Shepherd the Flock

In light of Jerry Falwell’s recent statement that he and Liberty University consider the doctrine of Limited Atonement to be heresy, it would be beneficial for us to reflect on the doctrine of Limited Atonement, and why it is such a beautiful, important, scriptural truth.

Specifically, many people may question why it is necessary whether one believes in Limited Atonement or not. Is it really worth arguing over? Obviously, Jerry Falwell believes it to be a serious issue. But our view of the atonement has many basic, practical and theological applications to our Christian walk. Here are just a few of the issues that are at stake here:

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A few theological ramifications of Limited Atonement:

• Only the doctrine of Limited Atonement captures the intimate, personal aspect of the atonement and of the gospel. With a general, non-specific atonement for all men without distinction, the intimate, special love that Christ has for His elect is lost. Christ gave Himself for you specifically; you’re not just another face in the crowd. Christ is your mediator; He is not yours just the same as He is for the wicked. You have been crucified with Christ; you have been cleansed by His blood. Christ died for your specific sins in a way which the lost world cannot claim. Christ laid down His life for His sheep, they hear His voice, He knows His sheep and His sheep know Him. This is vital to understanding the depth of the love of God towards His bride -and ultimately our infinite unworthiness as objects of His gracious love.

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• Limited Atonement purifies Christ’s work on the cross. His sacrifice is perfect; He did not fail as Mediator. Christ did not go to the cross with the intention of perfecting people whom the Father had not chosen out of the world; His mission was accomplished in full. There is no dissention in the Godhead between Christ offering a sacrifice for someone and the Father refusing to receive it. God was sovereign in planning the cross (Acts 4:27-28), and God is perfect in all that He does. This enforces the reality of God’s sovereignty in all things, including the atonement. He perfected whom He chose; He did not attempt to reconcile the world, only to have the majority of His creation reject His sacrifice. Christ’s work is perfected, purified, and He certainly has sat down at the right hand of the Father, having accomplished all that He was given to do.

These theological ramifications also play a role in Practical Application:

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• In our evangelism, only the doctrine of Limited Atonement captures the reality of the wrath of God against personal sin. Limited Atonement is the only consistent safeguard against universalism, particularly from a witnessing and apologetics standpoint. If you’ve ever discussed the atonement with an unbeliever who has taken the time to think through the issues, then you understand that theological inconsistencies are hindrances to convicting them with the truth. If Christ died for all men without distinction, then why are there some who are punished in hell? Repent of what if Christ died for all my sins? Why would I worry about punishment if Christ already died in my place? Without a proper understanding of the wrath of God against sin, there can be no true conversion. Limited Atonement allows us to emphatically proclaim that God will punish sin, all of their specific sins, if one is not clothed in the righteousness that only comes through faith in Christ. Limited Atonement rightly and properly keeps the wrath of God as a prominent part of the gospel proclamation.

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• The doctrine of Limited Atonement affects how we read scripture. This is vital when we come to scriptures such as Romans 8:31, “If God be for US, who can be against US…who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?” And Titus 2:14, “…Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good works.” He redeems US, He teaches US, He produces a PEOPLE. How we read scripture affects our level of growth and sanctification. Thus, the doctrine of Limited Atonement affects our sanctification in our fight against besetting sin.

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• The doctrine of Limited Atonement affects our holiness. Again, Titus chapter 2 brings this out beautifully: Christ’s death redeemed us from lawlessness and purified us as people zealous for good works. Christ’s death has already accomplished the sanctification and obedience for those whom He died for. We are not left to our own devices, we can know and understand that Christ has purified His chosen, that sanctification has been accomplished (Eph 2:10; 1 Cor 6:11)), and with that knowledge we are armed to go out and fight against sin and the flesh. If Christ’s death is for all without distinction, then all men have been ‘attempted’ to be made pure and zealous for good works, and we are left to our own devices in rising up above and beyond the world as pertains to holiness. Jesus Christ has ‘perfected for all time those who are being sanctified‘, Heb 10:14. He has perfected and will indeed sanctified those whom He died for on the cross.

In summary, the ultimate issue here is, what do the scriptures teach? Obviously there are two sides to this argument, but they can’t both be right. This doctrine’s most practical outworking is found in whether the scriptures teach Limited Atonement, or whether they do not. We cannot fully see why it matters what we believe in this area, but the scriptures clearly teach one way or another, and because they do, we are most obligated to find out the truth.

From a Limited Atonement perspective, Jesus seemed to emphatically nail down the point that there was a certain group of people to which the Father sent Him to redeem, and since Jesus placed so much emphasis on teaching about this group, then we should certainly pay attention the depths of truth behind His words: John 6:35-40; John 10:11,14-18; John 10:24-39; John 17:1-11,20, 24-26).