MichaelGao
Puritan Board Freshman
Just finished reading through J.Owen's Communion with God. Was profound and very helpful on the sections dealing with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
However after reading through the Holy Spirit section, I get the feeling that the thrust Owen has is that Holy Spirit is the ultimate gift of God and we need to seek Holy Spirit above all things, because all other promised graces and blessings and spiritual goods are given to us by Him. So if we have him, we have all.
I have never really thought of it this way, and I believe there is alot of truth in there. But somehow I get this weird itchy feeling it takes something away from the centrality of Christ. I don't know...Maybe in my fear of becoming pentecostal, I have subconsciously slighted or neglected the Holy Spirit. But I am thankful to see the direct and very real and powerful presence of the Indwelling Spirit in us NT believers.
But still, doesnt this mean that Holy Spirit would be getting alot if not all the attention if we say that He handles all the good things that Christ purchased for us and we need to seek him supremely, instead of Christ? It's almost as though the torch has passed on and we deal directly with the Spirit now, not the Son, so our focus would naturally be engaged on the Spirit...and despite the Spirit's work in glorifying the Son and the Spirit's coming to us only made possible through the redemption of the Son, the Holy Spirit is still sort of in the spotlight..
Are my concerns valid? How would you answer it?
And Can someone please explain the centrality of the Son, and what are the implications of NOT having him central?
Quotes from the book:
"The most important work faith has to do in this world is to pray for the Holy Spirit"
"We should pray daily for the Holy Spirit...They look upon, and by faith consider, the Holy Spirit as the one promised and as the one sent. In this promise, they know, lies all their grace, peace, mercy, joy and hope. For by him, as the one promised, and by him alone are these things communicated to believers."
However after reading through the Holy Spirit section, I get the feeling that the thrust Owen has is that Holy Spirit is the ultimate gift of God and we need to seek Holy Spirit above all things, because all other promised graces and blessings and spiritual goods are given to us by Him. So if we have him, we have all.
I have never really thought of it this way, and I believe there is alot of truth in there. But somehow I get this weird itchy feeling it takes something away from the centrality of Christ. I don't know...Maybe in my fear of becoming pentecostal, I have subconsciously slighted or neglected the Holy Spirit. But I am thankful to see the direct and very real and powerful presence of the Indwelling Spirit in us NT believers.
But still, doesnt this mean that Holy Spirit would be getting alot if not all the attention if we say that He handles all the good things that Christ purchased for us and we need to seek him supremely, instead of Christ? It's almost as though the torch has passed on and we deal directly with the Spirit now, not the Son, so our focus would naturally be engaged on the Spirit...and despite the Spirit's work in glorifying the Son and the Spirit's coming to us only made possible through the redemption of the Son, the Holy Spirit is still sort of in the spotlight..
Are my concerns valid? How would you answer it?
And Can someone please explain the centrality of the Son, and what are the implications of NOT having him central?
Quotes from the book:
"The most important work faith has to do in this world is to pray for the Holy Spirit"
"We should pray daily for the Holy Spirit...They look upon, and by faith consider, the Holy Spirit as the one promised and as the one sent. In this promise, they know, lies all their grace, peace, mercy, joy and hope. For by him, as the one promised, and by him alone are these things communicated to believers."