"God's Word declares that the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believeth (Romans 1:16), is good tidings of great joy, not just to certain elect, but to all people (Luke 2:10). Sadly, the insistence that only a select group have been elected to salvation is not good tidings of great joy to all people! How can such a doctrine be biblical? (Dave Hunt, What Love Is This? Bend, Oregon: The Berean Call, 2004) 533.
Is the good news of Jesus Christ for all people? The Bible declares that it is. It is indeed "good tidings of great joy which will be to all people." It is good news because Jesus came to provide salvation for all people. God our Father desires the salvation of all people. "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
Is the good news of Jesus Christ for all people? Yes, absolutely, because God sent His Son to die for the sins of all mankind. Jesus said, "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself" (John 12:32). This described His death for all of us at the cross (v. 33). Scripture makes it absolutely clear that Christ died for the sins of the whole world. "And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world" (1 John 2:2). The propitiation is the atoning sacrifice of Christ for our sins that satisfies the justice and judgment of God. It's for the whole world!
Is the good news of Jesus Christ for all people? Certainly so, because our Lord Jesus commanded that this good news should be shared with everyone. "And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). When people hear the good news, they have a choice to believe the gospel or not. Jesus said, "He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:16).
Is the good news of Jesus Christ for all people? Yes, because all people are invited to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved from sin, death, judgment and condemnation. Joy comes to those who believe and receive Christ. Joy is the fruit of the Spirit of Christ working in the lives of believers. It is God's will that all people everywhere experience His joy. "Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. . . . And there was great joy in that city" (Acts 8:5, 8).
Is the good news of Jesus Christ for all people? Yes, because God loves all people everywhere. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son . . ." (John 3:16). God loves all of us, not because we have done anything to earn or deserve His love. He loves us because God is love (1 John 4:8). The good news is that God loves sinners! "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Good news for all? Yes! Good news for sinners is in Christ for all people.
