Question Thirteen: What was Jacob Arminius’ view of the atonement?
Jacob Arminius believed in unlimited atonement as the following quote reveals: Christ died for all men; that He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world; (1 John ii. 2;) that He took away the sin of the world; (John i. 29;) that He gave his flesh for the life of the world; (John vi. 51;) that Christ died even for that man who might be destroyed with the meat of another person; (Rom. xiv.15;) and that false teachers make merchandise even of those who deny the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction; (2 Pet. ii. 1, 3.)[1]
Robert L. Reymond in his A New Systematic Theology of The Christian Faith quotes Armninian theologian J. Kenneth Grider who teaches the governmental theory of atonement. Then Reymond also states that Jacob Arminius also taught the governmental theory, but does not quote him to substantiate his charge.[2] The following quotes are from The Works of James Arminius (volumes 1-3) which teach the penal substitutionary view of atonement by Jacob Arminius.
God required of him, that he should lay down his soul as a victim in sacrifice for sin, (Isa. liii. 11,) that he should give his flesh for the light of the world, (John vi. 51,) and that he should pay the price of redemption for the sins and the captivity of the human race.[3]
Christ, our High Priest, accepted of these conditions, and permitted the province to be assigned to him of atoning for our transgressions, exclaiming "Lo, I come that I may do thy will, O my God." (Psalm xl. 8.).... But he rendered satisfaction to his love for justice and to his hatred against sin, when he imposed on his Son the office of Mediator by the shedding of his blood and by the suffering of death; (Heb. ii. 10; v, 8, 9;) and he was unwilling to admit him as the Intercessor for sinners except when sprinkled with his own blood, in which he might be made the propitiation for sins.[4]
God “imposes upon His son the punishment due from sinners, and taken away from them, to be born and paid in full by Him....the rigour of inflexible justice was declared, which could not pardon sin, even to the interceding Son, except the penalty were fully paid.”[5]
[1] Jacob Arminius. The Works of James Arminius (Volume 1 Article XII).
[2] Robert Reymond. A New Systematic Theology of The Christian Faith.
[3] Jacob Arminius. The Works of James Arminius (1.419 Oration IV, “The Priesthood of Christ.”).
[4] Jacob Arminius. The Works of James Arminius (2.221 Public Disputation 14 On the Office of Our Lord Jesus Christ).
[5] Jacob Arminius The Works of James Arminius (3.195, “Conference with Junius.”)