Layman's TULIP: Limited Atonement

Once again I take up the task of presenting a layman's explanation of the beautiful TULIP of Calvinism. Here we are at the L: Limited Atonement. This sole letter causes so much confusion and strife for the non-Reformed. (One of the strangest things you find, however, is when the arguments come against Limited Atonement, dissenters actually end up arguing against election, not the scope of the atonement...anyway).

Limited Atonement can cause confusion simply with the use of the phrase "Limited Atonement." Better, the idea is Definite Atonement or Particular Redemption. The concept is not negative, as you might get from limited, but very positive, as with definite. The L talks about the scope of the atonement being limited to some, and not all. The ability of the atonement is not limited; the atonement atones completely and perfectly. That's not the concern. The problem has always been the some: who is atoned for? Hence the confusion dissenters have regarding what they truly don't like: unconditional election.

We of the reformed camp believe the some are the elect. Contrary to popular (mis)representation by folks (i.e. major theologians) on the non-reformed side, we do not interpret passages like John iii.16 as saying, "For God so loved the world of the elect that He gave His only begotten son, that all of the elect will not perish but have everlasting life." That's an age old argument made against Calvinists, and just plain foolish. As you may have read on this blog before (see my post on Particular Redemption in John iii.16), the verse you always see at football games, concerts, on T-shirts, banners, is one of the clearest portrayals of a limited or definite atonement in the Gospels. The verse is not evangelistic in the modern, popularized-Christianity sense (evangelism being solely the idea of missionary work, or getting people saved, or having crusades; going out and winning sinners to Christ). The verse does have the evangel in the true sense of the word: the good news, the gospel message.

Still, is a limited or definite atonement truly Scriptural? Or is the atonement as Dave Hunt once said, "conditional?" Christ's teaching on the sheep is a great example of the Scriptural message on this. In John's Gospel, Jesus declared to the Pharisees and others listening,

"I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.. . . I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep" (Jo. x.11,14-15).

The good shepherd (Jesus, I am) lays down His life for the sheep. Better, He "lays down His life on behalf of, in the place of, the sheep." Jesus laid down His life, the shepherd to the slaughter on behalf of the sheep, so they might live. The sheep are the shepherd's. He lays down His life for them, not for others. The shepherd does not lay down His life for anyone but His sheep. Notice on this point that Christ even said He has "other sheep, which are not of this fold" (Jo. x.16). Of course here He is talking about the Gentiles who will later be brought in. But see how Christ never said He would bring in those who will be the sheep. On the contrary: there are the sheep, His sheep, the whole of which (the Jews and the Gentiles) will be one flock.

For even more help in understanding the limited or definite atonement found here, look at Christ's statement to some of the Jews present:

"The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock" (Jo. x.25-26).

Those Jews did not believe because they were not part of His flock. If they needed to be part of the flock in order believe, how could they ever believe? Jesus lays down His life for the sheep. These Jews were not sheep. So, did Christ lay down His life for them?

And as Paul wrote,

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life (Rom. v.8-10).

There is nothing conditional in the idea of the redemption by the death of Christ. The scope of the redemption (atonement) is limited to some (the elect), and very definite. You can be sure that if Christ died for someone, they will be redeemed. There are plenty of other passages (see Jo. vi.35-45 for another definitive look at this idea), but I think the point has been made so we can better understand what is meant by Limited Atonement.

Filed in: Calvinism, Grace