Was Atonement for Esau Limited?

"As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."  Romans 9:13

 

Good grief – why is it always such a big deal that verse that says Esau was hated?  Everyone freaks out about it for no good reason at all.  Here are three things to remember.

 

1.     God loved EVERYONE enough to send Jesus to die for them.

John 3:16; Romans 5:18,19; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 John 2:2

Jesus died for the whole world.  Period.  He died for every sin that every person ever has or will do.  That's all there is to it.  End of story.  Now, if you want to argue there is such a thing as limited atonement, this is what the BIBLE says.  Jesus died for ALL.  I didn't come up with that – it's in the Word of God.  If you have a problem with the book – take it up with the author.

 

2.     Until we are reconciled with God we are His ENEMIES.

Romans 5:10; Romans 12:20; Luke 6:27

The reason it is not at all hypocrisy that we are commanded to love our enemies, is because that is exactly what Jesus did.  He loved us first, because while we were His enemies, objects of disgust and abhorrence to Him, He still died for us.  That's the miracle of God's love.  Jacob was reconciled with God.  Not only had he accepted this love, but by allowing God's grace into His life, he was given even MORE love.  Don't you know someone who you'd like to show kindness to, but they always refuse?  You want to love them more, but they do not allow it.  That was the case with Esau.  God loved Esau first – He sent Jesus to die for Esau.  Jesus bore Esau's sin.  But Esau didn't want a true relationship with the LORD, so that's all the love and mercy God could show him, (hence why Esau was loved less than Jacob). Genesis 25:34 Don't be foolish - you are always loved of God as much as YOU allow Him to love you.  If there is a lack of love, it's not His fault.

 

3.     We do NOT understand the love of God.

1 Corinthians 2:9; Romans 8:38, 39; 1 John 4:9,10

We only ever understand our own finite, selfish, foolish view on love.  It hasn't even entered into our hearts to fathom how great is God's love for us!!  How proud and foolish we must be to question and belittle it!  How little a faith doubts the love God has for EVERY SINGLE sinful soul!  I would be afraid to even suggest that God's love was as finite or limited as my own.  His love is very different.  It is capable of things which we can't understand while we are marred by sin.  (Not to mention the fact that we are just created beings – not God, so no wonder we don't understand it!)  God's love is not romance, flowers, and hearts.  It isn't sentimental moments between people we hold in great affection.  It isn't even the bonds we form with family and friends.  It's looking at someone who is undeserving and ugly.  It's looking at someone who is your enemy – who is selfish and hateful and rebellious, and saying I will take your punishment and bear your sins.  I will save you from the judgment you deserve.  That's what Jesus did.  For all the world.

 

Atonement isn't limited – just our understanding of the cross.