On his website, Arminian Perspectives, Ben Henshaw has a questions page at which he answers questions about Arminianism and Calvinism that visitors to his site pose in the comment section of the page. Here are some questions from a man named Hutton followed by Ben’s answers:
Questions: I know I am elect in Christ, but does that mean this all is not a personal thing? Am I insignificant to God or did he die on the cross thinking of me? Loving me or I’m just an insignificant being to him!!!? Also did he die thinking of the people who would choose him or did he just die for no one in particular and just kind of died? I feel its gotta be more special than I’m just going to die for everyone but not really think about whoever will come!?
The answers below will first quote from the above questions and then give the answer:
Answers: “I know I am elect in Christ, but does that mean this all is not a personal thing? Am I insignificant to God or did he die on the cross thinking of me?”
Yes, God loves you personally and knows you personally. Corporate election does not discount individuals. It only puts the corporate body first in that we become part of the elect people when we are joined to that people through faith in the corporate Head–Christ. But God knows and loves all who come to be joined to Christ and His elect body.
“Loving me or I’m just an insignificant being to him!!!?”
You are very significant.
“Also did he die thinking of the people who would choose him or did he just die for no one in particular and just kind of died?”
He died to make it possible for all to come to Him and be saved, even those who will forever reject Him. He did this because He loves all people. God knows all and loves all and sent Christ to die for all.
“I feel its gotta be more special than I’m just going to die for everyone but not really think about whoever will come!?”
It is hard to say what Christ might have been thinking on the cross. Did He have thoughts of each individual person who would ever live while suffering on the cross? That seems a little unlikely to me, but maybe. Still, that doesn’t mean He wasn’t dying out of love for everyone as individuals, and that His love for you is not personal and very real.
