Eternal vs. Temporal
What Jesus did at the cross was a temporal work. It took place in a specific place at a certain time.
On the cross He asked the Father to forgive the people crucifying Him and He told the thief who believed in Him that he would be in paradise with Him that very day.
There can be no arguing that what Jesus did took place here on earth at a particular time in history.
Jesus is fully human.
BUT
Jesus is fully divine.
What Jesus did at the cross was an eternal work. It took place in the heavenly realm outside the constraints of time.
We see this perhaps most familiarly in the story of Abraham who believed God and was credited with righteousness. Though Jesus had not yet died and risen, Abraham’s righteousness was credited to him on the basis of his trust in God to provide a Lamb.
We know that no one can receive eternal Life except through Jesus.
We also know that Abraham did in fact receive eternal Life.
He is mentioned in Hebrews 11 along with others praised for their faith and in Luke 16:22 and following he is said to be in the heavenly realm.
There can be no arguing that what Jesus did was effective across all of time.
Scripture gives us some clues that help us understand this.
The human person of Jesus "the son of man" is inseparable from the Lord Jesus, "the Son of God."
Absent one of these we would be either unforgiven, or dead to God.
What the son of man did at the cross was the temporal work of propitiation via the sacrifice of human life to bear the consequence of sin, namely death.
What the Son of God did was rise from the dead making it possible for us to have new (eternal) Life.
We see this here:
"concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord," (Romans 1:3-4 NASB20)
In this way we can better understand verses in the Bible that appear to be in tension between what is true for all people and what is true for those who believe. What God did in Christ took place in eternity and in the temporal realm.
When 2 Corinthians 5:19–20 tells us that “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their wrongdoings against them” and that “we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” we see both components.
Eternally, objectively, generally, God reconciled the world to Himself and is not counting anyone’s trespasses against them.
Temporally, subjectively, particularly, each person is urged to be reconciled and experience forgiveness.
It is this tension that causes many to contemplate whether everyone may already be in Christ or only those who have placed their faith in Him are included. The answer is that what is objectively true in the eternal cannot be experienced, or actualized, in the temporal apart from belief in Christ Jesus.
The gift of righteousness and eternal Life has been given to all.
At the same time, like any gift the benefits it contains are of no value if it is refused. To obtain the benefits of the gift of righteousness and eternal Life for oneself, one must receive it by faith.
The grace of God has provided a wonderful gift, but His Love will not permit forcing reception of that gift. We can each choose to receive or reject the gift of God.
