Did Jesus Really Die for Everyone?

Did Jesus truly die for every person, was His blood spilt on that cross for the entire world or just for a select number of God’s chosen? This is the question of Unlimited Atonement versus Limited Atonement? Which of these does the Bible actually teach? This question is a question usually discussed among those who throw doctrine and theology around as if some hobby to be enjoyed. Don’t get me wrong, theology is a wonderfully joyful thing to be explored. However, detached from practicality, it doesn’t do the institution of the Church much good.

The good news is, the atonement is not this mystical thing that is symbolic. It’s an actual death of an actual God-man (Jesus of Nazareth), who had only but so much blood that could empty from His body. (Because He did indeed humble Himself to take on a human body). 

Though it is true the amount of blood in His human body was finite, it is not as if a certain amount of that blood is needed for the atonement of one individual’s sin. If this was the case we’d have to do some math and therefore atonement would absolutely and necessarily be limited in the sense that Jesus’ human body only had but so much blood in it.

However, what we see in the Old Testament scriptures, is that the people who ‘chose’ to be numbered among the nation of Israel, had their sin atoned for in the tabernacle with the high priest.

In other words, one lamb died and whoever would have that lamb’s blood cover their sin, would be accounted for under that blood.

So it is with Christ, His blood, His sacrifice is available to atone for whosoever would have His blood and Jesus Himself be the propitiation/substitute for their sin.

His atonement and sacrifice are living and infinite. That is not finite. It is not the finiteness of the physical blood that is limited in its effectiveness to cover all who salvation is offered to. His atonement extends to the elect, whosoever responds or ‘chooses’ to be numbered among the elect. 

Consider the final plague in Egypt, leading to the Exodus of the Israelites: there was not instructions on how much of the lamb’s blood to put on the doorpost, only that they take the blood and apply it. 

So it may be with Christ and the elect, that whosoever responds to the grace-filled effectual call of God, in Jesus, applies the blood of Jesus to the metaphorical doorpost of their souls. The only difference in this atonement, the blood of Jesus poured out on that cross at Calvary, is available as a representative, an ambassador, an intercessor even for anyone who, on Judgement Day, chooses to plea the blood of Jesus. Which can and will only be done by those who have accepted Jesus as their substitute on this side of eternity.

To be clear, the atonement cannot be applied to those who do not believe and follow Jesus. If this were the case, their sins would be atoned for without the necessity of repentance and the profession of Christ. Atonement implies that the work of covering one’s sin is complete, not that it is available to an individual. So in this sense, the atonement is limited, because there will be those who reject it and are damned to the eternal consequences of sin. Their sins were at no point atoned for. However, the atonement of sin, is not limited in its ability to save “whosoever” (John 3:16). It is like a speeding ticket I have received that has been paid for by someone else, I need only to show up and point to the receipt of payment. If I do not accept and show that my ticket has been paid for, then I am left the responsibility to pay.

A sinner…whosoever… needs only to point the receipt of payment, which is the cross of Jesus Christ, if they so ‘choose’ through the work and enabling of the Holy Spirit.

The atonement of our sin, It is limited in its final application, it is not limited in its ability to extend to whosoever. In other words, the blood of Jesus and its salvific power is available to all people (unlimited in its ability), yet it will only extend to those who point to it as their receipt of payment (limited in its application).

This is not to imply God doesn’t know who will or will not accept His offer of salvation. We should affirm that He does (God is omniscient). He declares and therefore knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). He is also the one who calls a sinner to repentance. One cannot come to the Father unless He draws them (John 6:44). One cannot come unless he enabled by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3). Therefore, even in our “choosing” it is not outside of the will and sovereignty of God and the enabling of the Holy Spirit that we can respond to God’s work. We affirm God is sovereign and that the Father governs each believer’s process to saving faith through the work of the Holy Spirit who ultimately testifies to Jesus. 

I feel led to share this idea that I believe actually doesn’t support or challenge the doctrine as laid out in this article; I think we have to be careful to assume that mention of the “the world” in the Bible, always ever means every human. We have to consider that the Jewish people struggled with the idea that Jesus’ death was also extended to the Gentiles (non-Jews). So it is possible, and even likely, that Jesus and the New Testament authors were reminding and affirming that the blood of Jesus was also available for Gentiles. That said, consider 1 John 2:2,

“and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

We have to let the clear scripture clarify that which is unclear for us. We know there will be people who reject Christ and will face the wrath of God (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). If that is the case, then the blood of Jesus does not atone for their sin. So we must then understand the intent of John’s words here is to affirm for the Jewish audience, not that all people will be saved, but that the blood of Jesus is available for whoever, Jews and Gentiles alike.

It is fun and enjoyable time with God when we get to spend intimate time getting to know Him, but it is in vain if we do not then respond outwardly to what we know of our God internally. Extreme and unbiblical views of this doctrine have caused some to misunderstand our call to evangelize, to fulfill the Great Commission in a way that humbly accepts we do not know who will repent, just as much we do not know who will reject Christ. A balanced view (and a more biblical view in my opinion) of Limited Atonement, leads us to affirm that God is able to do whatever He pleases, it leads us to affirm that He is a God of Unlimited power and able to save the “whosoever,” if they would but only “believe in Him” (John 3:16).