He gave His life “a ransom for many.”
I must now return to that controverted point again. We are often
told (I mean those of us who are commonly nicknamed by the
title of Calvinists–and we are not very much ashamed of that;
we think that Calvin, after all, knew more about the Gospel than
almost any man who has ever lived, uninspired). We are often
told that we limit the atonement of Christ, because we say that
Christ has not made a satisfaction for all men, or all men would
be saved. Now, our reply to this is, that, on the other hand, our
opponents limit it: we do not. The Arminians say, Christ died for
all men. Ask them what they mean by it. Did Christ die so as to
secure the salvation of all men? They say, “No, certainly not.”
We ask them the next question–Did Christ die so as to secure
the salvation of any man in particular? They answer “No.” They
are obliged to admit this, if they are consistent. They say, “No;
Christ has died that any man may be saved if”–and then follow
certain conditions of salvation.
We say, then, we will go back to the old statement–Christ did
not die so as beyond a doubt to secure the salvation of anybody,
did He? You must say “No;” you are obliged to say so, for you
believe that even after a man has been pardoned, he may yet fall
from grace, and perish. Now, who is it that limits the death of
Christ? Why, you. You say that Christ did not die so as to
infallibly secure the salvation of anybody. We beg your pardon,
when you say we limit Christ’s death; we say, “No, my dear sir,
it is you that do it.” We say Christ so died that He infallibly
secured the salvation of a multitude that no man can number,
who through Christ’s death not only may be saved but are saved,
must be saved, and cannot by any possibility run the hazard of
being anything but saved. You are welcome to your atonement;
you may keep it. We will never renounce ours for the sake of it.
Now, beloved, when you hear any one laughing or jeering at a
limited atonement, you may tell him this. General atonement is
like a great wide bridge with only half an arch; it does not go
across the stream: it only professes to go half way; it does not
secure the salvation of anybody. Now, I had rather put my foot
upon a bridge as narrow as Hungerford, which went all the way
across, than on a bridge that was as wide as the world, if it did
not go all the way across the stream.
I am told it is my duty to say that all men have been redeemed,
and I am told that there is a Scriptural warrant for it–”Who gave
himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” Now, that
looks like a very, very great argument indeed on the other side of
the question. For instance, look here. “The whole world is gone
after him.” Did all the world go after Christ? “Then went all
Judea, and were baptized of him in Jordan.” Was all Judea, or all
Jerusalem baptized in Jordan? “Ye are of God, little children,”
and “the whole world lieth in the wicked one.” Does “the whole
world” there mean everybody? If so, how was it, then, that there
were some who were “of God?” The words “world” and “all” are
used in seven or eight senses in Scripture; and it is very rarely
that “all” means all persons, taken individually The words are
generally used to signify that Christ has redeemed some of all
sorts–some Jews, some Gentiles, some rich, some poor, and has
not restricted His redemption to either Jew or Gentile.
Leaving controversy, however, I will now answer a question.
Tell me, then, sir, whom did Christ die for? Will you answer me
a question or two, and I will tell you whether He died for you.
Do you want a Saviour? Do you feel that you need a Saviour?
Are you this morning conscious of sin? Has the Holy Spirit
taught you that you are lost? Then Christ died for you and you
will be saved. Are you this morning conscious that you have no
hope in the world but Christ? Do you feel that you of yourself
cannot offer an atonement that can satisfy God’s justice? Have
you given up all confidence in yourselves? And can you say
upon your bended knees, “Lord, save, or I perish”? Christ died
for you.
If you are saying this morning, “I am as good as I ought to be; I
can get to Heaven by my own good works,” then, remember, the
Scripture says of Jesus, “I came not to call the righteous, but
sinners to repentance.” So long as you are in that state I have no
atonement to preach to you. But if this morning you feel guilty,
wretched, conscious of your guilt, and are ready to take Christ to
be your only Saviour, I can not only say to you that you may be
saved, but what is better still, that you will be saved. When you
are stripped of everything, but hope in Christ, when you are
prepared to come empty-handed and take Christ to be your all,
and to be yourself nothing at all, then you may look up to Christ,
and you may say, “Thou dear, thou bleeding Lamb of God! thy
griefs were endured for me; by thy stripes I am healed, and by
thy sufferings I am pardoned.” And then see what peace of mind
you will have; for if Christ has died for you, you cannot be lost.
God will not punish twice for one thing. If God punished Christ
for your sin, He will never punish you. “Payment, God’s justice
cannot demand, first, at the bleeding surety’s hand, and then
again at mine.” We can today, if we believe in Christ, march to
the very throne of God, stand there, and if it is said, “Art thou
guilty?” we can say, “Yes, guilty.” But if the question is put,
“What have you to say why you should not be punished for your
guilt?” We can answer, “Great God, thy justice and thy love are
both guarantees that thou wilt not punish us for sin; for didst
thou not punish Christ for sin for us? How canst thou, then, be
just–how canst thou be God at all, if thou dost punish Christ the
substitute, and then punish man himself afterwards?”
Your only question is, “Did Christ die for me?” And the only answer we can
give is–”This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that
Christ came into the world to save sinners.” Can you write your name down
among the sinners–not among the complimentary sinners, but among those
that feel it, bemoan it, lament it, seek mercy on account of it? Are you a
sinner? That felt, that known, that professed, you are now invited to
believe that Jesus Christ died for you, because you are a sinner; and you
are bidden to cast yourself upon this great immovable rock, and find
eternal security in the Lord Jesus Christ.
“This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board.”
