Limited Atonement efficaciously, debunked.
EFFICA'CIOUSLY, adverb
Effectually; in such a manner as to produce the effect desired.
Now the schoolmaster teaching the atonement for sins which Jesus accomplished and fulfilled in time and in the world, is found in Leviticus 16.
2 goats for the work of a sin offering that showed:
The death of Christ is the sin offering.
The Risen Christ is the Scapegoat offering.
Both works together for the remission of sins.
In this essay we will see from the scriptures, the perfect and pure word of God, what Christ actually accomplished in his death and resurrection.
Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
RECONCI'LE, verb transitive
. To adjust; to settle;
What did the sin offering or the death and blood of Christ settle or adjust ... “reconcile”? And what did the Life or resurrection of Christ provide? Why did he have to die and then rise from the dead?
When we look to the schoolmaster which teaches the law of Christ, even the Tabernacle and the Law of sacrifices, that work wherein God did show in ordinances, the doctrines of Christ for the obtaining of righteousness unto those condemned under the Law of Commandments and sentenced to destruction from life, even “the wages of sins”, we find there the Biblical doctrine for the atonement in Christ which he was sent into the world to accomplish or fulfill.
An atonement that was for the remission of sins and righteousness by the remission of sins. Both the Believing AND the unbelieving need the forgiveness of sins, even daily, hourly. The Redeemed of the Lord who sin, are in no danger of Hell or everlasting fire, because they have obtained the gift of eternal life and are assured that eternal life means “they shall never perish”.
John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
The Redeemed of the Lord cannot ever perish because of the gift of eternal life, but however, any man lost or saved can be destroyed or “cut off out of the land of the living”. Cut off from this life because of sins. The Bible is very clear with many examples of those who because of transgressions, were recompensed with destruction from life and cut off from the brethren, they being turned over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.
Romans 1:18 for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Galatians 6:7 be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
It is VERY clear in scriptures that IF there is NO MERCY extended to the transgressor, destruction from life occurs. Under the Law we are taught that death occurs if transgression was witnessed by two or three witnesses and if there is NO MERCY forbearing death.
1 John 5:8 and there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
Proverbs 15:3 the eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
God is witness of our offenses. God also executes the virtue of justice.
JUST'ICE, noun [Latin justitia, from justus, just.]
. The virtue which consists in giving to every one what is his due;
. Vindictive retribution; merited punishment.
The Justice of God, with respect to sins, is the giving of the vindictive retribution punishment for sins. Justice is not the judgement that something is due, or the intent to eventually recompense. Justice is the giving of, the execution of, the imputing of that which is due. This recompense punishment for sins is:
Romans 6:23 for the wages of sin is death;
Psalm 37:38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
Proverbs 13:13 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed:
Proverbs 29:1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
But God is not willing that any should perish and God has provided “from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8) a Way, which is the Truth, and which is the Life, to and for every man who is “in the midst of uncleanness” by transgressions, and needs a Saviour.
This Saviour is clearly taught in Leviticus 16, the sin offering for the remission of sins ...the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
I. The Taking of the sin offering
Leviticus 16:5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering,
No individual brought the offerings, they were taken. They were NOT predetermined by or for any particular "elect" person or persons, it was not a “particular election”, as those offerings intended or determined for “particular” individuals, were brought by individuals. These brought sacrifices by individuals, even offerings in an election to serve a man and by a man, did not teach the once yearly offering for the sins of "all the people" who were "in the midst of uncleanness” in God's presence.
It was the 2 goats for a sin offering that were TAKEN from the congregation, that served in an election as the "ONCE" for all, yearly sacrifices. And every year an offering perpetually taught again and again the doctrine for the remission of sins.
Jesus was a MAN of Israel, chosen of men, and Jesus was arrested and "TAKEN" from the congregation.
II. The ELECT Lamb.
7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.
The death of Christ is the sin offering for sins. God chose the Son of God for the office of Christ, and to serve in dying in a body for the sins of the whole world as the Lamb of God.
Hebrews 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
The election of Christ was a serving call for the Son of God before he was born into the world, and for a purpose FOR salvation, not a purpose TO BE saved. Election for the purpose of being employed in an office reconciling others.
ELEC'TION, noun [Latin electio.] The act of choosing; choice; the act of selecting one or more from others. Hence appropriately,
. The act of choosing a person to fill an office or employment, by any manifestation of preference
Chosen to DIE, not chosen to be SAVED.
Romans 9: 11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
(Translator's notes: Romans 9:12 elder: Or, greater; Romans 9:12 younger: Or, lesser)
Luke 22:26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
An Election before he was born to serve the Father's will for those made in his image. Chosen of God as “the elder” or “the greater”, to serve “the younger” or “the lesser”. An obedient servant of a Son of God and Son of man.
III. Establishing and settling MERCY.
15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
The blood of Christ is for SEATING, mercy.
SEAT, noun [L. sedes, situs.]
. To settle;
. The place where a thing is settled or established.
The death and blood of the sin offering was to establish and settle , to SEAT, mercy.
IV. The Presence of God, the “Holy place”
16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins:
This sin offering or the death and blood of Christ, is an atonement for the presence of God or "the holy place". The place where God meets with man.
Exodus 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
God meets with man in "the holy place". The presence of God is the Holy place.
Exodus 3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
And God's presence is everywhere in the earth. Man stands continually 24/7, in the presence of God.
Proverbs 5:21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.
Proverbs 15:3 the eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
V. Death is the sentance for transgressors, in the presence of God
2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
No man can be in the presence of God, the holy place, without the blood of the sin offering in his possession, AND NOT DIE.
Moses was told by the LORD, "no man can see me and live", but he VEILED him with his hand in the cleft of the rock as he passed by, teaching Moses that "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy" and showing us that those that live in the presence of God, live because they have mercy veiling them from DEATH. God chooses to show mercy to transgressors, and delay his Justice.
And the Vail of the Tabernacle served this same purpose, teaching men that not even in the whole Tabernacle could a man be present when the High priest went in beyond the vail, or death occurred;
17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
The presence of God cannot be stood in, unless man has the blood of the DEATH OF CHRIST in his possession.
This teaches us that no human being without exception, can have life on earth unless mercy by the blood of the sin offering is upon him or in his possession by God marking him as Cain was marked to preserve his life, or as the houses in Egypt were marked to save from "the destroyer".
If there is no atonement by the blood of the sin offering for a man's transgression, a man immediately DIES upon any transgression of being in the presence of God and guilty of sins and without an atonement by a sin offering.
Likewise the Vail prevented men from death, and when the Vail was rent in twain at the death of the Lamb of God, it signified the “FINISHED” work of the sin offering ONCE for sins, SEATED MERCY for all men, for the Vail rent in twain, exposed all men in the presence of God, and ALL men LIVED!
VI. In the midst of uncleanness
16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness
Those who are "in the midst of uncleanness" because of transgressions, are those who the atonement of establishing and settling MERCY, is for.
This does not represent those who by faith are cleansed of unrighteousness, but those in the midst of uncleanness. Not those who have repented and believed, but those in the midst of uncleanness. It is those in sin, those who are in the presence of God and are in the midst of uncleanness, that the atonement for God's presence pertains to.
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
There is no faith required for the efficacy of THIS atonement by his death and sprinkling of blood. There is no repentance or confession of sins required for the efficacy of THIS atonement. There is not even a knowledge of God required for THIS atonement.
Rather, those "in the midst of uncleanness" need and require MERCY by an atonement to be in the presence of God and NOT DIE. Mercy must abide for sinners, not the obedient in faith. Mercy is the forbearance of a violent act expected, and the expected "fearful looking" of judgement for sins, is a punishment death.
Romans 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
VII. Not death and blood alone...
10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
The Risen Christ is the LIVE Scapegoat. The LIVE goat is required for 'scaping.
SCAPE, noun
. An escape. [See Escape.]
. Means of escape; evasion.
The death of the sin offering or his death on the Cross, is not that work of Christ in which escaping the Justice of God is accomplished, but the Live Risen Lamb MUST exist as a "means of escape or evasion" of the wages of sin, which is the "vindictive retribution punishment" or Justice for sins. Death, or destruction out of the land of the living must be escaped.
If He had not risen from the dead, all the transgressor would have is mercy extending life or "forbearing death", until the day our flesh failed and out spirits left our bodies. There is no purging of or remission of sins by his death alone.
1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
VIII. Our Scapegoat
20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:
The Risen Christ is the Scapegoat offering.
Mercy having been SEATED or settled for those in the presence of God and "in the midst of uncleanness", death has efficaciously, effectually, been DELAYED in "forbearance"
MER'CY, noun [Latin misericordia.]
. The act of sparing, or the forbearance of a violent act expected.
FORBEARANCE, noun
. The exercise of patience; long suffering; indulgence towards those who injure us; lenity; delay of resentment or punishment.
. The act of avoiding, shunning or omitting; either the cessation or intermission of an act commenced, or a withholding from beginning an act.
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, it is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
The sin offering "FINISHED" and fully establishing and settling mercy for sins, and by this forbearance of the violent act expected (death), life is given to ALL "in the midst of uncleanness" making possible "a time accepted" (2 Corinthians 6:2) leading to repentance.
Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and FORBEARANCE and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? [emphasis mine]
John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
Herein we see and understand that the life any sinner has beyond any commission or estate of transgression ...believing or unbelieving, is life propitiated, allowed and given, that is leading or “drawing” them to Christ for repentance.
Jesus fully knew that by his death, the propitiation for sins would conciliate favor (grace) and fully establish and settle MERCY in FORBEARANCE that DRAWS or LEADS all with life given beyond the moment of transgression, to him.
Romans 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. for if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
Life for many that need life, by the offering of death by one who needs to die. To assuage wrath, Justice must be satisfied. A propitiation conciliating favor, rendering an offended God propitious, must occur for those “in the midst of uncleanness”.
PROPI'TIOUS, adjective [Latin propitius.]
. Disposed to be gracious or merciful; ready to forgive sins and bestow blessings; applied to God.
Death of the sin offering efficaciously drawing those in the midst of uncleanness by "finished", SEATED, mercy in forbearance of death, to the Scapegoat for the remission of sins.
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, it is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
IX. By Confession, sins are taken away
21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
The LIVE Scapegoat is for the taking away of sins by confession.
The delay of the sentence of death is an “accepted time” of life and thereby a temporary "saving" from the immediate execution of the Justice of God, but to fully escape the sentence of death is by the confession of sins upon the head or the "authority" in this work of God for the remission of sins, the authority in the Scapegoat. There is no escaping the wages of sins, except by faith confirmed in the confession of sins.
By taking hold with BOTH hands, fully trusting in the authority of Christ, believing that he was raised from the dead for the remission of sins, we shall escape and be “saved” from the vindictive retribution punishment of being cut off out of the land of the living ...the punishment of death.
1 John 1:9 if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
It is not by his death and the atonement in his death for MERCY that we have an escape of sin's recompense. But by his life and confession of sins, are sins taken away. His death and atonement by his death established mercy for ALL "in the midst of uncleanness” (else without mercy forbearing Justice, any transgressor dies immediately ...for there is no respect of persons with God).
So "by grace" and mercy by grace, we are "saved" by having been given life beyond the moments of transgression forbearing death, and leading the transgressor to repentance. Literally every human being without exception is given LIFE by his DEATH, efficaciously “saving” from immediate destruction from life. A fully effectual atonement for sins in the sin offering. Life for leading to repentance.
But the sentence of death still abides upon the transgressor even though the propitiation for sins has established mercy for him. It is by His LIFE, that sins are taken away, and that by faith in the confession of sins.
BOTH together are necessary for remission. An unlimited atonement in his death "for the sins of the whole world" saving from immediate destruction, and a conditional salvation from confessed sins taken away "eternally", by taking hold on the authority in Christ, repenting and confessing sins, and by confession, cleansed from unrighteousness.
SYNERGY
. the interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements, contributions, etc.
His work for salvation, our faith and confession for remission and by remission, the knowledge or fruition of salvation, obtained.
Luke 1:77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins
(“his people” here were the Jews who had departed from the Lord and being carried away in the Captivities were "destroyed" out of the land and needed to repent)
Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
For by grace we are saved. And without the shedding of blood there is no remission. Without blood, iniquity cannot be purged. And without his blood we could not have life beyond any moment of transgression whereby we can come to a Risen Lamb. And only by the Risen Lamb can we have remission by the confession of sins.
And Israel was to perpetually teach THIS doctrine of Christ. Doctrine which was established at the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8) when in eternity, God did the work of Christ for the remission of sins for the first sinners.
Leviticus 16:34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.
Hebrews 9:7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
The fulfilling of this schoolmaster’s teaching, in the death and resurrection of Christ.
Limited atonement and Unconditional election efficaciously DEBUNKED by the word of God.
