Savior

The “Savior”

Consider the “savior” of man preached by many today. He is said to possess the following attributes:

  • He loves the man.

  • He desires to save the man.

  • He has the power to save the man.

  • He has the opportunity to save the man.

  • He is the only one capable of saving the man.

In spite of this testimony of love, desire, power, opportunity, and capability to save - in many instances, the man he intended to save perishes nevertheless. In this scenario it is evident that one or more of the aforementioned attributes must be incorrect. This “savior” either:

  • Did not love the man.

  • Or he did not desire the man's salvation.

  • Or he did not have the power to save the man.

  • Or he did not have the opportunity to save the man.

  • Or he did not believe he alone could save the man.

Is this sort of “savior” a success or a failure?

Is that The SAVIOR TAUGHT IN THE SCRIPTURES?

Many Christians insist that Jesus Christ is a "savior" who possess all of the aforementioned attributes and attitude toward all of humanity and yet he produces similar results in the form of untold millions who perish in spite of his best efforts to save them. That observation should be disturbing for anyone who believes that is how salvation works. More importantly, how do these attributes compare to the bible's testimony regarding the Lord Jesus Christ? The scriptures teach us that:

  • God is the only one capable of saving the perishing. (Matthew 19:26, Revelation 5:1-12)

  • God had the opportunity to save the perishing. (II Corinthians 5:21)

  • God has the power to save the perishing. (Isaiah 63:1)

  • God hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. (Psalm 115:3)

  • Thus the fact that some are not saved proves that God did not desire that end (Psalm 115:3).

These observations lead us to unavoidable conclusions that are also affirmed in scripture:

  • God did not purpose to save all men (John 17:2, Ephesians 1:4-5, Matthew 23:33).

  • Neither did His Son atone for all men (John 10:11, 26).

  • Neither does His Spirit regenerate all men (Galatians 4:6, Romans 8:9).

  • Neither does He love all men (Psalm 5:5, 11:5, Romans 9:13).

  • Neither was he obligated to love all men (Exodus 33:19).

Conclusion

The Lord Jesus Christ loves His chosen people (Ephesians 1:4-6) with the exact same love that God the Father has for Him (John 15:9). This love does not change (Malachi 3:6). This is why all of those He loves shall be saved without the loss of one (John 6:37-39,10:28). He is a loving savior, not because He loves all of humanity, but because He loves "his people" (Matthew 1:21). He does not love the non-elect. He would not so much as pray for them (John 17:9) He consigns the perishing to hell (Matthew 25:41) in keeping with His good pleasure to do as He wishes with the world He created (Psalm 115:3). To claim that God loved those he sends to hell is to confound God’s love with His eternal wrath. God's love is an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) with unassailable saving efficacy (Romans 8:31-39) and a particularity (John 10:11) that offends the sensibilities of fallen man (John 6:60-61). Those truths are in short supply among professing Christians in our day. They are true nevertheless.

“Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16)

- Elder Daniel Samons

Daniel Samons