Question: What does Scripture say is our path in regard to voluntary associations or unions?
Answer: Confederations of men always have man as their object. See the first one in Genesis 11:4. The Lord broke it in pieces. (Isa. 8:9). For us, 2 Corinthians 6:14 to 7:1, gives simple and full instruction. It begins by marking out the contrast between children of God and the world. What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, light with darkness, Christ with Belial, or a believer with an unbeliever? God dwells and walks in and with His people. He is their God.
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be (to Me for) My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” With such a promise from the one who has everything at His disposal, we may well feel encouraged to obey, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Question: When Christ died upon the cross, did He bear the sins of the whole world? In Hebrews 9:28 it says: “the sins of many.”
Answer: Scripture shows us that God has been glorified in the work of the cross about the whole question of sin, so that in righteousness now He can save and cleanse the deepest-dyed sinner living on the earth. (Isa. 1:18). “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Tim. 1:15).
We can therefore tell the unsaved of God’s love to them (John 3:14-16), and say to them, “Christ died for the ungodly.” “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:6-8). Christ “died for all.” (2 Cor. 5:14-15). He bought the whole world (Matt. 13:44); even the blasphemer is bought (2 Peter 2:1).
He is the propitiation for the whole world; (“the sins of” are left out in the original, 1 John 2:2). It is there, God and guilty man can meet. We can tell the guilty ones how to know their sins forgiven. (Acts 10:43). “Whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.” (See also Acts 13:38-39.) But it is the language of the believer that says:
“He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities” (Isa. 53:5-6; see 1 Cor. 15:3 and 1 Peter 2:24). Notice the words, our, we, us. Thus the believer applies the truth to himself.