The Universality of Christ’s Atonement
(1) Christ’s death is of infinite value.
When Christ died, the infinite God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself (2 Cor 5:19). By virtue of Christ’s person, his death was of infinite value, sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world, no matter their quantity. It is not as though he might have suffered more for a greater number of people or less for a lesser number of people. It is Christ’s divine nature, not the quantitative amount of suffering, that determines the value of his death.
(2) Christ’s death accomplished a temporary mitigation of God’s wrath against the sins of the whole world, including those of the non-elect.
In view of his nature, our holy God could extend no grace of any sort apart from the conciliatory work of Christ on behalf of humanity (Hab 1:13). His death makes possible not only saving grace but common grace as well. In the words of Paul, God is the Savior of all men, but especially of believers (1 Tim 4:10). Clearly, some benefits of Christ’s death come to all without exception.
(a) By his death the free offer of the gospel is extended to all in common.
Acts 17: 30—God declares that all people everywhere should repent.
Revelation 22:17—“And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.”
(b) Christ’s death alone can explain the common enablement of all to do some measure of right (“civic good”), and the common experience of temporal blessings by the regenerate and unregenerate alike (“common grace”).
Matthew 5:45—He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
(3) Christ’s death ultimately secures the redemption of the whole created realm.
Romans 8:21–23—For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
(4) His death for man was without partiality, discrimination, or regard for creaturely distinctions such as ethnicity, age, and social status.
Titus 2:11—The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to [lit., saving] all men (i.e., the classes of men listed in vv. 1–10—old and young men, old and young women, and slaves).
The limitation of Christ’s Atonement
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Christ did not actually and finally substitute (i.e., efficaciously) for the sins of all men in the plain definition of the term, else their sins of all men would be expiated, their debt paid, God’s wrath satisfied, and reconciliation effected. But this is not true. The Bible is clear that many will be cast into the Lake of Fire precisely because this is not the case. While Christ’s death did secure some general benefits for all men without exception, his death actually redeems only his elect.
1 Timothy 4:10—The living God…is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
John 10:11, 15—The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…. I lay down my life for the sheep. Cf. v. 26: You do not believe because you are not of my sheep.
2 Corinthians 5:14–15—One died for all, therefore all died; and 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.
The basis of the limitation of the efficacy of Christ’s atonement is of considerable debate. The texts above indicate that the limitation is tied to man’s failure to believe and a failure to die to sin. But John 10 also suggests that these failures are directly connected to God’s electing decree.
Conclusion: Although an apparent tautology, it seems best to say that Christ’s death had a complex intent, but accomplished all that it intended. That is, he succeeded in (1) substituting for and redeeming his elect in accord with his special grace and in (2) providing general benefits for all men in accord with his common grace. Christ accomplished no more or less than he intended in his atoning death on the cross.
Stand Firm! 