Weekly Devotional 5-23-16 The Straight of Things
Is there such a thing as limited atonement? Yes and no! God’s atonement for sin is limited to those who put their trust in Him, and His atonement is not given to those who refuse to turn to Him for the forgiveness of their sin. If this were not true, heaven would be filled with unrighteous persons. Persons who had not been given the righteousness of Jesus Christ which is the condition of salvation.
In Old Testament times, those of God’s chosen people Israel had the righteousness of Christ applied to them. Even though many of them died years before God took upon Himself the humanity of Jesus, they believed God about their sin and their need for forgiveness and God’s provision. God gave them His Law, (the Mosaic Law) and prescribed sacrifices. The Law and the sacrifices pointed to Jesus; specifically His sacrifice. So, was that forgiveness and atonement limited to them? No. God also made provision for the Gentiles. Through His covenant with the children of Israel He made provision. Gentiles were to become proselytes of Israel and the Mosaic Law. The point is, the atonement was not limited to Israel.
The citizens of Nineveh would be an example of this. God sent Jonah to tell them of God’s mercy, His grace, and His atonement. The theme of the Book of Jonah is that God’s mercy and compassion extended even to heathen nations on condition of their repentance. The Ninevites repented and turned to God. What caused them to repent? Paul answers in his letter to the Romans. “Do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4). Certainly then God’s atonement was not limited to the Israelites. However, His atonement was limited to those who believed, who trusted Him for their salvation and not to everyone.
Concerning these New Testament days, we should turn to Jesus’ own words; “14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed” (John 3:14-20 NKJV).
Do we see limited atonement in Jesus’ words? Yes, but the limitation is brought about by a hardness of heart, unbelief and rejection. Atonement and forgiveness are found in the blood of Christ. His sacrifice was for all of mankind and is available to everyone, past, present and future who turn to Him, but is only applicable to those who do turn to Him.
The question is, have you turned to Him in repentance, believing and accepting the offered atonement?
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Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man
Steve Lampman