The Works of John Owen, Vol. 2: On Communion with God

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“Now, of the things which have been delivered this is the sum:—there is no grace whereby our souls go forth unto God, no act of divine worship yielded unto him, no duty or obedience performed, but they are distinctly directed unto Father, Son, and Spirit. Now, by these and such like ways as these, do we hold communion with God; and therefore we have that communion distinctly, as hath been described.” (Page 15)

“The way and means, then, on the part of the saints, whereby in Christ they enjoy communion with God, are all the spiritual and holy actings¹ and outgoings of their souls in those graces, and by those ways, wherein both the moral and instituted worship of God doth consist. Faith, love, trust, joy, etc., are the natural or moral worship of God, whereby those in whom they are have communion with him.” (Page 11)

“The term ‘Communion’ as used by Owen, is used in a wider sense than is consistent with that which is now generally attached to it in religious phraseology. It denotes not merely the interchange of feeling between God in his gracious character and a soul in a gracious state, but the gracious relationship upon which this holy interchange is based. On the part of Christ, for example, all his work and its results are described, from the atonement till it takes effect in the actual justification of the sinner.” (Page 2)

“For through Christ we have access by one Spirit unto the Father’ Eph. 2:18. Our access unto God (wherein we have communion with him) is διὰ Χριστοῦ, ‘through Christ’ ἐν Πνεύματι, ‘in the Spirit’ and πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, ‘unto the Father’—the persons being here considered as engaged distinctly unto the accomplishment of the counsel of the will of God revealed in the gospel.” (Page 10)