For Whom Did Christ Die?

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Dr. Alexander Kurian

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Studies in Soteriology (Doctrine of Salvation)

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Evangelical theologians and serious students of Scripture have debated the question of the extent of the Atonement – the question of ‘for whom did Christ die?’ Five Point Calvanism teaches that Christ died only for the elect, for those who believe and are saved. This view is known as Limited Atonement or Particular Redemption. Those who do not support this view insist that Christ died for the world or every member of Adam’s lost race (Unlimited Atonement).

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The “five points of Calvinism” were presented at the Synod in Dort (1618-1619). The Synod rejected the Arminian Remonstrance of 1610 and made a Calvinistic confession in response to the followers of Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609). The five points of Calvinism are:

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1. Total Depravity

2. Unconditional Election

3. Limited Atonement

4. Irresistible Grace

5. Perseverance of the Saints

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(Theologians have nicknamed these points “TULIP”, a popular acronym based on the first letters of the doctrines).

Most Conservative Evangelicals hold to a moderate Calvinism to a great extent and avoid the extremes of ultra Calvinism. It is possible to hold to these five points in a moderate or balanced sense.

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It is generally believed that the beginnings of extreme Calvinism are found in the teachings of Theodore Beza (1519-1605), a disciple of John Calvin and a contributor to the Synod of Dort. He was the undisputed leader in Geneva as John Calvin’s successor.

 

The Biblical Extent of the Atonement

 

There are some passages that emphasize that Christ died for a particular group:

- Matt.1:21: “for he shall save his people from their sins.”
- Matt.20:28; Mark.10:45: Christ came to give his life a ransom for many
- Jn.10:15: “I lay down my life for the sheep.”
- Acts 20:28; Eph.5:25: Christ gave His life for the church
- Gala.3:13: Christ was made a curse for us

 

According to these and other passages, Christ came to redeem a particular group – “His people” “many,” “the church,” “the sheep,” “us” etc. According to Particular Redemption (Limited Atonement), Christ died to save this particular group (the elect) and not anyone else. Thus the atonement is limited to a particular number of people.

 

But the Limited Redemptionist forgets the fact that these passages do not exclude others. They only mention of a certain group for whom Christ did die, and they do not tell us that He did not die for others. It is true that the above passages relate the Atonement to a particular group. But there are so many other passages which broaden the extent of the Atonement beyond a particular group. “In other words, unlimited advocates acknowledge that the Atonement is both limited and unlimited; limited advocates insist that it is strictly limited and do not recognize any unlimited passages as teaching unlimited atonement” (Charles Ryrie, Basic Theology, 319) “….. there is a logical fallacy in arguing that (1) because Christ died for believers (2) He did not also die for unbelievers…..while the text declares that (1)Christ died for those in the church, it does not say that (2) Christ died for only those in the church” (Norman Geisler, Chosen But Free, 75).

 

Christ’s unique love for the church and His special relationship with His people are emphasized throughout the Scripture. These passages highlight the special focus of His love. But it does not mean that Christ does not love others or did not die for them. God so loved the world and sent His Son to be the Savior of the world (John 3:16; 4:42; I John 4:14). Christ wants all to come to Him and partake of the relationship He has to His bride. The Lord “is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

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Several passages broaden the extent of the atonement to include all men:

1. It is the world for which Christ died (Jn.1:29; 3:16, 17; 4:42; 1 Jn.4:14; 2:2). It is not the world of the “elect”, but the world of the sinners – Christ-rejecting and Satan-dominated world of humanity. John uses the word “world” 78 times.

2. The word whosoever is used at least 110 times in the New Testament and always with an unrestricted meaning. “Whosoever believes,” “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Jn.3:16; Acts 2:21; 10:43; Rom.10.13; Rev.22:17).

3. The word all or its equivalent: “Who gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Tim.2:6). Christ died for all (2 Cori.5:14-15; 1 Tim.4:10; Tit. 2:11; Heb.2:9; 2 Pet.3:9). Christ died for the ungodly (Rom.5:6). Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). The words “all,” “ungodly,” and “the lost” in these verses clearly refer to human race in general and not to the elect only. If these statements of the New Testament are taken at face value, it is evident they teach Christ died for everyone.

 

The words “all” and “world” are sometimes used in a restrictive sense (Matt.10:22; Luke 2:1; John 12:19). The context makes it perfectly clear that these words are used in these verses in a geographical sense and not in a redemptive sense. But the fallacy of the Limited Atonement view is to restrict every usage of the words ‘all,’ ‘world,’ and ‘whosoever.’ “Is it scripturally and logically sound always to restrict every usage of the words ‘all,’ ‘whosoever,’ and ‘world’ when they occur in a salvation context? This is precisely what the limited redemptionist always does and must do. There may not be a single exception if the limited viewpoint is to stand” (Robert P. Lightner, The Death Christ Died, 69). Limited redemptionists have a hard time in interpreting the universal passages. They impose a limitation upon every use of the words “all,” “world,” and “whosoever.” The attempts to prove “all” and the “world” in redemptive contexts to mean “only the elect” have always failed. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom.3:23). Does it mean only the elect have sinned? In the redemptive contexts “all” means “all” fallen human beings; all of Adam’s race.

Consider the plain and clear meaning of the following verses which teach Unlimited Atonement (All quotations are from the New American Standard Translation. Italics added):

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1. John 1:29: “Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world!”

2. John 3:16-17: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.”

3. John 12:47: “For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.”

4. Rom.5:6: “Christ died for the ungodly.”

5. 1 Cori.5:19: “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.”

6. 1Tim.2:4-6: “who desires all men to be saved…….who gave Himself a ransom for all.”

7. Heb.2:9: “But we do see Him who has been made for a little while lower than the angels, namely Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.”

8. 1 John 2:2: He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.”

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If one reads these passages without any preconceived theological framework, the obvious conclusion seems to be that the Bible unequivocally teaches Unlimited Atonement. When the Bible says Christ died for all it means just that.

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“There is not one place in the entire NT where “world” means “church” or the “elect……The word “sinner” no where means “church” or the “elect”, but simply all of lost mankind…God sincerely offers the Gospel to everyone to believe, not just the elect. How could this be true if Christ did not actually die for everyone? God would know very well that some people could never be saved because he did not allow Christ to pay for their sins. Even Berkhof, a staunch defender of limited atonement, admits, “it need not be denied that there is a real difficulty at this point” (W.A.Elwell, Extent of the Atonement, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 99).

 

2 Peter 2:1: A Strong Case for Unlimited Atonement

 

2 Peter 2:1 is probably the most difficult verse for the Ultra Calvinists. This verse does not harmonize with the Limited Atonement view.

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“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.”

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In this verse, Peter speaks of Christ purchasing the redemption of the apostate (the false teachers). The false teachers deny the Master (the Sovereign Lord, the despot, one having supreme authority) who bought them, namely Jesus Christ. The purchase price was His own precious blood shed on the cross (1 Peter 1:19). These false teachers are obviously lost souls. They are destructive (v.2), heretical (v.2), they deny the Lord (v.2), and bringing judgment upon themselves (vs.2-3). They are not among the elect. But Peter is saying that it is these non-elects that Christ bought. “No assertion of universal redemption can be plainer than this” (Henry Alford, The Greek Testament, 4:402). The Lord Jesus Christ in His sacrifice on the cross paid the price of redemption for these apostate, reprobate, wicked, non-elect, false teachers. The word “bought” (agorazo) is one of the most important words in the New Testament for Christ’s redemptive work (1Cori.6:20; 7:23). These false teachers are lost because they denied Christ’s redemptive work for them. But the redeeming work of Christ extends even to the false teachers who deny the Lord and are thus are never saved.

 

“Two things are of extreme importance in the 2 Peter passage. One is that the purchase price of redemption was paid by the Lord for even the false prophets and teachers, even though they quite obviously never accept it. The other important feature is that these for whom the purchase price was paid are heretics of the vilest sort, since they deny the only possible basis of salvation – the substitutionary atonement of Christ” (Robert P. Lightner, The Death Christ Died, 75).

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The ultra Calvinists futilely attempts to prove that “denying the Master that bought them” is only a reference to God as Creator possessing these non-elect people, and not to Christ’s soteriological ransom for them. This shallow argument is totally inconsistent with the context and with the teaching of Scripture. The Bible clearly teaches that God made universal provision for salvation and some perish because of their unwillingness to accept God’s gracious provision in Christ.

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A Summary of the Extent of the Atonement & Some Important Affirmations

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1. The plain meaning of numerous Bible texts is that Christ died for the sins of the whole world; thus Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.

2. The atonement is limited in its application, but it is not limited in its extent. The elect are the ones to whom it is applied, though it was provided for all. Although universal in its extent, the atonement was provisional in the sense that its benefits are not received, applied and possessed until one exercises personal faith in Jesus Christ. The salvational blessings of the atonement are not divinely applied until the sinner believes the Gospel. The atonement is unlimited in its value, but it is limited in the application of this value – limited to those who believe.

3. The purpose of Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross was to make provision for the salvation of all people. The rejection of Christ by some does not invalidate the provision made for them. Providing and possessing are not the same.

4. We must distinguish between Jesus’ atoning work and salvation. Atonement is the provision (Christ’s death is potentially adequate for every man) and Salvation is the benefit derived from the Atonement.

5. Unlimited Atonement does not mean Universalism – that all will ultimately be saved. Salvation is only by faith – anyone who will be saved must believe.

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Conclusion

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The moderate Calvinist view of the Atonement is that Christ died for the sins of the world. His death on the cross provides a basis for salvation of all men. But the benefits of Calvary are realized and applied only to those who believe, though the provision is made for everyone. Christ died for the world does not secure the salvation of all. Paul wrote in 1 Tim.4:10, God could be the Savior of all, in one sense, and of those who believe in another sense. “For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers” (or those who believe). Christ’s payment for the sins of all mankind does not automatically save everyone. But it makes every person savable. This is the biblical view of the atonement and it is more compatible with universal Gospel preaching. Christ died for the world. Believe in Him and be saved. This is our message to a lost world.