This is the truth of the Gospel.  God sent Jesus Christ

• Design of Atonement

†        The scriptures and the Missio Dei

Creation—Fall—Redemption—New Creation

†        The atoning work of Christ

subverts

Reconciles

Restores

Why did Christ Die?  Why did God become Man?

The father sent his son because god wills to punish sin and the save all who are in union with the father through the spirit.

Affirm the righteousness of God to punish sin.  In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself. For whom did Christ die—the world

• The nature of the Atonement

a.       Penal substitution—some have restated the gospel

b.      Four motifs

                                                   i.      Exemplar

                                                 ii.      Govenor

                                                iii.      Exchange

                                               iv.      Victor

• Extent of the Atonement

a.       Historical Considerations

                                                   i.      Limited and unlimited Atonement

                                                 ii.      Hincmar &Gottsochak (9^th Century)

Council of Mimes counted Hincmar’s double predestination as heretical and had him placed in prison until he died.

                                                iii.      Saumur Theologians (16^th-17^th Century)

1.      John Cameron

2.      Moise Amyraut

                                               iv.      Andrew Fuller (1754-1815)  Our convention would gain much by returning to the reading of his readings.  Fuller is behind the modern missionary movment.

b.      Exegetical Considerations

                                                   i.      John 3:16-18

Affirm general atonement but also affirm the view of limited atonement.  All theological views have tensions.

                                                 ii.      1 Timothy 2:1-6

Paul instructs Timothy on how the church is to behave.  We are to pray for all people.  It is god’s desire that all come to know him.

                                                iii.      Hebrews 2:9;14-18

Jesus suffered and tasted death for everyone.  The author of Hebrews carries an analogy throughout the book between the High Priest

                                               iv.      2 Peter 2:1;3;9

                                                 v.      1 John 2:2

• What is at Stake

Two potential problems

a.       A potential problem regarding the nature of the gospel

                                                   i.      Are we losing the gospel?

b.      A potential problem regarding the offer of the gospel

                                                   i.      No offer of the gospel.

                                                 ii.      A cheap offer of the gospel

Some of the most evangelistic people are 5 point Calvinist. 

Dr. Nelson said; the biggest fear is that the people in the pew are getting their doctrines from charlatans such as Joel Olsteen and John Hagee.

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