READING TIME: 2-3 MINUTES
January 20, 2020
Does the Bible teach “limited atonement” or “unlimited atonement?
Part 1
Many Calvinist scholars prefer the terms definite redemption or definite atonement over “limited atonement.” Calvinism teaches that “God the Father designed the work of redemption specifically to provide salvation for the elect. And even though Christ’s death is valuable enough to meet the needs of everybody, there was a special and unique sense in which He died for His sheep. He laid down His life for those whom the Father had given Him” (R.C. Sproul).
Based on my understanding of what the NT teaches, I think that Christ’s death was intended for, and the benefits extended to, every person, i.e., the world of men, not just to the “elect” or to certain ones within all categories of men (nations, tribes, countries, people, language groups, etc.). He died for the entire world, but His death is only effective for those who believe in the gospel and place their faith in Him. In other words, Jesus’s death made salvation potentially possible for everyone (Is 53:6; Lk 19:10; Jn 1:29; 3:16-17; 4:42; 8:12; Rom 5:6, 18; 1 Tim 4:10; Heb 2:9; 2 Pet 2:1; 1 Jn 2:2), but only those who hear the gospel of Christ and place their faith in Him find the atonement efficacious for them (Jn 10:11, 15; 15:13; Acts 20:28; Rom 8:32-35; Eph 5:25-27; Heb 9:28). We are commanded to proclaim the Gospel to all human beings (Matt 28:19; Acts 1:8; cf. 17:30; Titus 2:11; 2 Pet 3:9). Salvation is potentially possible and available to all, but it becomes actual only for the elect. A distinction should be made between the provisional benefits of the Messiah’s death and the appropriation of those blessings by the elect. The provision is unlimited, but the application of it is limited. Many will be unwilling to receive the gospel and will reject the offer of salvation, so the benefits of the Messiah’s death are not applied to them (Jn 5:40; cf. Matt 23:37).
Summary and Conclusion
Christ’s death was not just provisional. Christ’s death for all provides a basis for the command to make disciples of all nations and also provides the very heart of the free offer of eternal life to anyone who simply believes in Christ for it. His Atonement does not, apart from personal faith, secure anyone’s salvation. Indeed, if it did secure the salvation of every person, everyone would be saved. But securing the salvation of everyone was not so intended.
Christ’s sacrificial atonement was accomplished as He shed His blood and died for every person in the world, providing priceless redemption, accomplished absolute satisfaction for the penalty of sin, and reconciling (making peace) between man to God. Calvinist’s have inappropriately distorted the wonderful truth of Christ’s death for all people to correlate it with their theological model or system. The teaching that Christ only died for a few, only the “elect,” only the church, or only believers is completely absent from the Bible. The benefit of Christ’s bloody death is not personally realized for an individual until such a person believes in Him for eternal life.
In tomorrow’s post, I’ll discuss passages that appear to teach “limited atonement,” until you look at them more carefully.
Sources Used
Rhodes Ron. “The Extent of the Atonement: Limited Atonement Versus Unlimited Atonement.” Chafer Theological Seminary Journal (volumes 2:2 and 2:3, Fall 1996 and Winter 1996).
Sproul, R.C. “What is Reformed Theology?” < https://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/what_is_reformed_theology/limited-atonement/>.
Steele, David N., Curtis C. Thomas, and S. Lance Quinn. The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended, and Documented.
