Penal substitutionary atonement; Christ died for all; unlimited atonement
Free Will Baptists affirm penal substitutionary atonement as the primary understanding of Christ's death. Christ bore the penalty for sin — death and separation from God — in place of sinners. His death satisfied God's justice and made redemption possible. The Treatise of the Faith teaches that Christ's sacrifice is a 'full satisfaction' for sin, with nothing remaining that believers must do to earn salvation.
However, a distinctive Free Will Baptist emphasis is that this atonement is unlimited in scope. Christ died for all people — not just for the elect, as Calvinist theology teaches. This universal atonement reflects God's love for the whole world (John 3:16) and God's desire that all people be saved. While the benefits of atonement are applied only to those who believe, the atonement itself is sufficient for all and offered to all through the gospel.
This understanding is grounded in the Free Will Baptist commitment to free will and prevenient grace. God's grace is offered universally; Christ's death is efficacious for all who respond in faith. The atonement is not limited by God's predestination but is unlimited in its scope and availability. This shapes Free Will Baptist evangelism, which emphasizes the universal offer of salvation to all who hear the gospel.
Key Distinctions
- Primary theory:
- penal substitution
- Scope of atonement:
- unlimited — Christ died for all; offered to all; applied to believers
- Propitiation affirmed:
- yes — Christ's death fully satisfied God's justice
Scripture References
Sources
- Treatise of the Faith (NAFWB doctrinal standard)
- Free Will Baptist publications on redemption