WLC59

The WESTMINSTER LARGER Catechism

WLC 59. Who are made partakers of Redemption through Christ?

A. Redemption is certainly applied, and effectually communicated,
to all those for whom Christ hath purchased it;¹ who are in time by the Holy Ghost enabled
to believe in Christ according to the gospel.²

Proofs
^{1Eph 1:13–14; Jn 6:37, 39; 10:15–16;²Eph 2:8; 2 Cor 4:13
Comments
The doctrine of ‘Limited Atonement’ is not a very popular one in evangelical churches today. But it is a biblical doctrine. God has elected only a fixed number of people to be saved. These are known as the elect, and Christ Jesus suffered and died in order to purchase these and these alone (Jn 10:15). It is in this sense, the atonement is limited. It is limited not in its power and efficacy but in its extent. And neither is it limited in that there are only a few who are the elect. No, at the last day it will be evident that the elect comprises: "A great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues" (Rev 7:9). But it is true that the elect comprises a minority of all people in every generation.
The present question is, however, not so much on the extent of the atonement, but on the extent of the application of the atonement. And here we see that only those whom Christ purchased, i.e. the elect, will have the benefits of Redemption applied and communicated to them. Thus the Lord Jesus says:

"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.…No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." (Jn 6:37, 44)

This doctrine contrasts sharply with the Arminian teaching that Christ died to make salvation possible for all men without exception, and that the Holy Spirit tries all men who hear the Gospel to salvation, though the co-operation of the sinner is required if he is to be saved.
Our catechism leaves no room for human co-operation. Redemption is applied to us by the Holy Spirit to the elect (see WLC 58). And this application is certain and effectual. None whom Christ Jesus purchased will be lost (Jn 6:39). This is the doctrine taught in the fourth point in the five points of Calvinism, namely, ‘Irresistible Grace’. The grace work of the Holy Spirit in applying redemption cannot be resisted by the sinner, contrary to the teaching of Arminius or Wesley.
Yes, faith is the instrument by which the sinner will receive the benefits of redemption (see WLC 72), but faith is a gift of God, as the apostle Paul says:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." (Eph 2:8; cf. 2 Cor 4:13)

And this faith is a gift of God in that the Holy Spirit enables us to believe by raising us from spiritual death (Eph 2:1) and giving us a new heart (Ezk 11:19) that believes the Gospel and finds Christ altogether lovely and irresistible.}