That’s funny on several levels. Firstly because I didn’t mention any “doctrine of free will”. Secondly because Calvinists always seem to be claiming to believe in free will.

Having considered your clarification, and indeed having spent much time in consideration of my quality versus quantity argument, I find myself in agreement with you. However, as I understand your clarified position, it seems that you are actually holding to a limited atonement/particular redemption view, with the acknowledgement that Christ’s sacrifice, being perfect and infinite, could be imputed to all people without exception if that was what God so chose (ie, you’re establishing a counterfactual which is true, but irrelevant to actuality).

Given this, it does not seem that we can say Christ died for the sins of the whole world, meaning all people without exception. The question “for whom did Christ die?” is answered with “for his elect”. The fact that his sacrifice could have been imputed to all, because it is perfect, does not seem to change this. It’s more of a caveat on particular redemption than a redirection to ulimited atonement.

However, I think your response highlights flaws in my argument which deserve their own correction, and so I will post a second article when I have the time. Until then, God keep you,

Dom

In my mind (and thus this post), I have always distinguished between atonement and justification. On reflection – this is not necessarily everyone’s understanding, and thus is misleading.

I regard atonement as being related to the value of Christ’s death (which is infinite), and regarding justification (or redemption) as the application of that atonement. This means that if God chose to do so – the death of Christ would be sufficient for the salvation of all men everywhere – however, God has chosen some – not all – to be redeemed or justified, and thus the application of Christ’s death is strictly limited to those who believe.

Perhaps I should say the following by way of clarification: Christ’s death in itself had unlimited and infinite value because He is Holy God. The intention of Christ’s death (actual satisfaction and atonement of sin for individuals) is given only to those who believe. Salvation is offered to all – the whole world, but received only by those who believe (which indeed implies repentance from sin).

Dom – thanks for your humility and the time you’ve taken to respond to my post – as a result I’ve done more research and have much more clarity around this area. I’ll update my post in a moment to clarify.

Orthodox – I can understand what you are saying, it is a logical conclusion based on your own presuppositions, in particular your personal belief in human autonomy. However as Bnonn has detailed here – http://bnonn.blogspot.com/2006/11/on-strawmen-free-will.html, the doctrine of free will, while popular, is not a biblical doctrine. Once your belief on this matter is corrected you will see that Bnonns post is correct.

Romans 9:14 – 18 “What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses,
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.”

But we (Orthodox) don’t look at the atonement that way most of the time. The atonement is a hospital. Anyone who wants to avail themselves of the atonement can do so. Anyone who doesn’t avail themselves isn’t nuked because of lack of atonement. Rather they have chosen not to be with God, and God honours their decision to be apart from God. It’s not the angry judge tossing them in jail, it is the stubborn patient who doesn’t desire to live in the hospital.

It’s a good example of how ones presuppositions can blind us to considering all the options.

My advice is to read the bible and just believe what it says:

Rom. 5:18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.