Why should "incarnate" and particular redemption (limited atonement) be "categorically, diametrically opposite of each other?" Incarnate refers to God taking human flesh. Surely we all believe that He did, whatever our beliefs about the extent of the atonement.
That is the point precisely. Well, that is if you believe He actually became man, assumed our human nature, the very same nature as we, that is a mortal nature.
If that is what you believe you cannot hold to a limited atonement. Limited atonement infers that Christ was not Incarnated. Listen to Brightfame52 in in monotonous repeating that Christ died ONLY FOR THE ELECT.
Because Christ bore our nature, when He died, our nature died, just as you and I will die once. However, that same human nature was raised to life by His resurrection. Now, how in the world could Christ ONLY die and raise some human beings. I Cor 15:21-22 is so clear a 5th grader could figure it out. Verses 12-19 is also very clear. If the dead are not raised, then Christ is NOT RAISED. Limited atonement outright denies Christ was Incarnate, but also He was not risen, BECAUSE ONLY SOME WERE RAISED. It is all or nothing.
That is why incarnate and limited atonement are opposites, mutually exclusive.
Now if you have read my other posts in reply to Brightfame52 you will also see all the other aspects of the Gospel that limited atonement denies.
Really? So why does Paul write to the Christians at Ephesus:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,” (Eph 1:3-4 NKJV)
And to the Colossian Christians:
“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;” (Col 3:12 NKJV)
The phrase "chosen sinners" doesn't occur, but Paul in writing to the Christians at Ephesus, not only told them that they had been chosen by God before the foundation of the world, he also went on at the beginning of chapter 2 to tell them:
Quite the contrary. Paul is writing to the Churches at Ephesus and Colosse, however there is no chosen to be elect. Once one believes you become an elect. The phrase chose us IN HIM, does not mean he chose us to be in Him. We need to be IN HIM those He chose to experience all the blessings that are listed.
“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” (Eph 2:1-3 NKJV)
Yes, they were sinners, dead in trespasses and sins. But now they were saved sinners, chosen before the foundation of the world.
The phrase 'He made alive" is referring to His resurrection where by His resurrection He gave life to all men. Rom 5:18, I Cor 15:22, Some translations use the correct word here in English which is "quicken" which only means a physical awakening.
You should have included vs 5 as well. Here Paul emphasizes that he is addressing physical life. He even puts it in parentheses to make sure one understands. Christ saved us, [past tense) This only happens by Christ's resurrection when the world and mankind were all saved from death, the condemnation through Adam.
I agree that these sinners were actually chosen before the world began. God knew in creationg Adam that He would sin and need a correction. This is stated in Rom 5:6-8, all men are sinners, made to be sinners because of the condemnation of death to Adam. If God is going to have a relationship with man, not just in this life, but for an eternity, God needed Someone, to raise His created order back to life, back to an eternal existence.
