Limited Atonement – what does the Bible say? (series on Calvinism)

John 10:26-27 (the Pharisees did not believe because they were not of His sheep, My sheep listen to my voice) – they were not currently choosing to listen.  The word ἀκούουσιν could mean ‘listen’ or ‘hear’.

Rom 5:8 (while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us).  – “Christ died for us” sounds limited at first glance, “us” being the believers who agree with Paul that “Christ died for us”.   On the other hand, God didn’t seem picky about who His Son would die for: sinners.

1 Tim 4:10

1 Tim 2:1-2, 1 Tim 2:3-4, 1 Tim 2:5-6

2 Pet 3:9

John 3:16-17

Rev. 22:17

Luke 2:10-11

Ps 145:9

Rom 10:8-17 (click inside the popup to expand to see the whole passage)

Rom 5:18

2 Cor 5:18-19

John 3:36 (would be a moot warning if people have no ability to choose and escape wrath)

2 Pet 2:1 (denying the Master who bought them) – the Lord bought them, the limits of His blood (if there are any) included them, and yet He foreknew that they would someday head for destruction. And it doesn’t seem to be an earthly destruction.

Rom 2:3-5 (the kindness of God leads you to repentance) – implies that even these stubborn people could repent, and if they did they would be forgiven because God’s promises are not empty.

Luke 18:28-30 (we have left our homes and followed…none who have left X will not receive…eternal life) – eternal life is open to all who will follow.

Col 1:20 (through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross) –  His blood made peace, enough to reconcile all things to Himself.  Though that does not mean that all people will accept it and be saved.

1 Pet 4:8 (love covers a multitude of sins) – Wasn’t Jesus death on the cross the most loving act ever? Do we then limit the multitude of sins that His death could cover?

Matt 26:28 (blood of the covenant poured out for many) – one might ask why it doesn’t say all? Is that a limit, or was that unintentional?  Or does it simply mean that Christ’s blood is efficient just for the ones who choose Him.

Matt 7:13-14 (Enter through the narrow gate, many enter through the wide, but few find the narrow) – the invitation seems to be for all, but it might be argued that some can’t “find” the narrow gate because they are not elect (though that would mean everybody will do what they will do anyways, so the invitation becomes meaningless)

John 4:42 (we have heard for ourselves that this One…is the Saviour of the world)  – if Jesus is the Saviour of the world, then there is hope for everyone.  But these words were spoken by some new believers, so they probably shouldn’t be used to define doctrine.

Heb 7:27 (once for all when he offered up Himself) – It says that He offered himself for all.  But it might be argued that ‘the people’ earlier in the verse represented God’s chosen people of Israel, so ‘all’ similarly might mean all that God chose to be saved through Christ.

Heb 2:9 (so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone) – Calvinists look at the following verses about the sons being brought to glory, the brethren who are sanctified, and they argue that He didn’t really die for ‘everyone’, just everyone among those people.

Acts 17:30-31 (all people everywhere should repent) -the call is to all, but few are chosen (Matt 24:14) – and then Calvinists would say that Jesus only really died for those few.

2 Cor 5:14-15 (One died for all, therefore all died, and He died for all) – Calvinists might say that all people haven’t truly died, only those who have been saved and were baptized into Christ’s death (Rom 6) so they might conclude that Jesus didn’t die for all.

John 12:32 (And I, if I am lifted up from the earth,  will draw all men to Myself) – Calvinists might say that yes Jesus draws men, because many are called…but few are actually chosen for salvation, and these would be the ones that He actually died for.