All parties agree, 1st, that the atonement accomplished by the sufferings of Christ was sufficient in its moral value to satisfy justice for the sins of all men; and, 2d, that it was exactly adapted to meet the requisitions of justice, growing out of the legal relations of all men. The only debate concerns the pur- pose of Christ in dying, and of the Father in giving his Son to die.
31. What is the Arminian view as to the design of God in the gift of his Son ?
That he should die in the place and stead of all men as a sac- rificial oblation, by which satisfaction is made for the sins of every individual, so that they become remissible upon the terms of the evangelical covenant, i. e., upon the condition of faith. — Wat- son's Theo. Institutes, Part II., Chap. XXV.
The design of God, then, was, 1st, that Christ should die for all men ; 2d, that by the satisfaction rendered by his death the salvation of all men should be made possible.
32. What is the Scriptural doctrine on this subject ?
Christ came in fulfillment of the eternal covenant of the Father with the Son. He assumed the federal and criminal rela- tions of his people to the law of works, and it was provided that his people should receive all the benefits of his merits.
The design of G-od in the atonement, then, was —
1st. That Christ should bear the penalty which justice de- nounced upon his own people.
2d. That he should not merely make the salvation of those for whom he died possible, but that he should actually achieve it for them, and freely present it to them.
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The Arminian view, therefore, differs from the Calvinistic in two points. They maintain that Christ died, 1st, for the relief of all men ; 2d, to make salvation possible. We hold, on the other hand, that Christ died, 1st, for his elect ; 2d, to make their salvation certain.
The Calvinist, of course, admits that it was a subordinate de- sign of Christ's death, as a means to the attainment of its chief design, that an interest in the satisfaction of Christ should be offered to all men, as available to all who believe. In this objec- tive sense the salvation of all men is rendered possible by the death of Christ, since none to whom the gospel is preached are excluded except by their own wicked refusal. — See Dr. Hodge's Com. on 1 Cor. viii., 11.
33. How can the true doctrine as to the design of the atone- ment be proved from the nature of the atonement as above estab- lished ?
If it is involved in the very nature of the atonement, as above proved, that all the legal responsibilities of those for whom he died were laid upon Christ ; if he suffered the very penalty which divine justice exacted of them, then it follows necessarily that all those for whom he died are absolved, since justice can not demand two perfect satisfactions, nor inflict the same penalty once upon the substitute and again upon the principal.
34. What Scriptures teach that the love of God which was manifested in redemption was not mere benevolence but special love for his church ?
John xvii., 6-19 ; xv., 13-16 ; x., 11 ; Rom. v., 8-10 ; viii., 32, 33 ; Eph. v., 25-27 ; iii., 18, 19 ; 1 John iii., 16 ; iv., 9-10.
The design of God must have been determined by his motive. If his motive was peculiar love to his own people then his de- sign must have been to secure their salvation, and not that of all men.
35. What argument on this point may be derived from the doctrine of election ?
As proved from Scripture above, in Chapter X., God, in his eternal decree, elected his own people to everlasting life, deter-
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mining to leave all others to the just consequences of their own sins. Consequently he gave his son to die for these. He could not consistently give his Son to die for the purpose of saving the rest.
36. By what argument may it be proved that the effect of Christ's satisfaction ivas not merely to render salvation possible, but that of his elect certain ?
1st. Christ is infinitely wise, powerful, and unchangeable, consequently his design can never be frustrated. His design, therefore, may be measured by the effect. He designed to save those whom he does save.
2d. The Scriptures prove that his purpose was actually to save those for whom he died, not merely to make their salvation possible, Matt, xviii., 11 ; Luke xix., 10 ; 2 Cor. v., 21 ; Gal. i., 4 ; iv., 5 ; 1 Tim. i., 15. Here his purpose is declared to be to redeem, to save, to deliver, to make righteous. " But to make salvation possible is not to save, to make holiness possible is not to purify, to open the door is not to bring us near to God."