Christ' Ransom for Many: A Response to Shawn

"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Matthew 10:45

In a resent blog called "An Atheist Putting Us To Shame," Shawn, my favorite atheist, asked the question... "if Jesus died for the sins of the world, and the sin of unbelief is one of the sins for which he atoned, why are some people still in hell?" Before giving a response to this question, I first want to acknowledge Shawn for his willingness to think past what is being presented as orthodox doctrine. Of course, I am speaking of the doctrine of the atonement of Christ here. And, the question at the crux of the atonement is for whom did Christ die? While this question is an old one, and while it has some of God's people lining up on one of two theological camps; namely Arminianism and Calvinism, for brevity's sake I will only talk of why I feel atheists like Shawn have a valid point. This post isn't so much a theological discourse proving Calvinism, but rather a post discussing the end conclusion to Arminianism, and a response to Shawn's good question. With that said, let us begin. The Arminian argument goes something like this:

Christ died to make it possible for everyone who believes to be saved. All those who by their own self-determining choice to believe upon Christ, will have Christ' death applied to their account. The decisive factor, therefore, is faith. Again, those who believe, will receive forgiveness.

While this may sound good to the believer, once we begin to consider Shawn's objections, we will begin to see the fallacy in such thinking. Consider Shawn's points:

1. Christ supposedly died for the whole world
2. Christ' death means total forgiveness of sins
3. One of the sins for which Christ died is the sin of unbelief
4. Some of the world's inhabitants are in Hell
5. Christ either failed in his mission or God is unjust as to have a Savior die to pay for sins, and then the sinner paying for his sins again in hell
   

Did you catch that? First, consider Shawn's supposition - a supposition based on Arminian theology, incidentally: "Christ died for everybody," "Christ' atonement means that everyone could be forgiven providing they believe," and "one of the sins for which Christ died to save men from is the sin of unbelief." Next, consider Shawn's observation: "some of the people for whom Christ died is in Hell." Finally, consider Shawn's conclusion: "Christ either failed in his mission to save everyone, or God is unfair and unjust because there is double-jeopardy with him. That is to say, God made Jesus suffer and die to pay for people's sins, and then made some of those people to suffer for those supposedly already forgiven sins in hell again. Let me ask, Christian. Is there any other conclusion to this theological thought? Shawn is right in his thinking. If in fact Jesus did die to pay for sins - and one of those sins for which he atoned is the sin of unbelief - why are there people in hell? Consider Paul's letter to the Colossians.

In chapter 2, verses 13-14, we read..."And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross." Will you now say that though our debt was cancelled at the cross - and again consider that unbelief is a sin that too was cancelled - those whom do not believe will not have forgiveness? Oh there is so much to say in a blog like this! Again however, this is not a blog produced to prove Calvinism, but rather one of consideration. You see, if what some Christians teach about a Universal atonement is true (i.e., an atonement which makes salvation possible providing a person's choice to choose Christ), then what Shawn concludes is what we must conclude. And if this be true, our Great Savior is reduced to one who failed in his purpose. That is to say, he came to save the world, but because most would not let him by accepting his gift, the Great I AM was frustrated by the frail and finite power of mortal man.
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