Was Paul Preaching Limited Atonement?
Limited Atonement cannot be supported from the Bible without avoiding many passages and adopting special interpretations for many others. Calvinists' arguments about the blood of Christ being wasted if shed for many who would not believe are specious. Then God wasted His time and the time and effort of His prophets who called, without success, upon millions of Jews for centuries to repent. From the cross Christ cried, "Father, forgive them," concerning those who were crucifying and mocking Him. Was He wasting His breath, since many if not most of those taunting and crucifying Him would never repent and thus not be forgiven? And how could He ask His Father to forgive them except on the basis of His blood, shed for their sin? But if that was shed only for the elect, how could Christ sincerely ask forgiveness for any non-elect? Why is Jesus then wasting His blood according to Calvinists?
Paul declares, in evident agony of soul, "I say the truth in Christ,... I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart...for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh" (Rom. 9.1-3). He even wishes himself accursed of God if that would save the Jews. Surely, it is God's love for the lost that motivates Paul.
Yet Calvinism insists that God, who is love, has predestined billions to hell, while Paul, who surely is in touch with God, agonizes for their salvation! Is Paul more loving than God? Where does such love come from if not from God? Would it not be blasphemy for Paul to desire the salvation of those whom God does not desire to save? On the contrary, we are told that God desires "all men to be saved..."!
Rob Zins puts forth the argument,
You [may] raise some philosophical problems with the demand of God that all men everywhere should repent and believe and the corresponding will of God which has determined that only some will be given the ability to do so. This is a difficult issue to face. But it is no more difficult to face than all men being condemned by the sin of one man, Adam. It is no more difficult to face than the fact of sin, corruption, evil and all other forms of sin allowed to continue when God could end them all.
On the contrary, there is a huge difference between allowing men to sin and causing them to sin [and sending them to hell without recourse.] There is a vast difference between justly sentencing to eternal torment those who continue to defy God (rejecting the salvation He has graciously and lovingly provided for them) and in predestining them to the Lake of Fire without providing or offering any hope whatsoever.
Having given men the power of choice, God could end all evil only by destroying all men, or never having created them in the first place. Even "saved sinners" sometimes sin (1 John 1.9). But God is loving and longsuffering, calling upon all men to be repent, to turn to Him, and receive the salvation He offers. Even though all sin and are justly condemned, God has provided salvation and made it available to all who will believe. He cannot force it upon anyone, however, without destroying man as a moral agent capable of loving and being loved. Yet Calvinism unbiblically claims that God could save everyone but refuses to do so because it is His "good pleasure" to damn multitudes. He is either impotent or unwilling to do what he claims he can do. Either way, moral choice is disallowed! Without it, man is just an automaton.
Special prayers for believers ("I pray not for the world" John 17.9) does not nullify His desire to save all. If we were to use the approach of calvinists, we would say Jesus "I pray not for [the saved of] the world". Silly.
Our understanding about God Himself will determine how we interpret Scripture. So this explains how a Calvinist can alter God's Word so readily and fervently. Grace cannot be irresistible otherwise all would be saved by a god who if he could and claims he can then he should.
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