Limited Atonement is the “L” in TULIP, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed doctrine of salvation. This is the “deal breaker” for many Arminians who may be sympathetic to the other points of Calvinism, but they strongly and emotionally reject this Calvinist point of Limited Atonement. Rather than hide or minimize the importance of this point, let us take on this point in the beginning of this new blog.
For the Calvinist, Christ’s atonement is limited in the sense that Christ’s atonement applies to only a limited number of people which are “the Elect”. In other words, Christ only died for the Elect. However, Christ’s death, which we can also describe as “His blood”, completely purchased, redeemed, and saved every one of His people, the Elect, providing all the benefits necessary for salvation including the gift of faith. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. …” Ephesians 1:3-8 (Emphasis added.) For the Calvinist, there is truly Almighty Power in this Blood! For an expanded description of Limited Atonement, you can go to my web site www.reformeddoctrine.org to the TULIP link.
In contrast, the Arminian believes in “Universal Atonement” which maintains that Christ died for everyone. At first glance, that may seem fairer, more “democratic”. Everybody has a chance to be saved. But, the Arminian will be the first to admit that Christ’s blood, which they believe was shed for everyone, did not purchase or save everyone, because many, indeed most, will go to hell. The Arminian believes that the difference and determining factor between those who go to hell and those who go to heaven is not the blood, because everyone gets the blood. The Arminian believes that the difference and determining factor between those who go to hell and those who go to heaven is man’s free will act of faith. For the Arminian, there is not much power in the blood; the power is in man’s free will act of faith.
What does Scripture state about the importance of how we view Christ’s blood?
“For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said: “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” And again, THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:26-31.
I think this Scripture applies to Arminians who steadfastly continue to hang on to Arminianism despite receiving knowledge of the truth of Calvinism. They hang on to the false doctrine that Jesus died for everyone (“Universal Atonement” – The Third Point of Arminianism) and they love to speak about the power in Christ’s blood. But, Arminians realize that their doctrine forces them to conclude that Christ’s blood (as they claim, shed for everyone) by itself did not save, “purchase”, nor “redeem” anyone, because they admit that most people are not saved. Arminians claim that it is up to man to generate his own faith through his own free will in order to make Christ’s blood effective to save. They claim that the only difference between the saved and the unsaved is not Christ’s blood, because everyone gets the blood, but rather the only difference is whether or not a certain individual will generate his own faith through his own free will to make the blood effective. According to this logic of these Arminians, man’s free will act of faith, not Christ’s blood, is the determining factor as to whether or not one will be saved.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 