____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ July 28, 1991 ____________________________________________________ The Tulip Theory (Part Three) "The Limited Atonement" by Tom Edwards The doctrine of the ``LIMITED ATONEMENT'' is a false teaching which emphasizes that Jesus -- rather than dying for every sinner -- only died for those whom God had ``UNCONDITIONALLY ELECTED.'' According to a certain Calvinist, ``All Calvinists agree that Christ's obedience and suffering were of infinite value, and that if God had so willed, the satisfaction rendered by Christ would have saved every member of the human race. It would have required no more obedience, nor any greater suffering for Christ...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....'' In this statement, we have a summation of the Calvinistic view toward the ``Limited Atonement'': Christ's sacrifice could have been for the salvation of all; but instead, God used it for only a certain few -- His elect (those whom He specifically and arbitrarily ``chose'' before the world began, and that not on the basis of anything they would ever do or believe, but merely on the basis of His choice). If the Lord's sacrifice were only for the ``elect'' then it literally was a very ``limited'' atonement, for Jesus warns in Matthew 7:13,14 that the one who would be saved must enter by the narrow gate -- though the way be difficult -- rather than traveling the broad road through the wide gate that leads to destruction. Obviously, those who pursue eternal life through this ``narrow gate'' are those who have become a part of God's elect; but according to the context, these are only a few in contrast to the great majority who will be lost for turning their foot from God's way of righteousness. Yes, if Jesus only died for the ``elect,'' what a small minority this will be in contrast to the world's vast population. In refutation to this, however, John 3:16 movingly declares that ''...God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.'' When Christ died at Calvary for the sins of the world, He was doing this for every transgressor who had ever lived or ever would live -- and not just for some of them. As we read in 1 Timothy 2:6, Jesus ``gave Himself a ransom for all....'' ALL -- which is a term that leaves no one out. Commenting on this thought, it has been said, ``If Christ did not die for all men, then where in God's word is the exception?'' Romans 5:6 tells us that ''...Christ died for the ungodly.'' ''...He appeared in order to take away sins....'' (1 John 3:5). ``All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him'' (Isa. 53:6). Again and again, God's word shows that Christ did indeed bear EVERYONE'S sins on the cross of Calvary. In the New Testament, 290 times the Lord declares His love for mankind; but 1,300 times we read of the atonement in which God's love is manifest at its fullest. God's love is a love of action: it is a love that reaches down to sinful men in their most desperate need in order to snatch them out from the clutch of Satan and from the eternal perils to come. Without question, Jesus died for not only the ``elect,'' but for also those who will be lost in the Judgment Day. The Hebrew writer states that Jesus tasted death ``for everyone'' (Heb. 2:9), and the apostle John refers to the Lord as being ``the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.'' No one, therefore, will have an excuse in the great Day of Reckoning, since Jesus paid the price by His own blood for every transgressor. The lost will only have themselves to blame. Clearly, the Gospel shows that God's love was manifested for more than a mere certain few who were to be of the ``elect,'' rather His love is one that has been revealed for everyone and seen most dramatically upon the cross where Jesus died outside of the supposed-to-be ``holy'' city of Jerusalem. The great tragedy today, though, is that many people will never benefit from the sacrifice the Lord made for them, simply because they are not willing to comply with His righteous demands. The Bible shows that in order for one to be cleansed by the blood of Jesus, one must believe (Heb. 11:6; John 8:24), repent (Luke 13:5; Acts 2:38), be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Rom. 6:3,4; 1 Pet. 3:21), and remain faithful throughout life (Rev. 2:10; Heb. 10:35-39; 2 Pet. 2:20-22; 1 John 1:6,7). Have you done these things for the right purpose in order that you, too, may benefit from Christ's atoning sacrifice that He willingly made for every sinner? ___________________________________________ VERSES BAPTISM PRECEDES SALVATION RESULT Mark 16:16 "...and is baptized will be saved" Acts 2:38 "...and...be baptized... for the remission of sins" Rom. 6:3,4 "buried with Him through "in order that...we baptism" too might walk in newness of life" Acts 22:16 "Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins" Gal. 3:27 "(those) baptized into have put on Christ" Christ Col. 2:12 "buried with Him in in which you were also baptism, raised with Him through faith in the working of God...." John 3:3-5 "born of water... enter into the kingdom of God." Titus 3:5 "through the washing of He saved us...." regeneration... 1 Peter 3:21 "Baptism... now saves you...." Though one is not saved by baptism only, neither can one be saved without it. It is as important as believing and repenting in order for one to contact the blood of Christ and benefit from the Lord's sacrifice. According to the above verses, baptism is always seen as that which takes place before one is saved from past sins -- and not afterwards. If you were baptized, believing that you were already a Christian prior to your baptism, then your baptism was not Bible baptism. Please carefully consider God's word in this matter. It makes a difference in whether we do something for the right purpose or not. One who takes of the Lord's supper without realizing its purpose, can eat and drink damnation unto himself (1 Cor. 11:29). "'Come now and let us reason today,' says the Lord...." (Isa. 1:18). -- Tom Edwards ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 713 13th Street, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________