NO! He didn’t. First, let’s correct the common belief that the phrase ‘for all’ means all mankind. If true,
then how could one be saved from God’s righteous judgment to come, that would be unnecessary. What
about the blasphemers whose sins God said are unforgivable? According to scripture, His death was for
the sins of the world conditional upon our faith and trust in Him, Rom. 6:10-11. Listen to Jn. 3:16-17, “For
God so love the world (human being) that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believe in
Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. Why did God make this offer? Because of His love for
His creation. Herein lies the condition, “whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”. Therein lies man’s opportunity to return to God, that what God did, He did it for man individually. Man must now accept Jesus’ death as an atonement for his sins or refuse it. This is man’s choice. If he refuses it, he is basically saying Jesus’ death meant nothing to him. Jesus did not die for his sins because he will now die in his own sins. Rightly then, Jesus said, “Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Again, He said, “I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd giveth His life for His sheep”.
Paul in Rom. 6:23 says, The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life. Does everyone receive that gift? No! Only those who choose to take it. One had but an offer, 1 Jn. 3:5. Consider Jn. 14:2-3, “I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there will you be also”. If Jesus died for all sinners, how is it that He is not coming back for all sinners? The only answer is that He didn’t die for all mankind, He died for some, Matt. 20:28, Heb. 2:10, 9:28. Even if we argue that the term ‘died for all’ means all his followers throughout the world, that argument would fall short of the popular unconditional world forgiveness. Here’s more, even some who professed to do great works in Jesus’ name will be dying in their sins, because He will say to them, “I never knew you”. How then could He have died for their sins and then turn around and disown them? That would make Him a liar. Consider 1 Jn. 2:2, “For He is the propitiation (bearer) for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world”. Wow! Is John contradicting Jesus’ words when He said He lay down His life for His friends? Was John addressing a particular sect? Was that sect scattered around the then world? Same John, listen to him again in Jn. 11:51-52, “…. but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation. And not for that nation only but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad”. It should be clear here that the phrase ‘the whole world’ in context of Jesus’ death refers to God’s elect around the world with no regard for race, ethnicity language or color. There’s more from John: “Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world”, Jn. 1:29. Why did he associate the Passover lamb of Ex. 12:3 with Jesus? We all know the story. What we may not remember is that it was not only the Israelites who were saved by the miraculous deliverance at the Red Sea, but other nations were among the saved.
