Of the five points of Calvinism, the doctrine of Limited Atonement is probably the most debated and least understood.

Limited Atonement, also called Particular Redemption, could be explained this way: “It would have required no more obedience, nor any greater suffering, for Christ to have secured salvation for [all]…But He came into the world to represent and save only those given to Him by the Father. Thus, Christ’s saving work was limited in that it was designed to save some and not others, but it was not limited in value, for it was of infinite worth and would have secured salvation for everyone if this had been God’s intention.” (The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended, Documented) As some have put it, Christ’s death was “sufficient for all, but efficient only for the elect.”

A few salient points:

• Adam stood as the federal head (representative) of the entire race, and Christ stood as the federal head of the elect: “…So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men” (Rom. 5:12, 17-18)
• Definite terms in the Bible teach that Christ died for the elect: “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (Jn. 10:11); “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45)
• General terms in the Bible like “all” and “world,” which are so favored by Arminians, teach that Christ died for all without distinction (e.g. not just for the Jews). These verses do NOT teach that Christ died for all men without exception, i.e. He died to save every lost sinner. If this were true, then we would have to either say Christ failed in His mission, or all people are in fact justified and reconciled, which is universalism. (We Baptists use this terminology as well when we speak of an “all church potluck.” This does not necessarily mean that all will attend, but simply that all are invited.) Biblical examples: “…God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:19); “and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (1 Jn. 2:2). These verses show that forgiveness is freely available to every tongue, tribe, and nation; they are not intended to be a commentary on the inner workings of the atonement.

There is much more that could be said. Any discussion of limited atonement must delve into the mysterious harmony of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility and explore the profound nature of the cross. These are things I don’t believe we’ll ever fully wrap our minds around.

For those who would like to learn more, I would suggest starting with a couple articles on the subject at Monergism.com.

Related posts:

• Cautions for non-Calvinists
• Look to Jesus

Here’s the trailer for an upcoming movie called “No Greater Love.” It was produced by several Hollywood veterans who are also devout Christians. The director (Brad Silverman) is a personal friend of mine, and one of the supporting actors (Jay Underwood) went to seminary with me. I am very excited about its coming release. It tells a riveting love story that is gospel-driven, while the acting and production look top-notch.

No Greater Love will be available in stores in January and is being distributed by Thomas Nelson. Please pray for this movie to be used greatly by the Lord, and pick up a copy when you see it hit the shelves. I pray Coram Deo Studios will join Sherwood Pictures (Facing the Giants, Fireproof) as another quality Christian alternative to Hollywood.

On Saturday, October 3, our community will have a one-day men’s conference called “Exposing the Heart.” The speakers will include Chris Mueller, Tye Bridges, Gerry Brown, and myself. Here’s a sneak preview:

Are we living as God intended, do we feel we have it together and others don’t, and are we more than confident in our devotion and outwardly pious appearances when the truth of the matter is that it comes down to a condition of the heart? The very thing that sustains our life. Our lives and the way we live are directly related to our Heart. Its not always easy to diagnose, but God’s Word reveals and exposes the Heart like nothing else. Until we see the condition we won’t go for the cure which is in Christ Jesus and the grace He has poured out for us as Christians.

The focus and theme of this year’s Morongo Basin Christian Men’s Conference will be on “Exposing the Heart”. It is based on the teachings from the “Sermon on the Mount”. The “Sermon on the Mount” is one of the most well known of all of Jesus’ teachings. It has been written about, taught on and preached extensively, and all for good reason, it truly reveals so much about us and our motives as fallen creatures apart from God.

Schedule:

8:00 – 8:30 Conference begins with worship band
8:30-8:40 Opening and prayer
8:40-9:30 Gerry Brown
9:30-9:40 Break
9:40-10:30 Stephen Jones – “Deadly Desire” (Mt. 5:27-30)
10:30-11:00 Break/worship
11:00-11:50 Tye Bridges – “Either Or” (Mt. 7:13-27)
11:50-12:00 Break
12:00-12:50 Chris Mueller – “Sermon on the Heart” (Mt. 5-7)
12:50-1:00 Closing & prayer
1:00-2:00 Free BBQ provided by the Saints motorcycle club

Men, mark your calendars for October 3. It should be a great time of worship and discipleship. For more information, you can visit the website here.