Calvinism as a system claims that God reprobated a large segment of mankind so that they can never be saved. [1] It further claims that the atonement is for this reason limited only to the elect who alone will benefit from the atonement and be saved (with no possibility of falling away). In such a system Jesus died only for the sins of the elect. If this is the case it seems that many passages of Scripture are disingenuous in commanding all people everywhere to repent and believe on Christ when repentance is impossible for reprobates and Christ did not die for them anyway (For more on that see here).

Taken from The Practical Works of Richard Baxter, p. 455

“It is… proved by the sufferings of his Son, that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Would he have ransomed them from death at so dear a rate? Would he have astonished angels and men by his condescension; would God have dwelt in the flesh, and come in the form of a servant, and have assumed humanity into one person with the Godhead? Would Christ have lived a life of suffering, and died a cursed death for sinners, if he had rather taken pleasure in their death? Suppose you saw him but so busy in preaching and healing of them, or so long in fasting, or all night in prayer, or praying with the drops of blood trickling from him instead of sweat, or suffering a cursed death upon the cross, and pouring out his soul as a sacrifice for our sins, – would you have thought these the signs of one that delights in the death of the wicked?

Follow the link to view part 10 of distinguished NT scholar Scot McKnight's review of the books For Calvinism (by Michael Horton) and Against Calvinism (by Roger Olson): "For and Against Calvinism 10".

In a recent blog post (10/13/2011), James White took issue with Roger Olson's references to 1 Timothy 2:4 in his new book, Against Calvinism. How does White's view stand up when further scrutinized?