Anti Substitutionary Death Argument Is Same Argument Made For Limited Atonement

Calvinist Baptist Brian Gunter’s July 18 Facebook post makes the following argument for the Limited Atonement (that Jesus only died for the elect):

· Did Jesus pay for the sins of people who will be eternally punished in h-e-l-l?

· If Jesus already paid for their sins, why do they go to h-e-l-l?

· What are those in h-e-l-l suffering for if Jesus already paid for their sins in full?

Can you see any difference whatsoever in the Calvinist’s above argument for the Limited Atonement and gospel preacher Bryan Garlock’s following argument against the Substitutionary Death of Christ? – “If Jesus paid the price … penalty … owed to the sinner, then all I’ll ever expect is eternal life (Rom. 6.23b), because my sentence has already been served” (Dec 23, 2014 email). I can’t see any perceptible difference myself.

Doesn’t the Bible actually say Jesus paid the price for our sins?:

· Acts 20:28 Jesus “purchased” the church with his own blood

· Tit 2:14 Jesus did "redeem” us (“… payment …” – Thayer)

· I Tim 2:6 Jesus was a “ransom” for all (“price” – Thayer)

· I Cor 6:20 Jesus “bought” us with his blood (“buy” – Thayer, “to acquire the possession of … by paying … an equivalent” – dictionary.com)

Why is there even a debate on this detail?

In my personal evangelism studies, I like to illustrate the General Atonement this way: A star baseball player buys tickets for all 100 boys in an orphanage to go to his MLB game. But some of those orphans may choose not to go, not to take advantage of the free tickets. Similarly, we have to meet God’s conditions to take advantage of Jesus’ sacrificial death for all mankind (Heb 2:9).

We can illustrate the Vicarious Atonement in a similar way: A selfless King offers to die in the place of all his soldiers who are prisoners of war, and does so. But some rebellious POWs may choose not to accept their King’s substitution. Likewise, those who do not meet God’s conditions of salvation do not take advantage of Jesus’ vicarious death for all mankind (Gal 3:13).

Universal Provision, Individual Application (Kevin Kay) is the answer to both – Calvinism’s Limited Atonement and the equivalent Anti Vicarious Atonement argument.

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