Saving Private Ryan: The Sovereign Plan of Substitution - Reformed (Isaiah 53)
In Saving Private Ryan, Captain Miller and his squad die so that one man might live. Their sacrifice is intentional, planned from command level, and effective—Ryan survives because others died in his place. Isaiah 53 describes the Servant's suffering as sovereignly planned: "It was the will of the LORD to crush him." This is not tragedy but divine strategy. Reformed theology emphasizes definite atonement: Christ died specifically for His people, and His death actually accomplishes their salvation. "He shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days." The suffering was planned; the results are guaranteed.
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