The thread concerning FV and its inclusion of soteriological blessings among the privileges of the visible church and outward covenant mentioned that at least one FV advocate held that the non-elect (in the Westminster sense) could have some form of "forgiveness" for a time.
If forgiveness is a spiritual blessing that was purchased and accomplished by Christ on the cross, and the non-elect experience and enjoy forgiveness in some sense (per FV), then would it not be necessary for them to maintain that Christ also died for the non-elect in some sense? And that "sense" would have to include the meriting/purchasing of soteriological blessings for non-elect persons, would it not (per FV)?
Has anyone ever pressed them on this point? I don't recall it coming up in the thread. And doesn't that criticism have a little more "bite" to it, as far as innoculating the sheep, and or pointing out the severity of the error (as opposed to painting it as a simple misunderstanding of temporal election to external benefits)?
Or am I missing something?
If forgiveness is a spiritual blessing that was purchased and accomplished by Christ on the cross, and the non-elect experience and enjoy forgiveness in some sense (per FV), then would it not be necessary for them to maintain that Christ also died for the non-elect in some sense? And that "sense" would have to include the meriting/purchasing of soteriological blessings for non-elect persons, would it not (per FV)?
Has anyone ever pressed them on this point? I don't recall it coming up in the thread. And doesn't that criticism have a little more "bite" to it, as far as innoculating the sheep, and or pointing out the severity of the error (as opposed to painting it as a simple misunderstanding of temporal election to external benefits)?
Or am I missing something?