Ernest Lee is going to wade into the ‘atonement’ debate. Several years ago, Ernest Lee asked a young pastoral candidate: “Do you believe Christ died for the man in hell the same as he did for you?” The young man answered, “yes, I believe that Christ died for all men the same way.” On the way back to the hotel, the young man remarked, “that was not the right answer, was it?” Ernest Lee told him, “you answered the way you believe, but if Christ died for the man in hell like he did you, then the man wouldn’t be in hell.” The young man struggled for years with the doctrine of the atonement because his training had been with those who hated the doctrines of grace.. Eventually after years of study, he came to the doctrines of grace. Now to the atonement:
First, there are really only two ways to look at the atonement. Either LIMITED or GENERAL. Virtually everyone ‘limits’ the atoning work of Christ. The salvation by works crowd (followers of Jacobus Arminius) believe Christ’s sacrificial death made salvation ‘possible’ for everyone. They believe in an ATTAINABLE atontment. Ernest Lee believes the atoning work of Christ is for believers only- LIMITED. It’s not limited in power, but in scope.
Those who believe everyone will be redeemed/saved are Universalists. They are few because clearly not everyone is saved. The Universalists are the only true General atonement folks.
Second, a general atonement view or an ATTAINABLE atonement view is inconsistent with the nature and attributes of God. If God’s plan was to save each and every human person in the world, then either He failed (which He can’t do) or we don’t fully understand atonement. God didn’t have a redemptive plan, and then stepped back and waited on man to take advantage of the offer. He didn’t leave it to man’s will- He imposes His will on man. He quickens/makes alive man so He responds to the call of God. After quickening, man is drawn to Christ. Man experiences salvation, but it’s not the experience that save him- it’s the work of Christ that saves him.
Now let Ernest Lee rebuke some of his younger (and older) allies. Some are militant pugnacious Calvinists who arrogantly declare Christ died for the ELECT only. They use the term ELECT with an elitist tone. It’s as if they believe the Lamb’s Book of Life is a social register. They act like the ELECT are more deserving of atonement than those left in their sin. Being ELECT does not mean someone has earned salvation through good works (past, present or future). The ELECT are the ELECT by the grace of God- nothing more/nothing less. To brag about being ELECT is antithetical.
Ernest Lee is offended when like-minded believers hold their Election to salvation up as some sort of trophy. Where is their true faith? Is it in Election or in the atoning work of Christ?
What about John 3:16? Doesn’t it teach Christ came to die for the WHOLE WORLD? Ernest Lee’s buddy John Piper answers that far better than I can. Here is a good resource on the subject. Here is the link: https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/did-christ-die-for-the-whole-world
Ernest Lee Contendin 