What does "limited atonement" mean?

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Abiding

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But all salvation is individual, based on individual faith.

The faith of the individuals in my group won't save me unless I also have saving faith, individually.

Always glad to help when I can! :)

Sounds like you are an observer of humanity.
thanks again Elin for your great threads. Wow i just spent 2 hours here
I think i need to go to work and get some rest now:p keep it up friend.
 
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eternally-gratefull

Guest
abiding: i don't know what you are saying, or who you are talking to, so i'll have to post this again here:


Originally Posted by eternally-gratefull
they like to live on symbols
Moses held the serpent up high, and said if you look at it, you will live, do not you will die
Many died.. why? if it was so easy that all we had to do is look.. Who forced them to not look at the serpant? better yet, who forced them to look at it?
this is called faith..


Originally Posted by zone
where were all the gentiles getting saved in the surrounding nations?
were they there looking at the serpent also?




could you clarify?
ty dear.
yeah Abiding.

I used an OT passage which spoke of a particular place and a particular event, And she asked why people who were not there at that place were not saved from being bitten by a the snakes who happened to be there and expected me to give her an answer.
she does not even understand the question she asked makes no sense.

especially since God did save MANY gentiles in the OT based on the future death of Christ, which that symbol stood to represent.
 

Elin

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Not really. The bible teaches men go to hell because He damns them for refusing the love of the truth.
Your doctrine teaches that He damns them so they cant receive the love of the truth.
BIG difference
The subject is unjustice,
and the difference under discussion is between the "injustice" of God unconditionally electing some and not all,
and man making the decisive choice to believe, making God "just" in sending them to hell.

My point is to show that removing unconditional election does not make God more just,
because he still creates those whom he knows will choose to go to hell, when he could save them fron hell by just not creating them at all.

How do the actual facts of creation in omniscience make him more loving?

They don't. You still have to reckon with God's sovereign choice, either in election or in creation.
 
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Abiding

Guest
abiding: i don't know what you are saying, or who you are talking to, so i'll have to post this again here:


Originally Posted by eternally-gratefull
they like to live on symbols
Moses held the serpent up high, and said if you look at it, you will live, do not you will die
Many died.. why? if it was so easy that all we had to do is look.. Who forced them to not look at the serpant? better yet, who forced them to look at it?
this is called faith..


Originally Posted by zone
where were all the gentiles getting saved in the surrounding nations?
were they there looking at the serpent also?




could you clarify?
ty dear.
I read you say...." better yet, who forced them to look at it?" "that is called faith"

Faith is not a force unless yer a charismatic:p anyway i just must have
misunderstood you....we can talk about that later. faith made lot not look back
his wife had her heart set on sin. boom. No force was in play either way.
Just an act of the will.
 
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Abiding

Guest
The subject is unjustice, and the difference under discussion is between the "injustice" of God unconditionally electing some and not all, as opposed to man making the decisive choice to believe, making God "just" in sending them to hell.

My point is to show that removing unconditional election does not make God more just,
because he still creates those whom he knows will choose to go to hell, when he could save them fron hell by just not creating them at all.

How do the actual facts of creation in omniscience make him more loving?

They don't. You still have to reckon with God's sovereign choice, either in election or in creation.
I see that is your motive. but it isnt true. off to work now....stay off the fattening food till i get back:p
 

zone

Senior Member
Jun 13, 2010
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sorry. the formatting makes it hard....
okay...:D


Acts 2:21For whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved."
So now we gots a problem huh? whos calling who? And there is alot more text in that same order.
i don't understand what you are saying above.

i suppose, if i am hearing you right, you're saying people are calling on the Name of the Lord without knowing who He is (without Him calling them first - drawing)?

That was not acts 3:9 but look at it in context and you will see who the called are.
again, don't know what you mean "That was not acts 3:9"

Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the hear(HolySpirits conviction,grace), and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; ​and you shall receive(hadnt been regenerated yet)the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved(most versions say "save yourself) from this perverse generation.” 41Then they who gladly received His word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
okay....but what about the Lord calling them to Himself?

could you show where that fits? because it's also in there.

Who calls first...and who was he calling (through peter's preaching)?

"when they heard this"

who was there hearing the sermon? that's what i mean.
why were those specific people there at that time to hear the message that it was prophesied they were to hear?
Jesus had already blinded the Pharisees - He cursed them.

so they didn't hear. the permanent residents of Jerusalem were the mockers....they were the ones who mocked and didn't hear. not any non-israelites from

and where were all the gentiles around the world at that time?

Paul said they were lost, without hope and God.

no Gospel, no Temple, no knowing the Lord of Creation, nothing.
pagan idolators.

so what i am asking is, you said Romans 9 was not about individual salvation.
but we see in Acts it very specifically was. prophesied to a NATION first, and individuals received the word and were saved.

again i'll ask...what were those specific people doing in that very location on that day to hear that sermon and be saved?

who called them?:) how did they come to be in that location?
and that itself was prophesied in Genesis, we now know.
that the serpent cult from Babylon would be in place to conspire with Romans to put Jesus to death.

i know the Gospel (the Spirit's speaking whether through peter at that time, or through the Scriptures to us today IS the Power unto salvation.) that's not the question for me.

what i am wondering about the calling is....what about all the ppl who were not called from gentile nations before Pentecost?

did they have a chance to call on the name of the Lord? they didn't know the Lord. they surely didn't know His Name.

i don't know....what do you think?

(please understand, if we can, between you and i mike .....i do not want to make this about when regeneration in the sequence of salvation takes place, if possible...okay? that's not really going to help me get to what i'm wondering. at this point i'm wondering about CALLING in general - nationally as we see does happen, then individually. )

i may be way off topic.
i'll have to assess it.

All are called John 1:9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
from the beginning?

Ephesians 2
11Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

ephsians 2 says clearly that the gentiles were far off and without hope, and did not have God.
and it says that they were brought near.

again, this is saying that they (as a multitude...i don't mean proselytes and strangers who were included in the commonwealth) could not have come until God's Time said so.

doesn't it? isn't that what it is saying?
 

zone

Senior Member
Jun 13, 2010
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I read you say...." better yet, who forced them to look at it?" "that is called faith"

Faith is not a force unless yer a charismatic:p anyway i just must have
misunderstood you....we can talk about that later. faith made lot not look back
his wife had her heart set on sin. boom. No force was in play either way.
Just an act of the will.
i thought that's what happened.
could you please be more careful mike?:)

i didn't say that:

Originally Posted by eternally-gratefull
they like to live on symbols
Moses held the serpent up high, and said if you look at it, you will live, do not you will die
Many died.. why? if it was so easy that all we had to do is look.. Who forced them to not look at the serpant? better yet, who forced them to look at it?
this is called faith..
 

Elin

Banned
Jan 19, 2013
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wellyou tell me? maybe because he wanted to prove to creation he was a loving God and Satan was a liar? I mean scripture does say God uses US to teach ANGELS of his love and mercy..
Well Scripture states it was to make known the manifold wisdom of his plan in Christ. The subject is specifically the wisom of his plan, not the plan itself.

so what did God do? he knew they would sin, but created them anyway knowing he would pay the debt for their sin, and offer a chance to restore them to a relationship based on the love of his son.. . . .knowing they would refuse the offer, and he still created them anyway, when he could have lovingly saved them from hell by not creating them.
More lipstick on what you find odious about God's sovereignty.
 

Elin

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Jan 19, 2013
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Well dont credit limited atonement for solving that "awful". It isnt solved, just answered.
You still have to live with the implications of that "answer". Yikes...how do you spell desensitize?
The Holy Spirit doesn't allow God's word to desensitize us.
 

zone

Senior Member
Jun 13, 2010
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You still have to reckon with God's sovereign choice, either in election or in creation.
and this is the core of the issue.
for me anyhow, at this time.

God's choices.

maybe posting on His choice of Israel above other nations, through whom He would bring The Seed is my approach for a time.

even a look at The Lord's genealogy (if nothing else) shows He Himself made precise, absolute choices.

because that's in there also.

for us to say this kind of choice is not like individual choice is guesswork as far as i can see.

but i reckon it's time for me to look at what you have on man's responsiblity Elin.
i'm looking back at this, since i must have made a decision at some point, but i sure don't remember it.
 

Elin

Banned
Jan 19, 2013
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Elin,

This is really bugging me. How is it that since I think that we are to do God's work of believing in the One He sent that I am unregenerated. For me to be unregenerated, that means I have not been born a child of God. If not a child of God, then I am a child of the wrath. If a child of the wrath, then I shall partake of the second death.....All because I do not agree with your way of thinking.....
I'm a little behind in responding to these posts.

That was addressed here.
 
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eternally-gratefull

Guest
Well Scripture states it was to make known the manifold wisdom of his plan in Christ. The subject is specifically the wisom of his plan, not the plan itself.


yep. the wisdom of his plan. PURE love

you keep forgetting what satans lie was against him. How do you prove a liar is a liar? by doing exactly what he claims is the lie, and proving he is the one who is the liar.

Satans lie was many

1. God just wants us to do what he wills. and not think for our self.
2. God does what he does and does not care for anyone. or for only select people
3. God is a dictator. who has you on his leash and forces you to do whatever he wills.


Christ did that by showing his perfect love, and having satan himself nail the hands and feet of Christ to the cross..

If God just randomly picks and choses condemned people to be saved, yet has the power to save everyone and does not offer them salvation also. His plan backfired. Satan is seen as showing truth. God wants people to do what he does not allow them to think for themself. He forces people to do what he wills. like a dog on a leash, and he only cares for a select group of people (those ho chooses)


which is exactly what satan said about him in the first place.


More lipstick on what you find odious about God's sovereignty.
The only lipstick is you taking what I said and erasing most of it, and pasting something else to make it look like I said something else.

You have not discussed scripture much have you? You do not do things like this., and expect people to come to your side of the table to agree with you.. what you do is alienate people so they would not want to believe you, even if they agreed with you.
 
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and this is the core of the issue.
for me anyhow, at this time.

God's choices.

maybe posting on His choice of Israel above other nations, through whom He would bring The Seed is my approach for a time.

even a look at The Lord's genealogy (if nothing else) shows He Himself made precise, absolute choices.

because that's in there also.

for us to say this kind of choice is not like individual choice is guesswork as far as i can see.

but i reckon it's time for me to look at what you have on man's responsiblity Elin.
i'm looking back at this, since i must have made a decision at some point, but i sure don't remember it.
God did make absolute choices as to the genealogy of his Son, he knew the line that he wanted his Son to come from and he insured that Jesus came from the tribe of Judah, the royal line of David but I venture to say that choosing a blood line is different from one receiving salvation.

Israel was God's chosen elect and that is why salvation through Christ was made available to them [Jew] first but they (note: some did believe) chose not to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. Now being that being the case . .why didn't all Jews believe since they were the chosen, the elect?
When we read Hebrews 11. . .What is the "witness"?

By faith Noah prepared an ark . . .
By faith Abraham
was called to go out into a place which he should after receive an inheritance, obeyed and By faith Abraham offered up Isaac . . .
Through faith Sara received strength to conceive see, she judged him faithful who had promised. . .

Would Noah have been saved from the flood if he had not chosen to obey? Would Abraham received an inheritance or been imputed righteousness had he not chosen to obey? Would Sara have conceived had she not chosen to obey the one she judged faithful? They each acted on the trust and faith in God to be faithful to what he promised.

I don't know if I am making any sense. . .sometimes it's hard to get across what is in your heart to say :)
 
Feb 21, 2012
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TO BELIEVE OR NOT BELIEVE. . . IS THAT A CHOICE?

THAT IS THE QUESTION! :cool:
 

Elin

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Im not saying that election isnt a part of the plan of redemption.
But all election isnt to salvation.
Good job, here, Mike.

But. . . those elected in the NT are elected only to salvation.

Whereas in the OT, election of Israel meant to God's purpose, it did not mean to salvation.

In Rom, Paul is discussing the OT election of Israel to God's purpose, not to salvation.

But you are applying it to the meaning of NT election, which is only to salvation.

Yes im sure about the context of Romans 9 and it "is not" a place
to glean doctrine about salvation
unless you understand the overriding theme
of what Paul is talking about.
So you're saying that understanding the overriding theme then makes it a place to glean doctrine about salvation?

And so it is the place to glean doctrine regarding the meaning of God's sovereignty in all election,
whether it is OT election to God's purpose, or NT election to salvation.

For instance "harden" does not mean damnation. Neither does "mercy" mean salvation.
But all those whom God hardens in Ro are hardened to belief in Jesus Christ and are, therefore, damned because of their unbelief.

Even tho those who will be damned are going to be hardened, and those who are saved will
have been given mercy. If you only knew the context. And what blindness, hardenned, cut off really
meant
. You would understand.
Well, "cut off" means unbelieving Israel has been cut off from the one olive tree of God's people,
which is the NT church of believing Jews and Gentiles.
The church is those who are in Christ.
Therefore, unbelieving Israel is not in Christ, and all those outside Christ at their death are damned.

That means unbelieving Israel is not, and has not been, saved for two millennia now.
That's a lot o' folks who have not been saved.

I can see that you dont understand the context, and what is being labored for three chapters.
I think I do.
The context is belief and unbelief, and Israel's rejection and cutting off because of unbelief.

Unbelieving Israel is cut off from the one olive tree of God's people, which is the NT church, the body of Christ.
And there is no salvation outside the body of Christ.

If hardened, blinded, cut off meant damnation, then NO Israelite could have "ever" been saved.
But Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, etc., etc., etc. were not cut off because of unbelief.

Every Israelite did not, and has not, experienced hardening and cutting off from salvation by God.
Only a partial number have been cut off since the time of Christ.
A minority has been, and is being, saved.

romans 9 is not saying what your saying it says.
Well Ro 9 is about the sovereignty of God in OT election to his purpose.

And that shows the meaning of God's sovereignty in NT election to salvation.

And then Ro 11 treats of unbelieving Israel's cutting off from the one olive tree of God's people, which is the NT church of believing Jews and Gentiles, and the body of Christ outside which there is no salvation.
 

Elin

Banned
Jan 19, 2013
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Its not in any good hermeneutic to add personal thought to any verse
John 6:65 is a truth to be sure. The problem isnt what Jesus said but
rather whats put into it such as what happened before the Father gave
us to the Son.

Some say we were regenerated then given to the Son....ok good so far.
Then others may say we were regenerated in order to receive the gospel....now thats
where we run off the tracks.

In otherwords enabling is a must. To say that that makes it necessary to be regenerated first
isnt taught in scripture.

Whats in the scripture is that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation.
So what does "no one can come to Jesus unless the Father enables him" mean to you?

I see enablement, then coming.
I see no coming, without enablement.

But if enablement is in the natural order of things, and all are enabled, what is Jesus point here?
 

Elin

Banned
Jan 19, 2013
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foreknew comes first, then:
predestined--->called--->justified--->glorified
The meaning of God's foreknowledge is addressed in the OP of the thread, "Sovereignty of God and the Moral Responsiblity of Man," here.
 

zone

Senior Member
Jun 13, 2010
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It's the same as me being a slave to gravity.

I am not free in my person to overcome its limitations.

I must go outside my person to overcome it.
is there really any question about this Elin?
how can anyone suppose it is any different?
it's beyond me.
ttyl
 

Elin

Banned
Jan 19, 2013
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I must disagree.

People looked because they trusted. They did not look, then have faith. it was those who did not look that did not have faith, or they would have looked, they were to worried about themselves looking down so they could see what where they were going 9trying to save themselves) instead of blindly looking at the serpant (thus God) (faith is a hope which is NOT SEEN) and letting God lead them.
Where does Scripture report some did not look?

There is no Scriptural basis for saying some did not look.

You are adding to the word of God (1Co 4:6).
 
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