Unlimited atonement, also called general atonement, or universal atonement, is a doctrine in Protestant Christianity that states Jesus died as a propitiation for the benefit of all humans without exception. It is normally associated with Amyraldism (four-point Calvinism), Arminianism and other non-Calvinist traditions. It differs from the doctrine of limited atonement, one of the elements of the Five Points of Calvinism.

Historical background

In response to the Remonstrants' Five articles of Remonstrance, the Synod of Dort published the Canons of Dort, which included limited atonement.

One of the stronger, more vocal proponents of unlimited atonement was Methodist leader John Wesley. Fellow Methodist leader George Whitefield opposed the view. The namesake of the Calvinist systematic theological viewpoint, John Calvin, seemingly expressed an unlimited atonement position in several passages from his published Commentaries.

Doctrine

The terms unlimited, universal, and general are somewhat of a misnomer and have been adopted primarily to distinguish this doctrine from a Calvinist understanding of limited atonement. More accurately, the call of the Gospel is universal and there are no limits on who can believe through faith, but the legal payment is still regarded as limited only to those that respond through faith in Jesus. Thus, it is not the same as the doctrine of universal salvation, which holds that all souls will ultimately be reconciled to God, irrespective of faith.

The following statements regarding what it states and what it does not state are subject to close scrutiny of which many distinguished theologians on both sides of this issue disagree.

; What it states

  • The purpose of the atonement was universal—Jesus died on behalf of all people, not just the elect.
  • The atonement makes a way for all to respond to the Gospel call—Part of the effect of the atonement is the restoration of the ability to respond to God's call of salvation (see Prevenient grace).
  • Salvation is available for all—The doctrine of unlimited atonement rejects the predeterminism associated with Calvinism and states that every human has the opportunity to accept Jesus through faith.
  • The atonement legally pays for the sins of those who believe on Jesus—Only those who believe on Jesus are forgiven—only the believers' sins are paid

; What it does not state

  • Jesus paid the penalty for those who deny faith in him, and His death was a substitutionary atonement for those who deny him—Though the term unlimited atonement can easily give the incorrect assumption that Jesus' payment encompassed all people, unlimited atonement maintains a limit on the legal effect. Jesus' death was indeed an offer of a substitutionary atonement to all, but this offer was resistible; though salvation is offered to all, not all are saved.

Amyraldism (commonly called "four-point Calvinism", holds a view of unlimited atonement similar but not synonymous with traditional Arminianism) teaches that God has provided Christ's atonement for all alike, but seeing that none would believe on their own, he then elects those whom he will bring to faith in Christ, thereby preserving the Calvinist doctrine of the unconditional election of individuals.

Lutheranism supports the idea of Jesus' atonement as unlimited in his extent.

Unlimited atonement has a number of important points in common with traditional formulations of limited atonement. Both positions affirm that:

  • The call of salvation can genuinely be made universally
  • Jesus paid the penalty only for those who have faith in him
  • Jesus' death was a substitutionary atonement only for those who accept him

Biblical passages

All quotes from the NKJV unless otherwise noted, emphasis added:

Scriptures used in support of unlimited atonement

These are Scriptures commonly used by those who support Unlimited atonement:

  • —"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
  • —"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
  • —"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
  • —"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"
  • —"Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men."
  • —"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst."