Confessor
Puritan Board Senior
-Each and every sin against God deserves an ETERNAL, yet MEASURED punishment fitted particularly to that transgression.
-Therefore, since Christ's sacrifice was peculiar to the exact punishment afforded for the elect's sins, His sacrifice or passive obedience was not in fact sufficient for sinners He did not represent and/or sins that were not laid on Him. If God decreed ten sinners to be saved by Christ, and if He decreed those same ten plus one more, Christ's punishment would have been quantitatively different.
-Therefore, as regards this actual world, Christ's sacrifice is sufficient and efficient only for the elect.
(It could be argued that His active obedience would still be sufficient for all, but that's another topic.)
Christ was never more active than when He was taking the place of His people on the cross. John 10:18 "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. [εγω τιθημι αυτην] I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."
Okay, so I am a bit confused now. This view makes sense, but is it confessional (perhaps it's in the 1689 LBC)? While I very well may be misunderstanding your stance (as it was so recently explained to me), this seems to conflict with Paul's citation from Dordt above:
Article 3: The Infinite Value of Christ's Death
This death of God's Son is the only and entirely complete sacrifice and satisfaction for sins; it is of infinite value and worth, more than sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world.
This death of God's Son is the only and entirely complete sacrifice and satisfaction for sins; it is of infinite value and worth, more than sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world.
According to you, Bob, I believe you are arguing that Christ's sacrifice did not have infinite merit, but was meted out specifically so that it covered each sin of the elect, and no more. The arguments you presented look solid. Why, then, does there seem to be historical disagreement with this view? How might those at Dordt have responded?
(This question is open to anyone.)