Riff's Christian Journal

Part Three: Limited Atonement

There will be no one in Hell for whom Christ died and there will be no one in Heaven for whom Christ did not die. Limited Atonement is that part of T.U.L.I.P. that says that Jesus died only for the elect.

In John 6:44 Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” We’ve seen from this passage, and from its companion passage in verse 65 where Jesus also said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”, that unless the Father draws a person, not only will they not choose to come to Jesus of their own will, but they can’t come to Jesus.

This is a part of theology that is never taught. For one thing, it goes against the modern-day teaching that Christ died for everyone and that He draws everyone to Him. If these verses were the only ones with which we are to be concerned then that might be true. However, staying in John 6 and in verse 37 we read were Jesus taught, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.”

If this is true, if ALL whom the Father gives to Jesus comes to Him, then we know that not everyone will be drawn because everyone would be saved; and we know that this is not true. Not everyone who says to Jesus “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Everyone will not be saved. Even in verse 39 Jesus says, “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.”

Jesus makes it very clear that everyone whom the Father gives (draws) to Him will come to Him, and He will lose none of them and He will raise them up the last day. So, how is it that only the so-called elect will be saved? In verse 45 Jesus says, “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.”

We see the Father, in drawing people to Jesus, will teach them the Gospel, and in teaching them their understanding is opened and they are given the ability to willing come to Jesus, to bow before Him as Lord and Savior.

Now I know you will say that only those who hear will come to Jesus. Good point. So, who they who will hear?

Leaving John 6 let’s go to John 8. Here Jesus is discussing with Pharisees about who He was. Then in verse 42 we read, “Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.” You notice that He points out that they do not understand His speech because they are not able to listen to His word. So, now the next question would be “Why?”

Well, Jesus answers that for them as well. He goes on to make the statement that they belong to Satan, that he is their father. Jesus states that Satan is a liar and that because they belong to him they would believe a lie and not the truth. Jesus explains it this way. Beginning with verse 44 we read, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?”

Jesus pointedly asks them “why do you not believe Me?” Then He states the unthinkable in telling them why they do not believe. In verse 47 He says, “He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” Did you get that? Only those who belong to God, the elect of Christ, are the only ones who will here and understand the word of God.

This brings us back to John 6: 45 where we once again read Jesus saying, “‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” Only those who belong to God, that is the elect of Christ, are the ones who will be taught, who will hear and be given understanding and the ability to willingly come to Jesus. The elect will hear, they will be taught, they will understand and they will come to Christ to be saved.

No one can come to Jesus unless they are drawn by the Father. All those who are drawn will come and only those who belong to God, the elect of Christ, are the only ones who will hear the Gospel and they will willingly come to Jesus.

Jesus did not fail in His atoning work of salvation. All for whom He died will be saved. There will be no one for whom He died condemned to spend eternity in Hell and there will be no one in Heaven for whom He did not die. If one tries to enter under their own righteousness, and are not covered in the wedding clothes of the righteousness of Christ’s atoning work, they will be cast out of the wedding feast of the Lamb.

The atoning work of Jesus on the cross through His resurrection from the dead was efficacious only for those whom the Father has decreed or ordained to be saved. For them did Christ die and in that work He did not fail.

In our next post we will look at the ” I ” of T.U.L.I.P. which is Irresistible Grace. We have already touched on that topic in this post, but we had to in order to properly understand Limited Atonement. If you belong to the Father you will come to Jesus, and you will do so willingly.