Saved By The ____?
I saw this quote posted on my feed:
“I would rather believe a limited atonement that is efficacious for all men for whom it was intended, than a universal atonement that is not efficacious for anybody except the will of men be added to it.”
—Charles Spurgeon
It is not my first time seeing something of this nature, and it will not be the last unfortunately.
“I would rather believe” - we are already in the gutter. Who cares what someone would rather believe? What matters is what the text says.
Believing what he would rather believe instead of what the text says has led Charles (and many others) to argue that all, every, and whole world actually means the few, selected, and chosen ones. See my article “Theological Election Deception” for more on that.
Meanwhile, the Bible never says anyone is saved by the atonement. So why do people who tout “Sola Scriptura” think that? And then build mountains of theology from that foundation using phrases and definitions never found in scripture?
Here is a better question:
What am I saved by?
You are saved by the things the Bible says you are saved by. The Bible says we are saved by three things, none of which is “the atonement”.
Ephesians 2:8 saved by grace
Romans 5:10 saved by Jesus’ life (reconciled by his death)
Titus 3:5 saved by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost
“No one is getting saved without the atonement. It is a necessary component of our salvation.”
Kevin Thompson
When people misunderstand the atonement, they stop taking God at his word. Simple verses then take theology books to “understand”. I am not trying to split hairs or be needlessly divisive. Who Jesus died for, and what we must do to be saved are worth contending for.
“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
Romans 5:10 KJV
how we are saved the Bible clearly teaches that salvation is not something we earn by our own effort but a gift that comes from God through faith in Jesus Christ As it is written in Ephesians 2:8 to 9 by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not from yourselves it is the gift of God not by works so that no one can boast That means no amount of good deeds religious rituals or personal righteousness can rescue us only the finished work of Christ can In Romans 10:9 it says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved And in John 3:16 we are reminded that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life Salvation begins with Gods love flows through His grace and is received by faith It brings forgiveness freedom and a new life in Christ In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it says that if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation the old has gone and the new has come This means salvation is not just about escaping judgment but about transformation and restoration We are reconciled to God and adopted into His family as written in Galatians 4:4 to 5 When we truly understand this our hearts respond with gratitude obedience and a desire to live for Him not to earn salvation but because we have already received it and we now walk in the hope of eternal life with confidence and peace
Well said, friend!