Thomas Boston and Christ as Savior

The Father has appointed Christ as Savior of the World

“Our Lord Jesus Christ is the official Saviour, not of the elect only, but of the world of mankind indefinitely; so our text calls him ‘Saviour of the world.’ Agreeably to which, God in Christ is called ‘the Saviour of all men,’ but with a speciality, ‘the Saviour of them that believe,’ 1 Tim. iv. 10. The matter lies here: like as a prince, out of regard to his subjects’ welfare, gives a commission to a qualified person to be physician to such a society, a regiment, or the like; and the prince’s commission constitutes him physician of that society ; so that though many of them should never employ him, but call other physicians, yet still there is a relation betwixt him and them ; he is their physician by office; any of them all may come to him if they will, and be healed: So God, looking on the ruined world of mankind, has constituted and appointed Jesus Christ his Son Saviour of the world: he has Heaven’s patent for this office; and wheresoever the gospel comes, this his patent is intimated. Hereby a relation is constituted betwixt him and the world of mankind; he is their Saviour, and they the objects of his administration: so that any of them all may come to him, without money or price, and be saved by him as their own Saviour appointed them by the Father.”

The Complete Works of Thomas Boston, Vol. 6, pp. 297-298, Jay Green edition, 2001.

Preacher, do you preach openly, forthrightly, indiscriminately, saying—“Jesus is your Savior”? By Boston’s reasoning, we’re to be bold and loving; we’re to tell all indiscriminately, “Here is your Savior—the Lord Jesus,” and, “God has given Him, appointed Him, for you.” Or do we pull back afraid that we’ll put a dagger into the heart of the doctrine of election? Or that we’ll string up by its thumbs the doctrine of Christ’s definite atonement?

I do not know the way that God will work, and with whom He will work to save. I want to hold out the Lord Jesus and His saving mercies to all. I like what Boston says, “…they are the objects of his administration.” I’m game. That’s what I want to do. I want to speak directly to them—they are the “world of mankind; he is their Saviour.” His secret plans and His secret ways belong to Him.

G. Mark Sumpter