Unlimited/Limited Atonement

This post relates to something I heard recently. A friend of mine mentioned that some people believe in limited atonement, or that Jesus only died for the people that are saved (and not for the people who are/never will be saved).

I believe in Unlimited Atonement, or that Jesus Christ died for everyone. I want to illustrate three reasons that limited atonement is incorrect:

1. Bible Contradicts It

2. Limits God's Love for the World

3. Makes Pointless the Great Commission

I will write 1 and 2, but my friend will write 3 (as they came up with that response).

1. Bible Contradicts It

Verses: 1 John 2:1-2, 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, John 1:29, 1 Timothy 2:3-6, John 3:17-18

1 John 2:1-2, "¹My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate(A) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; ²and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world."

(A) Gr Paracletos, one called alongside to help; or Intercessor.

Here John clearly states that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. Jesus died once for all for all.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15, "For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; ¹⁵and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."

Here Paul clearly states that Christ died for all.

John 1:29, "The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

Here John exclaimed to those around him that Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

1 Timothy 2:3-6, "³This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁵For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time."

If God desires all men to be saved, why would He only allow some to be saved? He didn't. These are just some of the verses that support Unlimited Atonement, but that's enough.

John 3:17-18, "⁷"For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. ¹⁸"He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

Here Jesus says that God sent Him into the world to save the world. Not just part of it, all of it.

2. Limits God's Love for the World

Verses: John 3:16

John 3:16, "¹⁶"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

Here Jesus explains God's motivation for sending Him into the world: Love. God's love for the world prompted Him to send His only son into the world to save it. This means that God's love is directly related to His sending His Son to die for our sins.

To limit the death of Jesus as only paying for some of the world's sins is to limit God's love for the world. God loves the world (as shown here in John 3:16).

3. Makes Pointless the Great Commission

Limited Atonement and the great commission:

Here are some verses supporting unlimited atonement, and how the great commission is talking about everyone. These verses clearly show that, the Bible talks about spreading the gospel to the whole world, and everyone in it, not just some people.

First we will look at the great commission:

Matthew 28:19-20

¹⁹”Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,”

(Also, Luke 24:47: “….and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”)

Obviously, the great commission says “Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations” not just certain nations or certain people.

Jesus died for all men, so God wants us to tell everyone about Him. By believing in limited atonement, there would be no need for the great commission. If Jesus had only died for certain people, then according to limited atonement, only those certain people can and will be saved. In this case, there would be no need for the great commission and there would be no need to go to all the nations and tell others about Him, because only those certain people can and will be saved.

According to 1 John 2:2 (and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.), Christ died for the whole world and that’s why Jesus is so clear about presenting the gospel to everyone, because everyone can be saved, and Christ died for all, because Jesus died for the sins of all people, everyone can be saved, and that’s why the great commission is clear that we should present the gospel to everyone.

Hope you all like it and agree! Comments?