XXIV.    EXTENT OF ATONEMENT  

A     Whom will the atonement benefit? 

1     God does all things for Himself; that is, He consults His own glory and happiness, as the supreme and most influential reason for everything He does.  This is wise and right in Him because His glory and happiness is the greatest good in the universe.  He made the atonement to satisfy Himself.  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  (John 3:16)  Therefore, the atonement really benefits God.  In other words, a lot of God’s happiness comes from originating, executing, and benefiting from the atonement.

2     God made the atonement for the benefit of the universe.  All holy beings benefit from it since it gives them a deeper knowledge of God than they ever had before, or could ever have gained any other way.  The atonement is the greatest work that God could have wrought for them, the most blessed, excellent, and benevolent thing He could have done for them.  For this reason, the Bible mentions that even the inhabitants of heaven are deeply interested in the work of atonement, and the manifestations of God’s character God displays in it.  The atonement is one of the greatest blessings that God ever bestowed on the universe of holy beings.

3     The atonement was made for the benefit of the inhabitants of this world, 1) from its very nature, 2) because it was designed to benefit all the inhabitants of this world; and 3) because it is a most incredible revelation of God to man.  The nature of the atonement is adapted to benefit the whole human race.  God could pardon everyone on the face of the earth, if the atonement touches their hearts and causes them to repent.

4     Certainly, everyone receives many blessings because of it.  It is quite possible that, if it weren’t for the atonement, only Adam and Eve would have ever existed.

5     Every blessing we enjoy exists because of the atonement of Christ; that is, God could not consistently wait on sinners, and bless, and do all that He does to save them, if it wasn’t for the fact of the atonement.

6     That God made the atonement for everyone on earth is clear from the fact that God offers it to all men indiscriminately.

7     Sinners are universally condemned if they refuse to receive it. 

8     If God did not intend the atonement for everyone, we would feel that God was insincere when He made man the offer of salvation through the atonement.  

9     If God only offered the atonement to some people, no one could really know if he is one of those whom God is offering the atonement to, unless God reveals to him by a direct revelation that he is one of those chosen.

10     If ministers do not believe that the atonement was made for all men, they cannot heartily and honestly press any individual to accept the atonement, let alone press his congregation to accept and receive it because they can’t guarantee any individual or congregation that the atonement is specifically for them, any more than it is for Satan. 

B     However, someone may argue that God never provided atonement for fallen angels, but He does provide atonement for some people.  Therefore, it may be true that God provided the atonement for a particular individual, and if he will truly believe God, then God will reveal whether or not He made atonement for that person.  Let me ask: Then what is the condition of salvation?  Is it merely that an atonement was made for somebody?  Is that saving faith?  Doesn’t he have to embrace what Christ has done for him, and personally and individually commit himself to it, and to Christ?  Doesn’t he have to trust in the atonement as if Christ died just for him?  But how can he do this if the atonement was made for some men only, and maybe for him?  Is it saving faith to believe that it might be for him, and by believing that this is possible, will he then gain the evidence whether or not it was made for him?  No, he must have assurance from God that it was made for him.  Nothing else can warrant casting his soul upon it.  How then is “he truly to believe”, or trust in the atonement, until he has the evidence, not just the possibility, that it was actually made for him?  The mere possibility that God made atonement for an individual is no ground for saving faith.  What is he to believe?  Why, he must believe that of which he has proof.  Faith is the substance (proof) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (See Hebrews 11:1)  But the assumption is that he only has the proof that the atonement was possibly made for him.  He has a right to believe that it is possible that Christ died for him.  Is this saving faith?  No, it’s not!  What advantage, then, does he have over Satan in this respect?  Satan knows that the atonement was not made for him; the sinner, on this assumption, knows that, possibly, it may have been made for him; but the sinner really has no more ground for trust and reliance than Satan has.  He might hope, but he cannot rationally believe.  

1     But on the subject of the extent of the atonement, let the Bible speak for itself:

a     “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold!  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” “Then they said to the woman, ‘Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.’”  (John 1:29; 3:16-17; 4:42)  

b     “Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemna­tion, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.”  (Romans 5:18)

c      “For the love of Christ constrains us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”  (2 Cor. 5:14-15),       

d     “Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,” “For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, espe­cially of those who believe.” (1 Tim. 2:6; 4:10)    

e     “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”  (1 John 2:2)                  

2     That the atonement is sufficient for all men is also seen from the fact that the invitations and promises of the gospel are addressed to all men, and all are freely offered salvation through Christ.  “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth!  For I am God, and there is no other.”  “Ho!  Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat.  Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy?  Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.  Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you the sure mercies of David.”  (Isaiah 45:22; 55:1‑3)

a     “ ‘Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.’”  “Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready.  Come to the wedding.’”  (Matt. 11:28‑30; 22:4)

b     “And sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’”  (Luke 14:17)

c      “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.’”  (John 7:37),    

d     “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”  “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’  And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’  And let him who thirsts come.  And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 3:20, 22:17)  

3     I believe that the atonement was made, and is sufficient, for all men, from the fact that God not only invites all, but also reproves them for not accepting His invitations.

a     “Wisdom calls aloud outside; she raises her voice in the open squares.  She cries out in the chief concourses, at the openings of the gates in the city she speaks her words: ‘How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?  For scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge.  Turn at my reproof; surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.’”  (Prov. 1:20‑23)  

b     “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”  (Isaiah 1:18)     

c      “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go.  Oh, that you had heeded My commandments!  Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.”  (Isaiah 48:17-18)  

d     “Say to them: ‘as I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.  Turn, turn from your evil ways!  For why should you die, O house of Israel?’”  (Ezek. 33:11)     

e     “Hear now what the Lord says: ‘Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.  Hear, O you mountains, the Lord’s complaint, and you strong foundations of the earth; for the Lord has a complaint against His people, and He will contend with Israel.  O My people, what have I done to you?  And how have I wearied you?  Testify against Me.’” (Micah 6:1‑3)  

f        “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”  (Matt. 23:37)  

4     The same conclusion is forced on us by the fact that God complains about sinners who reject His overtures of mercy:             

a     “Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,” (Prov. 1:24)

b     “‘But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear.  Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets.  Thus, great wrath came from the Lord of hosts.  Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen,’ says the Lord of hosts.”  (Zech. 7:11‑13)

c      “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.  Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, ‘See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready.  Come to the wedding.’’  But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, and another to his business.  And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.”  (Matt. 22:2‑6)        

d     “And sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’  But they all with one accord began to make excuses.  The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it.  I ask you to have me excused.’  And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them.  I ask you to have me excused.’  Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’”  (Luke 14:17‑20)    

e     “But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”  (John 5:40)    

f        “You stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears!  You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.”  (Acts 7:51)

g     “Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self‑contro­l, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered,  ‘Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.’”  (Acts 24:25)

C    It’s time for me to answer some objections.  

1     Some object to the fact of atonement:  Some say, that the doctrine of atonement represents God as being unmerciful.  To this I answer,   

a     This objection supposes that God’s atonement satisfies retributive instead of public justice.

b     The atonement was the exhibition of a merciful disposition.  It was because God desired to pardon that He consented to give His own Son to die as the substitute for sinners.  

c      The atonement is infinitely the most illustrious exhibition of mercy ever made in the universe.  You cannot compare the mere pardon of sin, as an act of sovereign mercy, with the merciful disposition of God that he displays in the atonement.  

2     Some say that the atonement is unnecessary. 
     The testimony of the world and the consciences of all men oppose this objection.  Look at all the substitutionary sacrifices performed by people down through the ages.  They wouldn’t have made those sacrifices if they did not feel that some kind of atonement is necessary.  Sacrifices have been offered by nearly every nation of whose religious history we have any reliable account.  This shows that human beings are universally aware of being sinners, and under the government of a sin‑hating God; that their intelligence demands either the punishment of sinners, or that a substitute should be offered because of public justice.  Because they all have the idea that substitution is possible, they offer their sacrifices to pay for their sins.  A heathen philosopher can answer this objection, and rebuke the stupidity of anyone who makes it.

3     Others object, claiming that it is unjust to punish an innocent person instead of a guilty person.

a     Yes, it would not only be unjust, but impossible for God to punish an innocent moral agent at all.  Punishment implies guilt.  An innocent person may suffer, but God cannot punish him.  Christ voluntarily “suffered, the just for the unjust” (1 Peter 3:18)  Jesus had a right to exercise this self‑denial; and because He voluntarily consented to suffer, no injustice was done to any one.  

b     If He had no right to make an atonement, He had no right to consult and promote His own happiness and the happiness of others; for the Bible says that “for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame” (Heb. 12:2) 

4     Some claim that the doctrine of atonement is utterly incredible.  It would be utterly incredible under any other assumption than that God is love.  But, if God is love, and the Bible clearly proclaims that He is love, the work of atonement is just what we could expect from Him under the circumstances; and that makes the doctrine of atonement the most reasonable doctrine in the universe.

5     Some object to the doctrine of atonement, claiming that it has a demoralizing tendency. 
     There is a tremendous difference between the natural tendency of something, and such an abuse of a good thing that it becomes an instrument of evil.  Even the best things and doctrines get abused, and their natural tendency gets perverted.  Although anyone can abuse the doctrine of atonement, its natural tendency is the direct opposite of demoralizing.  Is the manifesta­tion of infinitely unselfish love naturally calculated to produces hatred?  Who does not know that the natural tendency of manifested love is to manifest love in return?  Those who cordially believe in the atonement the most, demonstrate the purest morality that exists in the world today, while those who reject the atonement, almost without exception, live a morally loose lifestyle.  You can expect these results from the very nature and moral influence of the atonement. 

6     Some object to a general atonement, saying that the Bible represents Christ as laying down His life for His sheep, or for the elect only, and not for the whole human race.

a     The Bible does indeed represent Christ as laying down His life for His sheep, but the Bible also represents Christ as laying down His life for all mankind.

1)        “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”  (1 John 2:2)

2)        “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17)   

3)        “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”  (Heb. 2:9)

b     Those who object to the general atonement, use basically the same argument to evade this doctrine that the Unitarians do to set aside the doctrine of the Trinity and the Divinity of Christ.  They quote those passages that prove the unity of God and the humanity of Christ, and then take it for granted that they have disproved the doctrine of the Trinity and Christ’s Divinity.  The supporters of limited atonement, likewise, only quote those passages that prove that Christ died for the elect and for His saints, and then take it for granted that He died for nobody else.  To the Unitarian, we admit the unity of God and the humanity of Christ and the full meaning of those passages of scripture that you quote to prove your doctrines; but we insist that this is not the whole truth.  Many other passages exist that prove the doctrine of the Trinity, and the Divinity of Christ.  Likewise, to those who believe in a limited atonement, we reply that Christ laid down His life for His sheep, as well as for you; and “He tasted death for every man” (Heb. 2:9)  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  (John 3:16) 

7     To the doctrine of general atonement some believe that it would be foolish for God to provide what He knew would be rejected; and that to allow Christ to die for those who, He saw ahead of time, would not repent, would be a waste of the blood and suffering of Christ.

a     This objection assumes that the atonement was a literal payment of our debt.  However, this is not the nature of the atonement. 

b     If sinners do not accept it, the atonement is still important, since the great compassion of God, in providing an atonement and offering everyone mercy, will forever exalt His character in the eyes of all holy beings, greatly strengthen His government, and therefore benefit the whole universe.

c      If everyone rejects the atonement, it would nevertheless be of infinite importance to the universe, as the most glorious revelation of God that was ever made.

8     Some object, saying that atonement implies universal salvation.  This would be true if one assumes that the atonement is the literal payment of a debt.  It was this view of the atonement that Universalism first took its stand.  Universalists took it for granted that Christ had paid the debt of those for whom He died, and finding it fully revealed in the Bible that He died for all mankind, naturally conceived of the doctrine of universal salvation.  But we have seen, that this is not the nature of atonement.  Therefore, their conclusion collapses.

9     Others object, saying, if atonement was not a payment of the debt of sinners, but general in its nature, as we have maintained, it secures the salvation of no one.  It is true, that the atone­ment, by itself, does not secure the salvation of any one; but the promise and oath of God, that Christ shall have a seed to serve Him, provides that security.