And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.
How does this fit into a debate between one who holds the Arminian view of salvation (man’s choice) and one who holds the reformed view of salvation (God's choice)? It concerns the Limited Atonement of which the Bible frequently speaks. “With your blood you purchased men for God...” John heard the words to the new song. The blood Christ shed purchased men. His Blood didn’t purchase salvation FOR men, His Blood purchased men. They did NOT sing His Blood made salvation AVAILABLE for all men. Everyone on earth belongs to the Lord (Psalm 24:1, 2 Peter 2:1) so can He not do with each and every man what pleases Him? He is the potter, we are the clay (Romans 9:20-21).
Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8), He OBTAINED salvation for His Elect (Hebrews 9:12) and His Elect alone. John wrote “...with your Blood you purchased men,” it is finished, complete, made perfect. The transaction is done. There was a specific group for whom He died.
Not here, nor anywhere else does the Bible ever speak of the man purchased as having a choice on whether to be purchased or not. So who did Christ purchase with His Blood? Answer - those chosen in Him before the foundation of the World. (Ephesians 1:4)
We become children of God NOT by human decision. (John 1:13)
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