Even if unbelief is dealt with at the cross, according to unlimited atonement, faith is still required for the application of the atonement that has been accomplished. In this case, there is no double-payment objection to answer, because those who are damned have simply not exercised the faith requisite for redemption. Christ dies for their sin, all right–including their unbelief; but if they do not have the faith necessary to have the benefits of his death applied to them, then they suffer the just punishment for their sin regardless. Oliver Crisp, Deviant Calvinism (230).
So Christ died to redeem unbelievers, who will still be damned because they are unbelievers! That's really ironic. Critics of 5-point Calvinism think it's a travesty of justice. Yet they resort to this Kafkaesque alternative. A divine Catch-22, as if God takes malicious delight in trapping them in this circular predicament.
"So Christ died to redeem unbelievers, who will still be damned because they are unbelievers!"
ReplyDeleteBob: Hey neighbor! Did you hear the news? Old man Joshua died and left everyone on the block a bar of gold. Yours is on your front porch.
Sam: Yea, right! I'm not falling for that! I've talked to old man Joshua probably two time in my life, and it wasn't very friendly. There is no way he would leave me a shinny nickel, let alone an entire gold bar. I don't believe you.
Bob: I'm not kidding. Go look! It is right in the middle of your porch with your name on it. I already cashed my in and used it to pay off my credit cards.
Sam: Give it up. You sir, are full of beans.
*The next day Sam trips over the bar of gold and nearly falls over while getting the morning paper.*
Bob: There! Sam! Right there! You just tripped on it. It is your bar of gold willed to you by old man Joshua.
Sam: Look, you are talking nonsense. Nobody dies and leaves the whole block a bar of gold. I don't want to hear another word about old man Joshua and his mythical golden bars.
Bob: Suit yourself.
The point of the story is, it is tragic, but not ironic, circular, or a Catch-22 that Christ died to redeem those who nevertheless remain damned because of their unbelief.