Friday Night Apologetics Study 8/03/2007

Calvinism Series Part 5 - Limited Atonement Continued

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Hello there and welcome to another Friday Night Apologetics study discussing Calvinism.  In this study we are continuing the topic of Limited Atonement and examining John Calvin's commentaries & teachings by looking at John 1:29, John 4:7-42, 1 John 2:1-2, and other thoughts John Calvin from Matthew 23:37, John 5:40, 2 Peter 3:9.  (Limited Atonement comes from what is called the 5 points of Calvinism, also known as the TULIP)  Did John Calvin really believe in Limited Atonement?  Did John Calvin really believe that people did not have a free will?  Did John Calvin know what he believed?  You may be shocked to find out...

This is a debated topic within theological camps and our purpose is to give a clear and concise answer to the question of whom did Jesus die for on the cross?  You are welcome to share your thoughts with us.  Below are some of the notes used in this study.

REVIEW Thoughts from previous studies…

• Day of Atonement – Lev. 16 & 23

• Passover – Ex. 12

• Moses – Numbers 21:1-9 & John 3:14-18

What does reformed theology again state on Limited Atonement?

"For it was the entirely free plan and very gracious will and intention of God the Father that the enlivening and saving effectiveness of his Son's costly death should work itself out in all his chosen ones, in order that he might grant justifying faith to them only and thereby lead them without fail to salvation. In other words, it was God's will that Christ through the blood of the cross (by which he confirmed the new covenant) should effectively redeem from every people, tribe, nation, and language all those and only those who were chosen from eternity to salvation and given to him by the Father; that he should grant them faith (which, like the Holy Spirit's other saving gifts, he acquired for them by his death); that he should cleanse them by his blood from all their sins, both original and actual, whether committed before or after their coming to faith; that he should faithfully preserve them to the very end; and that he should finally present them to himself, a glorious people, without spot or wrinkle." (Canons of Dordt, Second Point, Article 8) 

Charles Spurgeon on Limited Atonement, Calvinism, Arminianism...

Now, you are aware that there are different theories of Redemption. All Christians hold that Christ died to redeem, but all Christians do not teach the same redemption. We differ as to the nature of atonement, and as to the design of redemption. For instance, the Arminian holds that Christ, when He died, did not die with an intent to save any particular person; and they teach that Christ's death does not in itself secure, beyond doubt, the salvation of any one man living. They believe that Christ died to make the salvation of all men possible, or that by the doing of something else, any man who pleases may attain unto eternal life; consequently, they are obliged to hold that if man's will would not give way and voluntarily surrender to grace, then Christ's atonement would be unavailing. They hold that there was no particularity and speciality in the death of Christ. Christ died, according to them, as much for Judas in Hell as for Peter who mounted to Heaven. They believe that for those who are consigned to eternal fire, there was a true and real a redemption made as for those who now stand before the throne of the Most High.

Now, we believe no such thing. We hold that Christ, when He died, had an object in view, and that object will most assuredly, and beyond a doubt, be accomplished. We measure the design of Christ's death by the effect of it. If any one asks us, "What did Christ design to do by His death?" we answer that question by asking him another—"What has Christ done, or what will Christ do by His death?" For we declare that the measure of the effect of Christ's love, is the measure of the design of it. We cannot so belie our reason as to think that the intention of Almighty God could be frustrated, or that the design of so great a thing as the atonement, can by any way whatever, be missed of. We hold—we are not afraid to say that we believe—that Christ came into this world with the intention of saving "a multitude which no man can number;" and we believe that as the result of this, every person for whom He died must, beyond the shadow of a doubt, be cleansed from sin, and stand, washed in blood, before the Father's throne. We do not believe that Christ made any effectual atonement for those who are for ever damned; we dare not think that the blood of Christ was ever shed with the intention of saving those whom God foreknew never could be saved, and some of whom were even in Hell when Christ, according to some men's account, died to save them. (Charles Spurgeon) http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0181.htm

John Piper on Limited Atonement...whom did Jesus Christ die for?

Which of these statements is true?

1. Christ died for some of the sins of all men.

2. Christ died for all the sins of some men.

3. Christ died for all the sins of all men.

No one says that the first is true, for then all would be lost because of the sins that Christ did not die for. The only way to be saved from sin is for Christ to cover it with his blood.

The third statement is what the Arminians would say. Christ died for all the sins of all men. But then why are not all saved? They answer, Because some do not believe. But is this unbelief not one of the sins for which Christ died? If they say yes, then why is it not covered by the blood of Jesus and all unbelievers saved? If they say no (unbelief is not a sin that Christ has died for) then they must say that men can be saved without having all their sins atoned for by Jesus, or they must join us in affirming statement number two: Christ died for all the sins of some men. That is, he died for the unbelief of the elect so that God's punitive wrath is appeased toward them and his grace is free to draw them irresistibly out of darkness into his marvelous light.

http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/piper/piper_atonement.html

• Lets Get Bibilcal…we have addressed John 3 in detail already…

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

The Lamb of God: In the Old Testament, the Israelites sacrificed lambs at the Passover feast (see Ex. 12:21) and as offerings (see Lev. 14:10–25). Jesus Christ is the Lamb that God would give as a sacrifice for the sins not only of Israel, but of the whole world (see Is. 52:13–53:12). (Nelson Study Bible, John 1:29)

1:29 John at times combines ideas to give a broader picture theologically. Note that the “Lamb of God,” i.e., the Passover lamb idea from the O.T. (Ex. 12:3), is combined with the scapegoat of the Day of Atonement (Lev. 5:16). It was the second goat (the first goat on the Day of Atonement was killed) which, anointed with the blood of the slain goat, was left to die in the wilderness, bearing Israel’s sin typologically. Here the Lamb “takes away the sin of the world”—a reference to universal atonement. (Believers Study Bible, John 1:29)

Who taketh away the sin of the world. He uses the word sin in the singular number, for any kind of iniquity; as if he had said, that every kind of unrighteousness which alienates men from God is taken away by Christ. And when he says, the sin Of The World, he extends this favor indiscriminately to the whole human race; that the Jews might not think that he had been sent to them alone. But hence we infer that the whole world is involved in the same condemnation; and that as all men without exception are guilty of unrighteousness before God, they need to be reconciled to him. John the Baptist, therefore, by speaking generally of the sin of the world, intended to impress upon us the conviction of our own misery, and to exhort us to seek the remedy. Now our duty is, to embrace the benefit which is offered to all, that each of us may be convinced that there is nothing to hinder him from obtaining reconciliation in Christ, provided that he comes to him by the guidance of faith. (John Calvin Commentary, John 1:29)

7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink."   8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.   9 Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)   10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, `Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."   11 She said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water?   12 "You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?"   13 Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again;   14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."   15 The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw."   16 He said to her, "Go, call your husband and come here."   17 The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have correctly said, `I have no husband';   18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly."   19 The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.   20 "Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship."   21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.   22 "You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.   23 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.   24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."   25 The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us."   26 Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."   27 At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why do You speak with her?"   28 So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men,   29 "Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?"   30 They went out of the city, and were coming to Him.   31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat."   32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about."   33 So the disciples were saying to one another, "No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?"   34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.   35 "Do you not say, `There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.   36 "Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.   37 "For in this case the saying is true, `One sows and another reaps.'   38 "I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor."   39 From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all the things that I have done."   40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.   41 Many more believed because of His word;   42 and they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world." (John 4:7-42 NASB)

42 No two conversions are exactly alike. Some believed because of the testimony of the woman. Many more believed because of the words of the Lord Jesus Himself. God uses various means in bringing sinners to Himself. The great essential is that there should be faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is wonderful to hear these Samaritans bearing such clear testimony to the Savior. There was no doubt in their minds at all. They had complete assurance of salvation based not on the word of a woman, but on the words of the Lord Jesus Himself. Having heard Him and believed His words, the Samaritans had come to know that this was indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. Only the Holy Spirit could have given them this insight. The Jewish people apparently thought that the Messiah would be for them alone. But the Samaritans realized that the benefits of Christ’s mission would extend to all the world. (Believers Bible Commentary, John 4:42)

But there was reaping to be done that day, for the spiritual fields were “white unto harvest.” There were wages for laborers and “fruit unto life eternal.” Those who had prepared by sowing and those who enjoyed the counterpart by reaping could “rejoice together.” The Baptist had sown, Christ had sown, and now the woman had sown. The disciples could join in the reaping. That was better than buying food. It is one thing to trade with folks, and quite proper withal, but another thing to win their souls to Christ.

The woman’s testimony produced abundant fruit. Many believed on Christ (there must have been a large crowd from the city). They asked Him to go back with them and stay, and He stayed two days. More reaping was done. Many more believed, rejoicing in having the witness of the woman confirmed by hearing Him themselves, and acknowledging Him as, more than the Messiah, “the Savior of the world” (v. 42). (W. E. Vines Commentary, John 4:42)

Again, when they affirm that Jesus is the Christ and the Savior of the world, they undoubtedly have learned this from hearing him. Hence we infer that, within two days, the sum of the Gospel was more plainly taught by Christ than he had hitherto taught it in Jerusalem. And Christ testified that the salvation, which he had brought, was common to the whole world, that they might understand more fully that it belonged to them also; for he did not call them on the ground of their being lawful heirs, as the Jews were, ³ but taught that he had come to admit strangers into the family of God, and to bring peace to those who were far off, (Ephesians 2:17.) (John Calvin Commentary, John 4:42)

• John Calvin’s Acceptance and Rejection of 1 John 2:2

2. And not for ours only. He added this for the sake of amplifying, in order that the faithful might be assured that the expiation made by Christ, extends to all who by faith embrace the gospel.

Here a question may be raised, how have the sins of the whole world been expiated? I pass by the dotages of the fanatics, who under this pretense extend salvation to all the reprobate, and therefore to Satan himself. Such a monstrous thing deserves no refutation. They who seek to avoid this absurdity, have said that Christ ¹ suffered sufficiently for the whole world, but efficiently only for the elect. This solution has commonly prevailed in the schools. Though then I allow that what has been said is true, yet I deny that it is suitable to this passage; for the design of John was no other than to make this benefit common to the whole Church. Then under the word all or whole, he does not include the reprobate, but designates those who should believe as well as those who were then scattered through various parts of the world. For then is really made evident, as it is meet, the grace of Christ, when it is declared to be the only true salvation of the world. (John Calvin Commentary, 1 John 2:2)

2:2 And the Lord Jesus is not only our Advocate, but He is also the propitiation for our sins. This means that by dying for us, He freed us from the guilt of our sins and restored us to God by providing the needed satisfaction and by removing every barrier to fellowship. God can show mercy to us because Christ has satisfied the claims of justice. It is not often that an advocate (or lawyer) pays for his client’s sins; yet that is what our Lord has done, and most remarkable of all, He paid for them by the sacrifice of Himself.

John adds that He is the satisfying sacrifice not for our sins only, but also for the whole world. This does not mean that the whole world is saved. Rather it means that the work of the Lord Jesus is sufficient in value to save all the world, but it is only efficient to save those who actually put their trust in Him. It is because His work is sufficient for all men that the gospel can be offered to all the world. But if all men were automatically saved, there would be no need of preaching the gospel to them. (Believers Bible Commentary, 1 John 2:2)

2:2 Propitiation brings about the merciful removal of guilt through divine forgiveness. In the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint), the Greek term for propitiation was used for the sacrificial mercy seat on which the high priest placed the blood of the Israelites’ sacrifices (see Ex. 25:17–22; 1 Chr. 28:2). This practice indicates that God’s righteous wrath had to be appeased somehow. God sent His Son and satisfied His own wrath with Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. Our sins made it necessary for Jesus to suffer the agonies of the crucifixion; but God demonstrated His love and justice by providing His own Son. The sacrifice of Jesus’ sinless life is so effective that it can supply forgiveness for the whole world (see 2 Cor. 5:14, 15, 19; Heb. 2:9). Christ’s death is sufficient for all, but efficient only for those who believe in Christ. Not everyone will be saved, but Jesus offers salvation to all (see Rev. 22:17). (Nelsons Study Bible, 1 John 2:2)

and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.—the little connecting word in the original, rendered “and,” does not serve to add a new idea, so much as to counteract an erroneous teaching as to the application of the propitiation. The provision made by the sacrifice of Christ extends to the whole world, yet the actual effect is not universal. The whole world lies within the scope of the propitiation, no one being necessarily excluded from its benefits. The only exclusion is on the part of those who will not avail themselves of it. For the universality of the provision cp. 4:14, and John 1:20; 3:16. (W. E. Vines Commentary, 1 John 2:2)

• John Calvin’s Inconsistency on Doctrine…

How often would I have gathered together thy children. This is expressive of indignation rather than of compassion. The city itself, indeed, over which he had lately wept, (Luke 19:41,) is still an object of his compassion; but towards the scribes, who were the authors of its destruction, he uses harshness and severity, as they deserved. And yet he does not spare the rest, who were all guilty of approving and partaking of the same crime, but, including all in the same condemnation, he inveighs chiefly against the leaders themselves, who were the cause of all the evils. We must now observe the vehemence of the discourse. If in Jerusalem the grace of God had been merely rejected, there would have been inexcusable ingratitude; but since God attempted to draw the Jews to himself by mild and gentle methods, and gained nothing by such kindness, the criminality of such haughty disdain was far more aggravated. There was likewise added unconquerable obstinacy; for not once and again did God wish to gather them together, but, by constant and uninterrupted advances, he sent to them the prophets, one after another, almost all of whom were rejected by the great body of the people. (John Calvin Commentary, Matthew 23:37)

40. And you will not come to me. He again reproaches them that it is nothing but their own malice that hinders them from becoming partakers of the life offered in the Scriptures; for when he says that they will not, he imputes the cause of their ignorance and blindness to wickedness and obstinacy. And, indeed, since he offered himself to them so graciously, they must have been willfully blind; but when they intentionally fled from the light, and even desired to extinguish the sun by the darkness of their unbelief, Christ justly reproves them with greater severity. (John Calvin Commentary, John 5:40)

9. But the Lord is not slack, or, delays not. He checks extreme and unreasonable haste by another reason, that is, that the Lord defers his coming that he might invite all mankind to repentance. For our minds are always prurient, and a doubt often creeps in, why he does not come sooner. But when we hear that the Lord, in delaying, shews a concern for our salvation, and that he defers the time because he has a care for us, there is no reason why we should any longer complain of tardiness. He is tardy who allows an occasion to pass by through slothfulness: there is nothing like this in God, who in the best manner regulates time to promote our salvation. And as to the duration of the whole world, we must think exactly the same as of the life of every individual; for God by prolonging time to each, sustains him that he may repent. In the like manner he does not hasten the end of the world, in order to give to all time to repent…

Not willing that any should perish. So wonderful is his love towards mankind, that he would have them all to be saved, and is of his own self prepared to bestow salvation on the lost. But the order is to be noticed, that God is ready to receive all to repentance, so that none may perish; for in these words the way and manner of obtaining salvation is pointed out. Every one of us, therefore, who is desirous of salvation, must learn to enter in by this way.

But it may be asked, If God wishes none to perish, why is it that so many do perish? To this my answer is, that no mention is here made of the hidden purpose of God, according to which the reprobate are doomed to their own ruin, but only of his will as made known to us in the gospel. For God there stretches forth his hand without a difference to all, but lays hold only of those, to lead them to himself, whom he has chosen before the foundation of the world. (John Calvin, Commentary, 2 Peter 3:9)