Refuting The Calvinist Heresy Of Limited Atonement

1st John 2:1-2, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Limited Atonement is the false teaching that Jesus Christ only died for the saints. We know this is theologically wrong simply from examining our text passage in 1st John 2:2. I love big theological words in the Bible like imputation, sanctification and propitiation. The word “propitiation” means “to appease one's wrath.” It is through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross that man can obtain peace with God, appeasing the wrath of a holy God against all sinners. Romans 5:1-2, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Jesus is the one Mediator between God and men, in Whom we obtain peace with God. 1st Timothy 2:5-6, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” Only through Jesus can anyone be saved!

The heresy of Limited Atonement is commonly taught as part of five false doctrines popularized by John Calvin (1483-1546) in the 16th century. John Calvin (1483-1546) was an unsaved reprobate and a heretic. Calvin taught Baptismal Regeneration (the false doctrine that water baptism is required for salvation). Calvin was wrong on many doctrinal issues, including Limited Atonement. If Christ only died for believers, then why would He have wasted His time trying to convert the unbelieving Pharisees and Scribes? I mean, if God chooses who will or won't be saved, then why bother to go soul-winning? Why bother to try to get anybody saved? Yet, the Scriptures teach us to be “fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19, “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Isn't that beautiful?

I am going to give you a Bible verse that IRREFUTABLY proves Jesus died for ALL mankind, and NOT just for the church. Many foolish believers have bought into lie that Jesus didn't die for those who go to Hell. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus Christ shed His blood for ALL mankind. 2nd Peter 2:1, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” Did you read that? ... "Even DENYING THE LORD THAT BOUGHT THEM." 

According to the Calvinist heresy of "Limited Atonement," Jesus only redeemed those whom He knew would one day get saved. The Word of God never teaches limited atonement. On the contrary, the Bible states: "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." How could anyone teach that Christ only died for certain sinners, when we're ALL sinners?

2nd Peter 2:1 is very clear. Jesus, with His blood, bought false prophets too! 2nd Peter 2:1b, “even denying the Lord that bought them...” Did you read that? ... "Even DENYING THE LORD THAT BOUGHT THEM."  If I buy you a gift for your birthday, that doesn't mean you have to accept it. You could reject my gift and refuse to accept it. This is exactly how salvation works. Romans 5:15b calls salvation a "free gift." Again we read in Romans 6:23b that eternal life is a "gift," paid for by Jesus' blood. God put forth salvation to mankind as a free gift, and all He asks of us is that we believe upon His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to be saved eternally.

Christ died, He was buried. He physically miraculously resurrected three days later from the dead for our sins. That is the “Gospel” according to 1st Corinthians 15:1-4. If you receive Christ's sacrifice on the cross as payment for your sins, then you are saved immediately and eternally. It is Jesus' precious blood that washes our sins away (1st Peter 1:18-19; 1st John 1:7; Revelation 1:5). We are born again by the Spirit of God (John 1:13), by faith in the seed of God's Word (1st Peter 1:23). The inspired King James Bible teaches in John 3:16, “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The 5 Points Of Calvinism Refuted
(an awesome MP3 sermon by Pastor Steven L. Anderson)

Calvinists have a hard time understanding how God can love wicked, Christ-rejecting, sinners. Many people misunderstand that there are various types of love in the Bible. Two of them are the words agape and phileo. God agapes (unconditionally loves) the world, which sent Christ to the cross to die for men's sins; but God only phileos (is fond of) those who receive Christ and obey Him. Agape is a choice. I choose to love everyone. Phileo is a feeling, a fondness. I am fond of my loved ones. God does not phileo the wicked. But God unconditionally agapes the world. Phileo is conditional. Agape is unconditional. Some preachers make fun of these Greek words, but they shouldn't, because the Bible uses these different Greek words for love.

The whole concept of God's love for mankind is that "...while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). For Calvinists to claim that Jesus only died for the saved, is to say that Jesus didn't love unsaved people enough to suffer the cross for them, or to die for them. 1st John 3:16, "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Think about how selfish and cold it would be if God said to lost sinners: "I'll love you enough to die for you, IF you accept me as your Savior; but if you reject me, then I don't love you enough to suffer for you, and you mean nothing to me." Does God only love those that love Him? How shallow that would be.

The Deceptive Doctrine of Calvinism
(a helpful article by Pastor Bob Gray Sr.)

Was it not Jesus Himself who said in Matthew 5:26, "For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?" Only an ignorant or malicious person would teach Limited Atonement in lieu of Christ's plain teachings. Jesus would not contradict His teachings on love, by only loving those who love Him back. In contrast we read in 1st John 4:19, "We love him, because he first loved us." The whole idea of limited atonement is absurd.

Here's another Scripture which teaches that Christ is the Savior of all humanity. 1st Timothy 4:10, “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” Jesus is the Savior of ALL MEN—especially those that believe! How much clearer could the Bible be in this matter?

If Jesus didn't die for unsaved people, then how can we preach the love of God to them? No, Jesus died for ALL humanity, saved and unsaved alike, just as John 3:16 proclaims, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The Calvinist doctrine of 'Limited Atonement' is a LIE of the Devil;

Jesus died on the cross to pay for the sins of “EVERY MAN” . . .

Hebrews 2:9, “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”

If you're not DEAD, God's not DONE!!!

“AMERICA'S PULPITS HAVE BECOME WEAK!”

—Pastor Jeff Owens, “Unloved Preachers”

“The Great Commission is not to preach the Gospel to congregations, but to individuals.” —Dr. John R. Rice, a needful quote from the book titled: 'PERSONAL SOUL WINNING'