A visitor's essay

"Ransom:" An essay about the
atonement by Alexander Winslow

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The fundamental teaching of the ransom is that Jesus died for all, including Adam. Therefore “as in Adam all die, so also in the Christ all will be made alive.” The opinion that Adam has not been redeemed by Christ because he was a willful sinner, overlooks the fact that if he had not been a willful sinner he would not have needed to be redeemed; God could have forgiven him on the spot.

Here then is where understanding applies. When he died, Jesus gave himself [his life] as a ransom in ‘exchange’ for ‘many’ [Israel of God (144,000)] Matthew 20:28. At the same time, he also gave himself [his body] as a ‘corresponding’ ransom for all [Adam and the rest of the human race] 1 Timothy 2:5.

Since the episode in Eden, each does not die now for his own sin; but for Adam’s sin [In Adam all die]. He ate the sour grape of sin, and our fathers continued to eat them, entailing further sickness and misery upon their children and thereby hastening the penalty – death!

In his words “This Good News of the Kingdom,” Jesus refers to the period during which there shall be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous [no exceptions], therefore is this not giving the human race a second chance? Well the first chance for everlasting life was lost for himself and all of his race [yet in his loins] by Adam’s disobedience. Under that original trial condemnation was passed upon all men; so God’s plan was that through Christ’s redemptive-sacrifice Adam, and all who lost life due to his failure, should, after having tasted of the exceeding sinfulness of sin and felt the weight of sins penalty [death] , be given the opportunity to accept God through faith in the Redeemer.

If anyone chooses to call this a “second chance,” let him do so; it must certainly be Adam’s second chance: and in a sense at least it is the same for all of the redeemed race, but it will however be the first individual opportunity of his descendants, who, when born, were already under condemnation of death. Call it what we please, the facts are the same; all were sentenced to death because of Adam’s disobedience, and all will enjoy [during the Millennial age] a full opportunity to gain everlasting life under the favorable terms of the New Covenant.

Therefore the day in which “every man [who dies] shall die for his own sin,” only; is the Sabbath Millennium of the Christ [Restitution Day]. This, as the angels declared, is “Good tidings of great joy which shall be for all people.” And as the Apostle declared, this grace of God – that our Lord Jesus “gave himself as a ransom for all” – must be “testified” to all “in due time.” (Romans 5:17-19; 1 Timothy 2:4-6)

Men, not God, have limited to the Gospel age this chance or opportunity of attaining life. God, on the contrary, tells us that the Gospel age is merely for the selection of the anointed ‘little flock’ [Israel of God] (Luke 12:32; Galatians 6:16) the royal priesthood, through whom, during a succeeding age [Sabbath Millennium], all others shall be brought to an accurate knowledge of the truth and granted full opportunity to secure everlasting life under the New Covenant.

Original posting: 2007-JAN-23
Latest update: 2007-JAN-23
Author: Alexander Winslow