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Why did Jesus come? Jesus came because the Father sent him. Why did the Father send him? Because the Father had a plan to redeem people, and so the purpose of Christ coming into this world was to make an atonement, and the purpose of making the atonement was to fulfill God's plan of redemption. And so, the design of the atonement is that Christ would give His life as a ransom for many, and that He would lay down His life, as He Himself said, for His sheep.
The purpose being to provide the means of salvation for the elect. Did Christ's atoning work on the cross make salvation possible for all people, or did it actually achieve redemption for a particular people? This gets at the heart of the often misunderstood doctrine of limited atonement, a topic we'll be exploring today with Dr. R.C. Sproul.
Welcome back to Renewing Your Mind. Thank you for joining us. Today we conclude our time in Dr. Sproul's series, The Atonement of Jesus, and in this episode, Dr. Sproul is addressing that vital question: For whom did Christ die?
Throughout this week, we have looked at the idea of God's justice, the need for the cross in light of that justice, and now we ask: To what end? Who is all this for? I hope you've been helped by these messages this week. If you'd like to listen to the entire series, which includes six additional messages, it's available for free in the Gignieres Grow app. In fact, all of RC's teaching series—that's more than 170 in total—are available in the app for you to watch or listen to.
Download the Grow app today to continue studying.
Well. Let's listen now as Dr. Sproul explores the design, purpose, and scope of the atonement. Today, I want to take a walk, a little stroll, into an arena where angels fear to tread. We have been studying the doctrine of the atonement of Christ.
And we've focused our attention on trying to understand the biblical content of the meaning and the significance of the cross of Christ. But the one question I've studiously avoided to this point, but will avoid no longer, is one of the most controversial issues that attend any study of the atonement of Christ. And that is the question: For whom did Christ die? Did Christ die on the cross to pay for the sins of all mankind, or was there a sense in which the atonement of Christ was limited?
Now. Historical reform theology has sometimes been described in kind of shorthand version, or the bird's eye view, that is called the so-called five points of Calvinism. And this is a little bit of a misnomer because John Calvin did not summarize Reformation theology by listing five points. You'll nowhere in Calvin's writing find such a summation of his theology, trying to reduce it to five points. And I might also say that Reformed theology teaches a lot more than five points, and there's a lot more to Reformed theology than five points.
So why do we hear this all the time? Of this so-called phrase, the five points of Calvinism, which are then delineated under the famous acrostic tulip T U L I P, theological concern that perhaps Tiny Tim invented when he was tiptoeing through the tulips. This acrostic T U L I P is used to give us a kind of abbreviated summation of these famous five points. The T stands for total depravity. The U for unconditional election, the L for limited atonement, and the I for irresistible grace, and the P for perseverance of the saints.
Now, where does this come from?
Well, the idea of these five points has its roots back in Holland in the 18th century, when there was a reaction among Dutch clergy to their own historic brand of Calvinism, and a group of men, including a man by the name of Arminius. Protested against certain doctrines that were part of orthodox reform theology, and this protest was called a remonstration. And those who protested were called remonstrants. And the remonstrants at this time listed five particular doctrines of reform theology with which they disagreed. And those five doctrines included the doctrine of total depravity, unconditional.
And so on, and so the Synod of Dortrecht met to answer the complaints of the Remonstrants, and they reaffirmed historic Reformed theology, and in so doing, reprimanded the Remonstrants and rejected their position. And so the positive response of classic reform theology to the remonstrants was summarized in these five points. And since then, we've heard of the so-called five points of Calvinism. I have many friends in theology who are involved in dispensational thought, and a lot of dispensationalists define themselves as so-called four-point Calvinists. That is, they say they believe in the T, they believe in the U, they believe in the I, and they believe in the P, and so their doctrine could be summarized by the acrostic TUP.
It's a tulip without the L, because the doctrine that they most are concerned about is this idea of limited atonement—that somehow the cross of Christ was not exercised, the atonement was not made for everybody, but only for the elect. Does not the Bible say, for example, that Christ died for the sins of the whole world and not for ours only, and so on? Perhaps the most. Exhaustive treatment of this troublesome and difficult doctrine of limited atonement was written by the great Puritan theologian John Owen, and I commend to you the reading of that book. I mean, of all of the volumes that Owen wrote, if you restrict yourself to reading only one, let me suggest that you read "The Death of Death," which I believe is the most comprehensive study of this aspect of the atonement.
Ever written, and it's a remarkable work. Even if you disagree with it, you'll still find it extraordinarily edifying. But what does this idea of limited atonement mean? Even my own students at the seminary stumble over this, and in a recent midterm examination I gave to my students in theology, several of them summarized the concept of limited atonement by using this sort of worn-out idea that says that limited atonement teaches that the atonement of Christ. Was sufficient for all, but efficient only for some.
Now, the idea expressed in that concept is rather simple, namely that the value of Christ's sacrifice. The merit earned by Christ in His work is sufficient. It's good enough. It's valuable enough. It's extensive enough to cover the sins of all people everywhere in all time.
It's sufficient for all. But the atonement is limited in its efficacy, in that only those who believe. Receive the benefit of the atoning work of Christ, so that it is sufficient for everybody, but efficient for only believers.
Now, if that were what limited atonement was all about, and the controversy rested on that point, it would be a tempest in a teapot. It wouldn't be a great deal at all, because all that phrase "sufficient for all" and "efficient for some" defines is not the difference between historic Reformed theology and semi-Pelagian views of theology. But what it differentiates is the difference between universalists and particularists. Historic Armenianism, for example, and certainly dispensationalism, repudiates the doctrine of universalism or the idea that everybody is saved automatically by the work of Christ. All of these different schools of thought agree that Christ's atonement is particular and not universal in the sense that it only works or affects salvation for those who believe in Christ.
So that the atonement does not automatically save everybody, and so the phrase "sufficient for all, efficient for some" defines. Particularism, but not necessarily the concept of limited atonement that we have to deal with today. Rather, the controversy over limited atonement has to do with this question: What was God's intent or His design in sending Christ to the cross? Was it the purpose of God the Father and the purpose of God the Son to make an atonement that would then be made available to all who would put their trust in it, knowing in advance that perhaps no one would avail themselves of the benefit of the atonement? But that Jesus died to save everybody potentially, but no one in particular actually.
In other words, was God's purpose in sending Christ to the cross simply to make salvation possible, or was the purpose of God from all eternity? In His plan of redemption, in His view towards sending Christ for His incarnation and for His atoning death, was His purpose there in all eternity to actually effect an atonement that would be applied to the elect. The historic reform theology takes the doctrine of election very seriously, and it takes the doctrine of God very seriously, and takes the doctrine of the sovereignty of God very seriously. It's unthinkable to reform theology that God ever has a plan B. That takes seriously that God's plan of salvation is rooted and grounded in eternity.
And in God's sovereignty, that God had a plan to redeem His people from all eternity, and that plan was not a plan that had to be adjusted at halftime. He purposed from the beginning. To save a portion of the human race from sin, it was never God's intention to save everybody. If it was God's intention to save everybody, then the answer to that would be obvious: everybody would be saved. But if we take seriously what the scriptures teach us—that not everybody is saved.
And we understand that God has the power and the authority to save everybody if He so desires, and if He sovereignly decrees it, He could do that. And here, the Calvinist and the Arminian have to agree that God has that power, and He has that right to save everybody if He so decides. But according to the scriptures, God has not so decided. But He has undertaken a plan of salvation that is bathed in His grace, by which, from all eternity, He is determined to save a portion of the human race. And in order for those people to be saved, if that is the goal of redemption—to save some.
Not all. That is what we would call the end of the plan or the purpose. It's the bottom line. It's God's purpose statement in redemption is to save some human beings from damnation, which they have earned for themselves and which they justly deserve.
Some people will receive justice. Other people will receive the grace of redemption. But that gets us into the broader question of election, which we'll look at at another occasion, and I hope on those other occasions we'll also be able to give a more expansive exposition of this particular doctrine. But since we're focusing now on the atonement, I want us to understand that Reformed theology understands the atonement of Christ in light of the whole substance of the biblical understanding of God's plan of redemption. And that, from all eternity, God had a purpose, and He had a purpose, a reason for sending Christ into the world.
Why did Jesus come? Jesus came because the Father sent Him. Why did the Father send Him? Because the Father had a plan to redeem people, and so the purpose of Christ coming into this world. Was to make an atonement, and the purpose of making the atonement was to fulfill God's plan of redemption.
That's simple, isn't it? But in God's plans, though there is an end to the design, a final purpose for the plan. God not only decrees that final purpose and that final end to the plan, but the thing that's so important for us to understand that He also ordains the means to that end, how He is going to accomplish His plan, and here is where the atonement comes in. The atonement is designed from all eternity. As God's appointed means to accomplish God's appointed end, let me say it again: the atonement from all eternity is designed by God in His wisdom and in His sovereignty as the appointed means to accomplish His divinely appointed end, which is to save some people from damnation.
And so the design of the atonement is that Christ would give His life as a ransom for many, and that He would lay down His life, as He Himself said, for His sheep. The purpose being to provide the means of salvation for the elect. Now, without horns. Plain and simple language. What Reformed theology teaches is that Jesus Christ, when he went to the cross, went to the cross for the elect, and only for the elect.
Now that people have trouble with, particularly if I use that kind of language to describe it.
Now, what if I said it a different way? What if I said Jesus went to the cross to make an atonement for believers? And only for believers. That that was the plan. That that was the design.
That Jesus was not dying for everybody indiscriminately, but he was only dying for those who would believe. If you can accept that, then you will see very quickly that only the elect are believers. And the believers are the elect.
So you're not saying anything different when you say that that Christ died only for the elect than if you say Christ died only for believers, unless you can conceive of people who are believers who are not elect, or people who are elect. Who are not believers, but that kind of disjunction is utterly foreign to the New Testament.
Now, the glory of this doctrine, if we can get past the stumbling obstacles that are there, is this: that the atonement that Christ made on the cross was real and effectual. It wasn't just a hypothetical atonement; it was a real atonement. He didn't just offer possible. Propitiation for the sins of his people, but rather the sins of his people were actually propitiated. He didn't merely give a hypothetical expiation for our sins, but it was an actual expiation for our sins.
Consider the other view that all Jesus does is offer the possibility of salvation by dying on the cross. Then the propitiation is only hypothetical, and the expiation is only hypothetical, and the atonement itself is only a potentiality. Where Jesus goes to the cross, he pays the penalty for sin, he makes the atonement, and then has to spend the rest of his time in heaven wringing his hands, hoping that somebody. Will take advantage of this work that he has performed. How foreign is that to the biblical understanding of the triumph and the victory of Christ that he achieves in his atoning death?
That the one who goes to the cross can see the travail of his soul and be satisfied, because he knows that the atonement he makes is real. And effectual, and that he says, as he does in his high priestly prayer, "I don't pray for all of those people in the world. I pray for those whom you have given me, and I am laying down my life for my sheep." That only leaves one question, and that is, are you numbered among his sheep? If you are of the flock of Christ, if you are one of His lambs, then you can know with surety that an atonement has been made for your sins. But you say, "But how do I know whether I'm in that fold?" I don't have any awareness of being elect or non-elect.
Well, I can't read your heart, and I don't read the secrets of the Lamb's Book of Life. And I know that you can't add your name to the Lamb's Book of Life if it hasn't been there for all eternity. But Jesus said this: My sheep hear my voice, and if you actually want Christ's atonement to avail for you, and if you actually put your trust in that atonement, And rely on that atonement to reconcile you to Almighty God. In a practical sense, you don't need to worry about the abstract questions of election that are behind it, because beloved, if you do put your trust in Christ's death for your redemption, if you do believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, then you can be sure that the atonement was made for you. And that, more than anything else, will settle for you the question of the mystery of God's election, because I guarantee you that unless you're elect, you won't believe on Christ, you won't embrace the atonement, or rest upon His shed blood for your salvation.
But if you want it, you can have it. It is offered to you if you believe. And if you trust, I mean, again, we talk about the universal offer of the gospel, and it is offered universally in the sense that it is offered to all who receive Him, and to all who trust Him, and to all who believe Him. But it is not offered universally to anybody. Who doesn't believe, or who doesn't trust, or who doesn't embrace Him?
And so, beloved, our last statement about the atonement in this particular exposition is this: If the atonement is limited, make sure that in its limitation, it includes you. Again. As we think about the atonement of Christ, remember that there is no limit to its majesty, to its value, or to its power. And that if you put your trust in Christ and in Him alone, all of the benefits are given to you in unlimited fashion from the death of Christ. But let me reaffirm my suggestion to you that I made earlier—that you go out and get yourself a copy of John Owen's *The Death of Death*.
It's one of the most magnificent pieces of writing I have ever had the pleasure to read, because it plumbs the depths of what it meant for Jesus to offer Himself as an oblation to the Father. In behalf of his people, to become a surety for us by sacrificing himself for his sheep. It's a book that causes a rejoicing of the lambs. I keep finding myself thinking about something Doctor Spruell said earlier in the episode. If you want it, you can have it.
So, like Doctor Sproul said, the offer of Christ's atonement is universal, but we have to want it. It doesn't cover those who don't. These can be challenging topics to work through, but you can continue studying this ten-message series in our app. Search for Leagunier's Grow app in your app store of choice, and you'll find all of Dr. Sproul's messages there, from the Atonement of Jesus, as well as all the messages from every teaching series Leagunier offers from Dr.
Sproul, available to you for free. One more thing I'd like to mention is our year-end live stream event that's happening Tuesday, November seventeenth. I hope you join us as we give you an in-depth look at how God is transforming lives around the world through Ligonier's Gospel Outreach. We'll also share some of the ways that your partnership can help strengthen God's people in 2027 and beyond. You can go to ligonier.org to learn more about this event.
Next week we'll begin a study with Dr. Derek Thomas from his series on the life of Peter. That will be Monday here on Renewing Your Mind.
