The Five Central Points of the Gospel that we are studying, have been immortalised in the word TULIP. Each letter of that word is the initial letter of the 5 statements of the doctrines set forth in the Bible. Today we come to the third letter, L. It stands for LIMITED ATONEMENT.

1. In what sense is the atonement of the Saviour limited or restricted?

There is absolutely NO LIMIT to the power or value of the precious blood. It can wash away ALL and EVERY SIN.

It is not limited in what it HAS PURCHASED for the redeemed. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ,” Ephesians 1:3. All that the God of love has for His people was purchased by the atoning death of Christ.

However, there is a LIMIT to the number for whom Christ DIED! Not all men have been washed in His blood. That is very obvious as we view mankind. The Bible says: “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen,” Revelation 1:5-6. All men cannot say that!

2. When Christ died He did so for His elect ALONE.

We will look at His words on this vital matter to avoid error. “But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand,” John 10:26-29.

Amongst the millions that have lived on the earth there are those who are the ‘sheep’ of the Lord Jesus. It was for them He died and it was them whom He calls and grants repentance and faith and brings to a saving knowledge of Himself. “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep,” John 10:11.

Again He said: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many,” Mark 10:45. He did not give His life for all but for ‘many’.

The words of Christ make clear that He died for limited number of people, the ‘many’, the ‘sheep’, ‘my sheep’.

In His High Priestly prayer, Christ makes this distinction between those that are His in this world and those who are not. “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine,” John 17:9.

To be continued.