Limited Atonement & the Sacrifice in Hebrews
The basic issue behind the concept of limited atonement is whether or not the cross of Christ is effective in accomplishing what God has intended or not. In the death of Christ was sin actually put away? Does it merely make salvation possible or does it effectively accomplish the salvation of God’s people? The Biblical picture is complete and certain: the death of Jesus Christ actually accomplishes what God intends. The death of Jesus Christ perfects and saves for all time those whom God intends.
In the book of Hebrews, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is set before us as the perfection of the Old Testament sacrifices. It completes and finalizes what was never completed by the blood goats and bulls (Heb. 10:1-3). The sacrifices in the Old Testament never put away sin. There was never assurance of forgiveness in repeated sacrifices. This is an obvious fact for the writer of Hebrews since as he points out: the sacrifices never stopped. These ceremonies were always a shadow of the reality that had to come. Thus, in the Old Covenant, the work of the priest was never finished. It was never completed and fully realized because the priest never sat down but was always working (Heb. 10:1,11). Christ work actually achieved and accomplished something because upon offering Himself and proceeding into the heavenly sanctuary Christ sits down having taken away sin and cleansed our consciences from sin (Heb. 10:12-14).
There are several key elements to the book of Hebrews that point to a concept of a limited, or better, an effective atonement.
First, we see in chapter two that Jesus Christ has been perfected through suffering in order to bring a people to salvation (2:10). He is fitted to be savior and then enters into the perfection of glorification in order to bring “man's sons to glory.” The picture is that the Son is not making an open ended possibility of the salvation of all but actually accomplishing the salvation of a particular people. He is the founder of “their salvation” (Heb. 2:10b); He has sanctified a people and called them brothers before the congregation (Heb. 2:11) and He does this for the children God has given him (2:13). The children are not all humanity but those who are being sanctified by the blood of Christ. Thus the Son helps the offspring of Abraham—the heirs of the promise, not heirs by genetics but by faith (Heb. 2:16) making propitiation for the sins of the people—the covenant community in Christ (Heb. 2:17).
Second, Christ enters into heaven itself having secured an eternal redemption.
Heb. 9:11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation)
Heb. 9:12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.
Christ’s sacrifice is tied to his being the mediator of the new covenant and being a priest of that covenant. He sacrifices himself on earth and then in a resurrected body proceeds to ascend upward into the heavenly tabernacle. It is the eschatological climax of God’s great redemptive plan. The great drama of redemptive history is fulfilled not on earth in a temple that was but a shadow built with human hands but in heaven, which was built by God. All of this assures us that Jesus Christ was “thus securing an eternal redemption.” Christ is not making salvation a mere possibility; he is actually effectually securing it. Securing an eternal redemption means that Christ actually achieves it for a people. He does not secure possibility but achieves a reality: for a people sin is wiped away because atonement has been made.
Thus, we are assured that as the mediator of the new covenant the elect, called by God, will receive the promised inheritance. “Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant” (Heb. 9:15). Pay careful attention to the language here: those called now receive it because Christ secures it. [“may receive” unfortunately in English implies potential. The Greek is better “those who have been called to an eternal inheritance receive the promise”]. It is a simple Biblical logic: a people have been called, their sins are put away by Christ, they are now recipients of what was planned and secured for them. Christ’s death actually redeems a people from transgressions. It is an accomplishment for the people sovereignly called not a hypothetical possibility.
Christ’s work brings climax to the whole Old Covenant system. He appears once for all time at the bringing of victory over this evil age and inaugurating the promised age to come (Heb. 9:26). He effectively puts away sin by his sacrifice (Heb. 9:26). Thus, “so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Heb. 9:28). Bearing the sins of many is most likely an allusion to Isaiah 53:11-12.
The writer of Hebrews clearly sees the eschatological ‘Day of Atonement’ and the Isaiah 53 suffering servant culminating in the person and work of Christ. This offering and bearing of sins for ‘the many’ is complete and final. He does not sacrifice Himself again. His sacrifice is totally effective in accomplishing our redemption, a perfect payment for sin. On the issue of limited atonement at stake is the very effectiveness of the atonement. Christ does not offer Himself only to retreat to heaven and waiting wondering and biting His finger nails wondering: will people believe? Will they take my salvation?
Sensitivity to the redemptive historical climax of the cross of Christ necessitates that we recognize an effective atonement, or a particular redemption. Scripture is clear Christ has bore the penalty of sin. Thus, since this bearing is ‘hapax’ once for all time—the punishment will not be borne again by those for whom Christ died. Christ truly and actually bears their sins. Their sins are judged upon Christ. In His dying and facing judgment just like all men, Christ does this as representative of ‘the many’. This bearing of sin is final and complete. It actually does pay for their sin. His death exhausts the curse of sin. It pays for sin (Rom. 6:23). If the sins are paid for—those for whom they are paid will not suffer for things exhausted and forgiven! If sin has been borne by Christ for many then those same ‘many’ will not suffer punishment because God’s judgment of sin is final and exhaustive—it hapax, once for all time.
Finally, Christ’s sacrifices and self-offering is tied to His offices. He ascends into heaven after His resurrection where He serves as both a king and high priest. Believers in Christ have been sanctified by the offering of Christ (Heb. 10:10). The effectiveness of His offering is that “he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” We recognize that the application of redemption is being carried out in creation but people actually come to salvation because Christ died for them.
The implications of an effective sacrifice are that I am assured I have a high priest in heaven. I can confidently draw near by the blood of Jesus (10:19). He has opened the way and I can come with a heart of full assurance (10:19-22). If I have placed trust in Christ and his blood I do not have to wonder: did it actually accomplish anything? Is it enough? I have been given all I need because Christ went to the Cross not with the intention of making mere possibilities but rather with the design of doing God’s will in bringing a people unto salvation. Therefore, hold fast because Christ is faithful (Heb. 10:23).
Tim Bertolet is a graduate of Lancaster Bible College and Westminster Theological Seminary. He is an ordained pastor in the Bible Fellowship Church, currently serving as Interim Pastor of Faith Bible Fellowship Church in York, Pa. He is a husband and father of four daughters. You can follow him on Twitter @tim_bertolet.
