The Spirit and the Church

by John Owen

How do Christians come to the certainty that the Bible is the Word of God, and gain an understanding of His mind and will from it? How do they acquire the ability to pray, and lead others in prayer? how are they comforted and supported in all the difficulties they meet? And how can the church be led, taught and guided aright, when Christ is not here on earth?

According to the great Puritan leader John Owen, the answer to all these questions is the by the gracious and powerful work of the Holy Spirit.

He it is who convinces, assures, teaches, comforts and equips the church and all its members for all the work they are called to do. In an age when many think Christianity is nothing more than human effort, based on fallible human conclusions, Owen calls the church back to divine certainty and divine resources.

The style in which the Puritans wrote can present difficulties for modern readers, but this updated abridgment by Dr. R.J.K. Law will allow Owen to speak to Christians today on a theme which remains as vitally important for the well-being of the church in the twenty-first century as it was when Owen first wrote.

Genres: Theology, Christian

208 pages, Paperback

First published July 30, 2002

About the author

John Owen was an English theologian and "was without doubt not only the greatest theologian of the English Puritan movement but also one of the greatest European Reformed theologians of his day, and quite possibly possessed the finest theological mind that England ever produced" ("Owen, John", in Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals, p. 494)

Reviews

[Luke Arthaud · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great explanation of the person and office of the Holy Spirit in regard to individual Christians, local Churches, and the universal Church from a reformed perspective. Often times it can feel as though the power and work of the Spirit is diminished in conservative Christianity as compared to modern mainstream evangelicalism, but here Owen shows through scripture just how important and glorious the Spirit is.

[Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book! Owens does a good job of highlighting some of the seemingly mundane ways in which the Spirit ministers in our churches, such as prayer and the reading/teaching of Scripture. In our eagerness to see the Spirit do miraculous things, we sometimes take for granted the great work that he is already doing behind the scenes in our churches. This book was a good reminder for me that we need to have room for both the miraculous and mundane ministry of the Spirit in our lives. I will definitely come back to this work in the future!

[Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book showing five aspects of the Spirit’s work in the Church and with us. If I had come from a Roman Catholic background, I think this book would have changed the way I think. But nonetheless, it was truly great to hear such a wise man share so much about a topic not talked much about.

[Trevor Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read. I especially liked book 2.

[Luke Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book.

Owen is as good as it gets on the Holy Spirit and his role in the Christian life. Particularly the sections on Scripture as the Word of God (it is self-authenticating) and on the Holy Spirit and prayer were powerful.

R.J.K. Law is a wonderful "translator" (editor) of Owen. I would highly recommend reading his works from the Puritan Paperback series as opposed to Owen's collected works. The difference is remarkable.

Nothing beats Owen when it comes to pastoral theology.

[Justin Andrusk · Rating 4 out of 5]

As is usually the case with John Owen he expounds his subject probably better than any puritan that I have read (and I have read a lot of them). This is no exception. I really like his treatment on the Holy Spirit and the process of anointing and sealing the believer.

[Chad Cleave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super helpful, practical, pastoral stuff. Really a worthwhile read. This may be my number 6 book of all time.

[Michael Dionne]

Helpful, lucid, and biblical. The most insightful treatment of the Holy Spirit and specifically how he works in the hearts and lives of believers which I have read.

[Matt Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Owen's Spirit and Church should really drop the Church part. It is a dialogue on the role of the Spirit, the Church is discussed but only as the duty of the Holy Spirit. The Sections are extremely short, so though Owen is known for his long and difficult to understand sections, this little volume is the exception. Through the effect the Spirit has on the Church, namely through gifts, it is evident that Owen is a noncessationist. His thoughts on the New Covenant run rampant through here, though most paedobaptists maintain a single covenant with different covenants. The continuing work of the Spirit in the Church is Owen's proof for the New Covenant.