Some thoughts on Siouxland Presbytery’s document: Part 4-Christ’s Mediatorial Work

Posted here:

1. a. We affirm that God’s eternal purpose was to give a people to Christ as His seed who would be by him in time redeemed, effectually called, justified, and glorified (C 8.1).
2. b.We deny that Christ purchased any temporal saving benefits for the reprobate, even those that are members of the visible Church, such that they would be, for a certain time only, redeemed, effectually called, justified, or sanctified.

Sidenote: I’m not sure why “temporal” has replaced “temporary” in these sorts of statements (I’m not picking on one side or the other here). Sanctification in the elect occurs just as much in time as the temporary benefits that the non-elect enjoy.

More substantially, by definition no temporary benefits can be saving. The reason why effectual calling is indeed effectual is because it lasts in the elect through the special grace of God whereas the reprobate are temporarily called and are not given the faith that would lead them to persevere in their calling. Both here and under the Effectual Calling heading there is not much to add to my earlier comments about how all this is tautologically true.

2. a.We affirm that Christ did purchase not only reconciliation but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven for all those whom the Father gave to Him (C 8.5).
2. b.We deny that any for whom Christ purchased reconciliation will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.

Nothing wrong with any of this. Not sure why it was thought necessary to say.

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