An exercise in Biblical analysis and logical deduction:

What say you to Owen?

Private revelations, are they valid?

The Puritan John Owen said:

“If private revelations agree with Scripture, they are needless, and if they disagree, they are false.”

Cited in J. I. Packer, A Quest for Godliness in the chapter on Puritans and the Bible, (Wheaton, Illinois, Crossway Publishing), p. 86.

In more detail Owen explains:

“Since the finishing of the canon of the Scripture, the church is not under that conduct as to stand in need of such new extraordinary revelations. It doth, indeed, live upon the internal gracious operations of the Spirit, enabling us to understand, believe, and obey the perfect, complete revelation of the will of God already made; but new revelations it hath neither need nor use of;—and to suppose them, or a necessity of them, not only overthrows the perfection of the Scripture, but also leaveth us uncertain whether we know all that is to be believed in order unto salvation, or our whole duty, or when we may do so; for it would be our duty to live all our days in expectation of new revelations, wherewith neither peace, assurance, nor consolation is consistent.”

John Owen, The Works of John Owen, ed. William H. Goold, Vol. 4, (Edinburgh, T&T Clark), p. 62.

The extent of the atonement and its implications. An exercise in Biblical analysis and logical deduction:

The Westminster Confession on Justification without which, it is impossible to have a correct understanding of Christ’s atonement.  Justification and atonement are inseparable. WC Chapter 11:3:   

“iii. Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are thus justified, and did make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to his Father’s justice in their behalf.  Yet, inasmuch as he was given by the Father for them; and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead; and both, freely, not for anything in them; their justification is only of free grace; that both the exact justice and rich grace might be glorified in the justification of sinners.”

Who was John Owen?

“John Owen was an English Nonconformist church leader, theologian, and academic administrator at the University of Oxford. He was briefly a member of parliament for the University’s constituency, sitting in the First Protectorate Parliament of 1654 to 1655. Wikipedia”

Can you or how would you answer a question from the Puritan John Owen?

The Father imposed His wrath due unto, and the Son underwent punishment for, either:

1. All the sins of all men.
2. All the sins of some men, or
3. Some of the sins of all men.

In which case it may be said:

• That if the last be true, all men have some sins to answer for, and so, none are saved.
• That if the second be true, then Christ, in their stead suffered for all the sins of all the elect in the whole world, and this is the truth.
• But if the first be the case, why are not all men free from the punishment due unto their sins?

You answer, “Because of unbelief.”

• I ask, is this unbelief a sin, or is it not?
• If it be, then Christ suffered the punishment due unto it, or He did not.
• If He did, why must that hinder them more than their other sins for which He died?
• If He did not, He did not die for all their sins! (1)

• John Owen, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, (Edinburgh, Banner of Truth), pp. 173, 174.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

Mr. Kettler has previously published articles in the Chalcedon Report and Contra Mundum. He and his wife Marea attend the Westminster, CO, RPCNA Church. Mr. Kettler is the author of books defending the Reformed Faith. Books can be ordered online at www. Jack Kettler .com