by Angus Harley

Calvin’s comment on Romans 5:18 is regarded as a typical expression of an Amyraldian-like, non-Calvinist, statement.[1] He writes:

“He makes this favor common to all, because it is propounded to all, and not because it is in reality extended to all; for though Christ suffered for the sins of the whole world, and is offered through God’s benignity indiscriminately to all, yet all do not receive him.”

Here we see, from the first sentence, that Calvin focuses upon the favor of God that is “propounded to all.“ This is Calvin’s manner of indicating the preaching of the Gospel. Exclusively in the proclamation of the Gospel to “all” comes this favor. Now, this cannot mean ‘every single person’, since the Gospel does not actually come to ‘every single person’. Calvin repeats the same thought about the Gospel by saying that Christ’s sufferings for the sins of the world “is offered through God’s benignity indiscriminately to all”. This Gospel offer is the only level, in context, in which the “all” receive favor. Calvin’s point is that, in the hearing of all who hear the Gospel, the favor of God’s salvation in Jesus Christ’s sufferings is proclaimed. All who hear the Gospel, regardless of whether they go on to receive him or not, are blessed with the favor of hearing the Gospel of salvation that does save.

In other words, Calvin is not referring to Jesus’ death on the cross in itself. He is a theologian concerned with the live-time going forth of the Gospel to “all”. In that light, there is no indication, as some would think, of the sufficiency-efficiency model of Lombard, for it is tied to the historical death of Christ and is too theoretical.

We know the Gospel of Jesus’ death saves because it is not in reality “extended to all”. Which is to say that, the actual saving nature of Jesus’ death, via the Gospel message, reaches, by the divine proclamation, only to some, extends effectively only to some. These ones are those who believe in Gospel of Jesus’ death.

“World”, too, reflects Calvin’s dual understanding of “all”. For, the Gospel goes out to the “world”, indicating, in context, the hearers of the Gospel who are in the world; but the Gospel of Jesus’ death saves only those of the world who hear it and believe. For, it would be a horrendous exegesis of Romans 5:18 for Calvin to imply that Jesus justifies/saves every single person in the world. Plainly, Calvin is thinking about the message of salvation/justification via Christ Jesus’ Gospel impacting all hearers who have faith.

The reader will read many who are Amyraldian or the like who cite comments by Calvin like the one above. I strongly urge you, reader, to consider the preaching of Jesus’ death as the framework for such statements, and not get bogged down on the historical moment of the death of Christ on the cross and the ‘extent’ question when reading Calvin.

[1] The following theology by Calvin I have already mapped out in another article on him concerning 1 John 2:2. Angus Harley, “Calvin’s comments on 1 John 2:2”, All Things New Covenant, January 18, 2025, https://allthingsnewcovenant.com/2025/01/18/calvins-comments-on-1-john-22/.