steven-nemes
Puritan Board Sophomore
What thoughts do you have, and what are possible Arminian responses? This is not my own argument; I've heard it before but never discussed it at length.
1. If Jesus died to atone for everyone's sin, then everyone would go to heaven.
2. Not everyone goes to heaven.
3. Therefore, Jesus did not die to atone for everyone's sin.
As regards the first premise, if Jesus died to atone for the sins of everyone everywhere, why doesn't everyone go to heaven? Well, presumably, they have to "receive" forgiveness by putting their faith in him. Those who do not put their faith in him, it seems, are not forgiven of their sins.
Let's say there is a person S who hears the gospel and refuses to put his faith in Christ. Is S committing a sin in rejecting the gospel? It seems so:
Acts 17:30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.
Now I suppose a definition of sin would be failing to do what God commands, or doing what God commands that a person not do. Now, if God commands everyone everywhere to repent, then if a person refuses to do so, then that person is sinning. But that sin is covered by the death of Christ. So then everyone goes to heaven.
But clearly not everyone goes to heaven.
Therefore, Jesus' death did not atone for all the sins of mankind.
1. If Jesus died to atone for everyone's sin, then everyone would go to heaven.
2. Not everyone goes to heaven.
3. Therefore, Jesus did not die to atone for everyone's sin.
As regards the first premise, if Jesus died to atone for the sins of everyone everywhere, why doesn't everyone go to heaven? Well, presumably, they have to "receive" forgiveness by putting their faith in him. Those who do not put their faith in him, it seems, are not forgiven of their sins.
Let's say there is a person S who hears the gospel and refuses to put his faith in Christ. Is S committing a sin in rejecting the gospel? It seems so:
Acts 17:30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.
Now I suppose a definition of sin would be failing to do what God commands, or doing what God commands that a person not do. Now, if God commands everyone everywhere to repent, then if a person refuses to do so, then that person is sinning. But that sin is covered by the death of Christ. So then everyone goes to heaven.
But clearly not everyone goes to heaven.
Therefore, Jesus' death did not atone for all the sins of mankind.