I believe the Bible teaches limited or definite atonement; which is the belief that when God sent his Son to die, he had in view the definite acquisition of a group of undeserving sinners, whose faith and repentance he obtained by the blood of his Son. This is a divine purpose in the cross-to purchase and create the saving faith of a definite, freely chosen, unworthy, rebellious group of sinners. I have often struggled over how to present the Gospel with an individual since I do not know whether or not Christ died for the person I am talking with. I have struggled with this but I have arrived at the Biblical conclusion that I can give the Gospel call freely to all; trusting God and the Holy Spirit to effect the Gospel in the lives of the elect. John Calvin has been helpful on this point.
Here are some representative quotations from Calvin about preaching:
Some object that God would be inconsistent with himself, in inviting all without distinction while he elects only a few. Thus, according to them, the universality of the promise destroys the distinction of special grace... The mode in which Scripture reconciles the two things, that by external preaching all are called to faith and repentance, and that yet the Spirit of faith and repentance is not given to all, I have already explained, and will again shortly repeat... But it is by Isaiah he more clearly demonstrates how he destines the promises of salvation specially to the elect (Isa. 8:16); for he declares that his disciples would consist of them only, and not indiscriminately of the whole human race. Whence it is evident that the doctrine of salvation, which is said to be set apart for the sons of the Church only, is abused when it is represented as effectually available to all. For the present let it suffice to observe that though the word of the gospel is addressed generally to all, yet the gift of faith is rare. Isaiah assigns the cause when he says that the arm of the Lord is not revealed to all (Isa. 53:1).
Calvin's concern is to establish that the external call to believe and repent, and the restriction of the true faith and repentance only to the elect, are not conflicting courses of action. A universal call does not imply a call that is effectually available to all.
The expression of our Saviour, "Many are called, but few are chosen" (Matt. 22:14), is also very improperly interpreted. There will be no ambiguity in it, if we attend to what our former remarks ought to have made clear, that there are two species of calling: for there is an universal call, by which God, through the external preaching of the word, invites all men alike, even those for whom he designs the call to be a savor of death, and the ground of a severer condemnation. Besides this there is a special call which, for the most part, God bestows on believers only, when by the internal illumination of the Spirit he causes the word preached to take deep root in their hearts.
There are two gospel calls, each with a distinct purpose and effect:
But if it is so, (you will say), little faith can be put in the Gospel promises, which, in testifying concerning the will of God, declare that he wills what is contrary to his inviolable decree. Not at all; for however universal the promises of salvation may be, there is no discrepancy between them and the predestination of the reprobate, provided we attend to their effect. We know that the promises are effectual only when we receive them in faith, but, on the contrary, when faith is made void, the promise is of no effect. If this is the nature of the promises, let us now see whether there will be any inconsistency between the two things, that God, by an eternal decree, fixed the number of those whom he is pleased to embrace in love, and on whom he is pleased to display his wrath, and that he offers salvation indiscriminately to all. I hot that they are perfectly consistent, for all that is meant by the promise is, just that his mercy is offered to all who desire and implore it, and this none do, save those whom he has enlightened. Moreover, he enlightens those whom he has predestinated to salvation. Thus the truth of the promises remains firm and unshaken, so that it cannot be said their is any disagreement between the eternal election of God and the testimony of his grace which he offers to believers. But why does he mention all men? Namely that the consciences of the righteous may rest the more secure when they understand that there is no difference between sinners, provided they have faith, and that the ungodly may not be able to allege that they have not an asylum to which they may retake themselves from the bondage of sin, while they ungratefully reject the offer which is made to them. Therefore, since by the Gospel the mercy of God is offered to both, it is faith, in other words, the illumination of God, which distinguishes between the righteous and the wicked, the former feeling the efficacy of the Gospel, the later obtaining no benefit from it. Illumination itself has eternal election for its rule.
The scope of the call, to "all men" or "the world", does not determine the extent of God's salvific intentions. As we are seeing, Calvin takes some trouble to argue that the universality of the invitation is consistent with the particularity of exclusivity of the salvific intentions.
In conclusion, definite/limited atonement says that Christ really is the all-powerful, all-wise, all-satisfying divine Son of God offered in the Gospel; that by his death and resurrection he has acted out God's discriminating, definite, electing, regenerating, faith-creating, every promise-guaranteeing, new-covenant love, and thus has purchased and secured irreversibly for the elect everything needed to bring them from deadness in sin to everlasting, glorified life and joy in the presence of God; that everyone, without any exception, who receives Christ as supreme treasure will be united to Christ in the embrace of this electing love and enjoy him and all his gifts forever.
Therefore, on the basis of this definite atonement we preach Christ to the world. We offer Christ freely to all. We say, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Christ and drink." "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son and whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life."
In other words, we offer Christ to everyone who will believe. We make no distinctions. We do not try to discern who the elect are. We do not look for evidences of God's calling. We indiscriminately preach to everyone.
*"From Heaven He Came and Sought Her". Essay on John Calvin.
Here are some representative quotations from Calvin about preaching:
Some object that God would be inconsistent with himself, in inviting all without distinction while he elects only a few. Thus, according to them, the universality of the promise destroys the distinction of special grace... The mode in which Scripture reconciles the two things, that by external preaching all are called to faith and repentance, and that yet the Spirit of faith and repentance is not given to all, I have already explained, and will again shortly repeat... But it is by Isaiah he more clearly demonstrates how he destines the promises of salvation specially to the elect (Isa. 8:16); for he declares that his disciples would consist of them only, and not indiscriminately of the whole human race. Whence it is evident that the doctrine of salvation, which is said to be set apart for the sons of the Church only, is abused when it is represented as effectually available to all. For the present let it suffice to observe that though the word of the gospel is addressed generally to all, yet the gift of faith is rare. Isaiah assigns the cause when he says that the arm of the Lord is not revealed to all (Isa. 53:1).
Calvin's concern is to establish that the external call to believe and repent, and the restriction of the true faith and repentance only to the elect, are not conflicting courses of action. A universal call does not imply a call that is effectually available to all.
The expression of our Saviour, "Many are called, but few are chosen" (Matt. 22:14), is also very improperly interpreted. There will be no ambiguity in it, if we attend to what our former remarks ought to have made clear, that there are two species of calling: for there is an universal call, by which God, through the external preaching of the word, invites all men alike, even those for whom he designs the call to be a savor of death, and the ground of a severer condemnation. Besides this there is a special call which, for the most part, God bestows on believers only, when by the internal illumination of the Spirit he causes the word preached to take deep root in their hearts.
There are two gospel calls, each with a distinct purpose and effect:
But if it is so, (you will say), little faith can be put in the Gospel promises, which, in testifying concerning the will of God, declare that he wills what is contrary to his inviolable decree. Not at all; for however universal the promises of salvation may be, there is no discrepancy between them and the predestination of the reprobate, provided we attend to their effect. We know that the promises are effectual only when we receive them in faith, but, on the contrary, when faith is made void, the promise is of no effect. If this is the nature of the promises, let us now see whether there will be any inconsistency between the two things, that God, by an eternal decree, fixed the number of those whom he is pleased to embrace in love, and on whom he is pleased to display his wrath, and that he offers salvation indiscriminately to all. I hot that they are perfectly consistent, for all that is meant by the promise is, just that his mercy is offered to all who desire and implore it, and this none do, save those whom he has enlightened. Moreover, he enlightens those whom he has predestinated to salvation. Thus the truth of the promises remains firm and unshaken, so that it cannot be said their is any disagreement between the eternal election of God and the testimony of his grace which he offers to believers. But why does he mention all men? Namely that the consciences of the righteous may rest the more secure when they understand that there is no difference between sinners, provided they have faith, and that the ungodly may not be able to allege that they have not an asylum to which they may retake themselves from the bondage of sin, while they ungratefully reject the offer which is made to them. Therefore, since by the Gospel the mercy of God is offered to both, it is faith, in other words, the illumination of God, which distinguishes between the righteous and the wicked, the former feeling the efficacy of the Gospel, the later obtaining no benefit from it. Illumination itself has eternal election for its rule.
The scope of the call, to "all men" or "the world", does not determine the extent of God's salvific intentions. As we are seeing, Calvin takes some trouble to argue that the universality of the invitation is consistent with the particularity of exclusivity of the salvific intentions.
In conclusion, definite/limited atonement says that Christ really is the all-powerful, all-wise, all-satisfying divine Son of God offered in the Gospel; that by his death and resurrection he has acted out God's discriminating, definite, electing, regenerating, faith-creating, every promise-guaranteeing, new-covenant love, and thus has purchased and secured irreversibly for the elect everything needed to bring them from deadness in sin to everlasting, glorified life and joy in the presence of God; that everyone, without any exception, who receives Christ as supreme treasure will be united to Christ in the embrace of this electing love and enjoy him and all his gifts forever.
Therefore, on the basis of this definite atonement we preach Christ to the world. We offer Christ freely to all. We say, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Christ and drink." "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son and whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life."
In other words, we offer Christ to everyone who will believe. We make no distinctions. We do not try to discern who the elect are. We do not look for evidences of God's calling. We indiscriminately preach to everyone.
*"From Heaven He Came and Sought Her". Essay on John Calvin.
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