The Sufficiency of Christ

Necessary vs Sufficient

A is a necessary condition for B if B implies A. More precisely, A is a necessary condition for B if you cannot have B without having A.

A is a sufficient condition for B if A implies B. More precisely, A is a sufficient condition for B if having A entails having B.

For example, oxygen is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for fire. Oxygen is a necessary condition for fire because you cannot have fire without having oxygen. However, oxygen is not a sufficient condition for fire because having oxygen does not entail having fire. Otherwise, we would always be breathing fire!

Again, faith is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for healing. Faith is a necessary condition for healing because you cannot have healing without having faith. However, faith is not a sufficient condition for healing because having faith does not entail having healing. Otherwise, we would always be healed!

Intrinsically Sufficient vs Extrinsically Sufficient

A is an intrinsically sufficient condition for B if having A in and of itself entails having B.

A is an extrinsically sufficient condition for B if internalising A entails having B (without needing anything else).

For example, water is an extrinsically but not intrinsically sufficient condition for quenching my thirst. Water is an extrinsically sufficient condition for quenching my thirst because drinking water entails having my thirst quenched (without needing anything else). However, water is not an intrinsically sufficient condition for quenching my thirst because having water in and of itself does not entail having my thirst quenched. I have to drink it!

5-Point Calvinism vs Molinism

According to 5-point Calvinism, the life, death and resurrection of Christ is an intrinsically sufficient condition for our salvation. In other words, the life, death and resurrection of Christ in and of itself entails our salvation. Therefore, everyone whom Christ died for is saved.

However, this either means that everyone is saved because Christ died for everyone, or it means that not everyone is saved because Christ does not (love everyone enough to) die for everyone.

According to Molinism, the life, death and resurrection of Christ is an extrinsically sufficient condition for our salvation. In other words, trusting in the life, death and resurrection of Christ entails our salvation (without needing anything else).

Of course, the soul with its faculties (the intellect and will) must be first constituted by prevenient grace a supernatural principle of operation in actu primo, before it can, in conjunction with the help of the supernatural concursus of God, elicit a salutary act in actu secundo.

Holding that the life, death and resurrection of Christ is an extrinsically but not intrinsically sufficient condition for our salvation allows us to coherently affirm that Christ died for everyone but not everyone is saved.

"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." - Romans 10:9 (NIV)

The life, death and resurrection of Christ is a necessary condition for our salvation. Furthermore, it is also a sufficient condition for our salvation. The question is whether it is an intrinsically or extrinsically sufficient condition for our salvation.

Links: The Freedom of the Will (14 Nov 09), The Freedom of the Will (Revised) (21 Dec 09), First and Second Causes (10 Jan 10)