THE
LIMITED ATONEMENT
By
Wayne Camp
John 10:15 As the Father knoweth me,
even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
It is an irrefutable truth that the Bible
teaches and the churches of the New Testament period were taught
and they believed the doctrine of the Limited Atonement.
When we show that, then we must ask why many churches purporting
themselves to be New Testament churches do not teach this
doctrine. In fact, many despise the doctrine that was so readily
taught and believed by those churches of the New Testament
period.
The Scriptures often speak of the death of
Christ as being limited to certain ones. They are "his
people," "his sheep," his "friends,"
"the children of God scattered abroad," and those
"given to him." Those not included in his atoning
sacrifice are those whom he "never knew" and who are
"not of" his sheep.
THE
LIMITED ATONEMENT IS BELIEVED BY ALL EXCEPT UNIVERSALISTS!
Though most will not admit it, in fact,
will vehemently deny it, all professed Christians, except the
universalists (those who believe in universal salvation of the
entire human race and fallen angels as well), believe in a
limited atonement. Either one believes in an atonement that is
limited in its purpose, or an atonement that is limited in its
efficacy.
Those who believe the atonement is limited
in its efficacy believe that the atonement merely makes salvation
available to all men but assures the salvation of none. They
believe that it could atone for the sins of all men if all men
would but lend the atoning blood the mighty power of their own
free will. They believe that God is trying to save every person
in the human race. They believe Christ made atonement for the
entire human race, even those who were already crying out in the
torments of hell when he went to the cross. That atonement is
weak and powerless to propitiate God for one sinner unless it is
lent the power of man’s alleged free will. Christ, minus
man’s free will, is nothing. The blood, minus man’s
free will, is nothing. The pouring out of the soul of the Lord
Jesus Christ, minus man’s free will, is nothing. Like
baptism to the Campbellite, man’s free will is everything to
those who hold to this weak and beggarly view of the finished
work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We believe the atonement is unlimited in
its efficacy and infinite in its worth and value, but limited in
its purpose. It has the infinite power to truly save all for whom
it was purposed ("I lay down my life for the
sheep."). Christ has paid the sin debt for every one
of those given to him by the Father. "Thou has given
him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as
many as thou hast given him" (John 17:2).
The great God and our Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ, made an atonement that really atones. He paid a
redemption price that really redeems. He secured a salvation that
really saves. He accomplished a reconciliation that really
reconciles. The sins of all his people were imputed to him and
his perfect righteousness is imputed to every one of his elect.
Let those of the other persuasion deride
us for our view of a limited purpose in the atonement. They
preach an atonement that is more limited than the one we preach.
They must say with a late Baptist Editor who wrote, "Hell is
a ghastly monument to the failure of the Triune God."
Our God has not, he does not fail. Every
one whom he gave to Christ to save will surely be brought to
Christ and not one will be cast out. He will save all his lost
sheep and not allow one of them to perish. Let all honor him for
he is the God who does not fail but does according to his will in
heaven, earth, the sea, in the armies of heaven and among the
inhabitants of the earth and saves his elect without fail.
JESUS
TAUGHT THE LIMITED ATONEMENT
Jesus taught the first church that he
would be laying down his life for his sheep. John 10:15 As
the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down
my life for the sheep. Now most will admit that all men
are not sheep. However, some consider the unsaved goats, and in
no way sheep. The Bible teaches, however, that some are lost
sheep and some are saved sheep. And, a sheep is a sheep, whether
a lost one or a saved one. That Jesus has lost sheep is evident
from the parable of the lost sheep, lost coin and lost son. In
that parable Jesus says that when the man had found the sheep and
brought it home, he said to his friends, "Rejoice with
me; for I have found my sheep which was lost" (Luke 15:6).
It is evident from this that Christ’s sheep which were given
to him by the Father are his sheep before they are found. He has
lost sheep and he has saved sheep but there are those who are not
sheep at all. John 10:26 But ye believe not, because ye are
not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
Since all are not his sheep and he laid
down his life for the sheep, is that not a limited purpose in the
death of Christ? He purposely declared, "I lay down my
life for the sheep." That his sheep involved more
than those who were already saved is obvious from his statement
in the next verse. John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which
are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear
my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Jesus
is here referring to the Gentiles who were given to him by the
Father and for whom he would lay down his life. Those disciples
with him were Jewish and he said he had sheep who were not
Jewish. Note also he considered it compulsory that he bring them
in to the fold. He had not yet begun to visit the Gentiles to
take out them a people for his name, yet he considered it a "must"
that he bring them into the fold. Moreover he was sure they would
hear his voice and enter the fold. "They shall hear my
voice." He did not say, "I hope they will hear
my voice. I am going to try my best to get them to hear my voice.
Maybe they will hear my voice." No! He was absolutely
confident and bold in his declaration, "They shall
hear my voice." There was no doubt about the matter.
He was not hedging or hesitant or dawdling in his declaration.
Before moving to the next evidence that
Jesus Christ taught the early church the doctrine of the limited
atonement, let me remind you again. Jesus said that when he laid
down his life it would be for his sheep. He had lost sheep for
whom he would lay down his life. He had saved sheep for whom he
would lay down his life. But, since some are not of his saved or
lost sheep, it follows that he did not lay down his life for
them. He taught the limited purpose in his death, the salvation
of his sheep who shall most certainly hear his voice and enter
the fold.
In his great mediatorial prayer it was
revealed that the power which God gave him over all flesh was
that he might give eternal life to those given him by the Father.
John 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that
he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. Consider
carefully what Jesus is saying. It is evident from several verses
in John 17 that all men were not given to Christ that he might
give them eternal life. Consider one. John 17:9 I pray for
them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast
given me; for they are thine. In this verse Jesus makes a
definite distinction between those given to him and the rest of
mankind. He did not pray for the world; he prayed only for those
given to him out of the world. It is for the sake of those given
to him that the Father has given him power over all flesh "that
he should give eternal life to many as thou hast given him."
The Father did not give him power over all flesh that he should
give eternal life to all men, that he should try to give eternal
life to all men, that he should make eternal life available to
all men, or that he should make salvation possible to all men
while assuring it to none. He gave him power over all flesh in
order that he could give eternal life to every one of those given
him by the father.
It should also be reiterated that there is
no indication in this prayer that there was any purpose to give
eternal life to any other than those given him by the Father. In
fact, there is every indication that the exact opposite is true. "I
pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given
me" (V-9). Jesus did not pray for any except those
given him by the Father. I ask any who may take issue with this
doctrine of the limited atonement and particular redemption,
"Would Jesus refuse to pray for some folks for whom he would
shortly die? Would Jesus die to redeem some people for whom he
refused to pray?" If he intended to atone for them surely he
would have prayed for them.
Lest someone raise the objection that this
prayer was only for those who were already with him and had
already been saved, let me point you to verse 20. John
17:20 NEITHER PRAY I FOR THESE ALONE, but for them also which
shall believe on me through their word. Those given to
Christ go for beyond those with him at that time. And, whoever
those are who were given to him are those for whom he prayed and
for whom he made atonement. He said in another place, "All
that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh
to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). Need
I call it to your attention that these who were given to Christ
were given before they came. He is assured they will come to him
because they were given to him by the Father. They are not given
when they come; they were given him before the foundation of the
world and they come in time.
The limited purpose in Christ’s death
and his coming into the world is strongly indicated in his
inference that he was laying down his life for his friends. John
15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his
life for his friends. Since it was his friends for whom
Jesus laid down his life there are some that could never fit this
designation. Consider those to whom he will one day say, "I
never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity"
(Matthew 7:23). Granted, there is a sense in which Christ
knows all men. John 2:24-25 But Jesus did not commit
himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25 And needed not
that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. And
there is a sense in which he has always known some men. Of these
he has a special and intimate knowledge. John 10:14 I am
the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of
mine. John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,
and they follow me. The very foundation of God’s
covenant rests on this fact. 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless
the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth
them that are his. But there are those whom he does
not know and has never known in this particular and distinctive
sense. To these he will say, "I never knew you: depart
from me, ye that work iniquity."
Again Jesus taught the limited purpose of
his death when he told of the reason for his coming into the
world. Matthew 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. Jesus did not say he would give his life a
ransom for every person in the human race without a single
exception. Rather, he declared he would give his life a ransom
for "many."
A careful student of Scripture will find
this "many" mentioned quite frequently in
the word of God. This is the same many who are
called his seed and for whom he rendered satisfaction. It is the
same many whom he would justify in his suffering. Isaiah
53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be
satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify
many; for he shall bear their iniquities. The same
ones for whom he would render satisfaction are the ones whom he
will justify. They are his seed (V-10). They are the "all"
whose iniquities were laid on him (V-6). They are the
ones who are healed by his stripes (V-5).
This is the same many whose
sins he bore. Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a
portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the
strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he
was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of
many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Paul mentions this same group, this many, again in
his epistle to the Hebrew Christians. Hebrews 9:28 So
Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them
that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin
unto salvation. This many is composed of
the many sons whom he will bring to glory because
he tasted death for every one of them. Hebrews 2:10 For it
became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things,
in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their
salvation perfect through sufferings.
When Jesus said he would give his life a
ransom for many, he was not speaking of an unlimited atonement.
He had in mind an atonement that really atoned for the many for
whom it was made. He had in mind a specific group of persons
known to him by name. On the day of atonement the high priest had
on his breast the names of the tribes of Israel for whom he was
making atonement. When Christ, our great high priest, made the
sacrifice of himself he made it for his people, his elect, those
given to him by the Father. When his blood ran down over his
body, the heavenly mercy seat was sprinkled with the blood of our
atonement and the names of everyone of his people was on his
heart when he made it.
PAUL
TAUGHT THE LIMITED ATONEMENT
Paul taught that Christ laid hold of the
seed of Abraham in the covenant of grace, not all the descendants
of Adam. Hebrews 2:13-16 And again, I will put my trust in
him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given
me. 14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and
blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that
through death he might destroy him that had the power of death,
that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death
were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily he took
not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of
Abraham. This passage has reference to the spiritual seed
of Abraham. Galatians 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing
that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before
the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be
blessed. Galatians 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye
Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
When Paul is speaking of Christ being
delivered up for us all he has in mind a very specific group of
people. Romans 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? If one looks back a to verse
28 he learns that "us all" are those for
whom all things work together for good and who are the called
according to God’s purpose. Then verse 29 reveals that these
are those whom God has foreknown and predestined to be conformed
to the image of his Son. They are also the many brethren among
whom Christ will be the first born. Then in verse 30 they are the
ones who are called, justified and glorified. In verse 31 they
are the ones whom God is for and against whom none can be. In
verse 33 they are the elect against whom no charge can be
successfully laid because God justifies them. In verse 34 they
are the ones for whom Christ makes intercession. Then in verses
35-39 they are the folks who can never be separated from the love
of God but are more than conquerors over all things through
Christ who loved them. It is apparent that the "us
all" for whom Christ was delivered up to death is
limited to the elect who have already been glorified in the mind
and purpose of God. That is a particular redemption and a limited
atonement.
Again, speaking of the redemption that is
in Christ Paul said, "In whom we have redemption
through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the
riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7). Notice that he
uses the personal pronoun "we." The next
task is to see to whom the "we" refers.
In verse three we see that the "we" are
those who have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in the
heavenlies in Christ Jesus. Then in verse four they are those who
were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. In
verse five they are those who were predestinated to the adoption
of children according to the good pleasure of God’s will. In
verse six they are the ones whom God has made accepted in his
beloved Son. More could be said from the context but this should
suffice to show that the redemption of which Paul speaks is not
the redemption of all mankind; it is the redemption of the elect
in Christ, no more and no less. That is a particular redemption
and limited atonement.
THE
ANGEL OF THE LORD TAUGHT A LIMITED ATONEMENT
The angel, who announced the coming birth
of Jesus and instructed Joseph as to what his name was to be, set
forth this doctrine of the limited atonement. Matthew 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. Please
notice in this verse that his purpose in coming was to save
his people from their sins. Please notice the limit was
set by this God-sent angel to none other than his people.
There is absolutely no indication in this announcement that
Christ came to be the Saviour of any but his people. These are
the same folks who were given to Christ. He calls them "the
children which God hath given me." They are the
sheep given him by the Father and for whom he laid down his life.
Consider also that this is not a mere
possibility set forth in the verse. He shall save
his people. He will not merely offer salvation to his
people. He will not merely make salvation available to his
people. He will not merely make salvation possible for his
people. He shall save his people. Without a
doubt, without exception, He shall save his people
from their sins.
When Jesus ascended into heaven from the
Mount of Olives, and angel spoke to his disciples. "Ye
men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, SHALL SO COME in
like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11).
I ask you Dear Reader, "Did this mean that Jesus was merely
going to try to come again? Did it mean he would merely offer his
coming again? NO! It meant that there was no possibility that he
would not come again. It is absolutely certain! There is no doubt
about it. Likewise, I suggest to you the words of the angel is
certain in Matthew 1:21. "He SHALL SAVE
his people from their sins." He will not save more
than his people. He will not save less than his people. The tally
of those who he will save will be exactly the same as those who
were designated "his people" by this
angel.
It would be in order that we ask, Who
are his people? They are his people who were chosen in
him. Ephesians 1:4 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. They are his people who
were given to him. John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise
cast out. They are the children given to him and of whom
he laid hold in the covenant of grace. Hebrews 2:13-16 And
again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the
children which God hath given me. 14 Forasmuch then as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself
likewise took part of the same; that through death he might
destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15
And deliver them who through fear of death were all their
lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily he took not on him the
nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
CONCLUSION
With the possible exception of the
universalist, all men believe in an atonement that is limited in
one way or another. Some believe the atonement was made for all
men but is limited by the alleged free will of its objects. They
argue the atonement is for everyone but you must apply it by an
action of your own free will. Others argue that the atonement is
limited in its power or efficacy. While it makes salvation
available to all men it assures the salvation of no man. It does
not have the power to save a single sinner. It only makes
salvation possible. The sinner must add "his part" if
he is to be saved.
Others claim a universal atonement for all
men while admitting that when the atonement was made, many of its
objects were already in hell with no hope of escape. They place a
limit on its power and its wisdom. It was made for millions
already in hell and could not and did not save even one of them.
Not only is this position a reflection on the power of the
atonement, it is a reflection on God’s wisdom for having his
Son suffer for men whom he knew, even as he poured out his wrath
upon him for their sins, he would never offer salvation to those
already in hell.
I ask you, if you object to the doctrine
of the limited atonement, "Do you think Christ made an
atonement for the sins of Judas Iscariot even though Judas had
shortly before committed suicide after betraying Christ? Did
Christ die for the betrayer?" If you answer in the
affirmative, I ask this question, "Of what benefit was the
atonement to Judas?" The betrayer of Christ must be a lost
man and must be one of the twelve. Of the twelve, Judas was the
only lost man. According to the Psalmist (Psa. 69 & 109) the
betrayer was a doomed man with no hope of salvation. Since he was
the only unsaved man in the group, and since he had already
manifest himself as such before he died, what eternal benefit did
he receive from the atonement of Christ?
There is another serious problem with the
universal atonement. It besmirches the justice of God. It says
that God demanded payment for the sins of many at the hands of
Christ and will require it again at the hands of sinner. That is
double payment required by God. Once at the hand of the Saviour
and again at the hand of the sinner. Let me illustrate. Suppose
that you owed a debt that you could not pay. Pretend for a moment
that I am a wealthy person and I hear of your predicament. I go
to the bank and I pay your debt. The banker accepts my payment.
He then sets out to collect the debt from you also. Is that just?
Does the banker have the right to demand payment again at your
hands after he has accepted it from me? Would God be just to
demand payment of your sin debt from you if Christ had, in fact,
already paid it in full and God had accepted it?
Call us what you will, those who believe
the atonement of Christ was limited in its purpose but not in its
power or worth, believe in an atonement that really does atone
and a redemption that really does redeem. Believe in your weak,
largely ineffective, general atonement if you will; we will
proclaim an atonement that really does atone and a redemption
that really does redeem. We will affirm and hold dear the
doctrine of the atonement was taught to and by the churches of
the New Testament. We will continue to affirm the faith and
contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. That includes
the doctrine that Christ laid down his life for his sheep, that
he gave eternal life to those given him by the Father, that he
shall save his people from their sins.
This page last modified on
March 04, 2011.
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