Prolepsis
Prolepsis is a figure of speech in which a future act or promise is represented as if presently existing or accomplished. It is used often in Scripture.
"For the love of Christ is constraining us, judging this, that, if One died for the sake of all, consequently all died. And He died for the sake of all that those who are living should by no means still be living to themselves, but to the One dying and being roused for their sakes." (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)
That Christ Jesus died for the sake of all is a historical fact, however, the phrase "consequently all died" is prolepsis, a figure of speech in which all mankind is considered to have died when Jesus "died for the sake of all". The result is that the "life" of all mankind is now "hid together with Christ in God".
"For you died, and your life is hid together with Christ in God. Whenever Christ, our Life, should be manifested, then you also shall be manifested together with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:3-4)
The "our Life" refers to "all" mankind. That we will once again have "life" is a guaranteed future event which is so certain that the "new creation" is spoken of as if this primitive world has already passed by and "there has come new" - prolepsis.
"So that, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: the primitive passed by. Lo! there has come new! Yet all is of God, Who conciliates us to Himself through Christ, and is giving us the dispensation of the conciliation, how that God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them, and placing in us the word of the conciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:17-19)
When we grasp this wonderful truth and are at peace with God, we want to share the "word of conciliation" with the world as the "ambassadors" of Christ. Not from some pulpit, but everyday life - treating people the way Christ treated us.
"For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified...For Christ, then, are we ambassadors, as of God entreating through us. We are beseeching for Christ's sake, "Be conciliated to God!" For the One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God's righteousness in Him." (1 Corinthians 15:222 Corinthians 5:20-21)
God is at peace with mankind and we are to do our best to tell people about it so they can have peace toward God - not terrified about what He might do to them. Reconciliation is peace between two parties - mankind and God. God has already made His peace with mankind at the cross - he is "conciliated" but it is a one sided peace until individuals make their peace with God - then there is "reconciliation" - a peace between all parties. People experience the joy of reconciliation when in our mind we make peace with God. And I am not talking about some free will choice to be saved from hell, that's religious myth. I am referring to coming to a place where one realizes that God loves me with all my sin and is "not reckoning our offenses to us" - is NOT angry with us and has graciously saved us through the blood of Christ shed "for our sakes".
God is commending this love of His to us, seeing that, while we are still sinners, Christ died for our sakes." ..."and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavins." (Romans 5:8; Colossians 1:20)
I am saved, justified and reconciled to God - and so are you - but like Paul, I know it is a future manifestation.
"Not that I already obtained, or am already perfected. Yet I am pursuing, if I may be grasping also that for which I was grasped also by Christ Jesus. Brethren, not as yet am I reckoning myself to have grasped, yet one thing -- forgetting, indeed, those things which are behind, yet stretching out to those in front -- toward the goal am I pursuing for the prize of God's calling above in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)
I can speak of my salvation as if it has already occured, prolepsis - because the very Word of God is behind the promise. That is good enough for me.
"For the love of Christ is constraining us, judging this, that, if One died for the sake of all, consequently all died. And He died for the sake of all that those who are living should by no means still be living to themselves, but to the One dying and being roused for their sakes." (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)
That Christ Jesus died for the sake of all is a historical fact, however, the phrase "consequently all died" is prolepsis, a figure of speech in which all mankind is considered to have died when Jesus "died for the sake of all". The result is that the "life" of all mankind is now "hid together with Christ in God".
"For you died, and your life is hid together with Christ in God. Whenever Christ, our Life, should be manifested, then you also shall be manifested together with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:3-4)
The "our Life" refers to "all" mankind. That we will once again have "life" is a guaranteed future event which is so certain that the "new creation" is spoken of as if this primitive world has already passed by and "there has come new" - prolepsis.
"So that, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: the primitive passed by. Lo! there has come new! Yet all is of God, Who conciliates us to Himself through Christ, and is giving us the dispensation of the conciliation, how that God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them, and placing in us the word of the conciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:17-19)
When we grasp this wonderful truth and are at peace with God, we want to share the "word of conciliation" with the world as the "ambassadors" of Christ. Not from some pulpit, but everyday life - treating people the way Christ treated us.
"For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified...For Christ, then, are we ambassadors, as of God entreating through us. We are beseeching for Christ's sake, "Be conciliated to God!" For the One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God's righteousness in Him." (1 Corinthians 15:222 Corinthians 5:20-21)
God is at peace with mankind and we are to do our best to tell people about it so they can have peace toward God - not terrified about what He might do to them. Reconciliation is peace between two parties - mankind and God. God has already made His peace with mankind at the cross - he is "conciliated" but it is a one sided peace until individuals make their peace with God - then there is "reconciliation" - a peace between all parties. People experience the joy of reconciliation when in our mind we make peace with God. And I am not talking about some free will choice to be saved from hell, that's religious myth. I am referring to coming to a place where one realizes that God loves me with all my sin and is "not reckoning our offenses to us" - is NOT angry with us and has graciously saved us through the blood of Christ shed "for our sakes".
God is commending this love of His to us, seeing that, while we are still sinners, Christ died for our sakes." ..."and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavins." (Romans 5:8; Colossians 1:20)
I am saved, justified and reconciled to God - and so are you - but like Paul, I know it is a future manifestation.
"Not that I already obtained, or am already perfected. Yet I am pursuing, if I may be grasping also that for which I was grasped also by Christ Jesus. Brethren, not as yet am I reckoning myself to have grasped, yet one thing -- forgetting, indeed, those things which are behind, yet stretching out to those in front -- toward the goal am I pursuing for the prize of God's calling above in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)
I can speak of my salvation as if it has already occured, prolepsis - because the very Word of God is behind the promise. That is good enough for me.