Lifting Up Christ in the Remotest Parts of the Earth

In John 12:32, Jesus says, "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself." This statement is one of the final public proclamations that Jesus gives before His seclusion with His disciples, His arrest, and ultimately, His death on the cross. The word “if” is a conditional particle which could be translated “since or when” because it is predicated upon the coming promise of Christ’s substitutionary death. In other words, in this final public statement, our Savior is proclaiming that when He is nailed to the cross and the Father’s judgment falls upon Him like He committed our sins (because the wages of sin is death) and when He had satisfied the Father’s wrath through His death as He is lifted up for all the world to see, (even today through the Word of God) Jesus became the only One who could satisfy the Father. Now He is the only way, the only truth, and the only life who can deliver sinners spotless and blameless before a holy God. This great and glorious gospel is only for those who believe, and notice that through His finished work on the cross, Jesus will draw all people to Himself.

He has become the final Lamb who takes away the sin of the world as John the Baptist so boldly proclaimed in John 1:29. Now certainly the Bible does not teach universalism, so what Jesus is clearly teaching here is that He will draw people from every walk of life to receive saving faith and repent of their sins and follow Him for all of eternity. John highlights this truth as he records the prophetic vision of Revelation 5:9 with the Lamb who was slain, who purchased with His own blood, “all men” from every tribe and tongue and people and nation as he prophetically witnesses the saved worshipping the Lamb around the throne.

Today, we still proclaim this “lifted up” Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. When we lift Him up through living and declaring this glorious gospel message, we can have full assurance that Christ will draw people from every walk of life to Himself. I pray that this truth will spur your soul to be unashamed of the gospel of our God and Savior and share this message with those around you.

We cannot wait to “lift up” Christ in the remotest parts of southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon and watch Jesus draw all peoples to Himself. We look forward to partnering with you in this great gospel mission of our Lord.