The Biblical Case for God’s Vindicatory Justice | John Owen

Deep Dive into A Dissertation on Divine Justice by John Owen -A series of arguments in support of vindicatory justice — First, from the Scriptures — Three divisions of the passages of Scripture — The first contains those which respect the purity and holiness of God — The second, those which respect God as the judge — What it is to judge with justice — The third, those which respect the divine supreme right — A second argument is taken from the general consent of mankind — A threefold testimony of that consent — The first from the Scriptures — Some testimonies of the heathens — The second from the power of conscience — Testimonies concerning that power — The mark set upon Cain — The expres- sion of the Emperor Adrian when at the point of death — The consternation of mankind at prodigies — The horror of the wicked, whom even fictions terrify — Two conclusions — The third testimony, from the confession of all nations — A vindication of the argument against Rutherford — The regard paid to sacrifices among the nations — Different kinds of the same — Propitiatory sacrifices — Some instances of themJohn Owen argues that vindicatory or punitive justice is a natural and essential attribute of God, rather than merely a free act of His will. He demonstrates this thesis through two primary arguments: the testimony of Scripture and the universal consent of mankind.First, Owen categorizes scriptural evidence into three areas. He explains that passages emphasizing God's purity and holiness, such as those in Habakkuk and Joshua, demonstrate that God has an immortal hatred of sin and cannot simply choose to ignore it. His holiness inherently requires Him to oppose and punish iniquity. Furthermore, Scriptures that depict God as the supreme judge, as seen in the words of Abraham and the Apostle Paul, indicate that God must exercise judgment according to merit, because justice is an excellence constantly inherent in His nature. Finally, other biblical passages assert that it is God's supreme right to punish sin, confirming that sinners are inherently worthy of death and that retribution is a peculiar act of His vindicatory justice.Second, Owen contends that the innate conceptions of all people assign this corrective justice to God, proving it is a natural divine attribute. Even individuals without written scripture possess a natural conscience that recognizes the inviolable connection between sin and punishment. This internal witness produces feelings of terror, horror, and guilt in offenders, as they instinctively anticipate divine retribution for their crimes. Additionally, the public consent of all nations is evidenced by the historical, widespread use of propitiatory and expiatory sacrifices. Across different cultures and eras, humanity has consistently sought to appease the Deity and avert divine anger through these sacrifices, revealing a deeply rooted, innate conception of God's sin-avenging justice.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReformedExplainerSpotify Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1t5dz4vEgvHqUknYQfwpRI?si=e-tDRFR2Qf6By1sAcMdkdwhttps://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730