A Precious Yet Forgotten Doctrine: Particular Redemption/Definite Atonement

"I may be called Antinomian or Calvinist for preaching a limited atonement; but I had rather believe a limited atonement that is efficacious for all men for whom it was intended, than an universal atonement that is not efficacious for anybody, except the will of man be joined with it. Why, my brethren, if we were only so far atoned for by the death of Christ that any one of us might afterwards save himself, Christ’s atonement were not worth a farthing, for there is no man of us can save himself — no not under the gospel; for if I am to be saved by faith, if that faith is to be my own act, unassisted by the Holy Spirit, I am as unable to save myself by faith as to save myself by good works."
--Charles Haddon Spurgeon

In an era that lauds innovation and seeks always to be 'new' and 'relevant' we have forgotten some of the most important elements of a sound, Biblical theology. This fact is apparent to all observers of the contemporary theologial scene in Western Christianity and most especially in the arena of Protestant theology: No one ever wants to say something that someone else has already said. We have to be unique! We have to be novel! We have to be 'our own man' in the intellectual realm!

Look at our church, as we simply reflect and mimic the society in which we live: Who gets the praise? Who gets the attention, the prestigious academic positions, the book deals, the media interviews? They go to the 'new' voices, the radical ideas, the notions that we have never entertained before.

And the result of this 'Cult of Newness'? The contemporary Protestant churches in the West have become less and less relevant, less transformative, less innovative and less meaningful in the lives of the people who attend worship and support their mission and ministry.

In our quest for new things and new ideas, we--the leaders of the Western church--have made ourselves irrelevant to the very people we claim to lead.

I would now like to set forth what I see as one of the most tragically lost ideas from the Reformed tradition that we have left behind, to tragic ends: The Biblical doctrine that Christ died to redeem a particular people from sin and death and that Christ's death and resurrection actually redeems all of His elect and brings them to eternal life with Him.

This doctrine has been variously labeled throughout the years: Limited Atonement, Definite Atonement and Particular Redemption being the three most popular titles for the teaching.

Where does it come from? The Gospel of John is quite clear in several places:

All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.

--John 6: 37

“The good shepherd lays down his life the sheep…I know my own and my own know me…and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice….this charge I have received from my Father.”
--John 10:11,14-18

“…You do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”
--John 10:24-29

Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

--John 11: 51-52

"I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. . ."

--John 17: 9, 20

And also see several passages from Acts:

Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

--Acts 13: 48

Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city."

--Acts 18: 9-10

And from Galatians:
“…Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age…”
--Galatians 1:3, 4

And here from Hebrews:

Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
--Heb 9:15

This is just a tiny selection of the relevant Biblical texts that speak of Christ dying and rising to redeem A people from sin. The passages that refer to His atonement for the world then are to be seen in the light of the weight of the proponderance of Biblical evidence: If the vast majority of Biblical references to Christ's atoning work either imply a particular redemption of the elect or a definite atonement for a particular people whom God has given Him, then the passages that speak of an atonement 'for the world' must be seen in the light of a world of God's redeemed elect.

For further research and reading on this doctrine, here are some documents that are quite helpful for understanding this important Biblical truth:

Biblical and Logical Warrant for Definite Atonement
By M. Howell

For Whom Did Christ Taste Death?
by John Piper

2 Peter 2:1 and Universal Redemption
by Simon Escobedo

J.I. Packer's Intro to John Owen's Death of Death

So, why is the recovery of this old, Biblical truth so important for the Protestant churches in the West? Because it is the means of assuring Christians of the hope and certainty of their salvation in Christ and giving them the means of knowing of how really wondrous is the love of God, that He would send His Son to save the lost and actually assure their presence in the Kingdom.

The Definite Redemption of all of Christ's own is our one hope for this fading life. Because we can know that Christ died and rose to save all who come to faith in Him, we can go out and do the work to which He has called us: The proclamation of the gospel to all the ends of the earth.

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. . ."

--John 14: 1-3