As we progress on a journey exploring our Statement of Faith, we continue to look at the five letters of the Calvinist TULIP. Previously, we discovered that our Statement of Faith and Scripture support total depravity. But we observed that unconditional election is not a teaching clearly found in either. What about the L in TULIP?<\/p>\n
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Also known as particular redemption<\/em>, limited atonement<\/em> is the teaching that Jesus\u2019 death was only intended<\/em> to atone for the sins of the elect. For those not elected by God, no atonement is provided for their sin. Further, the atonement made possible by Jesus\u2019 death is effectual<\/em> in every case. That is, everyone who is elected will be atoned for. There is no possibility that an elect person will ultimately be condemned.<\/p>\n Theologian Walter Elwell summarizes seven key arguments in support of limited atonement:<\/p>\n Our Statement of Faith does not directly answer the question \u201cWhat is the extent of the atonement?\u201d However, Article 4 implies our perspective. The offer of salvation is extended to humanity, not just the elect. While salvation is not obtained through \u201chuman merit, works, or ceremonies,\u201d it is available for those who believe and repent. Repentance and faith are not human works that merit<\/em> salvation, but they are human responses that receive<\/em> it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But what does Scripture say in response to the notion of a limited atonement? In order to answer, we will address each of the seven arguments listed above.<\/p>\n Point 1<\/strong>: To be sure, in some scriptures, Jesus\u2019 death is said to be effectual<\/em> for the elect. However, none of these passages rule out the possibility that His death was sufficient to provide salvation for all, or that it was intended to do so. If indeed Christ\u2019s death atoned for the entire world, then there is no contradiction in saying that it was for the elect.<\/p>\n Point 2:<\/strong> One of Calvinism\u2019s central themes is the sovereignty of God. While Scripture affirms God\u2019s sovereignty, it does not describe it along Calvinistic lines. The notion that God\u2019s desires are always carried out, regardless of human actions, is particularly troubling.<\/p>\n Though many scriptures contradict this Calvinist doctrine, the most striking one speaks of God\u2019s will in connection with the scope of the atonement. Second Peter 3:9 says, \u201cThe Lord .\u00a0.\u00a0. is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance\u201d<\/em> (NKJV, cf. 1 Timothy 2:3, 4). This verse poses an intractable problem for Calvinists. If God\u2019s will is always carried out and cannot be frustrated by humans, then why will some perish rather than repent? If repentance is given by God\u2019s sovereign will as part of the process of unconditional election and God\u2019s will is for everyone to repent, then why isn\u2019t everyone elected?<\/p>\n Passages like this are ultimately fatal to the notion that God wills the salvation of only a select few. Rather, they affirm that God\u2019s will is for everyone to enjoy the benefits of the atonement and experience salvation. The fact that so many do not receive salvation is a testament to humanity\u2019s God-given ability to make choices contrary to God\u2019s will.<\/em><\/p>\n Points 3-6:<\/strong> While each of the theories of the atonement informs our understanding of what was accomplished by Christ\u2019s death, we agree with many Calvinists that the penal-substitutionary theory most fully expresses its purpose. Simply put, by dying on the cross, Jesus bore the penalty of our sins and became a substitute for us so we would not have to endure our just punishment. If this is so, Calvinists ask, how then could God punish both Christ and sinners for the same sins?<\/p>\n Here we need to introduce two elements of the atonement. One element is objective<\/em>, the other subjective<\/em>. When Christ died, He objectively atoned for the sins of all people. If no one had ever accepted His sacrifice, that would not have changed the fact that He paid the full penalty for sin. However, in order for individuals to experience the benefit of this atonement, they need to accept it by grace through faith. This is the subjective<\/em> element.<\/p>\n To use the penal-substitutionary analogy of a courtroom, imagine the following scenario. Ten men are convicted of a capital crime. An innocent man offers to be executed, on the condition that any of the guilty may escape punishment if they accept his punishment on their behalf.<\/p>\n The judge agrees, and the man is executed. In the judge\u2019s eyes, the innocent man has objectively accepted the punishment for all ten guilty. But when the judge explains the situation to the ten guilty men, only five of them agree to accept the judge\u2019s offer. The five who accept the innocent man\u2019s death on their behalf have now subjectively received his sacrifice. The other five did not subjectively receive it, even though it was already objectively accomplished.<\/p>\n This distinction between the objective and subjective elements of the atonement is beautifully described in 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (cf. 1 Timothy 4:10). In Christ, God has already reconciled the world to Himself (v. 19). That is, He has objectively made peace with humanity. Yet as God\u2019s ambassadors, we are commissioned to beg the world to be reconciled to God (v. 20). That is, they must subjectively receive Jesus\u2019 sacrifice.<\/p>\n The situation described here is a relationship. God has reconciled Himself to humanity through Christ\u2019s death. Humanity must now be reconciled to God by faith. One of the great casualties of Calvinistic notions about God\u2019s sovereignty is that it rules out the possibility of genuine relationship between God and humans. According to Scripture, humans subjectively decide whether they will be reconciled to God, but God has already been objectively reconciled to humanity.<\/p>\n In the last issue, we discussed unconditional election<\/em>, along with its claim that faith is something predestined by God for certain ones to receive. We found that faith is a human response of trust in God. God initiates, humans respond. To be sure, faith originates with God, as does the grace to respond in faith. However, these gifts of faith and grace are not limited to an elect few but extended to all, so that everyone can respond to God\u2019s offer of life and relationship with Him.<\/p>\n Point 7:<\/strong> The Calvinist notion that scriptures such as John 3:16 and 2 Corinthians 5:19 do not refer to all inhabitants of the world, cannot be supported hermeneutically. As Elwell notes, \u201cA study of the word world<\/em> .\u00a0.\u00a0. shows that the world is God-hating, Christ-rejecting, and Satan-dominated. Yet that is the world for which Christ died. There is not one place in the entire NT where \u2018world\u2019 means \u2018church\u2019 or \u2018the elect\u2019.\u201d Numerous passages clearly rule out the Calvinist interpretations of world<\/em> and all<\/em> (e.g., Isaiah 53:6; 1 John 2:2; and 1 Timothy 2:1-6). No wonder, then, that the vast majority of theologians throughout church history have held to an unlimited<\/em> view of the atonement.<\/p>\n We hold this view as well. We are not content to simply enjoy our election as the favored few. Rather, we join God in His desire for all<\/em> to be saved, and we take seriously our commission to preach the message of reconciliation to a world for which Christ has already atoned. When we preach the gospel, we affirm that God has reconciled Himself to them. And on His behalf, we beg them, be reconciled to God!<\/em> We are a church on mission \u2014 a church engaged in witness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As we progress on a journey exploring our Statement of Faith, we continue to look at the five letters of the Calvinist TULIP. Previously, we discovered that our Statement of Faith and Scripture support total depravity. But we observed that unconditional election is not a teaching clearly found in either. What about the L in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":240,"featured_media":4632,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sync_status":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","castos_file_data":"","podmotor_file_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[370,1349,1569],"yoast_head":"\n\n
Scripture\u2019s response<\/h2>\n