January 22nd: Limited Atonement
Speaker: Duncan Wyncoll
What exactly did Christ do at Calvary? A glorious reformation doctrine about the highly personal sufferings of our Saviour. This study will examine texts which appear to teach Christ died for all.
Introduction
The Church’s One Foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is his new creation by water & the Word:
From Heav’n he came & sought her to be his Holy bride,
With his own blood he bought her & for her life he died.
Was the hymnwriter correct? Did the LJC really purchase his bride (the church) with his own blood? or did he just potentially redeem his bride?
Recap:
Total Depravity – Man will not/cannot turn to God; all departments of our lives have been affected; Nobody seeks after God
Unconditional Election – So, a loving/merciful God chose to save a vast host; It’s not fate, but God determining to lose us from our fate – of hell
And so – An Atonement is required – a covering. There must be a transfer of guilt to Christ’s account to cancel my debt of sin
Rom 5.10 – When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son
· Perhaps the most controversial of the 5 doctrines - & has led some to be ‘4-pointers’
· But N.B. These 5 points stand, or fall together
· If Man is dead in sin, then God must elect to save him
· So, if there is a particular & definite election, then there must be a particular & definite means to save the lost
· The Doctrine of Limited Atonement (Particular Redemption) states that the elect are the particular objects & the only saving beneficiaries of Christ saving work on the cross.
Some Observations about Limited Atonement
1. Limited Atonement could better be referred to as Particular/Definite Redemption
· Limited ≠ insufficient or inadequate – in no way!
· But the opposite of Limited is General Atonement – which sees Christs death as for all men, but on condition of human acceptance (conditional election)
· Limited Atonement says Christs death is sufficient for all but only efficient for the elect – not limited in power, but in extent
2. Actually, all Evangelicals hold to some form of Limited Atonement
· The statement is true because faithful evangelicals do not believe in Universalism – the notion that all will be saved regardless of any beliefs or actions
John 3.36 - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: & he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him
3. Limited Atonement makes sense of all scriptural descriptions of redemption
· E.g OT sacrifices – always made for specific persons/people – there were no Universal atoning sacrifices. Leviticus 16 v.11 – for himself and his house, v.15 – a sin offering for the people, v.21 – for the sins of the children of Israel
· The Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53
Isaiah 53.4,5 - Surely he hath borne our griefs, & carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, & afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities:
· Not generic/general, or hypothetical substitution
· No - His suffering really accomplishes something for his people
Isaiah 53.12 – because he hath poured out his soul unto death: & he was numbered with the transgressors; & he bare the sin of many
Think of the Lord Jesus Christ
· What did the Angels declare at his birth?
Matt 1.21 – & thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins
· From the beginning it was stated that he came to redeem a peculiar (special) people
Matt 20.28 - Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, & to give his life a ransom for many
· Redemption not of all with exception – but “many”
Limited Atonement is clearly taught by John (& Paul)
John 10.14-16 - I am the good shepherd, & know my sheep, & am known of mine.
As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: & I lay down my life for the sheep. & other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, & they shall hear my voice; & there shall be one fold, & one shepherd.
· N.B. He lays down his life for ‘His Sheep’. The other sheep which are not of this fold – Gentiles
John 10.26 - But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you
John 17.9 – I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me
· His intercession, like his atoning work on the cross was for his ‘special’ people
Acts 20.28 - Take heed therefore unto yourselves, & to all the flock…, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood
Eph 5.25-27 - Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it
1 Peter 2.24 - Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed
4. Limited Atonement makes sense of Christ having FULFILLED the plan of Salvation
· Scripture speaks boldly of Christs death as having achieved the goal of God’s plan
· In reality & not just hypothetically!
Eph 3.9 & 11 - And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus.
John 17.4 – I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do
· “My work is almost complete, if men will only now do their part to complete it…” NO
John 19.30 – “It is finished”
5. Limited Atonement is required for an adequate understanding of Penal Substitutionary Atonement
· Limited Atonement unashamedly declares that LJC really stood in the place of sinners
Rom 5.6 - For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly
Hymn 577 v.2a
6. Universal Atonement makes salvation only a potential possibility (& not an assured reality
· Biblical arguments for Limited Atonement look stronger when examining the weaknesses of the arguments for Genera/Universal atonement
Isaiah 53.11 - He shall see of the travail of his soul, & shall be satisfied (Heb: full/complete): by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities
· In NT, it is always presented as accomplished reality (Gal 3.13)
· Christs work on the cross was not a hypothetical salvation for hypothetical believers, but a real & definite salvation for God’s own chosen (elect) people.
7. Universal Atonement opens up unthinkable possibilities
· Are there people in hell for whom Christ died, but Christ’s death was insufficient to bring about their salvation?? (not possible)
· Double payment - Christ could bear the wrath of God on the cross for a person’s sin, but they reject Christ & suffer God’s wrath for the same sins?? (not possible) Hymn 577 v.3b
8. We hold to Unconditional Election and Limited Atonement with humility & care
· Those for whom Christ died is known to God alone – & not the mind of man
· So the gospel is to be preached freely, & without distinction to all men
· The elect of God will recognise the Shepherds voice when they hear it.
Some Objections
1. The Free Offer of the Gospel
· How is it that God sincerely offers the gospel to all? (including the non-elect)
· In a sense this is a fundamental mystery
· Think of the great Gospel offers/challenges in the scriptures.
Ezek 33.11 – turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Isaiah 55.1 – Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, & he that hath no money; come ye, buy, & eat; yea, come, buy wine & milk without money & without price.
Matt 11.28 - Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest
· His ways are higher than our ways; finite man cannot always reconcile both truths
· We have to be humble & accept what is in his Word - The Bible is infallible & cannot err
Deut 29.29 - The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us & to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law
2. Passages which seem to teach Universalism
1 John 2.2 – & he is the propitiation for our sins: & not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world
John 4.42 - for we have heard him ourselves, & know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world
John 1.29 - Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
1 Tim 2.6 - Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time
· Take care on the understanding of the word ‘World’ or ‘All’. Not unrestricted
· Context often gives the answer
Luke 2.1 – And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed
1 Cor 6.12 – All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any
John 12.32 - And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me
Often – World or All refer simply to All believers, the whole church, &/or the International world (beyond Israel). All types, & Nationalities…
3. “It’s a hindrance to Evangelism” – It shouldn’t be…
· If all are depraved by nature, dead in sins… & yet the Lord has his elect in very nation/tribe/community – how encouraging to preach the gospel – there will be success.
· Some people will believe, because Christ has died for many
Conclusion - Atonement
· God is kind & just – the Judge must uphold the Law (Rom 1.18)
· Atonement - Is where God’s justice & mercy meet
Psalm 85.10 - Mercy & truth are met together; righteousness & peace have kissed each other
· It is the only solution
Luke 24.7 (angels at the tomb) - The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again
