Its no secret that mans religion appeals to
2 Cor 5:19 as a proof text that the scripture teaches that Christ died for all men without exception, for it reads:
To wit, that
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
The religionist sees the word world here and automatically and carelessly assumes that it means everyone without exception. However the word world here is defined in a limited sense in that it does means:
kósmos (literally, "something ordered") – properly, an "ordered system" (like the universe, creation); the world.
an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, or der.
any aggregate or general collection of particulars of any sort
Any divinely ordered collection of particulars in the divine scheme of things is a World !
The word particulars is defined:
of or relating to a single or specific person, thing,group, class, occasion, etc., rather than to othersor all; special rather than general:
Now with this in mind, the world of
2 Cor 5:19 is particular in that none of its citizens have their sins imputed to them, which is plainly stated of them here:
"
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them"
Which Act of God constitutes this World as a forgiven world, because we read in another place the consequence of non imputation of sin by God is this:
Rom 4:7-8
7Saying,
Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8Blessed
is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
That world of particular individuals in 2 Cor 5:19 is a forgiven world whose sins are covered, and God will not charge them with their sins, not ever !
Now we know this cant apply to all without exception because there are individuals God will remember their sins against them, so they are still being charged with them, here Rev 18:4-5
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
Now these who shall have their sins remembered by God, cannot be of the World of 2 Cor 5:19, which means and confirms that the World in that scripture supports limited atonement, the reconciled world is limited to certain particulars ! 1
