I will Draw All men to Myself

 

“I Will Draw All People to Myself”

The Cross, Not Worship - and humanity's Vicarious Inclusion

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32)
He said this to show the kind of death He was going to die. (John 12:33)

These words of Jesus are often quoted in the context of worship or revival. But John deliberately anchors them elsewhere.

Jesus is not speaking about being lifted up in praise or song, and to take this view is to miss John's point. He is very clearly speaking about being lifted up on the cross.

John ensures we cannot miss this. Whatever “drawing all people” means, it happens there - in the crucifixion.

The Cross and the Inclusion of Humanity

Jesus’ declaration is not a prediction of how effective Christianity will later become. It is a statement about what the cross accomplishes.

When Jesus is lifted up, He draws all people into Himself. This is not symbolic language. It is a claim about our participation.

Humanity is not standing at a distance, watching Jesus suffer on their behalf. Humanity is being gathered into His death and, therefore, into His life.

This is what is meant by vicarious inclusion.

What “Vicarious” Means

“Vicarious” does not simply mean “instead of”, as though Jesus takes our place while we remain untouched. It means one acting as the many, so that what happens to the one truly happens to those included in him.

Jesus does not die instead of humanity so humanity can avoid death.
He dies as humanity, carrying the human condition through death and out the other side. This is the just wage of sin, which was death (Rom 6:23), being met.

What He lives, humanity lives in Him.
What He dies, humanity dies in Him.
What He is raised into, humanity is raised into in Him.

This is why the New Testament speaks not merely of forgiveness, but of new creation.

Adam and Christ: Two Corporate Realities

“As in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22)

Adam did not merely influence humanity; he included humanity 
Paul says Christ does the same, but in reverse.

“One has died for all; therefore all have died.” (2 Corinthians 5:14)

This is not hypothetical.
It is declarative.

“All” Without Qualification

John does not soften Jesus’ words.

“All” does not mean all who believe first.
“All does not mean all who behave acceptably.
“All does not mean all who join the right group.

Throughout John’s Gospel:

• Christ is the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29)

• God loves the world (John 3:16)

• Jesus is the Saviour of the world (John 4:42)

The scope is universal because the act is vicarious.

The Witness of the Old Testament

This vision did not begin in the New Testament.

“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” (Isaiah 53:4)

“The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

The Servant does not merely cancel guilt; He carries humanity.

Hebraic thought was always corporate. What the representative bears, the people truly share.

Faith Does Not Create the Union, It Reveals It

If humanity has been carried into Christ, then faith does not cause inclusion.

Faith awakens us to what is already true.

This is why Paul can say:

“God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them.” (2 Corinthians 5:19)

Reconciliation is described as accomplished, not delayed.

“He tasted death for everyone.” (Hebrews 2:9)

“The living God is the Saviour of all people, especially of those who believe.” (1 Timothy 4:10)

Believers experience salvation consciously.
Others experience it unknowingly or resist it, but none are untouched by the cross.

What Remains

Jesus said, “I will draw all people to myself.”
John points unambiguously to the cross and says, this is what He meant.

The question is no longer whether humanity has been included.
The question is when humanity will finally trust the goodness revealed there.

Because when Christ is lifted up, all are drawn, not to religion, but to union.
Not to an offer, but to a reality already accomplished.

"News" is always historic.... It's the Story of what has already happened.
The Good News is not a conditional Offer. It is the historic announcement of our inclusion in Christ on the cross. 

If we Trust this Good news, then "as a man believes in his heart, so he is."
If we trust our union with God, we will live it out. This is what walking out our gift of Salvation is. 
Or, like Paul puts it (2 Cor 5) - God has already reconciled you, no longer counting your sin against you... Now, be reconciled. Step into your Truth Identity.

Much love