Note: The following is a letter asking about the gospel doctrine of limited atonement. Because the questions asked and statements made were given in an apparently genuine concern for the truth of God, I took time to answer the letter. My answer is also printed below. I offer it for general reading because I hope it may be helpful to others, by the blessing of God's Spirit, in understanding the gospel doctrine of the atonement.

Dear Don,

I question the idea of limited atonement. Let me explain lest you think I am Arminian in my thinking. I believe that salvation of a sinner is facilitated by free-will, GOD's. (Particular Redemption) I believe in God giving life to whom he pleases. Man has nothing to do with it. I see the atonement as universal and justification as limited, Justification is limited to those who have faith. The faith that a man has is one part of the gift of salvation provided by God.

I see the atonement as being effective to the believer in providing the basis for salvation. I see the atonement as being effective to the unbeliever in providing the basis for a greater condemnation. I submit to you, that the sin of not believing in the "One who was given a name above every other name" ie Christ is more heinous than all of the works of iniquity a man can do in a lifetime.

Test it against Scripture and see what you think.

Lord Bless

____ _____

Dear _____,

Thank you for your letter. The doctrine you suggest concerning the atonement is the doctrine of the 39 Articles of the Church of England, the doctrine of Andrew Fuller, and of countless others in history (past and present). It was the doctrine, basically, of Calvin, Baxter, Ryle, Bunyan and a good many others of the Puritan era. So you have plenty of company walking in such a path.

However, it is not the doctrine of Scripture. Christ did not merely make God's elect justifiable, but justified them (Rom. 3:24-26; 4:25). He did not make them redeemable, but redeemed them (John 19:30; Heb. 9:26; 10:10-14). It is not our faith that makes Christ's atonement effectual for our justification, but Christ's blood that makes our faith effectual for our peace (Rom.5:1). It is not our faith that justifies us, but Christ's (the Object of our faith) blood. Believing on Christ is not the condition of justification, but the result. Our believing on the Son of God receives pardon and justification, but has nothing to do with the accomplishment of them. When the debt was paid, the crime was forgiven; and the debt was paid at Calvary.

There is not a hint, anywhere in the Word of God, that Christ died to redeem and save all men without exception. All the types of redemption in the Old Testament, and all the prophecies, indicated the redemption of a specific people.

Every text of Scripture in which the doctrine of the atonement is taught and explained, in both the Old and New Testaments, the atonement is specifically declared to be a work of justice and grace performed by God alone for a specific people.

The argument for universal atonement drawn from the universality of God's love is an argument drawn from error. There is not a hint, anywhere in Holy Scripture, that God loves all men without exception. To those who think otherwise, offer the following suggestion. --- Please explain Isaiah 43:3-4 and Matthew 11:20-26.

The fact is, God's universal benevolence, as men call it (his tolerance of the reprobate upon the earth, supplying their every need in life, ordering their steps, and overruling their deeds for the good of his elect), is no indication of his love for the reprobate. Rather this is another display of his love for his elect. To put it in plain English, God created, feeds, directs, and uses the reprobate for the salvation and everlasting good of his elect for the glory of his own great name, because he is long suffering to his elect, not willing that any chosen, redeemed sinner perish (2 Pet. 3:9, 15).

I trust, ____, that this is helpful to you, for Christ's sake. I am yours in the cause of Christ --

By God's Free And Sovereign Grace,

Don