Owen's Death of Christ- Chapter 7 Section 5

Owen's Argument - Chapter 7 Section 5

P1: In John 17 Christ both offered and interceded
P2: Christ intercedes for the elect alone
C1: therefore, Christ offered for the elect alone

Scripture quoted in support of P1:

I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. (John 17:4)

And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:17)

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Hebrews 9:12)

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/owen/deathofdeath.i.vii.vii.html

Refutation

P1 & P2 are true but the conclusion does not follow. Just because Christ offered for everyone He intercedes for does not mean He intercedes for everyone He offers for. Christ's offering is the basis for His intercession, so of course Christ talks about both in John 17.

Comments

DonaldH said…
If this is his reasoning then he committed a part to whole fallacy. Owen automatically assumed his conclusion.

These were the things that led me out of calvinism, two years ago. The main thing was the Appeal to Fear: You are not quite biblical if you are not a "calvinist."

Although, I could never embrace limited atonement. For the sake of my own peace of mind.

However, thanks Dan, for refuting the Owenic arguments.

I would also like to hear more of our brethren pull out the truth that many of these concepts didn't originate with Calvin, but actually with Beza, and Owen. Or should I just bring that up on the SEA forum?

Thanks man.
April 1, 2011 at 10:47 AM
Godismyjudge said…
Yes, some C's appeal to fear either of being not fully biblical or worse. Reminds me of the saying when Arminius debated Gomorus before the state: 'I would rather appear before God's judgment with Arminius' theology than with Gomorus' charity.'

I think the distance between Calvin and later Calvinists is an interesting topic, and a good one for the forum. My take is that all the basics of Calvinism were present in Calvin, but in a less clear way than you can find in later Calvinists. Still, I think Calvin was a determinist and he held to limited atonement and he seems to hold to supra-lapsarianism and double predestination. Still, perhaps he was inconsistent and less than clear on these topics at times.

God be with you,
Dan
April 1, 2011 at 2:47 PM
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