Because of the passage, "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive" (1 Cor. 15:22, NKJV) -- there are those who teach and believe that "all" or everyone in the world are "in Christ"!
But WHO are those "in Christ"?!
If we fail to grasp the meaning of that verse, we can easily agree that just like Adam, who did not believe God, we could also be in Christ! And so, we can fall into error that though we do not believe, we are also reconciled with Him, we are raised up with Him, we are justified, we are chosen, etc.
There are many verses in the Scriptures, however, that emphasized the need for us to believe in Christ. For example, John 3:18 -- "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Notice the words, "... he who does NOT believe is CONDEMNED ALREADY"!
Now, let's go back to 1 Corinthians 15 and understand verse 22 in the light of the whole chapter.
Who are those in Christ -- and that all of them would be made alive?
According to Paul in verse 11: "... so we preach and so you believed."
Those "in Christ" as those who BELIEVED! They are those who are not condemned. They are reconciled with God. They are redeemed. They are raised up -- made alive -- with Him. They are chosen ones. They belonged to God. They are the spiritual children of God. They are guaranteed by God Himself that they would have their inheritance. They are those who really love God.
May you also see the need and the worth of believing in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
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