John Wesley on Extent of the atonement
Universal — for all, applied on faith
"He is the propitiation, not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world;... He gave himself a ransom for all;... He tasted death for every man."
THE POSITION
Christ died for every person without exception, not only the elect. Stacks universal-scope texts against a definite-atonement reading and argues that universal invitation and definite atonement cannot both be sincere: if the call to "whosoever" excludes some from the outset, the call itself is a deception.
6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all—the testimony that was given at just the right time.
5 OTHERS HOLD THIS
ABOUT THIS FIGURE
Anglican priest and founder of the Methodist movement. His Standard Sermons and Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament are Methodism's own doctrinal standards. The map's first researched Arminian figure, set against an otherwise Reformed-heavy list — his signature move is prevenient grace: total depravity by nature, but no one actually left in that bare state, because grace merited for everyone reaches everyone first.
Cite this page
"John Wesley on Extent of the atonement", Examined Doctrine, July 2026 edition, https://examineddoctrine.com/position/wesley/atonement-extent (archived at https://examineddoctrine.com/editions/2026-07/position/wesley/atonement-extent).