Death of Death: 1.2-1.3

1.2

I. The end of anything is that which the agent intends to accomplish. The means is that which is done for the accomplishing of the end.

II. The end and means are mutual causes of one another. The desire for the end sets the whole work in motion. The means then obtain the end; the means’ existence is for the end’s sake.

III. If the means are not proportioned to the end, or fit for the end, then the agent will aim at one thing and be forced to do another. Example: Adam was enticed to be like God. His means to become God was to eat the fruit. Yet the means were not sufficient. Thus he aimed at becoming God, but rather became so much less than God. God is never this sort of agent. His end and his means always fit perfectly.

IV. The end of every agent is either that which he effects, or that for whose sake he effects it. The end that God effected in Christ’s death was the satisfaction of his justice. The end for whose sake he did it is supremely his glory and subordinately our being glorified with him.

V. Means are not good in themselves. They are only good insofar as they are conducive to the end they are fit to attain. [side note: One might object, "What if good lessons are learned from the means, even though the end was not attained?" However, in such a statement, one only diverts his attention to another end: the good lessons.] Owen says that the death of Christ is of this nature; that is, his death is not good in itself if it did not accomplish his end.

1.3

I. The agent in the work of redemption is the Trinity. There were other instrumental causes, but the work cannot be ascribed to them (such as in Acts 4:28).

II. There are two peculiar acts in the work of redemption:

1) The Father loves the world and sends his Son to die (Jn. 3:16, 17; Rom. 8:3, 4; Gal. 4:4, 5. This can be divided into three acts: a) The purposed imposition of God’s counsel; that is, God appointed it by his eternal will (Ps. 2:7, 8; Heb. 1:2; 1 Pet. 1:20). b) The inauguration of Christ into his office (Jn. 5:22; Acts 2:36; Heb. 3:1-6; Ps. 45:7). c) Entering into covenant and compact with the Son (Isa. 63:8, 9; 63:2, 3; Isa. 53; Isa. 49)
2) Laying the punishment of sins upon the Son (Zech. 13:7; Matt. 26:31; Isa. 53:4,6,10; 2 Cor. 5:21).

The end of chapter 3 closes with perhaps one of the most sound arguments for a definite atonement. I have made it a bit more concise here:

Christ underwent the pains of hell for either…
a) All the sins of all men.
b) All the sins of some men.
c) Or some sins of all men.

Therefore…
c) If this be the case, then all men still have some sins to answer for, and no man shall be saved.
a) If this be the case, then why are not all freed from the punishment of all their sins? “One might say, ‘Because of their unbelief; they will not believe.’ But this unbelief, is it a sin or not? If not, why should they be punished for it? If it be, then Christ underwent the punishment due to it, or he didn’t. If so, then why must that hinder them more than their other sins for which he died from partaking of the fruit of his death? If not, then he did not die for all their sins.”
b) This is the case we affirm, that Christ died for all the sins of all the elect in the world.

Death of Death: 1.1

To help me read through Owen’s Death of Death, I’m going to start posting a “cliffs notes” of sorts. Owen is a tough read (but worth it!), so laying out the structure in brief is helpful. Death of Death is broken into books and chapters, and I’ll be posting accordingly, though I’m sure I’ll often include more than one chapter in a post.

When Owen quotes Scripture, I will, most likely, always just jot down the verse reference. In doing this, perhaps this can serve as something to make whomever is desirous read and think through Owen’s words on their own.

D.O.D. 1.1

The “end” of Jesus’ death consists of his and the Father’s intention in it and what was accomplished by it.

Scriptures pertaining to the intention of Jesus’ death: Matt. 18:11; Luke 19:10; 1 Tim. 1:15; Matt. 20:28; Gal. 1:4; Eph. 5:25-27; Titus 2:14; Rom. 5:2

Scriptures pertaining to the accomplishment of Jesus’ death: Reconciliation – Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:19; Eph. 2:15-16, Justification – Heb. 9:12; Gal. 3:13; 1 Pet. 2:24; Rom. 3:23-25, Sanctification – Heb. 9:14; 1 Jn. 1:7; Heb. 1:3; Eph. 5:25-27; Phil. 1:29; Eph. 1:3, Adoption – Gal. 4:4-5; Eph. 1:14; Heb. 9:15

Conclusion: The death and blood-shedding of Jesus Christ hath wrought, and doth effectually procure, for all those that are concerned in it, eternal redemption, consisting in grace here and glory hereafter.

If Christ’s work was universal: Then, 1) God and Christ failed of their end proposed, and did not accomplish that which they intended, the death of Christ being not a fitly-proportioned means for the attaining of its end, or 2) All men, all the posterity of Adam, must be saved, purged, sanctified, and glorified (i.e. – universalism).