Sovereign Grace Church

…this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing…

(JOHN 6:39)

Which exalts Christ more? Which demonstrates more the value and efficacy of Christ’s atonement: That which effectually secures the actual salvation of every one for whom it was made – OR – that which ends in the great majority of those for whom He shed His precious blood being eternally punished in hell?

Surely none with any spiritual discernment can fail to see which view is more glorifying to the Redeemer.

And if we call to mind the nature of His satisfaction, that it was a paying of their debts, a suffering the law’s curse in their stead, in order that they might go free; and when we remember that the Judge of all accepted this atonement, was satisfied with the price Christ paid…then, where would be God’s honor, His justice, His faithfulness, were He, to yet punish millions of those for whom His Son bled and died?

If Christ died for all men universally, then all men universally must be saved. There is no other possible alternative, except to say that God will punish twice, first in the person of Christ the Surety, and then in the persons of those for whom He was already punished.

I am sure none of us is lacking in compassion to his fellow-man, yet we must not allow our pity for men to lead us to make God almighty to be like us in anyway, nor the death of Christ to be ineffectual.

Others may speak for themselves, but I would not dare trust my salvation to a Saviour who was unable to save those for whom He died.

If it were true that Christ shed His blood for those who are now in hell, what guarantee would I have that I shall not go there? An atonement, that fails to atone, a sacrifice, which fails to deliver, is worthless.

To say that salvation turns upon the sinner’s own acceptance of Christ would be like offering a sum of money to a blind man upon condition that he would see.

Many believe in an atonement made for everybody; but then, their atonement is just this; that Judas was atoned for as much as Peter, that the damned in hell were as much an object of Jesus Christ’s satisfaction as the saved in Heaven. In believing that Christ atoned for everyone they must mean that, in the case of multitudes, Christ died in vain, for they say He died for all, and yet so ineffectual was His dying for them, that many are damned afterwards. Now, such an atonement I despise – I reject it. I had rather believe a limited atonement that is efficacious for all for whom it was intended, than an universal one that is not efficacious for anybody, except the will of man be joined with it.