The verses before this shows us that those who follow the "ruler of this world" (ie. Satan) will be judged.
And as I've already put up in this thread a couple of times now, Satan (and his messengers) do abide in the flesh of "all" mankind, save One of course, and
who follows Satan but his own? And who is led by Satan but the "slave."
If any "believer" rightfully acknowledges that mankind as it pertains to the flesh, including the 'mind' is subjected to that working, then the guilty verdict should rightfully be rendered to the "workers" fo that iniquity in the flesh, and the offspring of God, whom all of mankind are, should be divided from that working in the flesh as the slaves that "all" are and remain. For example, whenever the Law of Moses is applied to any person, the lawlessness that dwells in the flesh as sin indwelling, yes even in a "christian" still rears it's ugly head as "none" of us are able to abide under the perfection that Law requires because of that same indwelling sin in our flesh, and in that of the "unbeliever."
Jesus never came to condemn the captives, but to "free" them from that working, and that working is showed clearly and openly on nearly every page of the Gospels where Jesus divided "mankind" from "devilkind." In this light I have no cause to condemn the captives if I acknowledge that working of sin is real and is of the devil.
30 Jesus answered and said, This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.
Also, the "all peoples" this verse refers to can be assumed to mean "all those who look up". See John 3:14.
There are those who "look up" and there are those who will remain blinded slaves of the "god of this world" til their dying day, and we "all" see only in part and in darkness.
There is no reference to "only those who look up" in the "drawing of all men" citing that you just employed so to try to impose a limit for all men when there is none does not prevail. All men will be drawn to God and none who are thusly drawn will be cast out, just as Jesus openly stated.
This verse is talking about when Moses "lifted up" the snake on the pole so that all who chose to look upon it might live. Thus, the analogy is that those who look to Christ, who is "lifted up" on the cross, will live spiritually and eternally.
Your implied limit is not inferred. We see with the Law of Moses, the "revealing" of lawlessness unto which that Law was written. When we see that "snake" we should also see the "workings" of that same "snake" in mankinds flesh. When we see that as a "separate working" that is "not" from Gods offspring, all mankind are indeed "healed." Christ was lifted as a permanent healing for all mankind. And a permanent "judgment" against the workings of the "snake" in makind, to which Jesus addressed quite adequately. If you do not "see" that clear division between these two workings or even if you do not "divide yourself" from that working, then you to should believe that the "snake" is "only you." And that view will not bear the test of scriptures, as all mankind are Gods offspring, and it is the work and workings of the "snake" to blame and accuse our fellow man "only." I blame that accusation and blame and working where scriptures have advised that it is, a work of the devil in the flesh.
What is your point about this verse? I think you are ignoring the first part of the verse, ie. "all that the Father giveth me"..... This verse is proof of the sovereign will of God in the selection of those who come to Him for salvation.
God is the Saviour of all mankind. And the condemner of all devil kind which are for no uncertainty bound into "all" of our flesh and minds.
I gave very specific text proofs earlier in this thread where "made enemies of the Gospel" as it pertains to Israel shall "all" be saved. On that presentation alone in Romans 11, both determinism in the Calvin fashion and freewillism are permanently eradicated as legitimate doctrines because it blows a hole through both positions that cannot be addressed by those same positions with coherency.
39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
If you go a little further along in the verse you will see that Jesus is saying the Word itself will be the judge ON THE LAST DAY. Jesus' ministry "on earth" was not to judge, but to evangelize and seek out His own (ie. save those who are His).
Jesus specifically said that The Word He "has" spoken will judge and that Word is "I judge him not."
All mankind as Gods offspring will go free from the works and workers of sin.
48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges himthe word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.
Thank you, "have spoken" speaks for Himself. "I judge him NOT."
Those who have rejected Jesus are the anti-Christ spirits that prevail over the hearts and minds of our fellow man. We should not blame them, but the cause, and even the "cause" was in fact made by God specifically to oppose love, and that is what most churches have fallen into. The very command to love our neighbors as ourselves has been cast away imho by "false judgment" in not seeing the cause, the DEVIL. God has provided us all with a fulcrum upon which to "lay the blame" and it is assuredly not our fellow man, yet that working does come from mankinds flesh. It's a hard division, but one that is presented in the text.
AGAIN, you need to know context here. WHO IS PAUL'S AUDIENCE HERE????? Paul is speaking to the Church at Corinth (supposedly saved believers). Paul was worried about "those that opposed Paul" trying to corrupt the Church and he is urging the Church to be unified. Paul is reminding "believers" of their status (a reconciled standing) with Christ. It was a motivational speech. If you look a couple verses eaarlier it says:
16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
People who are in Christ would not be denying that Christ does reconcile the "world" unto Himself and "not counting" sins against mankind. It is the partialist camps that try to hoard those Words to a defined set of them and a "few others" who are in their own camps. I see no need for such limits in the face of clear statements or imposed contextual limitations when the text gives none.
LOVE IS THE FRUIT....
Yes love is an integral part of being IN-CHRIST, however, it is the love in Christ that empowers you to love others like He loves you.
Remember, people can love anyone or anything, especially themselves or the world.
Also, this goes hand in hand with faith. Who is your faith iin?
Love does not condemn their fellow man to be fried alive in fire forever. Love does "no ill" Love keeps "no record" of wrongs. Love "never fails" contrary to the positions of nearly all damnation of people doctrines.
Even the orthodox Roman Catholic church provides for post death salvation. The protestants would be well advised therein.
enjoy!
squint