I have never believed in "Limited Atonement"

I was born into a Conservative Baptist pastor’s home. I became a Christian in a home where your basic baptistic soteriology was taught, you know Biblicist. In regards to the atonement this meant that when the Bible said: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life;” and that that is what it meant. That God loved the world (meaning the whole world), that He gave His Son to die for the world; or a “universal atonement.” At the same time I grew up believing that entrance into the salvation that Jesus won for us, was exclusive and limited to those who believe in Him (based on passages like Jn. 1:12; 14:6; etc.). So, without any kind of supporting theology in place; we held these realities in tension, you know, in Biblicist form.

So, should it be any surprise that when I came across Barth and TF Torrance that their theology resonated with me in regards to providing a theo-logic that actually fit with the Biblicism that I grew up with, and was so familiar with. Ironically, I have come to hold to a kind of “limited atonement;” but a kind that sees the atonement limited to Christ, not particular people. That Christ is both elect and reprobate in Himself for us, and by virtue of union with Him all of humanity has the possibility to believe in Him by the power of His name. Of course the darkness and love of sin, the god of this age and the prince of the power of the air poses problems for some (many, the broadway).

I like to think that I am still just a Biblicist. I doubt most would agree with that 😉 .