Some thoughts on limited atonement and election

Here are my thoughts on the doctrine of limited atonement. By way of note, I relied heavily on John Piper’s “What We Believe About the Five Points of Calvinism.” 

 

Reformed Christians have long been charged with limiting the atonement of Jesus Christ.  But is this an accurate accusation?  Do Calvinists (as we unfortunately sometimes call ourselves) limit the atonement of Christ? 

 

If Christ died for all the sins of all people, as Arminians would say, then why doesn’t everyone go to heaven when they die?  After all, all of their sins have been paid for.  The Arminian would respond, “The reason why they don’t go to heaven is because they don’t believe in Christ.”

 

But wait a second.  I thought Christ died for all the sins of all men.  Wouldn’t his death have covered the sin of unbelief, too? 

 

For the Arminian to be consistent, he would have to be a universalist.  That is, he would have to say that everyone is going to heaven when they die.  After all, under the Arminian system, all sins are covered. 

 

So we can see that Arminianism actually limits the atonement of Christ. 

 

The Calvinist system does not, however.  For we believe that Christ died for all the sins of a few people.  That is, only a few will be saved.  The atonement, under our system of belief, not only covers “regular” sins, but it also covers the sin of unbelief.  The doctrine of limited atonement is actually a doctrine of sufficient atonement.  That is, it is sufficient for the removal of sins. 

 

Most Christians (yes, even Arminians) would have to admit that Christ did not die for everybody.  For, as we all know, everybody will not be saved. 

 

The question may arise as to why God didn’t, in his own power, send His Son to die for everybody, then.  The first thing we need to point out is that we cannot presume that God had to save anybody.  We cannot presume that God owes man salvation.  The Scripture calls salvation a gift, not a wage.  Therefore, since salvation is not owed to any man, then it follows that God does not have to give it to everybody.  He may disperse His grace as He wishes. 

 

Let me come up with an example to illustrate.  Suppose that I had two friends, Sam and Frank, who both did me wrong.  Let’s say they robbed me. Sam robbed me on Monday, and Frank robbed me on Tuesday.  Anyway, unbeknownst to me, someone calls the cops, and both are arrested.  The judge orders bail to be set at $50,000 for the both of them. 

 

Now let’s say that I decide, out of my own freedom, to bail out Frank and not press charges against him.  However, I decide to not bail out Sam and I continue to pursue charges against him.  Was I unjust to Sam for not bailing him out?  No, I was not.  After all, he got what he deserved: jail time.  Now let’s say that Sam screams at me and says, “Matthew, that’s not fair that you would bail out Frank and not me!” 

 

What could I say?  I would have to say the truth:  “No, Sam, what is fair is both of you go to prison.  That’s fairness.” 

 

You see, what’s fair is that we all go to hell.  It is an absolute wonder that God would show mercy on anyone at all.  If he decided to save just one from hell, then what is that to me?  It’s His mercy, not mine.  God can do with it as he wishes. 

 

Therefore, the next time we think divine election is not fair, we need to stop and say to ourselves, “No, what’s fair is that we all go to hell.” 

 

This should lead the Christian to stop and thank God for choosing them to be saved.  Election is not an act of some despot in heaven choosing people arbitrarily as some have advocated.  No, it is an act of Divine grace and mercy.  It is out of mercy and grace that he has chose us.  Election is an act of grace.

 

To Christ, the only God, be all the glory for ever.  

 

Particular Redemption by C. H. Spurgeon

“The doctrine of Redemption is one of the most important doctrines of the system of faith. A mistake on this point will inevitably lead to a mistake through the entire system of our belief.

Now, you are aware that there are different theories of Redemption. All Christians hold that Christ died to redeem, but all Christians do not teach the same redemption. We differ as to the nature of atonement, and as to the design of redemption. For instance, the Arminian holds that Christ, when he died, did not die with an intent to save any particular person; and they teach that Christ’s death does not in itself secure, beyond doubt, the salvation of any one man living. They believe that Christ died to make the salvation of all men possible, or that by the doing of something else, any man who pleases may attain unto eternal life; consequently, they are obliged to hold that if man’s will would not give way and voluntarily surrender to grace, then Christ’s atonement would be unavailing. They hold that there was no particularity and speciality in the death of Christ. Christ died, according to them, as much for Judas in hell as for Peter who mounted to heaven. They believe that for those who are consigned to eternal fire, there was as true and real a redemption made as for those who now stand before the throne of the Most High.

Now, we believe no such thing. We hold that Christ, when he died, had an object in view, and that object will most assuredly, and beyond a doubt, be accomplished. We measure the design of Christ’s death by the effect of it. If any one asks us, “What did Christ design to do by his death?” we answer that question by asking him another — “What has Christ done, or what will Christ do by his death?” For we declare that the measure of the effect of Christ’s love, is the measure of the design of it. We cannot so belie our reason as to think that the intention of Almighty God could be frustrated, or that the design of so great a thing as the atonement, can by any way whatever, be missed of. We hold — we are not afraid to say what we believe — that Christ came into this world with the intention of saving “a multitude which no man can number;” and we believe that as the result of this, every person for whom he died must, beyond the shadow of a doubt, be cleansed from sin, and stand, washed in blood, before the Father’s throne. We do not believe that Christ made any effectual atonement for those who are for ever damned, we dare not think that the blood of Christ was ever shed with the intention of saving those whom God foreknew never could be saved, and some of whom were even in hell when Christ, according to some men’s account, died to save them. (To read more, click here.)

Taken from http://www.reformationtheology.com/quotes/ on April 4, 2008, at 1:55pm