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F9 reasoning: Christ's saving death

Reasoning steps: Christ’s saving death

Verdicts: F9 · Christ’s saving death. Method: conventions, scoring and proximity eras. Scripture is the primary measure; fathers are weighed by era (Era I to c. 150 = 1.0, II = 0.8, III = 0.6, IV = 0.4).

F09.1: Did Christ’s death save?

Step F09.1.1: Scripture

1 Cor 15:3: ‘Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures’, as of first importance. Mark 10:45 (a ransom for many); Rom 5:8–10 (justified by his blood, reconciled by his death); 1 Pet 3:18.

Step F09.1.2: Patristic evidence

Clement (Era I): Christ’s blood ‘shed for our salvation’. Ignatius: ‘He suffered all these things for our sakes, that we might be saved’. Diognetus: God ‘gave His own Son as a ransom for us, the holy One for transgressors’. Irenaeus: ‘redeeming us by His own blood’. Sources: clement-of-rome-f09-s1 · ignatius-f09-s1 · diognetus-f09-s1 · irenaeus-f09-s1.

Step F09.1.3: Weighing decision

Unanimous from Era I. Verdict: consensus.

  • Confidence: High.

Step F09.1.4: Source-proximity weighing

  • Scripture (benchmark): Christ’s death ‘for our sins’ is ‘of first importance’ (1 Cor 15:3) and is a ransom and reconciliation (Mark 10:45; Rom 5:10). (Scripture confidence: high)
  • Assessment: Scripture and Era I agree; all nine confess it.

Post-750 development by tradition

Catholic

Confesses Christ’s saving death; see S20 for how.

  • F09.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Trent VI.7: Christ ‘merited justification for us by His most holy Passion’.

Orthodox

Confesses Christ’s saving death; see S20 for how.

  • F09.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Dositheus 8 (to verify).

Oriental Orthodox

Confesses Christ’s saving death; see S20 for how.

  • F09.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Armenian Badarak: Christ ‘sacrificed to the Father for reconciliation’ (verified).

Lutheran

Confesses Christ’s saving death; see S20 for how.

  • F09.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): AC III: Christ ’truly suffered, was crucified, dead … that He might reconcile the Father unto us’.

Anglican

Confesses Christ’s saving death; see S20 for how.

  • F09.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Art. II and XXXI: ’the offering of Christ once made is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction’.

Presbyterian

Confesses Christ’s saving death; see S20 for how.

  • F09.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): WCF VIII.5.

Reformed Baptist

Confesses Christ’s saving death; see S20 for how.

  • F09.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): 1689 8.5.

General Baptist

Confesses Christ’s saving death; see S20 for how.

  • F09.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): SC 1660 art. 3 (Christ died for all; to verify wording).

Anabaptist

Confesses Christ’s saving death; see S20 for how.

  • F09.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Dordrecht IV: Christ ‘died … for us’ (to verify wording).