"All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." 2 Corinthians 5:18-20
Two points I would like to make here.
Firstly, the use of "κόσμος" here is NOT to be limited to any particular group, like the "elect", which is what some who are obsessed with this, will have it read here. Let us honestly look at the lexical evidence on the use of "κόσμος", in this passage.
a. J H Thayer, "particularly the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human race"
b. Edward Robinson, "the world, for the inhabitants of the earth, men, mankind"
c. W F Arndt and F W Gingrich, "the world, as mankind"
It is very clear from the above definitions of leading Greek lexicons, that the "entire human race" is here (as in John 3:16, and elsewhere) referred to. Keep one's theological bias out of the plain meaning of the Holy Bible.
Secondly, for those who would yet, on theological grounds, still argue that Paul here means the "elect", then I will ask this one question. As I have said elsewhere, the "elect" of God, according to the Calvinist's "theory", have been "predestined before the foundation of the world", to eternal life. This is a fixed thing that has been determined by God. And the "elect" WILL be saved. IF, Calvinism has got this right, then the question must be dealt with, why would God have to "beg, entreat, beseech", which is the meaning of the Greek, "παρακαλέω", these who have already been GUARANTEED eternal life as they are ALREADY ELECTED? Surely they WILL come to the Lord, and their "wills have been enabled" by "irresistible grace", which they CANNOT REFUSE! WHY "PLEAD" with those who WILL be saved anyway? These words can ONLY be used to describe the NON ELECT WORLD, as the above Greek lexicons rightly say!
Two points I would like to make here.
Firstly, the use of "κόσμος" here is NOT to be limited to any particular group, like the "elect", which is what some who are obsessed with this, will have it read here. Let us honestly look at the lexical evidence on the use of "κόσμος", in this passage.
a. J H Thayer, "particularly the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human race"
b. Edward Robinson, "the world, for the inhabitants of the earth, men, mankind"
c. W F Arndt and F W Gingrich, "the world, as mankind"
It is very clear from the above definitions of leading Greek lexicons, that the "entire human race" is here (as in John 3:16, and elsewhere) referred to. Keep one's theological bias out of the plain meaning of the Holy Bible.
Secondly, for those who would yet, on theological grounds, still argue that Paul here means the "elect", then I will ask this one question. As I have said elsewhere, the "elect" of God, according to the Calvinist's "theory", have been "predestined before the foundation of the world", to eternal life. This is a fixed thing that has been determined by God. And the "elect" WILL be saved. IF, Calvinism has got this right, then the question must be dealt with, why would God have to "beg, entreat, beseech", which is the meaning of the Greek, "παρακαλέω", these who have already been GUARANTEED eternal life as they are ALREADY ELECTED? Surely they WILL come to the Lord, and their "wills have been enabled" by "irresistible grace", which they CANNOT REFUSE! WHY "PLEAD" with those who WILL be saved anyway? These words can ONLY be used to describe the NON ELECT WORLD, as the above Greek lexicons rightly say!
