There are some who limit atonement, against the clear teaching of scripture, these slander God and His redemptive work.
There is no teaching of unlimited atonement, clear or otherwise in scripture.
You have three options with regard to the atonement:
1.) Absolute Unlimited Atonement: Christ's work atoned for every sin ever. Everybody's sins are forgiven, therefore you are logically forced into universalism. Everybody is going to heaven. Satan and the fallen angels are going to heaven too, because, heck, it would be limiting atonement to not forgive their sins too.
Hopefully, you see the absurdity of this...
Therefore, you must limit atonement in one of the following two ways:
2.) Atonement limited in scope, but unlimited in effectiveness. In this view, which is the L in the Calvinist TULIP, Christ's redeeming work on the cross atoned completely for every sin of the elect, but not for every sin of the reprobate. Therefore, all the atoning work is done by Christ for the elect. This (as we will see) is the only option that accomplishes salvation or even makes is possible for the elect.
3.) Atonement limited in effectiveness but universal in scope. This is the Arminian "Unlimited Atonement." According to this view, Jesus loved everybody in the world and died for the sins of everybody in the world. But the Arminian sees the pitfall of universalism and tries to avoid it by saying that Jesus accomplished most of salvation for those who are saved, but there is something the believer must do in order to finish the job. If this view is true, then man must merit his own salvation. God requires absolute perfection though, so sinful man who is dead (not sick, dead) in his transgressions has no hope of salvation and we're all going to hell.
no subject
There is no teaching of unlimited atonement, clear or otherwise in scripture.
You have three options with regard to the atonement:
1.) Absolute Unlimited Atonement: Christ's work atoned for every sin ever. Everybody's sins are forgiven, therefore you are logically forced into universalism. Everybody is going to heaven. Satan and the fallen angels are going to heaven too, because, heck, it would be limiting atonement to not forgive their sins too.
Hopefully, you see the absurdity of this...
Therefore, you must limit atonement in one of the following two ways:
2.) Atonement limited in scope, but unlimited in effectiveness. In this view, which is the L in the Calvinist TULIP, Christ's redeeming work on the cross atoned completely for every sin of the elect, but not for every sin of the reprobate. Therefore, all the atoning work is done by Christ for the elect. This (as we will see) is the only option that accomplishes salvation or even makes is possible for the elect.
3.) Atonement limited in effectiveness but universal in scope. This is the Arminian "Unlimited Atonement." According to this view, Jesus loved everybody in the world and died for the sins of everybody in the world. But the Arminian sees the pitfall of universalism and tries to avoid it by saying that Jesus accomplished most of salvation for those who are saved, but there is something the believer must do in order to finish the job. If this view is true, then man must merit his own salvation. God requires absolute perfection though, so sinful man who is dead (not sick, dead) in his transgressions has no hope of salvation and we're all going to hell.