CALVINISM (10)

Limited Atonement (1)

Victor M. Eskew

 

            In the Christian system, there is the need for blood to be shed in order for sinful men to be freed from sin.  Hebrews 9:22 teaches us:  “…and without shedding of blood is no remission.”  The shedding of blood involves the giving of life “for the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Lev. 17:11).  Thus, the loss of life is the price that must be paid when sin is committed.  “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezek. 18:20).  Either the sinner must give his own life, or, the sinner can rely upon the life of the divine sacrifice of Jesus Christ in order to be forgiven of sin.  “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

            One would think that since the good news of salvation by Jesus Christ is to be preached to every creature (Mark 16:15), then every creature could be cleansed by the precious blood of Christ.  According to Calvinism, however, this is not the case at all.  Remember, Calvinism teaches the doctrine of Unconditional Election.  This doctrine declares that before the foundation of the earth, God specifically chose those who would be saved by His grace.  If this is the case, then the death of Jesus, also called the atonement, is limited only to “the elect,” that is, those whom God predestined to be saved.  This teaching is referred to by most as “Limited Atonement.”

            In their book, The Five Points of Calvinism:  Defined, Defended, and Documented, David N. Steel and Curtis C. Thomas define this teaching for us.  They write:

 

                        “Christ’s redeeming work was intended to save the elect only and actually                                               secure salvation for them.  His death was a substitutionary sacrifice of the                                                penalty of sin in the place of certain specified sinners.  In addition to put-                                                  ting away the sins of the people, Christ’s redemption secured everything                                                  necessary for their salvation, including faith, which united them to Him.                                                  The gift of faith is infallibly applied by the Spirit to all for whom Christ                                                     died, thereby guaranteeing their salvation” (pp. 6-7).

 

According to Calvinism, Christ did not die for all men.  He died only for the ones predestined to eternal salvation before the foundation of the world was laid.  Notice in the quote above the words, “certain specified sinners.”  Not all sinners can be redeemed.  Only “certain specified sinners” can be saved.  They are the only ones for whom Jesus shed His precious blood according to the Calvinists.

            This teaching will confuse even the average person who reads the Bible.  “Why?” you may ask.  Because the Bible teaches that Jesus died for all in many, many passages found in the Scriptures.  The Bible tells us that Jesus was given for the sins of the world.  “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).  Was John wrong?  Did Jesus come to take away the sin of the world?  Or, did He come only to take away the sins of the “elect,” those predestined to life?  In 1 John 2:2, we learn the answer to these questions.  “And he is the propitiation for our sins:  and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

There are many verses that tell us that all men can be the beneficiaries of Jesus’ death.  Jesus said:  “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32).  Paul writes these words in Romans 5:18:  “Therefore, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”  Paul wrote these words to the young evangelist Titus:  “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men” (Tit. 2:11).  The Hebrew writer affirms that Jesus tasted death for all men in Hebrews 2:9.  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for all men.” 

Too, common sense applied to the Scriptures proves that God desired the salvation in Christ for all humanity.  In Mark 16:15, Jesus gives the Great Commission to His disciples.  They were not to go only to those predestined to be saved.  The gospel was to be taken to every creature in the world.  “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”  In Luke 19:10, we are told about Jesus’ mission.  “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”  The question is:  “Who are lost?”  According to Romans 3, all men are lost.  “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (v. 23).  Then, in Romans 5:6, we learn that Christ died for the ungodly.  “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”  Again, all men are ungodly and stand in need of a perfect Savior.

            Christ died for the world.  Christ died for all.  Christ died for all men.  Christ died for the lost and ungodly of the world.  These phrases plainly tell us that it was God’s desire for all men to be saved.  This is exactly what Paul sets forth in 1 Timothy 2:3-4:  “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”  God doesn’t want just a handful of people to be saved in the last day.  God did not created the majority of mankind just to burn in the flames of hell.  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

            One objection that might be forthcoming involves “the elect.”  The Bible does mention this group of people.  It is essential for each of us to understand who they are.  In our next article, we will address the elect, the called, and the chosen.  We will affirm that the elect are the ones who are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.  We hope this causes your interest to be piqued about the elect.