Vanhoozer writes,
“The Son demonstrates a love than which no greater love can be conceived by laying down his divine life for those who are not divine and, further, for those who were not friends but enemies (Rom. 5:10).” (RT, 269)
Does this mean that Jesus died for all? Why not? Is the atonement then unlimited? Why not? Are we not all included in “those who are not divine” and “those who were not friends but enemies?” Does this “no greater love” include all sinners? If so, where lies the logical coherence between the inclusivity in the meaning of these words and the exclusivity of Vanhoozer’s Calvinist doctrines of a limited atonement, an effectual call, and unconditional election? If not for all sinners, then whom does God love and for whom did Christ die? Me? You? How do you know? Who are the “we” and the “us” referring to in Romans 5:6-11? Vanhoozer fails to incorporate the plain implications of Romans 5:10 into his theology. He does not consider the incoherence between his words and his theology to be hermeneutically significant for determining the validity of his interpretations of Scriptures on these matters. In addition, he refuses to clarify his words given his own theological doctrines.
The Truth of the Gospel 