Limited Atonement

What did Christ accomplish on the Cross?  Was anyone actually saved on the cross, or were sinners just made savable if they could just conjure up enough strength on their own to believe in Christ?  Man has a will, yet it was corrupted at the fall and seeks only evil.  Man is dead in his trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1), and thus cannot choose good.  No one is righteous and none are seeking God in the first place (Rom 3:10-18), and the mind set on the flesh is hostile towards God, for it does not subject itself to the Law of God, for it is not even able to do so (Romans 8:5-8).  Man has a will, it's just literally hell bent in rebellion and incapable of doing good, and the greatest good is choosing Christ, of which no man can do in an unregenerate state.  Man must be born again  in order to repent, which is accomplished by the Spirit (John 3:5-8).  Therefore, man is not born again because he repents; rather, He repents because He is born again by the Spirit.

Christ specifically laid down His life for His sheep (John 10:15-17), and in what has been called The High Priestly Prayer, Christ prayed on behalf of the sheep, and not the world (Jn 17:9)!  That is a powerful statement, that this present Christian era has either overlooked because of ignorance or willfully ignored in rebellion! Amen!  Oh how I love that text!  Christ charged to the cross with great power and Divine will, so that He might save His beloved sheep which the Father gave to Him! "It is finished!" he cried out (Jn 19:30).  The penalty for sin has been paid indeed, and the sheep were justified on the cross.  They have been declared not-guilty solely by God's grace alone, so that none should boast (Eph 2:8-10).  The Father chose, the Son died, and the Spirit brings life to the sheep.

To those who would declare that the doctrine of limited atonement to be heretical, I boldly declare that it is their position of universal atonement that is devastating because it only made sinners savable.   Man is then left to his own flesh to choose God, of which none would choose Him because it is God who seeks us and not the other way around (Jn 15:16).  Even more so, if Christ atoned for everyone, then the goats and wolves should make it in as well because unbelief is just as much a sin as anything else.  This leads to universal salvation, which is totally opposed by the Scripture, and is blasphemous, for the impenitent shall surely be cast into everlasting Hell.  He is just and will never wink at sin! Amen!  

Ultimately then, everyone limits the atonement.  One either limits its extent or its power.  There is nothing unjust about Christ dying for the sheep alone!  It is by His grace that He even died for them!  God is Sovereign, and He does as He pleases, for He moves the hearts of kings wherever He pleases (Prov 21:1).  "But our God is in the heavens, He does whatever He pleases." (Ps115:3)  He has chosen to die for the sheep and save sinners from all tribes, nations, and tongues, not from Jews only but Gentiles also.  That was His prerogative to die for the sheep alone! He was surely not obligated to do that in the least!  Amen!  Who are we to answer back to God and charge Him? (Rom 9)  Have we lost the fear of God so much that we treat Him with disdain and arrogance acting as though He owes us something when what we really deserve is everlasting damnation?!  

Rather, let us bow down before Him in absolute worship! Thank you O Lord, that we who are your sheep were justified on the cross.  You did not merely make us savable, but you accomplished salvation for us as you took the wrath of God bearing the penalty due us!  Wretch that I am, yet I am saved by Christ alone in an act of unprecedented power and grace!  Unworthy, unworthy I cry out!  May all my love be set upon Him who died in my place to give me eternal life to His Glory! Amen! Amen!