Reading the books of the good professor, Donald Macleod, is a rare treat. His popular books are gems, his wisdom warm, and his teaching inspiring. And while he pretends not to be an Amyraldian, Prof. Macleod believes exactly the same as Amyraldians do. Sadly, he confuses Amyraldianism with Arminianism, which is most strange for such a clever reformed theologian.
Amyraldians believe, with John Calvin, and more importantly with Scripture, that Christ died for all men, that He tasted death for every man, that God so loved the world that He gave..., that God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance, that Christ was the propitiation for the sins of the world. That means that Christ's atonement can be offered to all the world because there is a real salvation for all the world.
In his book, "Shared Life," Macleod taught the following:
"...not only did the one God love the world but each Person within the Trinity loved the others." (p.36).
"...we are to emulate the depth of love that God the Father showed for the world when he gave his only Son for it (Jn.3:16). (p.72). [Emphasis his].
"Matthew 11:28 ... are familiar words. ..He invites the whole world (no less!) to come to him and he promises, 'Suppose they all come, I can give them all rest. I can teach them all. I can carry the burdens of them all. I can meet their deepest needs. I can deliver them from every neurosis and every anxiety and make them whole and free." (p.91). [Emphasis his].
"[Jesus] ..claimed to be the Messiah not only of Jews but of the world." (p.107).
"Indeed, he was only calling Israel back to its true calling as the channel of blessing to the whole world." (p.107, 108).
This is authentic Calvinist, or Amyraldian, language, because it is Scriptural language. Amyraldians do not force the texts of Scripture through some kind of confessional sieve, but they allow them to speak their own God-given message.
For example, they do not do what John Owen did - make "the world" in John 3:16 mean "the world of the elect," but rather let "the world" be "the world." This is letting the Bible speak its own divine message; and this is the great need of both the world and the church today.
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