Theo1689
Well-known member
I’m curious what kind of gospel those who believe in Limited Atonement pass along to unbelievers.
We proclaim the BIBLICAL gospel, of course.
Just like Jesus preached.
0) All are dead in trespass and sins.
1) God is merciful.
2) God sent His Son to die for sin.
3) All who believe will be saved.
4) Praise God!
THAT is the gospel.
Since they claim that Jesus didn’t die for most people, then they can’t tell anyone that Jesus loves them without lying to most people since they don’t know the ones whom Jesus DOES love.
Neither Jesus nor his Apostles EVER went up to strangers and told them that "God loves you, and Christ died for you". So why should we preach something Jesus NEVER preached?
Gal. 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
That’s NOT good news for the world or for Calvinists either since it limits what they can say to people.
Yes, we're limited in what we can say to people in that we're not allowed to lie, and we're not allowed to proclaim a false gospel.
And since the word “gospel” means good news, then what else can they preach except ANOTHER gospel which would be this:
“I’m not sure but Jesus MIGHT have died for you. But since Jesus doesn’t love most people, then the chances that he loves you are slim. He might love you in some way, but not enough to pay for your sins. So don’t ask me. I’m as much in the dark about whether Jesus died for you as you are.”
Sadly, I'm not sure you actually understand the gospel.
You want to teach false things, like "God loves EVERYONE", and "Jesus died for EVERYONE", "and it's SO EASY to be saved!" And since your teachings promise things to people that God never promised, our true gospel looks "worse" or "less" by comparison.
To truly understand the gospel, one first has to recognize their status as an evil sinner. That's why God gave us the Ten Commandments and the Mosaic Law, before He gave us Christ. That's why Paul begins Romans with the Law and sin (Rom. 1-3), before he presents grace and the atonement (Rom. 4-5).
You're looking at a cup which is half full, and complaining that it is half empty.
We should be looking at a cup that is completely empty, and then realizing (through faith) that our cup overfloweth with His grace.
That’s the MOST that people who believe in L.A. can say to people without telling them the bad news that Jesus hates most people.
I don't know ANY Calvinist who believes or teaches "Jesus hates most people".
But yes, you're right (unknowingly)....
BEFORE anyone is ready to hear the gospel, they FIRST need to be aware of their sin (Rom. 3:19-20, Gal. 3:24-25). The Law and our sin is the reason for our NEED of the gospel.
So yes, we have to hear (and accept) "the bad news" (that God hates sinners (Ps. 5:5, Mal. 1:2-3)), before they are ready to hear the "good news", the "Gospel".
Secondly, Jesus said “I know my sheep.” So since Jesus told his disciples to go into the towns of Israel and wipe the dust off their feet in the towns who reject him, then why did Jesus tell his disciples to go to those towns and preach to people for whom he KNEW he was NOT going to make atonement?
Why do we preach the gospel to people who might not be saved?
Many reasons:
1) God commanded us to preach the gospel to EVERYONE, not just the elect. We have no right to disobey God just because we don't think His command was good and just.
2) We don't know who the elect are. So we have to preach the gospel to everyone (just like the seed was sown on pathways and rocky ground as well as the prepared soil), knowing that the elect will eventually respond positively to it.
3) The preaching of the gospel is not simply to collect believers. I believe it also glorifies God in its proclamation, regardless of who hears it.
4) I love God, and I love His gospel, and I want to proclaim that awesome act all over the world.
Did Jesus just want to PRETEND to the people in those towns that he loves and cares about their eternal souls?
<sigh>
Is that actually a sincere and charitable question?
Jesus doesn't "pretend" anything.
Or did he want his disciples to preach a different gospel to those towns than he preached to his elect? If so, then what was it?
No, we proclaim the same gospel Christ did.
YOU are the one preaching a different gospel when you go up to people falsely telling them, "Jesus died for YOU", something Jesus and the apostles NEVER did.
Jesus said this about his crucifiers, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” . Since Jesus could only ask God to forgive those for whom he died,
Where does the Bible teach, "Jesus could only ask God to forgive those for whom he died"?
Chapter and verse, please?
then please give evidence that the Romans who crucified Jesus were God’s elect and how they felt later on about killing Jesus.
Since I don't believe they were necessarily elect, I don't see any reason why I should give evidence for something I don't believe.
But those of us who KNOW that Jesus died for EVERYONE don’t have to worry about lying to ANYONE.
Calvinists don't lie to everyone.
We don't know who the elect are, and we don't pretend they do.
But anyone who tells people that Jesus died for "everyone", is proclaiming falsehood.
We can just tell EVERYONE that Jesus loves them by dying for everyone on the cross.![]()
Jesus never proclaimed that.
So you're proclaiming a false gospel.
Those whom He has chosen to receive that gift by faith will be saved. (Jn 3:16, Mt. 22:14Jesus already knows those whom he has chosen to believe him (his sheep) but man does NOT.
Why did Christ die for someone God hasn't chosen to receive that gift?
You never seem to be able to answer that very simple question.
So that makes MAN accountable for rejecting the cross and shows that God is a loving God who offers mercy to ALL.
God is a loving God who SHOWS mercy to some.
You seem to be trying to OBLIGATE God.
Why does God have to act according to your whims?
And where does the Bible ever use the phrase, "offer mercy"?
Chapter and verse, please?
So election has to do with BELIEF, not the atonement.
Well, there's a correlation, certainly.
And there's a correlation to all three.
The Father elects a chosen people.
Christ died for them (the atonement).
The Holy Spirit regenerates them, and gives them faith (belief).
Praise God!
There is no gospel if Jesus didn’t die for everyone,
Of course there is!
And I've never heard anything less grateful.
That's like being angry at your parents for giving you a birthday gift, since they didn't give birthday gifts to all your friends. Your parents aren't obligated to give gifts to your friends, and if that is your only concern when you receive a gift, well, that's just ungrateful.