Gospel Atonement

(From Outside the Camp, Vol. 7, No. 2)

[To print in PDF booklet form, click HERE]

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God
says in Mark 16:16 that those who do not believe the gospel are
unregenerate. He says in 1 Corinthians 15:3 that the gospel includes the
truth "that Christ died for our sins, according to theScriptures." Thus, those who do not believe the truth "that Christ died for our sins, according to theScriptures" are unregenerate. What does it mean "that Christ died for our sins, according to theScriptures"? This article will go into the life-and-death truth of The Atonement.

Every
religion has its version of an "atonement." Ask any false religionist,
from a Buddhist to a Muslim to aRoman Catholic to a Mormon to a
Russellite to a Campbellite to an Arminian, if he believes in
"atonement,"and you will hear an answer in the affirmative. Does this
mean that any of these false religionists believethe one true Atonement
of the one true gospel? Of course not. One's profession of belief in an
atonementmeans nothing unless we find out what one MEANS by
"atonement." Ask a Muslim what he means by"atonement" and you will find
that he says that his good deeds atone for his evil deeds. Ask an
Arminianwhat he means by "atonement" and you will find that he says
that his "jesus christ" atoned for the evildeeds of everyone without
exception, yet there are some for whom this "jesus" atoned who go to
hellanyway. Although Islam does not come in the name of Christianity
while Arminianism does, Arminianism isactually closer to Islam and the
rest of the false religions of the world than it is to true
Christianity. All ofthe false religions of the world, including
religions that profess belief in a "jesus christ" who is both humanand
divine who died for the sins of everyone without exception, propound a
false gospel of salvationconditioned on the sinner in which the efforts
of the sinner are what make the ultimate difference betweensalvation
and damnation.

In this
article, we will describe THE Atonement, which is The TRUE Atonement of
Jesus Christ - TheAtonement of the one true gospel of true
Christianity. We will contrast it with the false atonement of themost
prevalent form of false religion that comes in the name of Christianity
- namely, universal atonement(sometimes called Arminianism, although
not all who believe in the false gospel of universal atonementwould be
called classical "Arminians"). We will see that universal atonement is
actually NO atonement atall and treats the true cross of Christ as
nothing. We will then consider those who say they believe inGospel
Atonement but who believe that at least some universal atonement
advocates are true Christians,showing that they, too, do not believe in
Gospel Atonement.

Two important concepts must be understood at the outset: substitution and imputation. Substitutiondenotes an exchange of places. Jesus Christ took the place of certain sinners. Jesus Christ suffered onbehalf of certain sinners. He represented certain sinners. He suffered as a vicarious
sacrifice. "But He waswounded for our transgressions; [He was] bruised
for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace wasupon Him; and with
His wounds we ourselves are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). "... For also Christ
our Passoverwas sacrificed for us" (1 Corinthians 5:7). "... This is My
body being given for you ... My blood, which isbeing poured out for
you" (Luke 22:19-20). "... this is My body which is broken on behalf of
you ..." (1Corinthians 11:24). "... for even Christ suffered on our
behalf ..." (1 Peter 2:21). "Truly [He] who did notspare His own Son,
but gave Him up on behalf of us all ..." (Romans 8:32). "... our great
God and SaviorJesus Christ, who gave Himself on our behalf ..." (Titus
2:13-14). "... He has been manifested for puttingaway of sin through
the sacrifice of Himself" (Hebrews 9:26). "Because even Christ once
sufferedconcerning sins, the just for the unjust ..." (1 Peter 3:18).
"... Christ also loved us and gave Himself for us..." (Ephesians 5:2).
"... the Son of God, the [One] loving me and giving Himself over on my
behalf"(Galatians 2:20). "... Christ also loved the Assembly and gave
Himself up on its behalf" (Ephesians 5:25). "... The Good Shepherd lays
down His life on behalf of the sheep ... I lay down My life for the
sheep" (John10:11,15). "... by [the] grace of God He might taste death
for every [son]" (Hebrews 2:9). "... if One diedfor all, then all died"
(2 Corinthians 5:14). "For if by the deviation of the one the many
died, much morethe grace of God, and the gift in grace, which [is] of
the one Man, Jesus Christ, did abound to the many. ...For if by the
deviation of the one death reigned through the one, much more those who
are receiving theabundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall
rule in life by the One, Jesus Christ. So then, asthrough one deviation
[it was] toward all men to condemnation, so also through one effected
righteousnesstoward all men to justification of life. For as through
the one man's disobedience the many wereconstituted sinners, so also
through the obedience of the One the many shall be constituted
righteous"(Romans 5:17-19).

Imputation denotes a legal charging to one's account. All of the sins of certain sinners, with all their guiltand condemnation, were charged to Jesus Christ. For
He made the [One] who knew no sin [to be] sin forus ..." (2 Corinthians
5:21). "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a
curse for us..." (Galatians 3:13). "... Christ having been once offered
to bear [the] sins of many ..." (Hebrews 9:28)."who Himself carried up
in His body our sins onto the tree ..." (1 Peter 2:24). "Surely
He has borne oursicknesses, and He carried our pain ... and Jehovah
made meet in Him the iniquity of all of us. ... He shallbear their
iniquities. ... He bore the sin of many ..." (Isaiah 53:4-12).

The
differences between Gospel Atonement and the false gospel of universal
atonement in the areas ofsubstitution and imputation are as follows: In
Gospel Atonement, Jesus Christ was the substitute of allwhom God chose
before the foundation of the world to be saved, and the sins of these
people and thesealone were imputed to Jesus Christ. In the false gospel
of universal atonement, their "jesus christ" tookthe place of and took
on the sins of every single human being without exception. We will see
how thisuniversal atonement rips out the very heart of the gospel.

Having
established that the sins of Jesus Christ's people were imputed to Him
and He suffered in the placeof His people, let us go into what The
Atonement actually accomplished and compare The Atonement to thefalse
gospel of universal atonement, which is really no atonement at all.

The Atonement fully and perfectly accomplished complete, absolute, entire remission of all the sins of allthe people for whom Christ died. To remit means to cancel, to forgive, to pardon, to take out of the way.
Jesus Christ's bloody death on the cross totally canceled, totally
purged, totally paid the debt for the sins ofHis people. Jesus Christ
is "The Lamb of God, taking away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). He "wasrevealed that He might take away our sins" (1 John 3:5). His blood was "poured out for remission of sins"(Matthew 26:28). He "made purification of our sins through Himself" (Hebrews 1:3). His mission was"tofinish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make atonement for iniquity" (Daniel 9:24),and to "undo the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8), that "through death He might cause to cease the [one]having the power of death, that is, the devil" (Hebrews 2:14). Jesus Christ"has been manifested for puttingaway of sin through the sacrifice of Himself" (Hebrews 9:26). He "washed us from our sins by His blood"(Revelation 1:5). He has "forgiven
you all the offenses, blotting out the handwriting in the
ordinancesagainst us, which was contrary to us, even [He] has taken it
out of the midst, nailing it to the cross"(Colossians 2:13-14). His blood "cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). In Him there is "the remission ofsins" (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14). His blood was shed once, because "apart
from shedding of bloodno remission occurs. ... But where remission of
these is, there [is] no longer offering concerning sins"(Hebrews 9:22;
10:18). God in Christ was "not charging their trespasses to them" (2 Corinthians 5:19),and "with His wounds we ourselves are healed" (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).

What
of the "christ" of universal atonement? The "christ" of universal
atonement died for everyone withoutexception. Did this death actually
accomplish the remission, the cancellation, the pardon, the putting
awayof the sin of everyone without exception? It did not do anything
even close to that. There are people inhell for whom this "christ"
died, for whom this "christ" atoned, whose sins were supposedly "taken
away"and "pardoned" and "paid for." Universal atonement advocates use
John 1:29 to try to prove that their"christ" took away the sins of
everyone without exception. Yet they also say that there are some who
areburning in hell. Were the sins of those who are burning in hell taken away by
the blood of their "christ"? Ifso, why are they burning in hell? It is
because their "christ" actually accomplished NOTHING on the cross.
There are people burning in hell for sins that were not
pardoned or taken away. Their god is a liar when hesays that this
"christ" took away the sins of everyone without exception. The blood of
their "christ" is of noeffect in and of itself. And they blaspheme the
true Jesus Christ by using His Name in their damnableheresy, claiming
that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible paid the sin debt for everyone
without exception. They hate the true God and the true gospel. They are
unregenerate.

The Atonement fully and perfectly accomplished complete, absolute, entire redemption of all the people forwhom Christ died. To redeem means to buy, to purchase, to pay the ransom price for a possession so as torescue or deliver that possession. God's people "were bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:20). Theywere "redeemed ... with precious blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:18-19). They were "purchased through [His]own blood" (Acts 20:28). They "shall be saved from the wrath through Him" (Romans 5:9). They are"justified freely by His grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24). They sing to JesusChrist, "You were slain, and by Your blood purchased us to God out of every tribe and tongue and peopleand nation" (Revelation 5:9). Jesus Christ came to "save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21) and to"set these free, as many as by fear of death were subject to slavery through all the [time] to live" (Hebrews2:15). He is "the [One] delivering us from the coming wrath" (1 Thessalonians 1:10). He has "givenHimself a ransom on behalf of all" (1 Timothy 2:6). He "gave Himself for our sins, so that He might deliverus out of the present evil age" (Galatians 1:4). He "gave
Himself on our behalf, that He might redeem usfrom all lawlessness"
(Titus 2:14). "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law" (Galatians
3:13). Hecame "that He might redeem the ones under Law" (Galatians 4:5), "to give His life a ransom for many"(Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45). In Christ, "we have redemption through His blood" (Ephesians 1:7;Colossians 1:14).

What
of the "christ" of universal atonement? The "christ" of universal
atonement died for everyone withoutexception. Did this death actually
accomplish the redemption, the purchase, the deliverance of
everyonewithout exception? It did not do anything even close to that.
There are people in hell for whom this"christ" died, for whom this
"christ" atoned, who were supposedly "purchased" and "redeemed" by
theblood of this "christ." Universal atonement advocates use 1 Timothy
2:6 to try to prove that their "christ"gave himself a ransom for
everyone without exception. Yet they also say that there are some who
areburning in hell. Did this "christ" give himself a ransom, buy with his own blood, pay the price
for those whoare burning in hell? If so, why are they burning in hell?
It is because their "christ" actually accomplishedNOTHING on the cross.
There are people burning in hell who have not been purchased
or delivered. Theirgod is a liar when he says that this "christ" paid
the ransom price of everyone without exception. The bloodof their
"christ" is of no effect in and of itself. And they blaspheme the true
Jesus Christ by using His Namein their damnable heresy, claiming that
the true Jesus Christ of the Bible redeemed everyone withoutexception.
They hate the true God and the true gospel. They are unregenerate.

The Atonement fully and perfectly accomplished complete, absolute, entire propitiation and reconciliationfor all the people for whom Christ died. To propitiate means to appease, to pacify, to assuage. Toreconcile means to bring back into fellowship with, to make peace with.
God's wrath was fully appeasedwhen Jesus Christ became sin for His
people and suffered the just punishment for that sin. The blood
ofChrist made peace between God and all for whom Christ died. God "reconciled
us to Himself through JesusChrist ... God was in Christ reconciling
[the] world to Himself" (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). He "sent His Son [tobe] a propitiation relating to our sins" (1 John 4:10) and set forth Jesus Christ as "a propitiation throughfaith in His blood" (Romans 3:25). Jesus Christ is the "propitiation relating to our sins, and not relating toours only, but also relating to all the world" (1 John 2:2). He came "to make propitiation for the sins of[His] people" (Hebrews 2:17), "that He might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3: 18). "For
He is our peace, Hemaking us both one, and breaking down the middle
wall of partition, in His flesh causing to cease theenmity, the Law of
the commandments in decrees, that He might in Himself create the two
into one newman, making peace, and might reconcile both in one body to
God through the cross, slaying the enmity inHimself. And coming, [He]
proclaimed peace to you, the ones afar off, and to the ones near"
(Ephesians2:14-17). "For if [while] being enemies we were reconciled to
God through the death of His Son, muchmore, being reconciled, we shall
be saved by His life; and not only [so], but also glorying in God
throughour Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we now received the
reconciliation" (Romans 5: 10-11). "... throughHim making peace by the
blood of His cross, to reconcile all things to Himself ... now He
reconciled in thebody of His flesh, through death" (Colossians
1:20-22). "But He was wounded for our transgressions; [Hewas] bruised
for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him ... But
Jehovah pleased tocrush Him, to make Him sick, [so that] if He should
put His soul as a guilt offering, He shall see [His] seed;He shall
prolong [His] days, and the will of Jehovah shall prosper in His hand.
He shall see [the fruit] of thetravail of His soul; He shall be fully
satisfied. By His knowledge the righteous One, My Servant, shall
justifyfor many, and He shall bear their iniquities. Because of this, I
will divide to Him with the great, and withthe strong He shall divide
the spoil; because He poured out His soul unto death; and [He] was
numberedwith those transgressing; and He bore the sin of many, and made
intercession for those transgressing"(Isaiah 53:5-12).

What
of the "christ" of universal atonement? The "christ" of universal
atonement died for everyone withoutexception. Did this death actually
accomplish the appeasement of God's wrath for everyone
withoutexception? Did it actually accomplish reconciliation between God
and everyone without exception? It didnot do anything even close to
that. There are people in hell for whom this "christ" died, for whom
this"christ" atoned, who were supposedly "reconciled" to God by the
blood of this "christ," for whom God wassupposedly "propitiated."
Universal atonement advocates use 2 Corinthians 5:19 and 1 John 2:2 to
try toprove that their "christ" was reconciling everyone without
exception to God and that their "christ" was apropitiation for everyone
without exception. Yet they also say that there are some who are
burning in hell.Did this "christ" appease the wrath of God for those
who are burning in hell? Did the blood of this "christ"make peace
between God and those who are burning in hell? Did this "christ"
reconcile to God those whoare burning in hell? If so, why are they
burning in hell? It is because their "christ" actually
accomplishedNOTHING on the cross. There are people burning in hell who
are still under the wrath of God, who are notat
peace with God. Their god is a liar when he says that this "christ"
reconciled everyone without exceptionto himself and propitiated for
everyone without exception. The blood of their "christ" is of no effect
in andof itself. And they blaspheme the true Jesus Christ by using His
Name in their damnable heresy, claimingthat the true Jesus Christ of
the Bible reconciled everyone without exception to the true God of the
Bibleand was the propitiation for everyone without exception. They hate
the true God and the true gospel. They are unregenerate.

At the end of Jesus Christ's suffering on the cross, He said, "It is finished" (John 19:30). Jesus
Christ hadfinished the work He came to do. All the sins of all His
people were imputed to Him, and He suffered as asubstitute and
representative for His people. His suffering unto death actually
accomplished full pardon,redemption, propitiation, and reconciliation
for every single person whom He represented on the cross. Christ's
atoning death was absolutely, totally effectual. This, THE Atonement,
is the very heart of thegospel. If there is not THIS Atonement, The One
True Atonement, there is no gospel. If there were onlyone person for
whom Christ died who ended up in hell, the entire gospel would be
meaningless, and theblood of Christ would be of no effect.

Consider the passage that was quoted in the first paragraph of this article. Do universal atonementadvocates believe "that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3)? Noteven close. Far from it. Their "christ" died for everyone without exception, not to accomplish salvation butmerely to make salvation possible
if the sinner would only do his part. This is not the atonement of
thegospel. This is blasphemy. Those who believe that Jesus Christ died
for those who are burning in hell spitin the face of Christ, trample
underfoot the blood of Christ, and treat the blood of Christ as
nothing. Theydo not believe that the blood of Christ was effectual to
accomplish anything in and of itself.

The motto of every Christian is this: "But
may it never be for me to boast, except in the cross of our LordJesus
Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the
world" (Galatians 6:14). Whoever walks by this rule, this canon,
this doctrine, is the one who has peace and mercy on him and is aperson
to whom all true Christians will speak peace; whoever boasts in
anything else does not have peaceand mercy on him and is a
person to whom all true Christians will not speak peace (Galatians
6:16-17). Whatever one believes makes the difference between salvation
and damnation is what one boasts andglories in. The one who believes
that it is the work of Jesus Christ alone that makes the only
differencebetween salvation and damnation boasts and glories in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ and does notboast or glory in self. What
of those who believe that Jesus Christ died for everyone without
exception? They do not believe that it is the work of Jesus
Christ alone that makes the difference between salvationand damnation;
instead, they believe that it is the effort of the sinner
that makes the ultimate differencebetween salvation and damnation. They
do not boast or glory in the cross of Christ; they boast and gloryin themselves.
They might say they "give all glory to God" and that it is "the cross
that makes thedifference" and that it is "nothing but the blood of
Jesus," but if they believe that Jesus Christ died forpeople who are
burning in hell, then they DO NOT believe that it is the work of Christ
alone that makes thedifference between salvation and damnation. They DO
NOT believe that the work of Christ was effectual tosecure and ensure
the salvation of everyone for whom Christ died. They DO NOT believe the
very heart ofthe gospel. They are unregenerate boasters in self. "But
now a righteousness of God has been revealedapart from Law, being
witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God
through faithof Jesus Christ toward all and upon all those believing;
for there is no difference, for all sinned and fall shortof the glory
of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption in
Christ Jesus, whom Godset forth [as] a propitiation through faith in
His blood, as a demonstration of His righteousness through thepassing
over of sins that had taken place before, in the forbearance of God,
for a demonstration of Hisrighteousness in the present time, for His
being just and justifying the [one] that [is] of the faith of Jesus.
Then where [is] the boasting? It was excluded" (Romans 3:21-27).

Now
let us logically consider those who claim to believe in the efficacious
atonement of Christ, who wouldsay they agree that Christ only died for
those who will be saved, yet who also believe that at least
someuniversal atonement advocates are saved. This includes the
"Calvinists" or "Sovereign Gracers" whobelieve that at least some
Arminians are regenerate.

For
the purpose of this consideration, let us call the "Calvinist" who
considers at least some Arminians to behis brothers and sisters in
Christ "TC" (for "Tolerant Calvinist").

Let
us assume that TC believes that all regenerate people believe the
gospel. There are certainly someTC's who do not believe this (such as
the Primitive Baptists who believe that a regenerate person can go fora
period of time being completely ignorant of the gospel and even
believing a false gospel and worshiping afalse god before they are
"converted"), showing that they are unregenerate (see the review "The IrrelevantGospel" in the May 2001 issue of Outside the Camp). But what of TC who believes that all saved peoplebelieve the gospel?

Consider:
(1) TC believes that some who believe universal atonement are saved.
(2) TC believes that allsaved people believe the gospel. Thus, (3) TC
believes that some who believe universal atonement believethe gospel.

What
does this show about TC's belief about the gospel? Since TC believes a
person can believe the gospeland believe universal atonement at the
same time, then he must believe that the gospel does not includethe efficacious atonement of Jesus Christ. TC has just denied the very heart of the gospel.

If
that were not clear enough, let us go further. Suppose now that TC
would agree with us that universalatonement means that Christ's death
did not actually accomplish pardon, redemption, propitiation,
andreconciliation. This is not an unreasonable supposition; many, if
not most, TC's would agree that this iswhat universal atonement means
(just read Gordon Clark's The Atonement). In fact, some TC's
would evengo so far as to say that universal atonement is a false
gospel, yet they say in the same breath that somewho hold to universal
atonement are regenerate (just talk to the pastors in the Protestant
ReformedChurches).

Now
consider: (1) TC believes that some who believe universal atonement
believe the gospel. (2) TCbelieves that universal atonement means that
Christ's death did not actually accomplish pardon, redemption,
propitiation, and reconciliation. Thus, (3) TC believes that some who
believe that Christ's death didnot actually accomplish pardon,
redemption, propitiation, and reconciliation believe the gospel.

What
does this now say about what TC thinks about the gospel? TC believes
that the gospel is made up ofcertain doctrines. TC also believes that
some who believe that Christ's death did not actually accomplishpardon,
redemption, propitiation, and reconciliation believe the gospel. Thus,
TC does NOT believe that thegospel includes the doctrine that Christ's
death actually accomplished pardon, redemption, propitiation,
andreconciliation. TC does NOT believe that the gospel includes the
doctrine that Christ's blood actuallyatoned. TC denies that The Atonement is part of the gospel. And in doing so, TC denies
the very gospelitself. TC shows that he has no idea what the gospel is.
He shows that he is just as unregenerate as theuniversal atonement
advocate is.

Finally,
consider the following logic: (1) All who believe a false gospel of
salvation conditioned on the sinnerare unregenerate. (2) Universal
atonement is a false gospel of salvation conditioned on the sinner.
Thus,(3) all who believe universal atonement are unregenerate. TC and
every person who would consider atleast some universal atonement
advocates to be regenerate MUST disagree with #3. And the only
waypeople can disagree with #3 is if they disagree with at least one of
the first two statements. Considerthose who disagree with #1. These are
people who believe that at least some who believe a false gospel
ofsalvation conditioned on the sinner are regenerate. Can a true
Christian disagree with #1? Of course not. Consider those who disagree
with #2. These are people who believe that universal atonement is not a
falsegospel of salvation conditioned on the sinner. Can a true
Christian disagree with #2? Of course not. Thus,all who disagree with
#3 (all who consider at least some universal atonement advocates to be
saved) areunregenerate.

It
is no wonder that God says that anyone who speaks peace to a person who
brings a false gospel isunregenerate (2 John 11). Those who say that
Jesus Christ died for everyone without exception deny thatthe death of
Christ actually pardoned, redeemed, propitiated, and reconciled. They
deny that Christ'sblood actually atoned. They deny that it is the work
of Christ alone that makes the difference betweensalvation and
damnation. They deny the very heart of the gospel. They boast and glory
in themselves. They are God-haters. And those who speak peace to these
God-haters, who call them brothers and sistersin Christ, who say that
the universal atonement advocates believe the same gospel they do, show
thatthey, too, deny the true gospel. They deny that the atoning,
pardoning, redeeming, propitiating,reconciling blood of Christ is an
essential part of the gospel. They, too, do not believe the gospel.
They,too, are boasters who glory in the sinner. They, too, are
God-haters.

THE
Atonement whereby Jesus Christ, the God-man mediator, as a
representative and substitute for Hispeople, in His bloody death on the
cross, accomplished full pardon, full redemption, full propitiation,
andfull reconciliation for everyone whom He represented, is the very
essence, the very heart, the very core,the very foundation, the very
cornerstone, the very crux of the gospel. One cannot deny The Atonement
bybelieving in universal atonement and still believe the true gospel.
All who deny The Atonement, includingall who believe that Jesus Christ
died for everyone without exception, are not true Christians. One
cannotdeny that The Atonement is an essential gospel doctrine by
believing that some universal atonementadvocates are saved and still
believe the gospel. All who deny that The Atonement is an essential
gospeldoctrine, including all who speak peace to universal atonement
advocates, are not true Christians. Thecross of Christ is what
Christianity is all about. If there is no Atonement, there is no
Christianity.

"For the
Word of the cross is foolishness to those being lost, but to us being
saved, [it] is [the] power ofGod. For it has been written, I will
destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the
understandingof the understanding ones. Where is [the] wise? Where is
[the] scribe? Where [the] lawyer of this world? Did God not make the
wisdom of this world foolish? For since in the wisdom of God the world
[by] wisdomdid not know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of
preaching to save the ones believing. Andsince Jews ask for a sign, and
Greeks seek wisdom, we, on the other hand, preach Christ crucified
(truly anoffense to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks), but to the called
ones, both to Jews and to Greeks, Christ isthe power of God and the
wisdom of God; because the foolish thing of God is wiser [than] men,
and theweak thing of God is stronger [than] men. For you see your
calling, brothers, that [there are] not manywise according to flesh,
nor many powerful, not many wellborn. But God chose the foolish things
of theworld that the wise might be put to shame, and God chose the weak
things of the world so that He mightput to shame the strong things. And
God chose the low-born of the world, and the despised, and the
thingsthat are not, so that He might bring to nothing the things that
are, so that no flesh might glory in Hispresence. But of Him, you are
in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, both
righteousnessand sanctification and redemption, so that even as it has
been written, He that glories, let him glory in[the] Lord. And when I
came to you, brothers, I did not come with excellency of word or
wisdom, declaringto you the testimony of God. For I decided not to know
anything among you except Jesus Christ, and Himhaving been crucified"
(1 Corinthians 1:18-2:2).

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