Thursday, November 2, 2017

Christ's death was for the elect alone those who believe

"Georgius imagines himself to argue very cleverly when he says, 'Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, those who would exclude the reprobate from participation in the benefits of Christ, must, of necessity, place them somehwere out of the world.' Now we will not permit the common solution of this question to avail on the present occasion, which would have it that Christ suffered sufficiently for all men, but effectually for His elect alone. This great absurdity, by which our monk has procured for himself so much applause amongst his fraternity, has no weight whatever with me. Johm does indeed extens the benefits of the atonement of Christ, which was completed by His death, to all the elect of God throughout what climes of the world soever they may be scattered. But though the case be so, it by no meana alters the fact that the reprobate are mingled with the elect in the world. It is also a fact, without controversy, that Christ came to atone for the sins 'of the whole world.' But the solution of all difficulty is immediately at hand, in the truth and fact, that it is 'whosoever believeth in Him' that 'shall not perish, but shall have eternal life.'" - John Calvin, Eternal Predestination of God, pg. 165

2 comments:

Joel Tay said...

There was a certain professor who got his doctorate arguing that Calvin believed in an unlimited atonement. In class, I products this quote, including another quote in this passage where he pretty much called Pighius a heresy for holding to unlimited atonement among other things. I asked the professor how he would answer that. Turns out, that he did not seem to be aware of this quote by Calvin. I think this quotation is clear that Calvin never held to an unlimited atonement.

Kirk said...

Kevin Kennedy has a book with the idea that Calvin does not teach limited atonement. This quote is found in that book. I think those who want to find unlimited atonement in Calvin are those who simply wish not to study his works.