Be Blessed In Christ

Be blessed by God in Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "You believe in God, believe also in Me" (John 14:1). All the blessings of God come to us in Christ. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). Believers are blessed in Christ.

Unbelief is the sin which rejects God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Unbelief cannot receive God's blessings in Christ. Unbelief spurns the goodness of God. Unbelief is the choice of a heart that is hard against the goodness of God. It never considers that it could be wrong, even eternally wrong. Unbelief defiantly says, no, to all that God graciously offers in Christ. Unbelief is the sin that rejects the love, goodness, and grace of Christ. 

The Holy Spirit comes to expose the sin of unbelief. Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit convicts of unbelief, "of sin, because they believe not in Me" (John 16:9). Don't let unbelief rob you of God's blessings in Christ. Faith receives all the blessings of God in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).

Faith comes as an abiding gift of the Holy Spirit; unbelief rejects the gift of God in Christ. Faith testifies that Christ is trustworthy; unbelief will not trust in Christ. Faith walks in the light of Christ; unbelief is satisfied to stand in darkness without Christ. Faith in Christ comes from a heart transformed by the grace of God; unbelief comes from a hardened heart rejecting Christ. Be blessed in Christ or cursed in sin.

The Atonement Applied

Greek scholar A.T. Robertson commented on Hebrews 2:9, "that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone." He wrote: "This phrase is purpose, not result. The author interprets and applies the language of the Psalm to Jesus and puts Christ's death 'instead of every man,' as the motive of the Cross. His death was in behalf of everyone, and was sufficient for all, efficient for some" (A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Concise Edition, 2000) 560. 

The gospel offers an atonement that is sufficient in value for all sinners. The invitation of the gospel is offered to all, because the atonement of Christ is sufficient for all. In a word, the atonement is unlimited in the value and worth of sufficiency. That's what A.T. Robertson meant when he wrote that it is "sufficient for all."

The atonement is sufficient in its scope, but it is also efficient in its application. It is applied only to those who repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38-39; Acts 16:30-31). For this reason, A.T. Robertson could write that the atonement of Christ is both "sufficient for all, efficient for some."

The atonement of Christ is sufficient in value for everyone. It is offered freely to all. However, the saving power of the atonement is applied only to those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, Dr. Robertson concludes that it is "efficient for some."