Thursday, April 29, 2010
A Note of Thanks to John Martin
John Martin (Roman Catholic) has been taking the time to provide long responses to a number of my posts in the comment box. I want to express my appreciation to him for providing these comments. I've been kept busy trying to answer his comments, and I hope that I will be able eventually to answer all of them, although he seems to be outwriting me at present - something like two comments to one.
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2 comments:
I'd like to voice my appreciation too. Though the rhetoric from Mr. Martin is a bit harsh at times, which I suppose I could chalk up to Mr. Martin being a blunt guy, it is appreciated that he's taking the time to actually deal with all of the arguments that TF has provided.
It's undoubtedly a rather interesting discussion. It's also very striking in that Mr. Martin is, in a sense, demonstrating the inconsistency of holding to penal substitution while believing that the atonement was universal. Reformed folks have been trying to point that out to those who argue for a universal atonement for a while now...
Catholic theology is a subtle thing, like scripture, we need to make distinctions to account for all the information we have been given by God.
The atonement was objectively universal, whereby Christ merited grace for all men, however the redemption is not subjectively universal, for scripture tells us some men will reject the grace given them in this life and will be punished for it in the next.
Regarding the atonement, the church teaches it is objectively universal, but subjectively finite due to men’s free choice to reject his grace.
As usual, it is a mystery we cannot fully understand in this life. But that’s what Christians know as the divine revelation that requires faith to believe and accept, even though we don’t see the causes of these truths.
I'd also like to thank FT foe his answers. Evidently I disagree with his rebuttals on penal substitution, but I thank him for his integrity in expressing his views openly and allowing my comments to stand in public view. He is to be commended for that.
JM
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