The word world (Greek kosmos) occurs 213 times in the NT.
Calvinists have difficulty with verses like John 1:29, 3:16, and I John 2:2 because such verses indicate that Christ died for the sins of the whole world and that God loves the whole world.
They have a clever way of explaining why those verses are not saying that Christ died for everyone, and that God loves everyone. Calvinists suggest that the word world sometimes refers to a small group of humanity, whom they call the elect. In their view, in eternity past, before a single human was born, God chose those who would have everlasting life. He did not use His omniscience to foresee who would freely believe in Jesus. He did not base this choice on anything in the ones chosen. He simply chose a small percentage of humanity and did not choose the rest. The ones not chosen, the vast majority, are doomed to eternal condemnation even before they are born.
At our January 17-18 GES Board meeting, I spoke with one of the board members about the Calvinist view of election. He said, “If God only elects a tiny percentage of humanity, then no matter how it is explained, He was choosing for the vast majority of humanity to be eternally condemned no matter what.” He rejected the idea of most Calvinists that God does not elect some to condemnation. He simply did not choose them for regeneration. I agree with my board friend. If that is true, then God chose most of humanity for the lake of fire.
Let us consider how Calvinists understand I John 2:2, which reads, “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”
John Piper comments:
…there are children of God, or sheep, scattered through the whole world. As John says in Revelation 5:9, “Christ was slain and by his blood didst ransom men for God from every tongue and tribe and people and nation.” He did not ransom everybody. He gave his life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). He did not propitiate the wrath of God against everybody. But he laid down his life for the sheep. They are scattered throughout the world in every tongue and tribe and people and nation (see here under 3. Don’t Hog Jesus [2:2b]).
Likewise, John MacArthur, in a message on I John 2:2, says,
Jesus on the cross offered an atonement for those in Israel who would repent and believe and those throughout the world who would repent and believe. It is not a universal appeasement of God. Jesus didn’t pay for the sins of Judas because when Judas died, he went to his own place to pay for his own sins. Jesus didn’t pay for the sins of Herod. Jesus didn’t pay for the sins of Pilate. Jesus didn’t pay for the sins of Adolf Hitler. Jesus didn’t pay for the sins of the mob that screamed for His blood.
Jesus didn’t pay for the sins of all that mass of humanity that show up at the great white throne and are cast into the lake of lire forever and ever where they will give their satisfaction to the offended law of God. But He did pay for the sins of all who will believe, in Israel and the world. The point is, it went beyond their normal provincial idea of propitiation. And He didn’t just make salvation an option, He actually purchased salvation for all who repent and believe because they are called by God. It was an actual substitution (see here).
I find statements like those to be very troubling.
The Calvinist view is special pleading. It ignores the obvious meaning of many passages (e.g., John 1:29; 3:16; II Pet 2:1; I John 2:2). It results in what many consider a monstrous view of God––that He allowed most of humanity to be born with no chance of regeneration.
The word world is used in three or four different ways in the NT. It sometimes refers to our planet (e.g., John 13:1; Eph 1:4) and possibly even the entire universe (e.g., Acts 17:24; Phil 2:15). Kosmos also refers to all the people on the planet (e.g., Rom 3:19). And it refers at times to the system of thought that is opposed to God, this world system (e.g., John 7:7; 15:18-19; I John 4:5).
In John 1:29 kosmos refers to all the people from Adam and Eve to the last sinners of the Millennium. John 3:16 also refers to all people of all time. So does I John 2:2.
Do not allow Calvinists to confuse you. If they do, you will not know whether Christ died for you. You will not know where you are going when you die. You will go through life hoping you persevere and prove you are one of the chosen ones.
Keep your eyes upon the Lord Jesus Christ and His promise of everlasting life to all who simply believe in Him. If you do, you will remain assured of your salvation. He died for everyone, making everyone savable. But to be saved, one must believe in Him for the life He promises.
Keep grace in focus.