Particular Atonement

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: John 10:11,15
Psalters: 112, 151, 60, 261
  1. The atonement.
    1. The good Shepherd gave (laid down) His life for the sheep.
      1. This willing self-sacrificing action was effective in saving the sheep from their predators, picturing Jesus’ atoning death.
      2. Redemption was accomplished.
    2. Jesus’ death actually atoned, and actually saved; He did not just make atonement possible.
      1. He reconciled us (Rom. 5:10); redeemed us (Gal. 3:13), and ransomed us (Matt. 20:28).
      2. Romans 6 teaches that those united to Christ in His death are dead to sin and alive to God and will be raised to glory.
      3. Through what He did, they are freed from all guilt and condemnation and are constituted righteous before God.
  2. The atonement was limited.
    1. Since every human is not saved, a limitation must be admitted by all (unless there is universal salvation, everyone saved).
    2. Scripture does not contradict itself, so passages as John 3:16 and I John 2:2 are to be considered in light of the whole.
    3. Instead Scripture declares that Jesus died for His sheep not the goats (text; Matt. 25:33); His people (Matt. 1:21), His friends (John 15:13,14), His church (Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25); the many, not everybody head for head (Matt. 20:28; 26:28; Heb. 9;28).
  3. What was intended and accomplished by Christ’s saving work?
    1. Jesus came to save sinners, not to enable men to save themselves: Matt. 1:21; I Tim. 1:15; Titus 2:14; I Peter 3:18.
    2. Jesus was sent into the world to save those given Him by the Father and none is lost (Jn. 6:37-40; 10:11,14-18,24-29).
    3. Scripture shows that as a result of what Jesus did, all the blessings of salvation are secured for His people.
    4. All the spiritual blessings such as sonship, redemption, forgiveness results from our being “in Christ” which is traced back to our having been chosen by God in election (Eph. 1:3-12).