The Death Christ Died

by Robert P. Lightner

Book Overview

"Whether Christ died for all men or for only those who will believe has been an issue much debated since the days of the Reformation," observes Dr. Robert Lightner in the introduction. "Unless Christ dies for all men, the message of God's love and Christ's death must be given with tongue in cheek and with some reservation." In this revised edition, the author has included three new appendices that examine the issue of limited atonement and sharing...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0825431557
• ISBN13: 9780825431555
• Release Date: October 1998
• Publisher: Kregel Academic & Professional
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Finally, a Biblical case for the Atonement

Excellent read...Dr. Lightner does an excellent job of setting forth the Biblical truth about the extent of the atonement! I just wish more Christians from all camps would read this fine work with an open mind--if they did there would likely be less division in the Body of Christ over this issue. I appreciated the following quotes on Pages 33-35: "One who desires to be true to the revelation of Scripture must be careful not to become a slave of any man-made system of theology. The question is not, "What did the reformers believe and teach?" or "Shall I be a Calvinist or an Arminian?" nor even, "What is the historical view of the church?" as important and helpful as these matters are; but the crux of the matter is, "What saith the Scriptures?"...It seems far better to say that one believes this tenet or that one as he many find agreement with it in the Bible than to imply acceptance of an entire system [like Calvinism or Arminianism]...The desire and goal of the child of God must not be adherence to a humanly-constructed system...Let us be Biblicists above everything else and at all costs; and when and where this position conflicts with man-made systems of theology, let it be!" "There is an increasing number of individuals who wholeheartedly accept *four of the famous five points of Calvinism, although they reject limited atonement, or as it is sometimes called, particular redemption...Their refusal to believe that Christ died only for the elect does not make them Arminians any more that it makes them universalists. They differ drastically with both the Arminians and the universalists...they believe only those who appropriate the death of Christ by personal faith because they have been chosen by sovereign God will be saved." As Dr. Lightner also points out, the strict Calvinist does have a serious conundrum and dilemma when it comes to evangelism. Maybe that is why there are so few Calvinistic mission agencies and evangelists in this century. Their system has, and continues to, logically and inexorably lead them to this end. Even John Piper and his "Let The Nations Be Glad" doesn't dare to tread into the waters of the extent of the atonement and how a strict Calvinist can effectively share the Gospel with ALL men. J.I. Packer's book on evangelism also betrays this weakness in their system as well (see also an appendix of this book). Thanks to Dr. Lightner and I look forward to more of this kind of work. For more on General Redemption see also Did Christ Die Only for the Elect? A Treatise on the Extent of Christ's Atonement by Norman Douty. *Dr. Lightner is actually, a 4-point Biblicist based on his adoption of a modified version of Calvinistic Unconditional Election. From what I have read of his theology, and Charles Ryrie's, they also disagree with the other points of the T.U.L.I.P as defined by Classical Calvinists. For example, George Bryson correctly says "As long as Christians think the Calvinist doctrine of Total Depravity is simp

Five Stars for Four Points of Calvinism

James D. Falls review is right on the money. Calvin wasn't a Calvinist. LOL I'll give Lightner 5 stars for his book, so long as we're clear that you can't GET 5 points of Calvinism from the Bible. Four's as far as it goes, unless you start fishing around Catechisms and Confessions. BTW: the term atonement is NOT a New Covenant, Christian term for redemption. The NT HAS several terms that relate to Christ's work (e.g. redemption, propitiation, ransom etc.). Atonement isn't one of them, as it refers to Older Covenant, temporary covering of sins through the blood of animals. That ought to be the student's first clue that there's some other agenda or method lurking behind a Reformed doctrine like, 'Unlimited ATONEMENT'. Let's build New Covenant doctrines off the terms the Bible supplies! (I just wish Lightner's excellent & classic work was subtitled, 'A Biblical Case For Unlimited Redemption'.) When it comes to out-leading the meaning of a Biblical text, the only sane order is: Exegetical Theology--->Biblical Theology--->Systematic Theology. Any other sequence leads to the Dark Side. <br /> <br />Reformed people tip-toe through the TULIPs by reading their Westminster Confession & Systematic Theology BACK into redemption-scope passages (e.g. 1 Jn 2:1,2; 2 esp. 2 Pe 2:1, etc.). <yawn> They _need_ a "limited atonement" doctrine to satisfy their _logical_ arguments about God's work of salvation. But hey: when you're peddling the 5th Horn of Calvinism, why let the text get in the way? Maybe these Reformed cigar peddlers can't see over their Dutch Master beards & Byzantine bellies to actually exegete redemption passages..?

What John Calvin himself believed.

For those reviewers that give this book such bad marks: you should be careful to call this a distortion of Calvinism. Most Calvin scholars agree that John Calvin held to unlimited atonement (he was a 4-pointer). Please see R.T. Kendall's book, Calvin and English Calvinism. The Five Points of Calvinism would be better entitled, The Five Points of Dort. It is a historical anachronism. Theologically, limited atonement has never made sense to me in relation to the gospel message. What can you say to the unbeliever? "Christ might have died for you"? What exactly are they supposed to believe?

A Good Defense of General Atonement with God's Sovereignty

A careful and reasoned case for general atonement that does not attack the sovereignty of God or exalt human effort. Recommended reading for those who would generally hold to the tenents of Calvinism but question the assertion that Christ died only for the elect (Limited Atonement). Kindly shows that Limited Atonement logic is not defensible. Urges readers to look to the Bible itself for final answers. Cautions readers not to embrace this element of a humanly defined system of theology because it runs counter to the plain teaching of Scripture. A scholarly work that is easy reading.

Great Book Against Limited Atonement

This is a great book defending the idea that Christ atoned for all of humanity. It critiques both strict Calvinism and strict Arminianism and seeks a middle path. The book spends most of its time, however, relentlessly arguing against the five-point Calvinist limited atonement concept and examining many scriptures to defend Unlimited Atonement--the position Lightner supports. He also refutes various arguments by Calvinists such as John Owen and Arthur Pink. Lightner further exposes the five-pointers' faulty reasoning that the words "world" and "all" in scripture mean the elect. He declares that the Bible "shines" with universality for all people. Additionally, Lightner includes a critique of the MacArthur Study Bible and its support of Limited Atonement. This book is highly recommended along with Did Christ Die Only for the Elect? by Norman F. Douty.