Carl Trueman defends “Definite Atonement,” arguing that Christ died with the intention of saving his elect. His essay consists of two primary planks:  1) The Particularity of Intention in Christ’s Saving Mission, and 2) The Objective Efficacy of Christ’s Work…. Grant Osborne defends the “General Atonement” view in a series of steps that Christ died for everyone, even those who perish…. John Hammett’s essay is defending the “Multiple-Intentions ” view…that God intended in the death of Christ 1) to put him forth as the substitute for all humanity in order to provide forgiveness of sins for all (God’s “universal” intention); 2) to secure the salvation of some (God’s “particular” intention); and 3) to reconcile all things to himself (God’s “cosmic” intention).

Perspectives on the Extent of the Atonement: Three Views, Andy Naselli and Mark Snoeberger (eds.).

As we set ourselves to read another “Perspectives” book many of us have already staked out our own position on the question. I don’t recall ever reading a reviewer confess that as he opened the book he held to A, but afterwards he now holds to B. And I confess that after reading this book I remain a Calvinist (and thus my reflections will be tainted accordingly!). But there is genuine profit in reading an exposition and defense of varying views that goes beyond the needs of the beginning student. We choose (or assume?) “our side” and often read little from any other, but we cannot but profit from hearing opposing views when they are expressed well. And when it comes to the debate over the extent of the atonement, it seems too often that misunderstanding of the other side reigns.

As the editors and contributors of this volume all acknowledge, this is an in-house debate. All sides hold to the penal, substitutional character of Christ’s death, and all acknowledge that individually we realize the benefits of his atoning work only by grace through faith. All sides in this debate are brothers in every gospel sense, and in a way that is too often uncharacteristic of this discussion the contributors here all manage to conduct themselves accordingly. This is of course not to say that the discussion is therefore unimportant. There are weighty theological and pastoral entailments, and this is what so often and so notoriously fuels the emotion and the rhetoric. But the contributors here, recognizing both the seriousness of the issues at hand and the deeper truths held in common, provide a conversation that is both informed and courteous, and they are to be congratulated on a helpful accomplishment.

Overview

Mark Snoeberger provides a helpful Introduction that frames out the discussion well, defining the question, surveying the three views presented in the book, and identifying the major issues involved in the debate. Snoeberger describes the three views as follows:

1. A Definite Atonement
   2.  A Universally Sufficient Atonement
   3.  A Multiple-Intention Atonement

The wording of the second point above may need some clarification, for virtually all sides would affirm that the Christ’s death is “universally sufficient” in and of itself considered (even if some would want to nuance the statement carefully). What is meant is, simply, General or Universal Atonement – the Arminian view (but to be distinguished from Universalism).

Carl Trueman defends “Definite Atonement,” arguing that Christ died with the intention of saving his elect. His essay consists of two primary planks:  1) The Particularity of Intention in Christ’s Saving Mission, and 2) The Objective Efficacy of Christ’s Work. Under each of these categories he examines an array of passages to demonstrate his point exegetically. His expositions in the former category are relatively brief, but sufficient, and he devotes a generous amount of space to an examination of the familiar handful of passages that may be used to oppose his view.  Under the latter category he presents an extended treatment of Leviticus 16 with Hebrews 9-10 and also of Isaiah 53 with 1 Peter 2:22-25, and of Romans 5:12-21.

Grant Osborne defends the “General Atonement” view in a series of steps that Christ died for everyone, even those who perish. He begins by sketching out his (classic) Arminian perspective of the “five points,” providing the broader theological context for his handling of the question of the extent of the atonement. The body of his essay is largely exegetical, proceeding in two steps. First, he gives extended attention first to those passages that would seem to favor particularism and that present Christ’s intercessory work as limited to the elect, offering an Arminian handling of each. Then he turns to those passages that in his judgment favor universal atonement

John Hammett’s essay is the lengthiest of the three, defending the “Multiple-Intentions ” view. He argues that God intended in the death of Christ 1) to him forth as the substitute for all humanity in order to provide forgiveness of sins for all (God’s “universal” intention); 2) to secure the salvation of some (God’s “particular” intention); and 3) to reconcile all things to himself (God’s “cosmic” intention). There is little dispute regarding the third point, so Hammett devotes relatively little space to it, but it rounds out the discussion nicely. His approach under each heading is largely exegetical while giving due attention to larger theological considerations.

Toward the conclusion of each essay the contributors address the implications of their respective views on pastoral questions such as evangelism, assurance, and so on. And of course each devotes space to anticipated objections to their views. Following the traditional format of this “Perspectives” series, each essay is followed by a critique from the other contributors.

Andy Naselli concludes with a crisp summary of the three positions staked out in the course of the book and then exhorts us, whatever our view on this question, to keep the matter in perspective so as to maintain peaceful fellowship among gospel brothers – the largest section of the essay exposing ten ways we tend to create unhealthy schism over this question.

Interaction

Both planks of Trueman’s case are presented with his usual precision and clarity. The Particularity of Intention in Christ’s Saving Mission is a theme he presses often and with vigor, and for obvious reason: there is a large stream of teaching in Scripture regarding the Son’s saving mission, and we ought to expect this larger biblical structure to give definition to his death. God sent his Son and Christ came to save his people. Trueman’s second plank – The Objective Efficacy of Christ’s Work – is important also. Christ died not to make salvation possible or even probable but to save, and expressions to this effect must not be drained of their soteric content. We will run into all this throughout the interaction with the others below,

Perhaps most surprising in Trueman’s essay is his concession up front that his position is not taught in any single verse of Scripture.

The case for particular redemption, like that for the Trinity, does not depend on the understanding of any single text, nor does any single text explicitly teach it. Instead, it is the result of the cumulative force and implications of a series of strands of biblical teaching (p.23).

Trueman might have offered Revelation 5:9, which plainly asserts a selective (ek) redemption by the blood of Christ. Or perhaps Romans 8:32, which directly asserts that all for whom Christ died receive all of the attending benefits. Or Romans 8:34, in which Paul employs the “Calvinist” logic of double jeopardy exactly: none for whom Christ died can possibly be condemned (simply because Christ was condemned for them). In fairness, Trueman does present a strong exegetical case from Leviticus 16 / Hebrews 9-10; Isaiah 53 / 1 Peter 2:22-25; John 6:37-40; 10:14-16; 17; Acts 20:28; Romans 5:12-21; Ephesians 5:25-27; Titus 2:14; and 1 Peter 2:22-25. And he (rightly) stresses the New Testament teaching of the effectuality of Christ’s death and the actuality of substitution, considerations that in my view show every verse on substitution to demand particularism. His point that the doctrine finds overwhelming support in the broader structures of Scripture is well made, but given all his careful exegetical work it is not clear why he felt the need to make such a “no proof-text” concession. But it is one he emphasizes more than once, and, predictably, he is made to hear of it in the response of the other contributors. Still, his expositions are lucid and cogent, and with them the concession becomes more formal than actual, and his interlocutors make relatively little of it.

Given my agreement with him from the start, of course, I find little here to critique. There are points of exegesis I would want to add here and there, but I will try to get to these below in my interactions with the others.

Osborne devotes several initial pages not to the question of the extent of the atonement, specifically, but to a broader discussion of the “five points,” which he surveys from an Arminian perspective. For him the many verses that “appear” to speak of an election to salvation efficaciously given must be understood in terms of God’s foresight of those he knew would believe. This broader Arminian perspective provides for him the backdrop of a universal salvific will of God which, in turn, for him, points to a universal atonement.

It is helpful for Osborne (and the reader) to begin with this wider perspective in order to shape his discussion, but emphasizing the universal purpose of God in order to define the intent of the atonement does raise the question of how to avoid outright universalism (the teaching that everyone will be saved). Of course Osborne leans heavily on passages that employ universal language in connection to the atonement, but the difficult question of universalism remains, for in each of these “universal” passages it is actual salvation that is in view. For example, he points us to John 1:29, where Christ is said to “take away the sin of the world.” On the face of it this verse would seem to teach either that, 1) all will be saved, because the sin of all people has been expiated, or 2) “world” is to be understood in comprehensive rather than exhaustively inclusive terms. The second option seems pretty easy to me, both exegetically and theologically. But Osborne takes a third option: 3) When John says that Christ “takes away” sin he does not indicate the removal of sin after all but something less – the potential or offer to take away sin for those who choose to accept it. But of course this is not what the verse says. Or, if Osborne would object to this characterization, we must ask (given his understanding) what it would mean for Christ to “take away” sin from those who in the end will in fact be condemned for their sin? Osborne does not consider these questions but takes for granted that universal language must be taken in an absolute sense, in which case the soteriological content of the verse is reduced significantly.

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