The Death of Death in the Death of Christ

1. The Gospel's True Nature: A Proclamation of Divine Sovereignty

The old gospel was always and essentially a proclamation of Divine sovereignty in mercy and judgment, a summons to bow down and worship the mighty Lord on whom man depends for all good, both in nature and in grace.

A God-centered focus. The authentic biblical gospel, as championed by Owen, is fundamentally God-centered, contrasting sharply with modern interpretations that often prioritize human feelings or needs. Its primary aim is to glorify God by declaring His absolute sovereignty in all matters of salvation, from election to glorification. This perspective cultivates deep reverence, repentance, and humility in believers.

The debased gospel. Over time, the gospel has been "debased" into a substitute product that, while appearing similar in detail, is fundamentally different. This new gospel often focuses on being "helpful" to man—offering peace, comfort, and happiness—rather than primarily glorifying God. This shift in emphasis has led to widespread perplexity and unsettlement within Evangelicalism, as it fails to produce the profound spiritual fruits of the old gospel.

Consequences of man-centeredness. When the gospel becomes man-centered, crucial biblical doctrines are often omitted or downplayed. Themes like man's inability to believe, God's free election, and Christ dying specifically for His sheep are deemed "unhelpful" or discouraging. This results in a partial truth masquerading as the whole, leading to a distorted understanding of salvation where man's decision becomes the decisive factor, rather than God's sovereign grace.

2. Calvinism: A Comprehensive, God-Centered Biblical Worldview

Calvinism is a whole world-view, stemming from a clear vision of God as the whole world’s Maker and King.

Beyond five points. Calvinism is often narrowly equated with its "five points" (TULIP), but Owen and Packer argue it's much broader—a comprehensive, God-centered worldview. It's a consistent endeavor to acknowledge the Creator as Lord, working all things according to His will, and seeing Him as the source, means, and end of everything in nature and grace. It represents the purest form of theism, religion, and evangelicalism.

Positive and organic. The "five points" emerged as counter-affirmations to Arminianism, presenting Calvinistic soteriology in a polemical form. However, Calvinism itself is essentially expository, pastoral, and constructive, defining its position from Scripture without needing to constantly fight Arminianism. The points are inseparable, forming an organic whole that asserts one central truth: "God saves sinners."

The depth of difference. The five-point formula often obscures the profound difference between Calvinistic and Arminian soteriology. It's not just about adjectives (unconditional vs. conditional election), but about the very definition of the nouns themselves. Arminianism, by making salvation ultimately dependent on man's independent activity, perverts the sense of Scripture and undermines the gospel at every point, whereas Calvinism upholds the biblical truth that salvation is entirely "of the Lord."

3. Unconditional Election: God's Sovereign Choice

God’s election is a free, sovereign, unconditional choice of sinners, as sinners, to be redeemed by Christ, given faith and brought to glory.

God's free purpose. Election is not based on God's foreknowledge of human faith or good works, but on His own sovereign will and good pleasure. It is an eternal act of God's will, immanent in Himself, determining to do good for specific individuals in His own time and way. This divine purpose does not change the creature's condition until God's external acts of grace bring it to pass.

No natural inclination. Owen rejects the idea that God has a natural inclination or velleity (a weak desire) to save all, which would imply imperfection or a frustrated will. Instead, God's love is an unchangeable, efficacious act of His will, specifically directed towards His elect. This love is the cause of sending Christ and bestowing all spiritual blessings, ensuring the salvation of those beloved.

Universal lostness, particular salvation. While all humanity is equally lost in sin and under God's wrath, God's eternal purpose to save some does not exempt them from this common condition until actual grace is applied. The elect, like all others, are "by nature children of wrath." The distinguishing factor is God's sovereign choice to redeem them, not any inherent difference or foreseen merit in them.

4. Christ's Atonement: A Specific, Effective, and Securing Redemption

Christ did not win a hypothetical salvation for hypothetical believers, a mere possibility of salvation for any who might possibly believe, but a real salvation for His own chosen people.

A real, not hypothetical, salvation. Owen vehemently argues against the idea of a "general ransom" that merely makes salvation possible for all. Instead, Christ's death was a specific, substitutionary act that actually secured the salvation of His chosen people. If Christ died for all, yet many perish, it would imply either God's failure to achieve His purpose or a deficiency in Christ's atoning work, both of which are blasphemous.

The unity of Christ's purpose. The Father and the Son had a unified intention in Christ's death: to redeem, purge, sanctify, deliver from death and Satan, and bring to God all those for whom He died. If Christ's death were for all, then all would necessarily be sanctified, purged, and brought to glory. The fact that this is not the case for all demonstrates that His atonement was particular, not universal.

Infinite value, specific intent. The sacrifice of Christ possesses infinite worth and sufficiency, capable of redeeming countless worlds. This intrinsic value is distinct from its intended application. Its sufficiency means the gospel can be preached to all, as there is enough in Christ to save anyone who believes. However, its efficacy is specifically directed by God's purpose to His elect, ensuring their salvation.

5. The Inseparable Unity of Christ's Oblation and Intercession

The oblation and intercession of Jesus Christ are one entire means for the producing of the same effect, the very end of the oblation being that all those things which are bestowed by the intercession of Christ, and without whose application it should certainly fail of the end proposed in it, be effected accordingly.

One priestly office. Christ's work as High Priest involves two inseparable acts: His oblation (His death and sacrifice) and His intercession (His ongoing advocacy in heaven). These are not separate in their object; for whom Christ offered Himself, for those same individuals He intercedes. To suggest otherwise would make Christ a "half priest" or imply His intercession is ineffectual, which contradicts Scripture.

Guaranteed application. If Christ's death procured good things for certain individuals, His intercession ensures those good things are actually applied to them. The idea that Christ could obtain reconciliation or forgiveness for someone who ultimately perishes is illogical. If the Father always hears the Son, then all for whom Christ intercedes must be saved. This unity guarantees the salvation of the elect.

Foundation of assurance. This inseparable connection between Christ's death and intercession is the bedrock of a believer's assurance. Knowing that Christ died for them and continually intercedes for them provides "joy unspeakable and full of glory." To separate these acts, as universal redemption does, undermines this assurance, suggesting that Christ's work might not ultimately secure one's salvation.

6. Faith as a Divine Gift: Procured by Christ's Death for the Elect

Faith itself is among the principal effects and fruits of the death of Christ.

Not a human contribution. Owen argues that faith is not a condition that humans fulfill independently to activate Christ's atonement. Instead, faith itself is a "proper immediate fruit and procurement of the death of Christ" for all those for whom He died. To deny this would diminish Christ's honor and elevate human free will, contradicting numerous scriptures that attribute faith to God's grace.

The new covenant's promise. The new covenant, established by Christ's blood, promises not just salvation if we believe, but also the very ability to believe. God promises to "put my laws in their mind, and write them in their hearts," ensuring that the condition of the covenant is wrought within all who are partakers of it. This makes faith an absolute procurement of Christ's death, not a conditional one.

Consequences of denial. If faith is not procured by Christ's death, then:

• The chief grace, without which redemption is useless, does not depend on Christ's merit.
• Salvation's ultimate cause is resolved into human ability, making man the "chief builder of his own glory."
• It contradicts the doctrine of original sin and man's natural inability for good.
  This highlights the critical importance of understanding faith as a gift, ensuring all glory for salvation goes to God.

7. God's Justice Fully Satisfied: No Double Payment for the Redeemed

Now, how can the justice of God require satisfaction of them for their sins, if it were before satisfied for them in Christ?

Full compensation. Christ's death made full, valuable compensation to God's justice for the sins of all those for whom He died. He underwent the exact punishment due to them, not in duration (as He could not be held by death), but in weight and pressure. This means that for the elect, their debt is fully paid, and God's justice is completely satisfied.

Injustice of double punishment. If Christ made full satisfaction for the sins of all, then it would be unjust for God to require a second payment from any of them in eternal damnation. The idea that Christ died for those who will still suffer eternal punishment implies either that Christ's satisfaction was insufficient or that God's justice is not truly satisfied, both of which are unacceptable.

Christ as surety. Christ acted as a surety, taking on the debt of the elect. A surety's payment frees the debtor. If Christ, as surety, paid the full price for all, then all should be freed. The fact that many are not freed demonstrates that Christ was not a surety for all, but only for His elect, whose sins He bore and for whom He secured complete release from condemnation.

8. Interpreting "World" and "All": Contextual, Not Universally Collective

The world, the whole world, all, all men!--who can oppose it? Call them to the context in the several places where the words are; appeal to rules of interpretation; mind them of the circumstances and scope of the place, the sense of the same words in other places; with other fore named helps and assistances which the Lord hath acquainted us with for the discovery of his mind and will in his word,--they presently cry out, the bare word, the letter is theirs.

Ambiguity of general terms. Owen meticulously dissects the use of terms like "world," "all," and "every man" in Scripture, which are often cited by universalists. He demonstrates that these words are highly ambiguous and rarely, if ever, denote a collective universality of all individuals in the world. Instead, their meaning must be determined by context, scope, and comparison with other scriptures.

"World" has many meanings. The word "world" (kosmos) has numerous significations in the New Testament, including:

• The physical creation (heaven and earth)
• The habitable earth
• Humanity in general (indefinitely)
• Many people (exegetically)
• A great part of the world (comparatively)
• The Roman Empire (restrictively)
• The elect/believers (e.g., "Saviour of the world")
• The wicked/reprobate (e.g., "world lies in wickedness")
• The corrupt system of the world
• The world under Satan's power

"All" means "all sorts." Similarly, "all" (pas) is frequently used distributively for "some of all sorts" rather than collectively for "all individuals." For example, "all nations" often refers to people from various nations, not every single person in every nation. This interpretation aligns with the New Covenant's expansion of grace beyond Israel to Gentiles, signifying a removal of national distinctions, not an inclusion of every individual.

9. Gospel Proclamation: Declaring Duty and Christ's Sufficiency to All

The preachers of the gospel, in their particular congregations, being utterly unacquainted with the purpose and secret counsel of God, being also forbidden to pry or search into it... may from hence justifiably call upon every man to believe, with assurance of salvation to every one in particular upon his so doing.

Man's duty vs. God's purpose. Ministers are not privy to God's secret decrees concerning individual election or reprobation. Their duty is to proclaim God's revealed will—His commands, invitations, and promises—to all who hear the gospel. This means calling everyone to repent and believe, knowing that Christ's atonement is infinitely sufficient for all who come to Him by faith.

Sufficiency, not universal intent. The infinite value and sufficiency of Christ's death provide a solid foundation for the universal offer of the gospel. There is enough in Christ to save every single person if they believe. The gospel's offer is not a declaration of God's intention to save every individual, but a declaration of man's duty to believe and the infallible connection between faith and salvation.

Order of faith. The gospel calls sinners to believe in an orderly progression:

• First, acknowledge universal sinfulness and inability to save oneself.
• Second, believe in Christ as the promised, all-sufficient Savior.
• Third, rest upon Christ for pardon and peace.
• Finally, believe in the efficacy of redemption for one's own soul.
  This process ensures that no one is called to believe something untrue (e.g., that Christ died for them specifically before they believe), but rather to embrace truths that are universally valid and lead to personal salvation.