Redemption Through Christ’s Blood

Arminian preachers preach that the Lord Jesus Christ “paid the price” for the sins of each and every fallen sinner of mankind when he was crucified at Calvary.

This preaching may seem to be very wonderful when you first hear it, because they present Jesus as having accomplished a great thing for every human being. All fallen, sinful human beings deserve to be sent to hell by God on the Day of Judgment, for their sins. But in Christ’s death on the cross he substituted for the entire human race and paid the redemption-price for everyone, to reconsile everyone to God.

But then Arminians say that this substitutionary atonement does not in fact save every fallen human being. The redemption-price has been paid for everyone—yet only in a hypothetical, but not effectual manner. Arminians are not universalists, but they are hypothetical (or, potential) universalists. It is left to fallen sinners of mankind to “make this salvation real” for ourselves by faith—by believing in it.

That’s what they proclaim in their preaching, evangelism, tracts, and so many of their songs and hymns. Christ died for the sins of all mankind. He suffered all the punishment that all mankind deserves, on the cross. This is arguably their main message.

I will not here quote any particular Arminian preacher or evangelist (or any that don’t know the name “Arminian” but who preach the same unlimited hypothetical atonement), but you may be familiar with this fair summary of what Arminians say and preach, in general:

“Jesus died on the cross for all the world. But his death for all men does not save all. It’s up to you, of your own free will, to believe in Christ to make his sacrificial death actually save you.

“You need to opt in. Jesus has done his part; now you need to do yours. Come to Christ. Come down from your seat to the front of the church right now. Say this prayer, and mean it from your heart. There is one thing you need to do to get saved: believe in Christ.

“You need to believe. You need to have faith. Believing in Christ makes salvation real. Faith in Christ’s death at Calvary is what makes it true for you, makes it effective for you, makes it save you You need to opt into it by becoming a believer, of your own free will.

“We’re here to tell you about what Jesus has done in dying for each and every sinner of humankind. He uses us to offer you his potential salvation, and we invite you to come to him. Now, take it—believe in Christ—opt in, to make this potential salvation actually save you.”

All Whom Jesus Has Redeemed Are Saved

However, does the Bible anywhere speak of a person who is redeemed by Christ but never saved? Did the Lord Jesus Christ pay the price that actually bought people back from their being condemned to hell for their sins, or not?

Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ can confidently affirm:

• “In [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).
• “By his [Christ’s] own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us…And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that that by means of [his] death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:12,15).
• “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:13-14; see also verse 8).

The bolded words above all emphasise that some things happen (redemption; forgiveness of sins; receiving gospel promises) as an inevitable consequence of something else having happened (the sacrificial death of Christ upon the cross; the substitutionary atonement).

Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross has not accomplished things that merely “may be”, hypothetically or potentially; but what he has accomplished “shall be”, really and inevitably.

What the Redeemer’s shed blood has bought is what is bestowed upon those whom he redeemed.

The plain gospel truth is:

• All those whom Christ has redeemed shall have forgiveness of sins from God.
• All those whom Christ has redeemed shall have the promise of eternal inheritance.
• All those whom Christ has redeemed shall have the blessing of Abraham (i.e. justification by faith) come upon them.
• All those whom Christ has redeemed shall be saved.

Christ’s Atonement Is Limited in Its Extent but Not Limited in Its Worth

Let us be perfectly clear at this point: that the Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice is of infinite worth and value.

Calvinists do not “limit” the worth of Christ’s atonement, but only the extent of its application, when they affirm that the Saviour’s blood was not shed in order to save every human being who ever lived but only the elect (i.e. those whom God has chosen to save).

We totally agree with the apostle Peter: “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God” (1 Peter 1:18-20).

It is therefore wrong to think that the Calvinist (which, we affirm, is the Biblical) doctrine of limited atonement in any way diminishes the value and worth of Christ’s death.

But what of the Arminian idea that Christ only hypothetically redeemed every fallen human being? It can be argued that this rather detracts from the infinite worth and value of Christ’s precious blood, for it asserts that it was poured out for the entire human race—but it doesn’t actually redeem all for whom it was poured out, and it might have not redeemed any, if there were no believers.

Appendix

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1, Chapter 17.

The Apostles also plainly declare that he [Christ Jesus] paid a price to ransom us from death: “Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood” (Romans 3:24-25). Paul commends the grace of God, in that he gave the price of redemption in the death of Christ; and he exhorts us to flee to his blood, that having obtained righteousness, we may appear boldly before the judgment-seat of God. To the same effect are the words of Peter: “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold,”—“but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19). The antithesis would be incongruous if he had not by this price made satisfaction for sins. For which reason, Paul says, “Ye are bought with a price.” Nor could it be elsewhere said, there is “one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5-6), had not the punishment which we deserved been laid upon him. Accordingly, the same Apostle declares, that “we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14); as if he had said, that we are justified or acquitted before God, because that blood serves the purpose of satisfaction. With this another passage agrees—viz. that he blotted out “the handwriting of ordinances which was against us, which was contrary to us” (Colossians 2:14). These words denote the payment or compensation which acquits us from guilt.

The Canons of Dort, Head 2 Articles 3 & 4.

The death of the Son of God is the only and most perfect sacrifice and satisfaction for sin, and is of infinite worth and value, abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world.

This death is of such infinite value and dignity because the Person who submitted to it was not only really man and perfectly holy, but also the only begotten Son of God, of the same eternal and infinite essence with the Father and the Holy Spirit, which qualifications were necessary to constitute Him a Saviour for us; and, moreover, because it was attended with a sense of the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin.