Limited Atonement (Particular Redemption)
Limited Atonement is a doctrine offered in answer to the question, "for whose
sins did Christ atone?" The Bible teaches that Christ died for those whom God
gave him to save (John 17:9). Christ died, indeed, for many people, but not all
(Matthew 26:28). Specifically, Christ died for the invisible Church -- the sum
total of all those who would ever rightly bear the name "Christian" (Ephesians
5:25).
This doctrine often finds many objections, mostly from those who think that
Limited Atonement does damage to evangelism. We have already seen that Christ
will not lose any that the father has given to him (John 6:37). Christ's death
was not a death of potential atonement for all people. Believing that Jesus'
death was a potential, symbolic atonement for anyone who might possibly, in the
future, accept him trivializes Christ's act of atonement. Christ died to atone
for specific sins of specific sinners. Christ died to make holy the church. He
did not atone for all men, because obviously all men are not saved. Evangelism
is actually lifted up in this doctrine, for the evangelist may tell his
congregation that Christ died for sinners, and that he will not lose any of
those for whom he died!
"The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of
us all" (Isa. 53:6). Who "us" refers to is seen in verse 11: "many
; He shall bear their iniquities." Also verse 12, "He bare the sin of
many."
"The Son of Man came ; to give his life a
ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28).
The blood of the new covenant was "shed
for many for the remission of sins" (Matt. 26:28).
"So Christ was once offered to bear the
sin of many" (Heb. 9:28).
"Who gave himself for us." Whom? The
redeemed (Titus 2:14).
"The Good Shepherd giveth his life for the
sheep" (John 10:11).
"As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and
I lay down my life for the sheep." (John 10:15)
"But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I
said unto you." (John 10:26)
' If, therefore, He laid down His life for
the sheep, the atoning character of His work was not universal. On another
occasion He said to the Pharisees, 'Ye are not my sheep' (John 10:26) ; Will
anyone maintain that He laid down His life for these, seeing that He so
pointedly excludes them?"
He purchased the "church of God with his
own blood" (Acts 20:28).
"Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8); God
delivered up His Son "for us all" (Rom. 8:32). These references in Romans are
addressed to the "called of Jesus Christ" (1:6), who are "saints" (1:7), who are
"elect" (8:33).
"Christ our passover is sacrificed for us"
(1 Cor. 5:7). Again the reference is to the church of God and its sanctified
members (1:2).
"Our Lord Jesus Christ ; gave himself for
our sins" (Gal. 1:4). (Written to the "churches" (1:2).
In Christ "we have redemption through his
blood" (Eph. 1:7). Written to the "chosen" and "predestinated" (verses 4 and 5).
Christ "His own self bare our sins" (1
Pet. 2:24). Written to the "elect" (1:2).
Christ "loved us and washed us from our
sins in his own blood" (Rev. 1:5). Written to the "churches" (verse 4).
(Mat 1:21 ) And she shall bring forth a
son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their
sins.
(Mat 13:10-15 ) And the disciples came,
and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? {11} He answered and
said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the
kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. {12} For whosoever hath, to him
shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from
him shall be taken away even that he hath. {13} Therefore speak I to them in
parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do
they understand. {14} And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which
saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall
see, and shall not perceive: {15} For this people's heart is waxed gross, and
their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any
time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should
understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
(Mark 4:10-12 ) And when he was alone,
they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. {11} And he
said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God:
but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: {12} That
seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not
understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be
forgiven them.
(Mat 20:28 ) Even as the Son of man came
not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for
many.
(Mat 22:14 ) For many are called, but few
are chosen.
(Mat 26:28 ) For this is my blood of the
new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
(Mark 13:20 ) And except that the Lord
had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake,
whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
(Luke 13:23-28 ) Then said one unto him,
Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, {24} Strive to enter
in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and
shall not be able. {25} When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath
shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door,
saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know
you not whence ye are: {26} Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk
in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. {27} But he shall say, I
tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of
iniquity. {28} There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and
you yourselves thrust out.
(Luke 24:31 ) And their eyes were opened,
and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
(John 1:12-13 ) But as many as received
him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe
on his name: {13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh,
nor of the will of man, but of God.
(John 13:1 ) Now before the feast of the
passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of
this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he
loved them unto the end.
(John 13:18 ) I speak not of you all: I
know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth
bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
(John 15:16 ) Ye have not chosen me, but
I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit,
and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in
my name, he may give it you.
(Acts 16:14 ) And a certain woman named
Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard
us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were
spoken of Paul.
(Acts 22:6-9 ) And it came to pass, that,
as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there
shone from heaven a great light round about me. {7} And I fell unto the ground,
and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? {8} And I
answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom
thou persecutest. {9} And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were
afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
(Rom 8:28-30 ) And we know that all
things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called
according to his purpose. {29} For whom he did foreknow, he also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the
firstborn among many brethren. {30} Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he
also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified,
them he also glorified.
(Eph 1:3-11 ) Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ: {4} According as he hath chosen us in
him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame
before him in love: {5} Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by
Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, {6} To the
praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the
beloved. {7} In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of
sins, according to the riches of his grace; {8} Wherein he hath abounded toward
us in all wisdom and prudence; {9} Having made known unto us the mystery of his
will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: {10}
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one
all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in
him: {11} In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated
according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his
own will:
(2 Th 2:13 ) But we are bound to give
thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from
the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and
belief of the truth:
(Heb 4:3 ) For we which have believed do
enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter
into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
(Rev 13:8 ) And all that dwell upon the
earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the
Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
(Rev 17:8 ) The beast that thou sawest
was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into
perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not
written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold
the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
(Rev 17:14 ) These shall make war with
the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of
kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
(Rom 4:24 ) But for us also, to whom it
shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the
dead;
(Rom
5:8 ) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
(Rom 8:26 ) Likewise the Spirit also
helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:
but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered.
(Rom 8:32 ) He that spared not his own
Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give
us all things?
(Rom 8:34 ) Who is he that condemneth? It
is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right
hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
(1 Cor 5:7 ) Purge out therefore the old
leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our
passover is sacrificed for us:
(2 Cor 5:21 ) For he hath made him to be
sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in
him.
(Gal 3:13 ) Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is
every one that hangeth on a tree:
(Eph 5:2 ) And walk in love, as Christ
also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to
God for a sweetsmelling savour.
(1 Th 5:10 ) Who died for us, that,
whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
(Titus 2:14 ) Who gave himself for us,
that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar
people, zealous of good works.
(Heb 9:24 ) For Christ is not entered into
the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into
heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
(1 Pet 4:1 ) Forasmuch then as Christ hath
suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he
that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
(1 John 3:16 ) Hereby perceive we the love
of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives
for the brethren.
(Rom 5:8 ) But God commendeth his love
toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
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