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QUESTION 170
If Christ died and has paid the sin debt of all mankind why won't all men be saved, since their debt is paid in full?

ANSWER:
This seems to be a very logical deduction from what is believed to be true, however it is neither logical nor true. The error lies in the statement that “Christ paid the sin debt of all mankind” This is not true. It is not taught in the Bible.
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The only “sin debt” that was paid at Calvary was the sins of those saved people under the old covenant of the blood of bulls and goats. Two verses tell us this: - Romans 3:25 ”the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God” has reference to the Old Testament saved, whose sins were not remitted or taken away until then. Since Hebrews 10:4 tells us the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins, their sins were only actually taken away at the Cross when Christ died. Hebrews 9:15 definitely states that it was means of His death that the Old Testament saints sins were remitted. Their sins alone were paid for at Calvary. They were removed. (remitted).

What happened at the cross when He died was that He made a Provision for the payment of our sins. The ransom price was provided not paid for all mankind. The only people in the New Testament whose sins were paid for, were those that had trusted Christ as their Saviour and entered into the Provision He made at Calvary. Maybe an illustration will help if somebody writes you out a cheque to cover along overdue payment you owe, this does not pay your debt. It is an ample provision, but not the payment. If you never take that cheque to your creditor your bill will never be paid. So it is with the great provision our Saviour has made for all. The debt will only be paid when we apply it to our sin account and take the value to God. My sin debt was provided for at Calvary; but not paid until nearly thirty-five years ago, when as a poor sinner I took His provision to God as the sole payment for my sins. Now they are fully paid.

What about yours?

All comments and questions to: Harold Smith

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Updated July 2009, by Shelly Allen