M.TH. LONG DISSERTATION (LD6.1) - John Owen

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John Owen’s Theological Context Owen also regards part of justification as occurring before faith, although in this he is somewhat more tentative. Given the context, it is likely that he is still referring to an order of nature, rather than a temporal order: I offer [suggest], also, whether absolution from the guilt of sin and obligation unto death, though not as terminated in the conscience for complete justification, do not precede our actual believing; for what is that love of God which through Christ is effectual to bestow faith upon the unbelieving? and how can so great love, in the actual exercise of it, producing the most distinguishing mercies, consist with any such act of God’s will as at the same instant should bind that person under the guilt of sin? 197 Owen suggests that this may be what is meant by the justification of the ungodly. However, he is quick to affirm that ‘Absolution in heaven, and justification, differ as part and whole’, and that, only when the sinner believes, do they receive ‘a full soul-freeing discharge’, for forgiveness of sin is received by faith alone. 198 Owen may here be exploiting the Reformed Orthodox distinction between active and passive justification. As we noted in chapter 2, 199 a number of Reformed theologians regarded active justification, whereby God imputes Christ’s righteousness to a sinner, as preceding faith in order of nature, although not in order of time. Passive justification then follows faith, and is the means by which one applies this imputation to oneself. Thus, Owen’s division of justification into absolution in heaven and complete justification terminated in the conscience is not entirely novel, although he may press the point slightly harder than do other Reformed writers. 197 Owen 1850-55: X.470, bracketed text in original. 198 Owen 1850-55: X.470f. 199 See pp. 12f., above. 54
John Owen’s Theological Context Owen was faced with the charge of eternal justification, which arose from a misunderstanding of his radically Christ-centred soteriology, wherein Christ is central and alone sufficient for both the accomplishment and the application of redemption. He sought a solution that kept Christ central at every stage, and yet took seriously the Reformed Orthodox doctrine concerning the instrumentality of faith in union with Christ and justification. He clearly denied any form of justification at a point in time before faith, and also denied full justification logically prior to believing. For Owen, union with Christ and justification are both processes that commence before faith, but are only brought to completion when the sinner believes. In this sense, faith is instrumental for full justification and full, mystical union with Christ. The reckoning of Christ to the believer, and possibly active justification, are both necessary before faith is bestowed. Nevertheless, we must remember that, for Owen, this process is not a temporal sequence, but is one event, within which he distinguishes a logical relationship between the component parts. follows: 200 Discussing this passage, Hans Boersma has diagrammed Owen’s position as pactum salutis satisfaction ius ad rem union with Christ faith/assurance ius in re 200 Boersma 1993: 108. 55
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M.TH. LONG DISSERTATION (LD6.1) - John Owen

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