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The Efficacy of the Death of Christ

For this was the most free counsel of God the Father, that the life-giving and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should extend to all the elect. (1) It was his most gracious will and intent to give to them alone justifying faith and thereby to bring them unfailingly to salvation. (2) This means: God willed that Christ through the blood of the cross (3) (by which he confirmed the new covenant) (4) should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, (5) and tongue all those, and those only, who from eternity were chosen to salvation and were given to him by the Father. God further willed that Christ should give to them faith, (6) which, together with other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he acquired for them by his death; that he should cleanse them by his blood from all sins, (7) both original and actual, both those committed after faith and before faith; and that he should guard them faithfully to the end (8) and at last present them to himself in splendour without any spot or wrinkle. (9)

1. Jn 17:9.

2. Eph 5:25-27.

3. Lk 22:20.

4. Heb 8:6.

5. Rev 5:9.

6. Phil 1:29.

7. 1 Jn 1:7.

8. Jn 10:28.

9. Eph 5:27.