Journal: Journal of Ministry and Theology
Volume: JMAT 15:1 (Spring 2011)
Article: The Will Of God And The Death Of Christ: A Case For The Universal Scope Of The Atonement
Author: Ken Gardoski

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The Will Of God And The Death Of Christ: A Case For The Universal Scope Of The Atonement

Dr. Ken Gardoski

Associate Professor of Systematic Theology

Baptist Bible Seminary, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania

A perennial debate among evangelicals is the extent of the atonement.1 The dispute is more or less intramural, depending upon the doctrinal orientation of the parties involved. More broadly, the debate takes place between Calvinists and Arminians.2 Simply put, “Arminians hold that Christ’s death was for all men alike, and that it secures for everyone a measure of common grace whereby all are able to believe if they will.”3 In contrast, Calvinists generally claim that Christ’s death did not just make salvation a mere possibility for all people; instead, the death of Christ is part of God’s plan to secure the salvation of

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those he has chosen to save. The debate between Calvinists and Arminians is not over whether or not all people will be saved. Both agree that this is not the case. Their debate is over the relationship between Christ’s death and other doctrines such as God’s sovereignty and grace, election, and total depravity. For the most part this paper will not deal with this broader Calvinist-Arminian debate.

The narrower debate takes place between Calvinists and is the subject of this paper. On one side are Calvinists who hold to unlimited atonement or universal redemption—let us call their position Universal Redemption Calvinism (hereafter URC). They are often called four-point Calvinists or Amyraldians.4 They typically hold to the five points of Calvinism save one: limited atonement.5 Like Arminians they insist that Christ died for all people, but like Calvinists they insist that this in no way casts doubt upon God’s sure plan to save his elect. On the other side are Calvinists who embrace limited atonement or particular redemption—let us call their position Particular Redemption Calvinism (hereafter PRC). They are five-point Calvinists who believe that Christ died only for those who will actually be saved.6 This intramural Calvinist debate is not over the sufficiency of Christ’s death to pay for the sins of all people. Both

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agree that it was sufficient. Their debate is over the question, For who...