I was at this event where a self-proclaimed Pelagian argued that all people must have benefited from Christ's death, or else it would mean that Adam's fall was more mighty. After all, according to a Reformed view, Adam's fall affected everyone, but Christ's salvation only affects some.
Here are four attempted answers:
- Christ's salvation achieves more than just the salvation of the elect. Christ's salvation brings about an entire new creation.
- Christ saves all of his 'race', just as Adam kills all of his 'race'. That is, the elect are the proper point of comparison to the fallen human race.
- Christ's death has the capacity to save all. Whether or not it gets applied to all does not cancel out the fact that it has the great capactiy to cover the entire fallen human race.
- Christ's salvation brings about a great reversal of the corruption and death of many sins. Adam's sin was simply one act that had great consequences. Yes it had great ramifications, but the act itself was still merely one sin. Whereas Christ's act stepped into the flood of many sins.
5 comments:
Intriguing.
I like 1. The New Heavens and Earth will be far more glorious than Eden. We (Adam too maybe??) will have it much better than the first humans.
Not sure about 2. Seems to undervalue the imago dei in even the non-elect.
Is 3 amyraldianism (that's not meant as a criticism. Just seeking some clarification)
4 has legs I think.
Well: as the poor idiot who has to field this question I hammered 1). It was the best I could do on my feet!
I do hold a form of 3), but I didn't think it would help here. I like 4), too.
However, I am thinking that the whole proposition or comparison is quite proposterous in the first place. Paul's comparison of the first man and the second man in 1 Cor 15 kinda shows this up, doesn't it? Life and death are not comparable! I question whether 'greater' can really apply to numbers. Remember: 'the gift is not like the trespass'...
Whaddya reckon, Mikey?
@ Al - 2. is one of the many places where you have to hold a tension between continuity/discontinuity between this world and the next. I think there is a point a discontinuity here - 'they are a new creation'.
wrt point 3, this need not be Amyraldianism. 5 point Calvinists assert 'sufficient for all, efficient for some.
@ Michael - I thought you did a good job. But it was an intriguing question. I had never heard the problem phrased that way.
Is your suggestion saying that the comparison in Rom 5/1Cor 15 is one of quality not of quantity?
Yes, something like that. A power to kill is not great than a power to quicken, surely, whatever numbers are involved!!
The key word of Hebrews ("better") springs to mind.
#2 Yes, and furthermore, Christ's salvation accomplished temporal benefits for the non-elect, so despite the fact that the elect are the proper recipients of salvation, the non-elect receive tangential or corollary benefits as well. (I think that's sufficiently different than your #1 to be worth mentioning).
Great thoughts!! :)
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