First off, I do not think the term limited atonement is a accurate assessment. It implies a limitation of God's grace. Calvin used that word because he needed an "L" for his clever acronym. No, I think there is a precise number chosen to be saved. How do I know? Because God knows the end from the beginning.
Now that said, everyone is born a sinner, lost, as was Judas. Judas was never chosen to be saved, he was chosen to be the one who would betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver
( Zech. 11:12-13).
As Jesus describes the Parable of the Sower of seeds, Judas' seed fell on shallow soil. Judas never fully believed and trusted in Christ, so when his test came, he failed. He remained lost and Jesus knew this from the beginning.
Apostasy is simply the rejection of Jesus as Lord and Savior - regardless of whether the seed was planted in Rocky Soil or Shallow Soil or in many cases the seed never fell on you (people who never heard the gospel).
And Romans 1:18-21 reveals that regardless if the gospel reached them or not - they are all without excuse!
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened."
So that gnawing age old question: "What about the people who never heard the gospel ... why should they be judged ... it's not fair ... bla, bla, bla", is answered in the above passage.
Wanna know how simple it is .
What do we KNOW without a doubt .
What is it that we do KNOW without any doubt .
THAT IF ONE BELEIVES JESUS IS THE CHRIST and has come to HIM and beleives on HIM
GUESS WHAT that one is ...........................SAVED my friend .
AND we both know , OR SHOULD KNOW , that as real and fierce as that lake of fire is
ALL who rejected JESUS THE CHRIST will face that place .
I mean its real easy .
Visualize this next scenario .
IF you walked onto a beach and saw a child drowning
are you gonna try and debate with the child about all these topics
OR SIMPLY DO ALL to save that child . By throwing HIM the LIFE LINE
by which if HE grabs ahold , HE WONT drown .
exactly . PREACH JESUS to this people .
Now visualize this next scenario .
Lets say one was drowning in the ocean
and a man came to throw them the line with a bouy that if they grabbed ahold of it
would have saved them .
TELL ME , if you were drowning would you sit and debate WHY it is that only that rope can save you
OR WOULD YOU SIMPLY have grabbed ahold for dear life so as you would not drown .
YOU see . The reason men do NOT grab ahold of the line , the way
is due to they so busy loving on the waters of the sins of that ocean they are drowing in
And see the line as only a way TO end their time spent in sin .
DO That make sense . IN other words the true reason no man cometh
IS exactly as JESUS said . THEY Wont come to THE LIGHT lest their evil deeds be reproved .
I know you know the lake of fire is real
And neither of us tries to TONE IT DOWN or GET RID OF IT .
Rather we preach JESUS THE CHRIST . CAUSE I KNOW HE SAVES . and all else , it but in vain and it wont save .
BUT JESUS DOES .