The ‘all’ controversy

As a result of this disagreement over the extent of God’s grace and wrath in the afterlife destiny of all people, what we find is that one of the smallest words in the Bible is one of the most difficult to interpret and understand. The dispute revolves around this basic question: when does “all” mean “all” and when does “all” not mean “all?” When does it mean only “some” or “all of some sort?” Make no mistake; this small word “all” is the most significant word in this debate in such verses as these:

• “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned . . . . Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.  (Rom. 5:12, 18)

• “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn . . . .”  (1 Cor. 15:22-23a)

• For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.” (Rom. 11:32)

• “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 3:23-24)

• “who gave himself as a ransom for all men . . . .” (1 Tim. 2:6)

• “. . . we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.” (1 Tim. 4:10).

And many more