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S12 reasoning: Extent of the atonement

Reasoning steps: Extent of the atonement

Verdicts: S12 · Extent of the atonement. Method: conventions, scoring and proximity eras. Scripture is the primary measure; fathers are weighed by era (Era I to c. 150 = 1.0, II = 0.8, III = 0.6, IV = 0.4).

S12.1: For whom did Christ die?

Step S12.1.1: Scripture

Particular texts: Christ lays down his life ‘for the sheep’ (John 10:15), ’the church’ (Eph 5:25, Acts 20:28); those for whom he died are surely justified (Rom 8:32–34). Universal texts: ‘for all’ (2 Cor 5:14–15; 1 Tim 2:6; Heb 2:9), ’the whole world’ (1 John 2:2), ‘Saviour of all people, especially of those who believe’ (1 Tim 4:10), even false teachers ‘denying the Master who bought them’ (2 Pet 2:1).

Step S12.1.2: Patristic evidence

Athanasius (Era III): the Word was ‘worthy to suffer on behalf of all’; ’the death of all was accomplished in the Lord’s body’. Diognetus (Era I–II): God gave his Son ‘a ransom for us’. No father before 750 in our sources teaches that Christ died only for the elect. Sources: athanasius-s12-s1 · athanasius-s12-s2 · diognetus-s12-s1.

Step S12.1.3: Weighing decision

Reading A: definite atonement (for the elect only). Reading B: Christ died for all, savingly applied to believers. B matches the fathers; A has no pre-750 witness here (it appears with Gottschalk, 9th c.). Scripture has both sets of texts; the universal ones are more explicit about extent, while the particular ones concern intent and effect.

  • Confidence: Medium.

Step S12.1.4: Source-proximity weighing

  • Scripture (benchmark): Scripture speaks both of Christ dying for his sheep and church (intent, effect) and ‘for all’ and ’the whole world’ (extent). The universal texts are explicit on extent; the particular ones do not say ‘only’. (Scripture confidence: low-medium)
  • Assessment: Patristic evidence favours a universal extent. On Scripture both positions have texts; definite atonement must read ‘all’ and ‘world’ restrictively, so it scores slightly lower on extent.

S12.2: Is Christ’s death sufficient for all, though not applied to all?

Step S12.2.1: Scripture

1 John 2:2 (‘for the sins of the whole world’); 1 Tim 2:6 (‘a ransom for all’); Heb 9:28 (’to bear the sins of many’).

Step S12.2.2: Patristic evidence

Chrysostom (Era III, Homily 17 on Hebrews, on Heb 9:28): ‘Why of many, and not of all? Because not all believed’. He holds that Christ died for all, as far as it lay with him, while the benefit reaches believers. Sources: chrysostom-s12-s1.

Step S12.2.3: Weighing decision

Scripture and Era III join universal sufficiency with application to believers. Every classic position affirms sufficiency; they differ on intent (S12.1). Verdict: consensus on sufficiency for all, efficacy for believers.

  • Confidence: High.

Step S12.2.4: Source-proximity weighing

  • Scripture (benchmark): ‘For the whole world’ (1 John 2:2) yet ’the sins of many’ (Heb 9:28). (Scripture confidence: high)
  • Assessment: Consensus; the intent question stays at S12.1.

Post-750 development by tradition

Catholic

Trent VI.3.

  • S12.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): Trent VI.3: ’though He died for all, yet do not all receive the benefit of His death’ (verified).
  • S12.2 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Trent VI ch. 3: though he died for all, ’though He died for all, yet do not all receive the benefit of His death’ (verified).

Orthodox

Universal redemption.

  • S12.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): Dositheus 8: ‘giving Himself a ransom for all’ (verified).
  • S12.2 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Christ died for all.

Oriental Orthodox

Universal.

  • S12.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): Shenouda III, ‘The Problem of Election or Rejection’ (official-site summary): ‘God desires that all people be saved’; ‘Salvation is available to everyone’, received through faith, repentance and baptism (verified as summarized)
  • S12.2 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Christ died for all.

Lutheran

FC XI.

  • S12.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): FC XI: Christ’s merit for all.
  • S12.2 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): FC SD XI: ’the promise of the Gospel is universalis (universal), that is, it pertains to all men’ (verified).

Anglican

Art. XXXI; Dort delegates’ hypothetical universalism.

  • S12.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): Art. XXXI: ‘for all the sins of the whole world’ (verified).
  • S12.2 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Art. XXXI: ‘for all the sins of the whole world’ (verified).

Presbyterian

Dort II; WCF VIII.

  • S12.1 (fathers 2/4; Scripture 3/4): WCF VIII.5: ‘for all those whom the Father hath given unto him’; III.6: ‘Neither are any other redeemed by Christ … but the elect only’ (verified).
  • S12.2 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Universal sufficiency: Dort II.3, Christ’s death ‘of infinite value and worth, more than sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world’ (verified, CRC translation); Westminster does not deny it.

Reformed Baptist

1689 ch. 8.

  • S12.1 (fathers 2/4; Scripture 3/4): 1689 8.5: ‘for all those whom the Father has given unto Him’ (verified).
  • S12.2 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Sufficiency (Dort II.3 ‘more than sufficient’, verified; 1689 does not deny it).

General Baptist

SC 1660; Orthodox Creed.

  • S12.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): SC 1660 art. 3: Christ ’tasting death for every man’ (verified).
  • S12.2 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Standard Confession art. 3 (verified).

Anabaptist

Menno.

  • S12.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): Universal: Menno, ‘I am the Lamb that was offered for you all. I take away the sins of the whole world’ (verified, mennosimons.net, section ‘Faith’).
  • S12.2 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Dordrecht IV: Christ’s sacrifice ‘for the consolation, redemption, and salvation of all mankind’ (verified).