the extent of the atonement Redemption Accomplished and Applied

the mediatorial dominion of christ  The benefits that accrue to all of mankind on account of the atonement are vast and beautiful in there wondrous glory.  All the benefits enjoyed by mankind flow from the fact of Christ‘s atoning work in his life, death and resurrection. It is on the basis of Christ's finished work.  Another way to view this is to speak of the mediatorial dominion of Christ which is universal in its scope. It is within this dominion that all the blessings mankind experiences are dispensed.

hebrews 2:5-9 5 It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But there is a place where someone has testified: "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 7 You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor 8 and put everything under his feet." In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

philippians 2:8,9 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

the manifold blessings of the atonement  While all blessings flow out of the atonement they do not all flow to every person indiscriminately.  The blessings that do flow to all men we attribute to the Common Grace of God.  The particular blessings which are salvific we attribute to the Special Grace of God.

the common grace of god  All good things come from God. James 1:7  Even these good gifts are given out of grace.  We must never forget that we do not deserve any of these blessings. Apart from Christ we deserve God’s wrath and judgment.

the special grace of god This is really the heart of our discussion about the extent of the Atonement. It is here that we find the answers to the following questions: On whose behalf did Christ offer himself as a sacrifice? On whose behalf did Christ propitiate (satisfy) the wrath of God? Whom did he reconcile to God ? Whom did he redeem from the curse of the law, from the guilt and power of sin, from the power and bondage of Satan? What is the extent of the substitutionary work of Christ?

the extent of redemption The very nature of Christ’s mission and accomplishment of it is involved in this question. Did Christ come to procure redemption or did he come to merely put mankind into a redeemable state? This question is often referred to as the question of “Limited” vs. “Universal” Atonement

universal atonement Proponents of a universal atonement argue that Christ’s death was for each and every person. Through the cross Christ made it possible for anyone and everyone to obtain redemption. If this is true then our own salvation is not actually procured by Christ but by our own faith. The result is that Christ’s work may make the possibility universal but it means that the redemptive power is limited to a possibility and not an actuality. If we universalize the extent we limit the efficacy of the atonement.

limited atonement “Particular” atonement “Christ did not come to put men in a redeemable position but to redeem to himself a people.” –J. Murray Christ actually procured an eternal redemption through his work on the cross. This is the essential nature of the atonement. (Hebrews 9:12) Christ procured redemption for his own people. (Titus 2:14)

the import It is only on the basis of the real procurement of redemption that we can have a free and full offer of salvation to lost men. The offer is not the possibility of salvation, it is salvation. “It is because Christ procured and secured redemption that he is an all-sufficient and suitable Saviour. It is as such that he is offered…” –J. Murray