Atonement

Part 3 - Particular Love

If Christ does not die for all, how can He be offered to all? For a host of people this is the crucial question. For this reason, these folks cannot hold to the biblical teaching of limited atonement. These same people maintain God must display His love to all in the same way. They maintain the sincere offer of Christ in the gospel is at stake. They therefore cast aside the biblical truth of the particular love of God for the elect. So we address this question: Is there a particular love of God for the elect that is not for others?

In answer, I point to Ephesians 5:25-27. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless."

Paul compares the love a husband ought to have for his wife with the love Christ has for the church. The comparison runs in both directions. We say this for sure. The love a husband should have for his wife is exclusive and particular. Biblically speaking, a husband must not love another woman the way he loves his wife. If a husband expresses love for other women the same way he expresses love for his wife, he commits adultery. He violates the Seventh Commandment. Marital love is exclusive and particular. In like manner, if a husband expresses love for another man in the same way he expresses love for his wife, he commits abominable homosexual sin. Marital love is exclusive and particular.

This is a mirror. The love Christ has for the church is particular. Christ does not express love toward the reprobate in the same way he expresses love for the elect. The great demonstration of love is Christ's death on the cross. This love is particular. Christ dies for the elect. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her." The parallel is simple, plain and direct.

Why does Christ die for the church? Answer: "So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word." Christ does not sanctify the reprobate, the non-elect. Christ does not set aside the non-elect for His service. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her." Again, the parallel is simple, plain and direct.

What is the object of Christ's death for the church and His sanctification of the elect? Answer: "That He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless." The end to which Christ directs His love is the glorification of the church. The church is the bride of Christ. At the end of time, the bride will be ready. She will be presented to Christ in all her glory. Christ has an exclusive love for His bride just as each earthly husband must have exclusive love for his bride. This completes the picture of the very clear parallel. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her." Here is proper, exclusive, limited love expressed in limited atonement.