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“He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less.” –C. S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis was both an amazing theologian and an incredible author. He is best known for his series The Chronicles of Narnia. Today, we often quote him, as he was very well-spoken and wise. One of his most interesting theological quotes states that Jesus “died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less.”
This idea that Jesus’ death was for the individual and not just for the general population is extremely impactful. We hear time and time again how Jesus came to earth and died to save the world in church, and while this is true, we generally don’t think about it on a personal level. Yes, Jesus did come to save all men from their sins, but He also died for us all individually.
God knew all of us before we were born. He loved you and cared about you before you even existed, so much so that He sent Jesus to die for you. Like Lewis says, if you had been the only one on earth, He would have done the exact same. Jesus didn’t just die to save everyone, and you just happened to be a part of humanity, He came to save you, personally, because He loves you.
Lewis shows this concept in his books. In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, four children find themselves in the land of Narnia, ruled by Aslan. One brother, Edmund, falls into temptation at the hands of the evil White Witch and becomes her slave. To free Edmund from bondage, Aslan agrees to sacrifice himself, allowing the witch and her companions to kill him.
In the end, Aslan resurrects, in a Christ-like fashion, and defeats the White Witch once and for all. The point, however, is that Aslan suffered and died for the freedom of one boy. Ultimately, Aslan saved everyone, but he died to free Edmund.
Similarly, Jesus died to save us personally. Knowing this, we can grow to have a more personal relationship with Him. He loves us more than we could ever imagine and more than anyone on earth ever could. This is why it is often hard to wrap our minds around God’s love. We don’t see that kind of love anywhere else on earth. We think of humans, who would rarely die to save one life. Maybe they would die to save many, but to save one? It seems humanly impossible.
This is what makes God’s love so incredible. We are nothing. We are sinners. We are the worst of the worst, but still, Jesus died for us. We don’t deserve to be saved, and yet He saves us anyways and He would do it again and again if it meant communion with Him.
So if you ever question His love, just remember what Lewis says. If you had been the only one on earth, Jesus would have done no less. He loves you more than you could ever comprehend.
Grand Canyon University is committed to sharing God’s love with everyone we come into contact with. If you would like to learn more about GCU’s Christian identity and heritage or would like to read more devotionals please visit our website and check out the GCU Blog.
