Unlimited atonement

Atonement or propitiation

  In the NT, “atonement” only appears once in the KJV for “reconciliation” in Romans 5:11.   Reconciliation does not mean the same thing as propitiation.  Some do believe the whole world was reconciled in a sense, but one should be careful, because the word usually speaks of 2 restored in friendship or relationship.

Propitiation speaks of satisfaction.  I prefer to use this word to speak of what Christ did for sin.

Lev 4:20, with several similar references distinguishes atonement from forgiveness.  The LXX uses the Greek word for propitiation not reconciliation.  The Hebrew word can mean to cover, but mostly is translated “atonement.”  But in light of the LXX, propitiation would be better.  Propitiation is the cause, forgiveness the effect. 

-How many sins did He bear?

1 John 2.2:  the contrast between ours and the whole world is either believers and everyone or Jewish believers and gentile believers.  If only John would have said the latter.

To be fair, the limited folks will say “world” means all nations as opposed to just the Jews. He bore not just the sins of Jews but all nations, though only of those chosen.

The limited folks would have to limit the extent in some way of Christ’s death.   But is it really a number’s thing or God just accepting it for a limited few?

-The “world”:  Inclusive and exclusive

The word “world” like “all” and the like can represent a lot of things.  Consider John 1:10.   How is the word used there?  The third use says the world did not know Him.  Does this mean everyone?  And yet it obviously does not mean the elect.

John 3:16:  “For God so loved the world.”  Who is the world?  The limited folks say it is all nations as opposed to just Israel.

But consider the next verse, 17:  “God did not send His son to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”  If John would have said “nations” or “gentiles,” we would know, but he didn’t.

I believe he is being inclusive of the world of men.  Consider Lk 9:56:  "For the Son of Man did not come to destroy [apollymi] men's lives [psuche] but to save them.

Propitiation is inclusive, but salvation is exclusive.

-Sins and unbelief

If Christ bore our sins, why are we not all saved?  Some say Christ took away all sin, but unbelief keeps us unsaved.  Limited folks ask what about unbelief?  If Christ took all sin away, didn’t He also take that sin away too?  Some might argue that unbelief is a condition but not necessarily a sin.  I don’t know about that argument.  

We need to separate bearing sin and propitiation from taking away sin and remission.  John 1:29: “The Lamb…who takes away the sin of the world.”

The word “take away” is airo which also “take up.”  It could mean He took up the penalty of sin.  Some believe this speaks of a future removal of the effect of sin on the world (Darby and Hodges).

John MacArthur writes: "The express idea of Christ's bearing our sins is stated only in 1 Peter 2:24 and Hebrews 9:28. When Peter said that Christ "bore our sins" (v. 24), he meant that Christ bore the penalty for our sins. He endured physical and spiritual death. When Jesus cried out on the cross, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" (Matt. 27:46), His was the cry of spiritual death. That was the penalty for bearing our sins."

Though Christ bore our sins, we are still in our sins until we believe.  Jn 8:24:  “if you do not believe that I am [He], you will  die  in your  sins ."

-Propitiation is not Remission of sins or Justification

Acts 10:42: 43  "To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive  remission   of   sins ."

Romans 3.21-26

-Bought:  “Hagorazo”

"Agorazo" in Rev 5:9 must go beyond the meaning of buying to taking possession, but 2 Pet 2:1 the word must mean just to "buy." Christ bought everyone but only takes  possession of those who believe in Him for everlasting life.  Therefore, those in 2 Pet 2:1 are bought but not taken possession of..."But 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 [agorazo] them, and bring on themselves swift destruction."

BIble Knowledge Commentary  "Christ paid the redemptive price for their salvation, but they did not apply it to themselves and so were not saved. Christ's death is "sufficient" for all (1 Tim. 2:6; Heb. 2:9; 1 John 2:2), but is "efficient" only for those who believe. This is a strong argument for unlimited atonement (the view that Christ died for everyone) and against limited atonement (the view that Christ died only for those whom He would later save)."