Limited Atonement

     The doctrine of limited atonement says that Christ died only for the elect and in no sense did He die for the rest of the race. This doctrine grows by necessity out of the Calvinistic doctrine of unconditional election. The idea is, since God before the creation of the world arbitrarily predestined or elected certain individuals to be saved and predestined other individuals to be lost, God then sent His Son to die ONLY for those whom He elected to be saved, and not for those whom He predetermined to be lost. Loraine Boettner wrote in The Reformed Doctrine Of Predestination ,  "If from eternity God has planned to save one portion of the human race and not another, it seems to be a contradiction to say that His work has equal reference to both portions, or that He sent His Son to die for those whom He had predetermined not to save, as truly as, and in the same sense that He was sent to die for those whom He had chosen for salvation. These two doctrines must stand or fall together. We cannot logically accept one and reject the other. If God has elected some and not others to eternal life, then plainly the primary purpose of Christ's work was to redeem the elect."

     Now the Calvinist admit that Christ's obedience and suffering were of infinite value, and that if God so willed, His death would secure salvation for everyone. Therefore, they say the limits of the atonement are not due to any shortcomings, or imperfections in the sacrifice itself, but it is due to the act of God in choosing a limited number of saved individuals. Walter Lingle has said, "John Calvin taught that the Atonement was sufficient for the salvation of all, but efficient only for the elect." What this is saying is that God is the one who placed the limits on the Atonement, not man. The view is, the atoning sacrifice of Christ, which is sufficient to save all men, will not save all men. Why? Not because of man's choices, but because of God's choice to limit it's efficiency. What does the Bible say? 

The Bible Teaches that Jesus Christ Died for All

     The Bible teaches that Jesus died for all men.  2 Peter 3:9 says that the Lord is "longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."  Therefore, God made a way that all men could come to Him.  That way was through the death of His Son.  When John the baptizer saw Jesus coming from a distance in John 1:29 he said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"  Jesus, the sacrificial lamb for our sins, died to take away the sins of the world and not just the elect.  The apostle John wrote in 1 John 2:2, "And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world."  John here clears up the idea that Jesus just died for a chosen few.  Instead, he says that Christ died for the sins of the whole world.  Furthermore, Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:6 that Jesus "gave Himself a ransom for all".  Also, Hebrews 2:9 reads, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone."  Christ did not just die for the elect.  God wanted everyone to be saved, therefore, He sent His Son to die for everyone.  That is what these passages teach.  To deny this, then, is to deny the word of God.

The Doctrine of Limited Atonement Limits the Love of God

    If the doctrine of limited atonement is true, it would limit the love of God. Whom does God love? You say "everyone." You are correct, but if the doctrine of limited atonement is true, then God only loves those whom He arbitrarily elected to salvation, and no others.

    The Bible teaches that there is a direct proportionate connection between the love of God and the sacrifice of His Son. Romans 5:8 says "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." How does God demonstrate His love for us? By sending Christ to die for us even while we were still sinners. If Christ did not die for a particular sinner, then God does not demonstrate His love for that sinner. The ratio could be stated like this, as the death of Christ is to men, so is the love of God to men. In other words, if the death of Christ for man is limited, then the love of God for man is limited.

          John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." How did God show His love for the world? By giving His only begotten Son. If God gave His Son only for a select few, then His love is extended only to the select few, and not for the rest of the world. Therefore, the doctrine of limited atonement limits the love of God. Are the Calvinists ready to admit that God's love is limited?

The Bible Teaches that God Wants All to be Saved

    Again, it is very important that we mention the fact that the Bible teaches that God wants all to be saved.  Paul said in 1 Timothy 2:4 that God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."  As a result, God allowed all men to partake in His grace in order to receive salvation, as we read in Titus 2:11.  It reads, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men."  Since, God's grace has appeared to all men, Christ then invites all who desire salvation to come to Him.  In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."  Jesus then sent His apostles to invite all men to come to Him in Mark 16:15.  There He says, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."  He did not tell them to go just to the elect, but into all the world.  To any who then hears the gospel of Christ can have salvation.  This what Paul taught in Romans 10:11-13 when he said, "For the Scripture says, 'Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.  For 'whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.'"   All of these passages teach us that God wants all to be saved and that all can be saved.  God offers salvation to everyone.  Many choose to reject it, but anyone can be saved.  Our point is this:  if God wants all to be saved, it would be inconsistent to say that Jesus Christ only died for a few.  Why would God want everyone to be saved, and then provide a way for only a few people to be saved.  Again, the idea of limited atonement for the elect is an unscriptural doctrine.

Conclusion

          What we have seen is that God loves all men and therefore, Christ died for all men.  But this does not mean all will be saved.  The scriptures teach that only a few will be saved.  Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  The reason that few are saved is not because God arbitrarily chose few to be saved and there by limited the Atonement, but few are saved because only few choose to come to Christ and obey Him to receive the benefits of the atoning sacrifice. 

     Dear reader, you can be saved, if you want to be saved, because Jesus died for you. Come to Christ and obey Him and He will save you. The choice is yours. If you are lost eternally, it will not be because God chose that for you, but it will be because of the choices you make.

 

Previous
Next
( Unconditional Election)
( Irresistible Grace)