Owens - Death of Christ - Chapter 7 section 1
Chapter 7 Section 1
Owens Argument #1
P1: intercession is inseparably connected with oblation
P2: Christ’s intercession is made for the elect alone
C1: Therefore, Christ’s oblation was made for the elect alone
Scripture support for P1:
“By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities,” . “He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors; Isaiah 53:11-12
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Romans 8:32-34
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/owen/deathofdeath.i.vii.vii.html
Refutation
P1 & P2 are valid, the conclusion does not follow. Just because Christ died for everyone that He intercedes for does not mean He did not die for others. The passages quoted do prove that Christ’s death is the basis for justification, but Owens’s conclusion does not follow.
Owens Argument #2
P3: Christ died with the intent of justifying those He died for
P4: not all are justified
C2: therefore, either Christ’s aim failed, or He did not die for all
P5: Christ’s aim cannot fail
C3: therefore, Christ did not die for all
Scripture support for P3:
“He was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:25
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/owen/deathofdeath.i.vii.vii.html
Refutation
P3 requires clarification. If Owens means Christ died with the intent of immediately justifying those He died for, or justify them without also interceding for them, P3 is false. The scripture passage does not say immediately, or without intercession and based on passages teaching justification through faith we know that justification is not immediate and that Christ does intercede. But if Owens means that Christ died with the intention of everyone coming to faith and being justified, then P3 is true.
In which case P5 is false. Christ did come to save the world (John 3:17), but not all the world is saved.
Owens Argument #3
P6: Christ’s oblation was for an equivalent number of people as His intercession
P2: Christ’s intercession is made for the elect alone
C1: Therefore, Christ’s oblation was made for the elect alone
Scripture support for P6:
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Romans 8:32-34
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/owen/deathofdeath.i.vii.vii.html
Refutation
P6 is false. The passage’s scope is limited to people who have been justified. There is no reason to work backward from it and exclude everyone else from Christ's death. No one doubts that Christ’s died for them and that His blood has been applied to them through intercession. The passage does not address those who have not been justified. So while the passage does prove that Christ died for everyone He intercedes for, it does not prove that He died for no one else.
Owens Argument #1
P1: intercession is inseparably connected with oblation
P2: Christ’s intercession is made for the elect alone
C1: Therefore, Christ’s oblation was made for the elect alone
Scripture support for P1:
“By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities,” . “He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors; Isaiah 53:11-12
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Romans 8:32-34
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/owen/deathofdeath.i.vii.vii.html
Refutation
P1 & P2 are valid, the conclusion does not follow. Just because Christ died for everyone that He intercedes for does not mean He did not die for others. The passages quoted do prove that Christ’s death is the basis for justification, but Owens’s conclusion does not follow.
Owens Argument #2
P3: Christ died with the intent of justifying those He died for
P4: not all are justified
C2: therefore, either Christ’s aim failed, or He did not die for all
P5: Christ’s aim cannot fail
C3: therefore, Christ did not die for all
Scripture support for P3:
“He was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:25
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/owen/deathofdeath.i.vii.vii.html
Refutation
P3 requires clarification. If Owens means Christ died with the intent of immediately justifying those He died for, or justify them without also interceding for them, P3 is false. The scripture passage does not say immediately, or without intercession and based on passages teaching justification through faith we know that justification is not immediate and that Christ does intercede. But if Owens means that Christ died with the intention of everyone coming to faith and being justified, then P3 is true.
In which case P5 is false. Christ did come to save the world (John 3:17), but not all the world is saved.
Owens Argument #3
P6: Christ’s oblation was for an equivalent number of people as His intercession
P2: Christ’s intercession is made for the elect alone
C1: Therefore, Christ’s oblation was made for the elect alone
Scripture support for P6:
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Romans 8:32-34
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/owen/deathofdeath.i.vii.vii.html
Refutation
P6 is false. The passage’s scope is limited to people who have been justified. There is no reason to work backward from it and exclude everyone else from Christ's death. No one doubts that Christ’s died for them and that His blood has been applied to them through intercession. The passage does not address those who have not been justified. So while the passage does prove that Christ died for everyone He intercedes for, it does not prove that He died for no one else.
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