# 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 and Limited Atonement?



## The Conductor (Jul 4, 2013)

I was talking to a friend about Limited Atonement and he mentioned 2 Corinthians 5:14- For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 

I was just wondering how to approach a text such as this.


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## Andres (Jul 4, 2013)

Agree with Mr. Hicks. Christ died for ALL of His elect, not all of the people to ever live. 

If unlimited atonement is correct and Christ died for everyone, then we either have to affirm universalism or we have to state that Christ's death was somehow not efficacious for all. As Josh said, both are silly, erroneous, and blasphemous.


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## C. M. Sheffield (Jul 5, 2013)

Here is what Dr. Gill has to say: 



> The persons for whom Christ died are all; not every individual of mankind, but all his people, all his sheep, all the members of his church, or all the sons he, as the great Captain of salvation, brings to glory. Wherefore this text does not make for the doctrine of general redemption; for it should be observed, that it does not say that Christ died for "all men", but for "all"; and so, agreeably to the Scriptures, may be understood of all the persons mentioned. Moreover, in the latter part of the text it is said, that those for whom Christ died, for them he rose again; he died for no more, nor for others, than those for whom he rose again: now those for whom he rose again, he rose for their justification; wherefore, if Christ rose for the justification of all men, all would be justified, or the end of Christ's resurrection would not be answered; but all men are not, nor will they be justified, some will be condemned; hence it follows, that Christ did not rise from the dead for all men, and consequently did not die for all men: besides, the "all" for whom Christ died, died with him, and through his death are dead both to the law and sin; and he died for them, that they might live, not to themselves, but to him; neither of which are true of all the individuals of mankind: to which may be added, that the context explains the all of such who are in Christ, are new creatures, are reconciled to God, whose trespasses are not imputed to them, for whom Christ was made sin, and who are made the righteousness of God in him; which cannot be said of all men. -- John Gill, Exposition of the Old & New Testaments, Vol. VIII, pp. 788-89


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## ClayPot (Jul 5, 2013)

Josh is of course right. They key to understanding this passage for me was actually focusing on the part, "therefore all have died." Did Christ's death for ALL cause ALL mankind without exception to die in some way? Of course not. But Christ's death for ALL did cause ALL of the elect to die to sin so that we could live in Christ. See Romans 6:1-4:

6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

and Galatians 2:20:

20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.


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## The Conductor (Jul 5, 2013)

Thanks so much! I think the issue was that he had finished the quotation at the end of verse 14, but the verse ends with a semicolon (in English) not a period.


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## Reformed Reaction (Jul 6, 2013)

Here is a link to a video that I found very helpful: Jesus Christ's Limited Atonement? - YouTube


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## Sovereign Grace (Jul 19, 2013)

I take solace in these:

*John 17:12* While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: *those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost*, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

*John John 10:28* And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, *neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.*

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; *and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.*



*Hebrews 6:17* Wherein God, *willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel,* confirmed it by an oath:

18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

19 Which hope we have as *an anchor of the soul,* both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.


Yes!! He's a Surety to those who were given to Him by the Father!!


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## sevenzedek (Jul 19, 2013)

If Christ satisfied the demands of the law for everyone, then everyone has no more debt to the law. It would be unjust for God to send guiltless people to hell, but people will say that Christ must be appropriated (put on like a piece if clothing) in order to receive the benefits of Christ's work. Well, that is an error because the scriptures teach otherwise. Without a new heart, a person cannot please God by making themselves to believe.

Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him...
Romans 8:8
8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

A person cannot obey God's command to believe without a new heart of flesh. The reason God gives us new heart is to cause us to obey Him. If we do not believe, God has not caused us to believe.
Ezekiel 36:27
I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

Faith is a gift:
Ephesians 2:8
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

No one comes to Christ unless they are dragged (draws, cf. Greek):
John 6:44
44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

The reason people do not believe is precisely because they are not God's sheep:
John 10:26
26 But you do not believe, *because* you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.
One has to be a member of God's family in order to be able to believe.

The reason people do not believe is because they have a moral inability that God has not repaired:
John 12:39-40
Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:
“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,
Lest they should see with their eyes,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.


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## Sovereign Grace (Jul 19, 2013)

Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.


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## sevenzedek (Jul 19, 2013)

What if you said just exactly what the bible says? Would your friend still argue?

Some people will not believe because they are not of Christ's sheep.

Some people will not believe because God has hardened their hearts.

Unbelievers cannot come to God unless God draws them.

How many times does the bible have to say it in order for someone to become convinced? Only once if the Lord wills. Perhaps more if the Lord does not reveal the truth to them immediately. Some will never see it; always finding some way to wiggle out of it.

Arguments are not my idea of a good time.


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