For whom did Christ die?
Another way to phrase this:
Did Christ die to make salvation possible or to actually save? What is the nature of His atonement?
Jesus says, "I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do."
What is the work He came to do?
"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
At the institution of the Lord’s Supper, Jesus says, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."
This is not merely a possibility but an actual remission of sins.
A payment made for the life and freedom of a sinner.
Christ "was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification."
Jesus "gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age."
Jesus redeems and purifies a people for Himself:
"...who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works."
Jesus gave Himself for us as a sacrificial substitute, the Lamb of God.
"...knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot."
"...Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
"For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed."
This was so that God might pass over our sins.
In the sacrificial system, the animal was slain in the place of the sinner, so that God’s wrath would be propitiated, and reconciliation with God could occur.
"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed."
Here, Christ bore our sins and paid the penalty that we deserved.
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.'"
"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
If Christ did this for everyone, then must not every person have their sins remitted?
Did He:
If so, then all must be saved. But not all are saved. Therefore, He died for the elect only.
God cannot punish the same sins twice.
What sense does a substitution make if it isn’t actually counted in my place?
This is against the very nature of substitution.
If one were to run the bases in my place, but I still had to run the bases, then it would not truly be a substitute. That would be duplication, not substitution.
Definite atonement is a necessary affirmation for any orthodox and biblical view of Christ’s substitutionary work.
If Christ was my vicarious substitute, if He suffered for me and is my atonement, then I must be saved.
Substitutionary atonement implies particular and definite atonement.
Universalists must limit the efficacy of the atonement:
This leads to the notion of atonement as provision but not as accomplishment.
This theory suggests that the cross demonstrates God’s hatred for sin, but forgiveness is free.
It denies the doctrine of Penal Substitutionary Atonement (PSA).
No, the ransom or purchase made by Christ was definite.
The price was paid. The cross redeemed sinners.
Christ was not creating a "bank account" of forgiveness for us to access later.
He did not create an abstract redemption that requires our effort to claim it.
It requires an actual object or people to redeem. Christ redeemed a particular people, not merely a hypothetical possibility.
Romans 5:18–21: Adam parallels Christ:
They are not made merely redeemable. They are redeemed.
"In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
Redemption and forgiveness in Christ are not a mere possibility.
"...to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works."
Believers have already been purified.
"Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery."
Christ brought death to nothing and delivered us.
"I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand."
He gives eternal life, and they shall never perish.
"...since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him."
Eternal life is given to those whom the Father has given to Christ.
"...for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation."
Christ was slain for the world and actually purchased and ransomed people from every nation, tribe, and tongue.
"...to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood."
The church was purchased with His blood.
"I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours."
Christ does not pray or intercede for those who are not saved. This demonstrates the definite nature of His atonement.
"Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people."
Christ made propitiation and covered our sins.
"Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession... Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Christ is our confidence.
"...but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them."
Christ is our guarantor, saves to the uttermost, and makes intercession for us based on His eternal priesthood.
"But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption."
Christ entered once for all, securing eternal redemption.
"We have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man."
Christ intercedes in the true Holy of Holies, not one made with hands.
Christ is the tabernacle of God’s presence, dwelling among us and making us perfect.
The old sacrifices were inadequate.
"By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
How much greater is the sacrifice of Christ, which accomplishes its end.
"...gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper..."
The sacrifice of Christ perfects the conscience.
"...without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins."
Forgiveness requires blood.
"...he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."
Christ appeared before the very face of God on our behalf, putting away sin once and for all, making propitiation.
"...securing an eternal redemption."
Christ obtained eternal redemption, securing it.
Hebrews 9:26: Christ "put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."
Hebrews 10:18: "Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin."
"It is finished" (John 19:30).
Christ’s completed work ensures our confidence to approach God, knowing that our redemption has been fully accomplished through His perfect and sufficient sacrifice.