Limited Atonement

The Meaning of Limited Atonement

What I think I'll do now is get right in and jump into L. I've done TULIP, or T-U-L, so far, or T-U-L. Actually, I've done the total depravity, done unconditional election, and today I'm doing limited atonement.

All right, let me get right into what limited atonement is. It's this, Christ bore the sin only of the elect and legally paid their sin debt and not the sin debt of everyone who ever lived. So let me say it again.

In limited atonement, Christ bore the sin only of the elect and legally paid their sin debt and not the sin of the world, or not the sin of everybody who ever lived. That's the issue. Now, what I want you to understand is this.

Christ's blood was certainly sufficient for all, but not all sin was imputed to Christ. Now, to impute means to reckon legally to another's account. So not all sin was imputed to Christ. And I'll show you, and I'll prove to you, not all sin was imputed to Christ later on.

There's absolutely proof of that in Scripture. Nevertheless, the sufficiency of Christ's blood and the extent of the legal act of his sacrifice are not the same thing. Let me say this again. The sufficiency of Christ's blood and the extent of the legal act of his sacrifice, or the extent of whose sin was imputed to him, is not the same thing.

His blood is not the same thing as an imputation. And a lot of people fail to get this. To impute means to reckon to another's account. Our sin was imputed to Christ, 1 Peter 2 .24. He bore our sin. So it's an imputation.

It's a legal transference. And we'll get into that a little bit more. We have to understand that this issue of atonement is a legal act. You see, sin is a legal problem, since sin is breaking the law of God.

1 John 3 .4 says sin is lawlessness. So sin is a legal problem. It's not only a legal problem, but it is definitely a legal problem. And I keep emphasizing the word legal. It's legal because it breaks the law of God.

And that's why it's legal. Real simple. Now maybe some of you didn't know this, but Jesus equates sin and legal debt. Jesus does that. You're all familiar with the prayer, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Forgive us our debts in Matthew 6 .12. Ophilema is the word debt. It means legal debt. The parallel version in Luke 11 .4 of the same prayer says, and forgive us our sins.

That's hamartia. Jesus equates debt, legal debt, and sin. That's what Jesus said in Matthew 6 .12 and Luke 11 .4. So again, I'm going to be emphasizing this. Sin is a legal problem. And because it's a legal problem, we need a legal solution.

Jesus was made under the law, Galatians 4 .4. And he never sinned. He never ever broke the law of God, 1 Peter 2 .22. So Jesus' sacrifice had to be according to the law because he's made under the law.

And it had to be sufficient and proper in order to offer a legal solution for our legal problem. You see, God will judge us according to the law. If you lie, you've broken the law of God. Therefore, there's a punishment associated with the law.

The punishment is separation from God, Isaiah 59 .2. Again, breaking the law of God is sin, 1 John 3 .4. Now Jesus said in Matthew 5 .17, do not think that I came to abolish the law or the prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

The Cross as Legal Debt Payment

Now we can get into all kinds of areas of how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament. But in the context of our atonement, Leviticus 17 .11, for the life of the flesh is in the blood. And I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls.

Deuteronomy 17 .1, you shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or sheep which has a blemish or any defect. See, Jesus was sinless. He was perfect. In John 19 .36, for these things came to pass that the scripture might be fulfilled, not a bone of him shall be broken.

That's Exodus 24 .36. You can talk about that. But I'm just trying to show you that Jesus' sacrifice was according to the Old Testament law. He bore our sin in his body on the cross. That's 1 Peter 2 .24.

You see, our sin was imputed to him. You've got to understand something. Sin is a concept as well as an action. It's something that I would do. Let's just say hypothetically that I were to slap you on the face.

Now why do I do that? If I did it because I don't like you and I just slap you and that's the only reason, then I've not loved you, I have sinned. But what if there's a very dangerous bug, poisonous bug on your cheek and I slap you to stop you from being stung and being injured?

Well, then it's okay. See, the motivation is what makes something sinful or not. Now, there's a little bit, yes, there's a note of that. But for the intent of what we're talking about here, that our sin is something that occurs in us, in our rebellion against God.

And if we purposely lie, we've done this in our hearts, we have sinned. Now, sin is an issue that relates to the law of God. Jesus was made under the law, Galatians 4 .4, and he never broke the law, 1 Peter 2 .22.

And our sin was transferred to him, 1 Peter 2 .24. Legal debts can be transferred. You see, if I go to a restaurant and you have a legal debt of a meal that you forgot to pay, I can get the cash out and I can pay your debt.

And legal debts are transferred. We know this. We can pay each other's debts. Our legal debt, our breaking of the law, our sin debt was transferred to Christ. Now, a lot of people don't understand something here.

They don't know that on John, excuse me, in John 19 .30, on the cross, Jesus says, it is finished. That Greek word, it's a single Greek word, tetelestai. It means it is finished in English. And it has been found at the bottom of ancient tax documents signifying a legal debt that has been paid in full.

Jesus says tetelestai. It's like him saying, you know, on a legal debt, a legal action, that what's been happening has been fulfilled, taken care of. He was referencing the legality issue of his own sacrifice.

Now, there's a very, very important verse, Colossians 2 .14. It's my go-to verse in so many things. And this is what it says. I'm going to read out of the NASB. Jesus, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees, which is against us, which was hostile to us, and he's taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Now, in Greek, having canceled, the two words having canceled is the Greek exalypsos. And it's what's called an aorist participle in the Greek. And what it means, it's an action completed. It's ongoing completed in the past.

It's done. Having canceled. It is done in the past tense. It's done there. Now, different translations will use it differently. The King James says blotting out. The New King James, having wiped out. The ASV, the authorized standard version, and the Young's literal translations say having blotted out.

The ESV says canceling. The NIV says having canceled. You see, the idea is it doesn't exist anymore. That's what it means. The Greek word means to cause something to cease by obliterating any evidence, to eliminate, to do away with, to wipe it out.

In other words, it's gone. It is canceled. And let me read this verse again, Colossians 2 .14. Jesus, having canceled out the certificate of debt, consisting of decrees against us, and which was hostile to us, he's taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Now when's it taken away? When is the debt, the certificate of debt, we'll get into this a little bit more, when was it taken away? When you believe or when it was nailed to the cross? Now this is significant.

Jesus, having canceled out the certificate of debt, consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us, he's taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. The certificate of debt is canceled at the cross.

Now, in the Greek, the phrase certificate of debt is a single Greek word, kairagraphon. And what it means is a legal document, a handwritten document that legally binds you, a handwritten document of indebtedness.

And Paul uses the word here. It's the only place it occurs in the entire Bible. Kairagraphon only occurs right here in Colossians 2 .14. It says Jesus having canceled out the certificate of debt. That's the NASB.

Now what is it that's canceled out? Think about it. If it's our sin debt that's canceled, then nobody can go to hell for whom the debt has been canceled. It is that simple. We'll get into some objections and I'll answer some stuff.

But you got to understand something. It's a legal act that Jesus did in the cross when he bore our sin in his body on the cross. Now, when we look at Colossians 2 .14, we only have two options. We have the moral law is what was canceled and the sin debt was canceled.

If it's the moral law that was canceled in Colossians 2 .14 at the cross, not when you believe, incidentally, I don't care what you say, if you disagree with that, go to Colossians 2 .14 and it says he canceled the certificate of debt having nailed it to the cross.

That's when it was canceled. It was not canceled when you believe. Now this may blow a lot of people's minds, but that's what the text says, Colossians 2 .14. Go check it out. Now, if it's the case that what the certificate of debt is referring to is only the moral law, then there's a problem.

If it's the moral law only that is done away with and if it's done away at the cross for everybody because that's who he died for, for everybody, he bore everybody's sins, then everybody has to go to heaven.

Because you see Romans 7 .4 says, therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the law through the body of Christ. And Romans 4 .15, for the law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there is no violation.

You see that? Where there is no law, there is no violation. There's no sin if there is no law. If the law, the certificate of debt is that law, the kairographon is the written law, and it's been canceled and removed, and if it's been canceled and removed for everyone, then nobody can go to hell because there is no violation.

Romans 4 .15, Romans 7 .4. Now, if, on the other hand, what is talked about here is the sin debt, then we have another problem for those people who don't believe in limited atonement. If our sin debt is what is paid for in the cross and Colossians 2 .14 says that it's canceled and that's what it says, then it's either canceled for everybody or it's not canceled for everybody.

It's either canceled for everyone who ever lived or it's not canceled for everyone who ever lived. People will say, well, Matt, you know, you've got to believe. Well, we'll get to that. We'll get to that.

Just hold your horses a little bit. I want to give you an illustration. I want to give you an illustration of something, and I call him coma man. Now, let's think in the terms of legality. Remember, sin is breaking the law of God, 1 John 3 .4.

Jesus bore our sin. A sin debt can be transferred. It was transferred to Christ. He bore our sin in his body on the cross. Now, coma man. There's a man on his way to the bank to pay a mortgage payment.

He's got a whole bunch left to pay, but he begs his monthly payment. And on the way there, he gets in a car accident, and he ends up in the hospital for a whole month in a coma. While he's in the coma, a man, a philanthropist, hears about his dilemma, knows he's going to have a lot of medical bills, and just decides to take pity on him.

And he goes to the bank, and he writes a check, and he pays off the man's mortgage. It's paid. Now, I've got a question for you. Is it paid or is it not paid? Of course, it's paid. All right. Can that man be held responsible for a debt that doesn't exist?

No, he can't. Is a debt canceled? Yes. Is it blotted out? Yes. Is it wiped away? Yes. Does it exist anymore? No. Can he be held responsible for it? No. If Jesus bore the sin of everybody who ever lived, and as Colossians 2 .14 says, he canceled out the certificate of debt, if he did it for everybody, then everybody must go to heaven because there is no sin debt left.

Now, people say to me, well, Matt, they've got to believe. Yes, they do have to believe. God infallibly brings them to the faith. He grants that they believe, Philippians 1 .29. Our believing is the work of God, John 6 .28 -29.

As many as had been appointed to eternal life believed, Acts 13 .48. He grants repentance to them, 2 Timothy 2 .25. God knows who are his, whom he has called, whom he has given to the Son for redemption.

He, Jesus, redeems them, bears their sin, which is in the future and in the past because there are people in the Old Testament who Jesus bore the sin of, and people in the future, us now, who Jesus bore the sin of, the elect, the chosen ones.

He bore their sin, and we will, at the right time, come to a saving faith because God will grant us repentance, grant that we believe, and give us that ability to believe. We'll get into that on Irresistible Grace in the next lesson on tomorrow.

Now, again, if you say that he bore the sin of everybody who ever lived, and it's canceled, as Colossians 2 .14 says, you've got a problem because it says it's canceled. You can't go to hell for a sin that's canceled.

Well, some people just come to me, and they say, well, Matt, you have to believe. You've got to receive it. In Comaman's situation, does he have to believe that the sin, excuse me, that his debt is paid in order for it to be paid?

Nope. Does he have to believe it in order for it to actually have been applied to his account? Of course not. So Comaman wakes up. There's a miraculous recovery. He goes to the bank, and he explains his reason for being late, and he hands a check to the teller.

The teller looks up his account and says, sorry, it's been canceled. It's been blotted out. It's been wiped away. Well, when did that happen? Oh, a few weeks ago. I guess when you were in the hospital.

Well, I wasn't even aware of it. I don't accept that. The bank teller is going to say, it doesn't make any difference, because if it's legally taken care of, it's legally taken care of. It doesn't depend on your attitude.

It's a legal thing, not an attitudinal thing. And even though the Comaman illustration, Comaman was unconscious and not aware of his debt being paid, it has no bearing on whether or not legally it was or was not paid.

Now, no analogy is perfect. In Christianity, we are justified by faith, Romans 5 .1, because we believe, and that's when we experience the righteousness of Christ imputed to us. Philippians 3 .9, we have a righteousness that's not our own, because we receive the righteousness of Christ, who lived perfectly and never sinned, 1 Peter 2 .22.

He's the one who did this. And so, we were counted in him. We'll get into that a little bit, too. So, you see the problem Colossians 2 .14 raises. It's a serious issue. I want you to reveal it. Colossians 2 .14 says he canceled the certificate of debt at the cross.

He doesn't cancel it when you believe. Now, I know some people are going to just object to that. Then I have a solution for you. Take a magic marker, just wipe out Colossians 2 .14, and that way no more problem for you.

Or take an exacto knife, cut it out, no more problem for you. But that's what it says. I've not heard anybody get out of this argument. I've not heard anybody excuse themselves from it and say that Jesus bore the sin of everybody who ever lived.

You see the problem? Now, let me run something by you. Let's just say that someone says, no, Jesus legally bore the sin of every individual who ever lived, and because they didn't believe in him, which itself is a sin, but because they didn't believe in him they go to hell.

Let me ask you then, is their sin paid for? Yes. Then why are they going to hell? Because they didn't believe. Is not believing a sin? Yes. So, was that paid for? Do you pay for all of our sins? Some people say, well, all of them except that.

Well, where's that in the Scriptures? Show me that in Scripture. It's not in the book of Hesitation, it's in the book of Deuterectomy. Show me in Scripture. If God sends to hell the people for whom their sin debt has been canceled, then God himself is unrighteous.

If you want to say that Jesus did cancel the sin debt, but because they didn't believe, which doesn't make any sense, but because they didn't believe they're going to hell anyway, then you're saying they go to hell for a sin debt that's been canceled.

It's unrighteous. What are you accusing God of being? Don't bring them down to your level. I know, I'm being harsh, aren't I? You know, yes, we must believe, but non-belief is not the unforgivable sin.

The unforgivable sin is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 12, 22 -32. Read the context. They were saying Jesus was performing his miracles by the power of the enemy, and he said blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven because Jesus was performing his miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit.

There are many people who have denied Christ, who have not believed, who have refused to believe in Christ, and then have later believed. If unbelief was the unforgivable sin, then they could never be forgiven, and they would have to go to hell.

People don't think this through. They don't think this through. We are commanded to believe in God. Exodus 20, verse 3, you shall have no other gods before me. Deuteronomy 6, 5, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your might.

John 14, 1, do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. Belief is a command, part of the law. Did Jesus pay for all of your sin? Obviously not sin of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

Obviously not that. He did not pay for the sins of the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. He did not. And there's yet something else that I'm going to show you that Jesus could not have borne the sin of. I'm going to turn to 1 Samuel 3 verses 13 and 14.

This is God speaking. For I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them. This is God speaking.

Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever. Did Jesus bear the sin of everyone who ever lived? Nope. Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.

1 Samuel 3 verse 14. Now some people may say, Matt that's in the context of Old Testament sacrifices. That's all it's referring to. Really? Will not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever. Is Jesus sacrifice a sacrifice?

Yeah. Is it an offering to God? Yes. Is it included in the forever? Yes. Did Jesus bear their sins? No. He could not. Now a lot of people don't know that there are two kinds of limited atonement. Now here's a shock.

The Scope and Power of Christ's Sacrifice

So I'm going to ask you which kind of limited atonement do you believe in? You see, you either limit the power of Christ's sacrifice or you limit the scope. Generally speaking, limited atonement means that the scope of Christ's sacrifice is limited.

It's limited only to the elect, not to everyone who ever lives. But in the other view, the power of Christ's sacrifice is limited. You see, the Reformed believe that the sacrifice of Christ is so powerful that it automatically, effectively cancels the sin debt for everyone for whom Christ died.

Therefore, the Reformed limit the scope. The non-reformed don't believe the sacrifice of Christ is so powerful that it automatically cancels a sin debt for everyone for whom Christ died. Therefore, they limit its power.

Either the sacrifice of Christ on the cross is powerful enough to automatically remove our sin or it is not. The Reformed say it is. The non-reformed say it's not. They say it's a sacrifice of God. He fulfilled the law.

He bore our sins. He paid the price. He canceled the debt. But it does not automatically cancel your debt. It's not that powerful. Now which one do you want to hold to? Which one do you hold to? Let's take another little direction here.

Did you know that Jesus says who he lays his life down for? He says he lays his life down for the sheep. Not the goats. The sheep. John 10 11. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

John 10 15. Even as the Father knows me and I know the Father and I lay my life down for the sheep. He doesn't say he lays his life down for the goats. Now check this out. Matthew 25 verses 31 through 33.

But when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

And he will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. And of course the goats go to hell. John 10 26. But you do not believe because you are not my sheep. You're not of my sheep. John 10 26.

Remember Jesus says he lays his life down for the sheep. That's what he specifically says. John 10 27 28. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give eternal life to them and they never perish and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

John 17 20. And he's talking here. This is really interesting. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, the disciples in the context, but for those also who believe in me through their word. He's only asking the Father on behalf of the sheep.

Now I've already gone over this issue that Jesus did not pay for all sin. He didn't. Did not pay for blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. In 1st Samuel 3 verse 14. He did not atone for the sins of Eli's house.

He didn't. Who did he pay for? He paid for those whom Christ represented on the cross. Now check this out. Romans 6 8. Now if we have died with Christ. Colossians 2 20. If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world.

Colossians 3 3. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 2nd Timothy 2 11. It is a trustworthy statement for if we died with him we shall also live with him. Says we died with him.

When did we die with him? When did we die? When did we die? With Jesus. We died with him in his death. When did Jesus die? 2 ,000 years ago. Romans 6 6 says knowing this that our old self was crucified with him.

Our old self was crucified with him. Wait a minute. What does that mean? Does it mean everybody who ever lived was crucified with Christ? Because if you're crucified you no longer live to the law. You no longer are your own.

You're a Christian. Our old self was crucified with him. Would we say that an unbeliever, those who have gone to hell or going to hell, oh no they were crucified with Christ 2 ,000 years ago. Yeah. And two verses later in Romans 6 8.

We have died with Christ. Yeah they died with him too. But they go to hell. It doesn't make any sense. We never find anywhere in Scripture where it says an unbeliever has died with Christ. It's always a believer who dies with Christ.

Never the unbeliever. And having said that I want to show you something. We never find any place in Scripture where unbelievers have died to sin. Died with Christ. Died to the world. It's always only the believers.

2nd Corinthians 5 14. For the love of Christ controls us having included this that one died for all therefore all died. Some people say Matt see there you go. He died for all. That means everybody ever lived.

Let's work with that. For the love of Christ controls us having concluded this that one died for everyone who ever lived therefore everyone who ever lived died. Really? They died with Christ? Is that what it's talking about?

They died to the elementary principles of the world? Is that what it's saying? For the love of Christ controls us having concluded this that one died for everyone who ever lived therefore everyone who ever lived died.

That's not what's going on. How about this? For the love of Christ controls us having concluded this that one died for the elect therefore the elect died. That makes sense. Knowing this that our old self was crucified with him Romans 6 6.

We died with Christ Romans 6 8. When did Christ die? 2 ,000 years ago. So we were crucified with him. You see that's called federal headship. That he represented us. Federal headship is the teaching that the male represents a descendants.

In Adam all die. 1st Corinthians 15 22. In Christ all shall be made alive. Shall be made alive can't be everybody. That all can only be the elect. We say this again 1st Corinthians 15 22. For as in Adam all die.

That means he represented his people which is everybody. So also in Christ all will be made alive. The only ones in Christ are the believers. The elect. They all will be made alive. That's the only way it makes sense.

Also Romans 5 18. So as through one offense there resulted condemnation to all men. That's everybody. No problem. So also through one righteous deed there resulted justification of life to all men. Who's the all who were justified?

Again only the believers. And they're called the all. Now Romans 5 18 is an interesting verse. I don't have time to go into it right now. I've done it before. I've studied this verse for like 25 years.

And the NASB Bible has the best translation. The King James adds words into it. The other translations soften it. And I can do a little addendum to some of this by going through that particular verse.

But nevertheless for now it parallels 1 Corinthians 15 22. Both written by Paul. 1 Corinthians 15 22. For as in Adam all die. So also in Christ all shall be made alive. That is regeneration. That is salvation.

That all will be made alive. And I don't teach universalism that everyone's going to heaven. But that all can only be the elect. It can only be the elect. It doesn't make sense to say it could be anything else.

Check this out. Jesus says this in John 6 37 through 40. All that the Father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I certainly will not cast out. Who's the all? The ones given to him by the Father.

For I've come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of him who sent me. That of all that he's given me I lose nothing but raise it up on the last day.

You see? Trust me I can go through this quite a bit on this thing of the all. But I only have an hour on this show and I want to get this done. So we see it makes sense to say that he only died for the elect.

Responding to Universal-Sounding Texts

Now you know there are people who say well Matt I understand what you're saying. It makes sense. But what do you do about these verses that says he dies for the world? The first one that I'll look at is John 1 29 which says this.

Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. See Matt? He takes away the sin of the world not just the elect. Does he take away the sin of the world? If you say yes and you mean everybody ever lives then is the sin of everyone who ever lived taken away?

If it's taken away they can't go to hell. If that's what you mean. Did he take away the sin of those who are damned? If the word world means everyone who ever lived? So many people just assume the word world means everyone who ever lived.

Well how do you know? See look what does Romans 3 6 say? May it never be for otherwise how will God judge the world? Talking about sin and righteousness. How will God judge the world? I think that means everybody ever lived.

No problem. But how about Acts 11 28? One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine over all the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius.

Did the great famine over all the world all over the world? Did it occur in New Zealand? In Australia? Did it occur there? In Alaska? At that time? The word world here means a limited area. How about this one Matthew 26 13?

Truly I say to you wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world what this woman has done will also be spoken of in her memory. This deals with all the nations in the whole world. In the whole world.

Whole world. That's talking about all the nations all the areas. John 1 10. He was in the world and the world was made through him and the world did not know him. The world did not know him. We could say that is the secular realm.

The realm of the unbelievers. The world of the unbelievers. We could also go to Acts 17 24. The God who made the world and all things in it. Well that's talking about the planet Earth. So the word world means at least five different things depending on the context.

Every individual. A limited area. All the nations. Secular realm. And the planet Earth. When people say he's a sin bearer of the whole world what do they mean? What are they reading into the text? Does their context demand that it mean everybody who ever lived?

If it means everybody who ever lived in John 1 29 well then why does anybody go to hell? If he takes away the sin of the world of everybody ever lived it wouldn't make any sense. You see it's a problem.

Furthermore who was Jesus sent to? Was he sent to the world? Was he sent to the world to redeem the world and all that? No he wasn't. He was not sent to the world. That's right. He was not sent to the world.

Matthew 15 24. This is what Jesus says. I was sent not except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He says he was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Was he sent to Egypt? Nope. Was he sent to Syria?