Universal Atonement, the usual theological name for the echo of Scriptures that state Jesus died for all, for everyone, for all people.
Just some of the Scriptures that state this:
1 John 2:2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for
all people,
John 3:16 “For God so loved
the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Hebrews 2:9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death
for everyone.
2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has
died for all
1 John 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior
of the world.
John 1:29 “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin
of the world!"
1 Timothy 4:10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior
of all people.
2 Corinthians 5:15 And
he died for all.
1 Timothy 2:6 Who gave himself as a ransom
for all"
1 Timothy 2:6 "Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom
for all.
2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died
for all.
There are no Scriptures that state, "Jesus did not die for all people but only for some unknown few."
Notes:
1. Universal Atonement does NOT mean that ergo all people have faith - and thus personal justification. There are those for whom Christ died that nonetheless are not saved (justified - narrow sense) since they don't have faith. Universal Atonement embraces that Christ died for all, not that all have faith.
2. Universal Atonement does NOT hold that salvation ONLY depends on the Cross (so that if Christ died for all, all are saved - that's called Universalism, an entirely different and heretical position). Personal faith is also essential (another doctrine). And Universal Atonement does NOT hold that faith is something the dead, unregenerate, atheistic sinner creates in self and gives to self (that too is another doctrine, a heretical one). Universal Atonement holds that Christ died for all, for everyone.
3. Some latter-day radical Calvinists renounced all the Scriptures that specifically verbatim state Universal Atonement, invented the doctrine of LIMITED Atonement, that Christ did NOT die for all, for everyone, for all people.... but ONLY for some unknown few. However, they have not one verse that states that and must reject MANY that specifically state the exact opposite of their view.
4. Universal Atonement is Gospel. Without it, NO ONE could even guess as to whether Jesus died for THEM (in Limited Atonement, He probably did not). We KNOW the Gospel is for us, we KNOW the Cross applies to us for one and only one reason: It applies to ALL, to EVERYONE. If it just some select, unknown FEW then no one CAN know if it applies to them, if it is for them, because there is no list of names in the Bible about who Christ died for and those He did not. Universal Atonement means we can present the Gospel to all because it applies to all, we don't have to add after
John 3:16, "But this probably doesn't mean you, He probably wasn't given for you." The Gospel indeed rests on this for without this we are left with a "terror of the conscience" never knowing if God has grace, mercy, forgiveness, the Christ, the Cross FOR ME. Otherwise, the whole point of Christianity falls.... it's probably not even available or offered to ME.
Limited Atonement - the invention of a few latter-day radical Calvinists in the 17th Century that Jesus died ONLY for the elect and not all.
Scriptures that state that He died ONLY, exclusively, solely for the elect..... none. Nothing. Crickets.
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