Ques. Is it right to say that Christ bore the sins of the world?
Ans. Scripture nowhere says that Christ bore the "sins" of the world. We read,
“But now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." And then he adds,
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many" (vv. 27, 28.) It is of the utmost importance to distinguish these two aspects of the atonement of Christ.
You can announce to the whole world that Christ appeared to put away sin; that by His death God has been glorified with respect to sin; that the veil is rent; the way to God is open; that all are welcome; all are commanded to repent, invited to come, responsible to believe; that the righteousness of God is unto all; that God willeth not the death of any sinner; is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance; that all who die in their sins will have themselves to thank for it; and all who are saved will have to thank God for it. This, it seems to me, is the utmost limit to which the evangelist can go in declaring the gospel message.
But when, through grace, anyone is broken down, and brought to true repentance, then he may be told that his sins were all laid on Jesus; that Christ stood in his stead, bore his judgment, paid his penalty, and settled every question on his behalf to the glory of God.
Ans. We do not see the Church in the four living creatures. These latter are the heads of creation, and they are ever seen in immediate connection with the government of God. We believe that the Church and the O. T. saints are seen in the twenty-four elders in chapter 4. They are not in their distinctive places, for that is not the object, until we reach the close of the book, when the Church reappears as the bride, and the elders disappear.
Ques. Who will compose the 144,000 of Rev. 7, and who the unnumbered multitude?
Ans. The 144,000 represent the saved remnant of Israel; and the unnumbered multitude are saved Gentiles. Both these companies will come on the scene after the rapture of the Church, which is not formally or distinctly presented at all the Apocalypse. We deem it a most serious error to place the Church on earth during the apocalyptic judgments.
Ques. Will the unconverted as well as believers stand before the judgment seat?
Ans. Scripture does, most certainly, teach that the unconverted shall stand before the judgment seat. 2 Cor. 5:1010For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10) takes in all, both believers and unbelievers, though not of course at the same time or on the same ground. The expression "we all," in chapter 5:10, differs materially from the "we all," in chapter 3:18 (See Greek.) The latter refers only to believers; the former to both. Our Lord Christ will judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and kingdom. In Matt. 25:3131When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: (Matthew 25:31), we have the judgment of the living nations. Rev. 20:1111And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (Revelation 20:11) gives the judgment of the wicked dead. In the former, not one will have passed through death; in the latter, all will have done so. In neither scene have we the Church or Israel as the subjects of judgment.
Ques. Did the Israelites look forward to Christ when they performed their ceremonies?
Ans. The O. T. saints looked forward to a promised Savior. As to Israel, after the flesh, they went through the ordinances and ceremonies of the Mosaic ritual without any spiritual insight into their deep significance. You must distinguish between carnal Jews and true believers.