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.

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