From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective

by David Gibson

The opponent claims that the death of Christ can fail to effect salvation, which means that its intention can be refused, and refusability without injustice is a feature of pecuniary payments. By contrast, a penalty borne by a person cannot be returned. The personal, physical, and spiritual suffering of Christ cannot be undone. Because the suffering has been borne and cannot be returned, it must take effect. Christ has died. Owen’s argument, which should leave his critics aghast, is that definite atonement is not best served by reliance on the pecuniary metaphor, since a payment made in money can be refused and returned. Rather, it is the language of completed penal suffering that most clearly expresses why God will not punish sin twice and thus establishes the definiteness of the atonement.