The death and bloodshedding of Jesus Christ hath wrought, and doth effectually procure, for all those that are concerned in it, eternal redemption, consisting in grace here and glory hereafter.
John Owen, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, Book I, Chapter I, Section II1
Owen argues that Jesus’s death does not just make salvation possible, but that it actually does something. It accomplishes the ends God intended for it. What ends are there? Owen enumerates five in this section:
- Reconciliation with God
- Justification
- Sanctification
- Adoption
- Eternal blessing
Reconciliation with God
We were enemies of God, and he was at enmity with us. We hated God. We “were by nature children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3)1. God, in Christ, slayed this enmity. He brought us into a right relationship with God.
Justification
Owen moves from relational language to legal language. We were guilty before God, having transgressed his commandments and rejected his kingship over us. Yet, Christ became “a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13), redeeming us from the curse we were under. God forgave us because Jesus bore our sins on the cross.
Sanctification
In context, Owen seems not to mean progressive growth in holiness when he mentions sanctification. Rather, he means a decisive purging of our sins (Hebrews 1:3).
Adoption
Jesus redeemed us so that God would adopt us as sons (Galatians 4:4–5). It is an amazing privilege to be part of God’s family!
Eternal Blessing
The benefits of Christ’s death do not end at our death! No—because Christ died for us, our death is but an entrance into an eternity of blessing! Our inheritance, purchased for us by Jesus, will last forever.
As Owen says, “grace here and glory hereafter.” What blessing!
1 Quoted from “The Works of John Owen,” Volume 10: The Death of Christ. Edited by William H. Goold. Originally published by Johnstone & Hunter, 1850–53. Reprinted by The Banner of Truth Trust, 1967.
2 Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.