The articles I gave you are full of the Scriptures. Scripture repeatedly qualifies those for whom Christ laid down His life in such a way as to point to a very definite limitation. Those for whom He suffered and died are variously called 'His sheep,' John 10:11, 15, 'His Church,' Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25-27, 'His people,' Matt. 1:21, and 'the elect,' Rom. 8:32-35."
These are all referencing the purpose of the redemptive work of Christ. Again, one must go back to the beginning. The Creation and fall and result. Adam was created good, he was neither mortal nor immortal. He lived a life in communion with God. He was created in God's image in the Likeness of Him. Man in this Image is free, communal, and distinctive. God created man a free moral agent. One who could love and obey Him freely, without compulsion, force, or any other restriction. We also know that from the beginning we were predestined to be conformed to His Image. That is what Adam was in the process of doing when he sinned. He sinned thus plunging man and the universe into death and corruption. The judgement against Adam was death. Death thus reigns for all mankind. We inherit this judgement. Adam also died instantly. Because he now exhibited the results of death, thus sin, the communion he had with God was also lost. There was nothing inherently wrong with His walk with God. It was that it was no longer possible. Man was now on a trek of annihilation. Physical death, is the separation of body and soul. Man was not created to be mortal but immortal. If man is dead, and no longer able to commune with God, his created purpose, upon his physical death, would be eternally separated from God. We know this as well from the fact that God evicted Adam from the Garden so that he did not have access to the Tree of Life which, if he partook of it now, would guarantee that annihilation. Eternally in a death state and void God's creation.
Christ was the answer as He had promised Adam right from the beginning. Christ would overcome the judgement of Adam for all of mankind. For the universe. It is all part of God's creation which fell under the judgement of Adam.
Christ overcame death so that mankind could be freed from the bondage of death and sin. The death of Adam was reversed, Christ brought Life to the universe. That was the primary work of Christ. This was done in order that God might once again have communion with man. The world was reconciled to God by Christ's victory on the Cross. He put the universe in a right relationship, He (God) justified the universe through through Christ's work.
So far we have spoken of redemption. Now man is able to again walk with God. God redeems mankind so that He is able to call ALL men to himself. Every man must answer to God's call. There is no passivity here. One must either accept Christ or reject Him. There is no gray area. When we accept Him by faith we enter into His Kingdom through baptism which is repentance and the forgiveness of sins. This forgiveness was made possible only because of Christ's atonement on the cross. A secondary gift for those who would accept Him. Sin was not eradicated, man's sinful nature was not done away with, we still live in a sinful environment, and thus to stay in communion, we must seek forgiveness of our sins. Sin still separates us from God as it did Adam. We chose whether we will love and obey willingly or reject Him freely. As long as we remain IN Christ there is no condemnation IN Christ. Those that believe not have already been condemned. The rest of the NT is about remaining faithful, running the course, enduring to the end. If we fail, we will fall under condemnation as well. The atonement removed the penalty of those sins, but only if we seek forgiveness.
No place in scripture will you find any limitation on the redemptive work of Christ. Never does it say that He came to save some of the lost. He came to save the lost. Does that mean only some or all? If some, then some are not lost. He also came to save sinners to repentance. For you there would of necessity be some who are not sinners.
He redeemed mankind so that all men could be called to repentance. It never says that some will be called to repentance. He also states that He desires that all be saved. For this reason He redeemed all men, otherwise God is lying to us for He really only came to save some and really only desires that some be saved.
God does not really love mankind. God is not really love. He loves only some and is willing to let the rest of His creation to become annihilated, including the physical universe. You then will have a problem with His second coming and the establishment of a New Heaven and New Earth. This one has already been redeemed, just needs purification.
I might also add this question? Do you believe in the Incarnation of Christ?
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but “the” Church, referring to one that believes in correct doctrine
by scriptural definition, the Church is Christ. So I would assume that He believes in correct doctrine. However, that Church is ontological, is an organic entity and has a concrete reality to it. In other words, man is not a spiritual being and exists in this world. The Church cannot be apostate ever. Man, as members of Christ's body can become apostate, as history has very aptly shown.
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Hmmm…. did Patriarch Jeremiah live before Augustine? Of course, we could go back to the Apostle Paul who to my knowledge (1) taught Church doctrine (2) taught limited atonement (Rom 9).
Not unless Augustine lived in the 16th century. Yes, Paul not only taught it, but gave it as an instrument of Christ via the Holy Spirit. However, limited atonement was never one of them but you can try to show that he did. Roman 9 has absolutely nothing but universal redemption. So much so, that not only Jews but the Gospel is also going to be for the Gentiles. It does not say some Gentiles.
Vs 30-33 the way of salvation is faith, has always been faith in the OT and the NT. To everyone who believes. Chapter 10:4 reemphasizes this again. You will find no limited redemption or atonement in scripture.
