Definite atonement is one of those pesky doctrines that prove controversial. Ever since the formal response by the Dutch Calvinists at the Synod of Dort, the church has been wrestling with the finer points that concern the extent of the atonement.
The first verse of Samuel Stone’s majestic hymn, The Church’s One Foundation is a clear statement of the doctrine of particular redemption:
The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord; she is a new creation by water and the Word; From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride; with his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.
David and Jonathan Gibson borrow the preceding line from Stone’s hymn to make an important theological assertion, namely – Christ paid for his sheep; he paid for his bride on the cross. In doing so, nothing was left to chance. Christ died for the sins of everyone who would ever believe. Hence, the authors set forth a well-reasoned and biblical case for the doctrine of particular redemption in their work, From Heaven He Came and Sought Her.
Four sections deserve the attention of readers and make a compelling case for the doctrine under consideration.
Section 1: Definite Atonement in Church History
Section 2: Definite Atonement in the Bible
Section 3: Definite Atonement in Theological Perspective
Section 4: Definite Atonement in Pastoral Practice
Each section provides a stunning amount of biblical, exegetical, and theological “legwork” which prop up this God-honoring doctrine. The depth of scholarship is remarkable and the theologians represented is nothing short of remarkable. David and Jonathan Gibson should be commended for assembling such a worthy group of scholars and addressing an issue that should come to the forefront of evangelical circles. From Heaven He Came and Sought Her defends the doctrine of definite atonement in crystal clear terms that honor our triune God and magnify the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross.
