7/02/19 

Acts 20:28

²⁸ Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood. 

The real question concerning the atonement doesn’t seem to be so much with the number included in the sacrifice of Christ, as what, if anything, is accomplished there. 

In a fairly recent confession representing a number of ministers, teachers, seminary officials, and other well-known Christians with sufficient clarity, state there was nothing finished at Christ’s death.  There was a great potential which included everybody who had ever lived, or would live, in the act “if” they responded to the invitation.  But let me state again nothing was actually accomplished.

In the text above this open-ended atonement is plainly contradicted.  The blood of God purchased the church.  Any fair understanding of Luke’s statement is satisfied that the church in this statement is synonymous with believers, the bride, the elect, and those in verse 32 “those who are sanctified”

In I John 2:1 we are told that the blood of Jesus Christ is “saving” any time, any place, and in any condition for the needy sinner.  This is so absolute that it has become the first and greatest commandment, cf I John 3:23.