Raised – for believers only?

It is a claim I frequently encounter: “Yes, Christ died for the whole world, but He was only raised for the believers.” His death would be universal — His resurrection limited to those who believe. It undoubtedly sounds devout and orthodox, but it contradicts the Gospel as Paul taught it.

An example of such reasoning reads:

The Lord Jesus Christ died for a whole world, and yet we do not read in Scripture that the Lord Jesus Christ was raised for the whole world. The death of the Lord Jesus has to do with redemption. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ has to do with justification.

Here it is wholeheartedly acknowledged that Christ died for the whole world — a fundamental truth! But then a separation is introduced: the fruit of His resurrection would apply only to those who believe. Is that what Scripture teaches?

Take 2 Corinthians 5:15:

“And He died for the sake of all that those who are living should by no means still be living to themselves, but to the One dying and being roused for their sakes.”

Some try to evade this by claiming that “those who are living” refers exclusively to believers, concluding that Christ was raised only for them. But this reads a restriction into the text that simply isn’t there. For according to 2 Corinthians 5:15, He died for all, “that those who are living should live for Him Who died and was raised for their sakes.” The One who died for all was thus also raised for them — says the text. That is not an inference, but an explicit statement. This line from 2 Corinthians 5:15 is furthermore unavoidably confirmed in 2 Timothy 2:11:

“Faithful is the saying, for if we died together, we shall be living together also.”

Note: this is preceded by the words “Faithful is the saying” — a fixed expression Paul uses for statements that belong to the foundation of his message (cf. 1 Timothy 1:15; 4:9; Titus 3:8). Moreover, the Greek clearly uses a future tense: “we shall be living together also.” Not: maybe, under conditions, or insofar as we believe — but: we shall live. It is a firm certainty, based on the preceding fact: we died together with Him.

And who are “we”? Not merely a limited group, but all those of whom Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:14:

“One died for the sake of all; consequently all died.”

That is what corresponds to the “we” in 2 Timothy 2:11. Whoever has died together with Christ — and that applies to all humanity, as we saw — shall also be living together with Him. Thus Scripture aligns with Scripture.

“For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified. Yet each in his own class…”
– 1 Corinthians 15:22,23

The resurrection of Christ has a universal scope and impact. Every mortal will experience it — in stages and each in his own class.

The quote with which we began states that the resurrection of Christ has to do with justification — and that is entirely correct. Paul writes in Romans 4:25 that He was “roused for our justifying.” But will only believers reap the benefits of this? No, read what Paul says in Romans 5:18:

“Consequently, then, as it was through one offense for all mankind for condemnation, thus also it is through one just award for all mankind for life’s justifying.”

The same “all” who, in Adam, were condemned to be sinners and mortals, will in Christ receive justification of life. Without exception. It could not have been stated more explicitly. For that is why Christ died and was raised: to grant every human being a share in life and justification! Believe it or not.

Delen: