to the race but also offers to do the same with the righteousness of Christ. Imputed righteousness is the only remedy for imputed sin. It is not automatic, just because Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, but can be achieved only through the faith in HIM.

The words are generally used to signify that Christ has redeemed some of all sorts -- some Jews, some Gentiles, some rich, some poor, and has not restricted His redemption to either Jew or Gentile ...

The Word “MANY” is used to signify many, or much, great, oft, plenteous, etc.

References: Matt. 2:18, 3:7, 4:25, 5:12, 6:30, 7:13, 7:22, 8:1, 8:18, 9:14, 9:37, 10:37, 12:15, 13:5, 14:14, 15:30 etc.

Let us see the background of the epistle in few words. The book of Romans has been called, "The Constitution of Christianity". The epistle was written between A.D. 56 and 58. This book was written even before the Gospel of Mark was written.(Gospel of Mark was written in A.D.68).

Paul wrote this epistle to a small group of believers, who met all over the city. That is why it is not addressed to the "Church" but was addressed as to the "saints". 1Corithians, and 2nd Corinthians, 1 and 2nd Thessalonians and Galatians were addressed to the churches.

Let us read, Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Could we notice the usage of word, "all" here.

Let us read, Romans 3:24 "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.Could we notice the usage of words, "grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

Let us read 1John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Could we notice the words, "If" and "all" here.

Let us read 1John 2:2"And he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." Could we notice here the words, "whole world".

Let us read John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life." Could we notice here the words, "whole world".

Let us come to our passage which we read on the day of debate on the words "Many", and "All".

Let carefully see the usage of words in relation to the words while comparing.

First, Romans 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." We may please notice the words here, "One man", "death", "passed upon all...", for that "all have sinned." Vs.15 "...For if through the offence of one many were dead, ...which is by one man, Jesus Christ,..." We may notice the words here, "offence of one", "many were dead", "one man, Jesus Christ." Vs. 16 "...by one that sinned, ...judgment was by one to condemnation, ...gift is of many offences unto justification."

Vs. 17 "...one man's offence death reigned by one, ...gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

Vs. 18 "... by the offence of one judgment come upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one the free gift come upon all men unto justification"

Vs, 19 "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."

Here is the crux of the problem. We are confused with the usage of word, "many" here.

Now let us remove few words from the same verse. "...one man's disobedience...the obedience of one."

Now let us remove few words in other way. "...many were made sinners..."many made righteous."

Can we understand the comparison and relativity.

Now apply the verses of 1John 1:9, 1John 2:2 and John 3:16 here. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

"And he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life." Could we notice here the words, "whole world".

This proves that by the disobedience of one man all were made sinners, and by the obedience of one man all came under the purview of justification, but not until each one confessed his/her own sins and saved in the blood of Jesus Christ.

The words "Many" in one verse (Romans chapter 5:19) twice is only a relative term in order to compare the two elements in order to project two different aspects of one sin that was committed by Adam, and one eternal life available through Jesus Christ alone; not that only several or numerous persons were made sinners. There should not be a misunderstanding that because Jesus Christ died on the cross for every one, all were saved automatically.

Just as Levi was in the body of Abraham, when he paid tithe to Melchizedek, we were all in the body or Adam when he sinned. All Levites (priests), became inferior to Melchizedek, who was not of the priestly order, yet collected tithe from the father of Levite. (Hebrew 7:10 shows as to how Levites were in the body of Abraham.

Another aspect we need to meditate on is that Jesus Christ was born of the works of Holy spirit in the womb of a virgin. Never accept a Bible which has words as “young Maiden” instead of “Virgin”. If the word “Virgin” is removed from the Bible, whole Bible goes down in defeat. Because, if Jesus was born of young maiden instead of virgin, he also gets the same score as we do; imputed sin. Only righteous and Holy Jesus could lay down His life for our sake.

Leslie M. John leslie@lesliejohn.net