John Owen On Union's Priority

In "John Owen on Union with Christ and Justification" (here) we have these good comments about Owen's view on the ordo salutis (emphasis mine):

"This essay proves that Owen embraces both union with Christ but at the same time gives priority to the doctrine of justification over sanctification, that is, that he holds to an ordo salutis."

"Owen gives priority in this sense: a person can say that they are sanctified because they are justified, but a person cannot say that they are justified because they are sanctified. In other words, Owen maintains the classic hallmark of Reformed theology: justification and sanctification are distinct but inseparable benefits of union with Christ, but a person's sanctification (the fruit of which is good works) is not in any way mixed or confused with their justification. Justification logically comes before sanctification because good works are the fruits and evidences of justification, not its antecedent cause. Moreover, justification is a complete act whereas sanctification is an inaugurated but nevertheless incomplete process."

Owen did "discuss the relationship between union with Christ, justification, and sanctification," affirming that -

"A person does not lay hold of Christ's accomplished work until they are united with him and share in the communion of his benefits through the work of the Spirit."

In discussing Owen's view regarding "Union with Christ and the Ordo Salutis" the writer says:

"Grasping Owen's doctrine of the pactum is cardinal in understanding how he prioritizes the forensic element in redemption. But we must first understand what Owen believes about union with Christ before we can proceed. Owen, like most Reformed theologians, holds to the doctrine of union with Christ. Owen believes that all of the benefits of redemption flow from the believer's union with Christ. Union with Christ, writes Owen, “is the cause of all other graces that we are made partakers of; they are all communicated to us by virtue of our union with Christ. Hence is our adoption, our justification, our sanctification, our fruitfulness, our perseverance, our resurrection, our glory.” Union with Christ, therefore, is the all-encompassing doctrinal rubric that embraces all of the elements of redemption."

"Owen sees no problem with affirming both union with Christ and articulating an ordo salutis. Owen explains that Paul never speaks about the necessity of sanctification, regeneration, or renovation by the work of the Spirit antecedently to the believer's justification."

"Owen carefully safeguards the doctrine of justification because Paul states that God justifies the ungodly (Rom 4:5), which means that the believer's justification has to be antecedent to his sanctification."

"To be sure, Owen does not confuse justification (the forensic) with sanctification (the transformative), but rather states that a person must be in union with Christ to partake of the forensic benefit of imputation. Owen clearly states this point: “Our actual interest in the satisfaction of Christ depends on our actual insertion into his mystical body by faith, according to the appointment of God.” Elsewhere, Owen bluntly asserts, “The foundation of the imputation asserted is union.”"

In another article, "Union with Christ: The Westminster Confession," by Stephen Unthank (here) we have these comments:

"For English Reformed Orthodoxy, the doctrine of a believer’s union with Christ was paramount. John Owen, enunciating the centrality of a believer’s union, exclaimed that our union with Christ is the “principle and measure of all spiritual enjoyments and expectations.”[1] Likewise Thomas Goodwin expressed a similar conviction that “being in Christ, and united to him, is the fundamental constitution of a Christian.”[2] It is a bit surprising then when one looks at the Westminster Confession of Faith, that high-water mark of Puritan theological codification, where we find no chapter expressly dedicated to the doctrine of union with Christ. But this in no way means the doctrine is not there. No, it runs like a silver thread throughout the document underlying much of the theology laid out in its pages."

"Perhaps the clearest place to see the doctrine is in the Shorter Catechism question 30, which asks “How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?” The answer: “The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.” The language used here harkens back to Calvin’s famous passage on union with Christ in his Institutes where he asks the same question. “How do we receive those benefits which the Father bestowed on his only-begotten Son?” Calvin answers by saying we must first “understand that as long as Christ remains outside of us, and we are separated from him, all that he has suffered and done for the salvation of the human race remains useless and of no value to us.”"

Again, these are my sentiments and they express the true Calvinist faith on the ordo salutis. Union with Christ by faith is the foundation for the obtaining of all the blessings of redemption, including regeneration. What think ye?