Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism

1. A tape or CD of this message will be available (free of charge) following the service Steele and Thomas, The Five Points of Calvinism "Christ's redeeming work was intended to save the elect only and actually secured salvation for them. His death was a substitutionary endurance of the penalty of sin in the place of certain specified sinners. In addition to putting away the sins of His people, Christ's redemption secured everything necessary for their salvation, including faith which unites them to Him. The gift of faith is infallibly applied by the Spirit to all for whom Christ died, thereby guaranteeing their salvation." "Christ's redeeming work made it possible for everyone to be saved but did not actually secure the salvation of anyone. Although Christ died for all men and for every man, only those who believe on Him are saved. His death enabled God to pardon sinners on the condition that they believe, but it did not actually put away anyone's sins. Christ's redemption becomes effective only if man chooses to accept it." General Atonement Definition: Limited Atonement Definition: Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

2. James White, Debating Calvinism (with Dave Hunt) "Anti-Reformed writers and speakers love to hammer away at the doctrine of particular redemption, or limited atonement. Misrepresentations abound, and emotions run wild, but rarely is there a meaningful argument made against the reality of the belief that Christ died in the place of His elect people. It is easier, it seems, to attempt to inflame the emotions than to deal with the biblical evidence." Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

3. Dave Hunt, Debating Calvinism (with James White) "Particular redemption flies in the face of scores of Scriptures for which Calvinism must adopt a peculiar definition of words. In every place where world doesn't fit their theory, Calvinists assign their own peculiar meaning. What a coincidence! Comparing Scripture with Scripture, however, reveals the un-Calvinistic truth that Christ died for all mankind." Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

4. What about John 3:16? For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

5. Steele and Thomas, The Five Points of Calvinism "All Calvinists agree that Christ's obedience and suffering were of infinite value, and that if God had so willed, the satisfaction rendered by Christ would have saved every member of the human race. It would have required no more obedience, nor any greater suffering for Christ to have secured salvation for every man, woman, and child who ever lived than it did for Him to secure salvation for the elect only. But He came into the world to represent and save only those given to Him by the Father. Thus Christ's saving work was limited in that it was designed to save some and not others, but it was not limited in value for it was of infinite worth and would have secured salvation for everyone if this had been God's intention." Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

6. James White, Debating Calvinism (with Dave Hunt) "Upon examination, the vast majority of those who call themselves 'four-point Calvinists' are actually not Reformed at all, for their objections are to God's freedom in electing men to salvation and to the total inability of man in his sin. Particular redemption flows inexorably from the truths of God's divine freedom and man's enslavement to sin." Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

7. Random House Unabridged Dictionary Ex•pi•ate Pronunciation: (ek'spē-āt), —v.t.,-at•ed, -at•ing. to atone for; make amends or reparation for: to expiate one's crimes. Pro•pi•ti•ate Pronunciation: (pru-pish'ē-āt"), —v.t.-at•ed, -at•ing. to make favorably inclined; appease; conciliate. Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

8. John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion "…then Christ interposed, took the punishment upon himself and bore what by the just judgment of God was impending over sinners; with his own blood expiated the sins which rendered them hateful to God, by this expiation satisfied and duly propitiated God the Father, by this intercession appeased his anger, on this basis founded peace between God and men, and by this tie secured the Divine benevolence toward them…" Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

9. C. H. Spurgeon, sermon dated 09/20/1863 "If I am to preach faith in Christ to a man who is regenerated, then the man, being regenerated, is saved already, and it is an unnecessary and ridiculous thing for me to preach Christ to him… Where there is repentance there is faith already, for they never can be separated. So, then, I am only to preach faith to those who have it. Absurd, indeed! Is not this waiting till the man is cured and then bringing him the medicine?" Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

10. "Many" vs. "All" Matt. 20 ~ 28"…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Dan. 12 ~ 2And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,      Some to everlasting life,      Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

11. James White, Debating Calvinism (with Dave Hunt) "A most dangerous and troubling teaching that some have promoted is that Christ atoned for all the sins of all mankind except for the sin of unbelief, which alone can send a person to hell." Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

12. Heb. 2 ~ 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

13. 2 Pet. 2 ~ 1But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

14. 1 John 2 ~ 2And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

15. John 1 ~ 29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

16. 2 Cor. 5 ~ 19that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

17. 1 John 4 ~ 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

18. Rom. 5 ~ 6For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

19. 1 Tim. 1 ~ 15This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

20. 1 Tim. 2 ~ 1Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,2for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,4who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.5For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,6awho gave Himself a ransom for all… Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

21. C. H. Spurgeon, sermon dated -1/16/1880 inspired language every remark of the learned doctor would have been exactly in keeping, but as it happens to say, 'Who will have all men to be saved,' his observations are more than a little out of place… As it is my wish that it should be so, as it is your wish that it might be so, so it is God's wish that all men should be saved; for, assuredly, he is not less benevolent than we are." "I was reading just now the exposition of a very able doctor who explains the text so as to explain it away; he applies grammatical gunpowder to it, and explodes it by way of expounding it. I thought when I read his exposition that it would have been a very capital comment upon the text if it had read, 'Who will not have all men to be saved, nor come to a knowledge of the truth.' Had such been the Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

22. Mark 16 ~ 15And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"

23. Review T ~ Man is so depraved, he must be regenerated before he can choose God U ~ Faith then, is not a condition, but a consequence of election L ~ Why would Jesus die for someone He had always planned on condemning? Shedding Light on Calvinism and Arminianism Part Four, "Limits of the Atonement"