ionary atonement.

46
Response
Because of its view of substitution, this objection is a form of special
pleading.47 Of course
everyone for whom Christ is substituted will be saved if the application of
substitution is automatic,
but it need not be. A penalty can be paid without the payment taking effect, just
as a prisoner can be
offered a governor’s pardon yet refuse to accept it, or a bankrupt man be offered
money to pay his
creditors and decline to receive it. Again, those (like me) who adhere to
substitutionary atonement but
reject limited atonement believe that Christ’s sacrifice for the sins of all
humankind did not
automatically save anyone but rather made them savable. It did not release God’s
saving grace into
anyone’s life but satisfied (propitiated) God on their behalf (1 John 2:2),
awaiting their faith to
receive the unconditional gift of salvation made possible by Christ’s atoning
work.48
THE THEOLOGICAL BASIS FOR AN UNLIMITED
ATONEMENT
In addition to the extensive biblical support, unlimited atonement is also based
firmly in the
attributes of God, especially His omnibenevolence. The Bible affirms that He is
all-loving, and since
whoever is all-loving must love all, God must love all. Limited atonement (in
general) claims that
God loves only the elect salvifically, and double-predestination49 maintains that
He not only doesn’t
love but actually hates the non-elect. Hence, God’s omnibenevolence excludes
limited atonement.
The Biblical Basis for God’s Omnibenevolence
The biblical foundation for God’s omnibenevolence is extensive.50 The following is
only a
selection of texts.
“God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in
him shall not
perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ
died for us”
(Rom. 5:8).
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?… I am convinced that neither death
nor life …
nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ
Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:35, 38–39).
“Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and
therefore all died”
(2 Cor. 5:14).
“When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of
righteous
things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Titus 3:4).
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Whoever does not
love does not