The Administration and Discernment of the Holy Spirit | John Owen

Deep Dive into The Saint's Fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit by John Owen - Part III: Chapter VJohn Owen outlines two major misinterpretations and abuses regarding the administration of the Holy Spirit: the outright contempt of His true work and the deceptive pretense of a false spirit.First, Owen addresses those who claim to follow the gospel but despise the Spirit's operations, gifts, and graces. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to His disciples as essential for their spiritual life, refreshment, and the fulfillment of their ministry. Without this ongoing administration, religion becomes entirely empty. However, some have systematically excluded the Holy Spirit from public worship by imposing rigid, prescribed forms of service and mocking genuine, Spirit-led prayer as foolish babbling. This rejection results in spiritually lifeless ministers, an overly pompous external worship, and the silencing of truly gifted individuals. Furthermore, private individuals mock the very idea of the Spirit's work, settling instead for a superficial Christianity based merely on morality while despising the true Comforter.Second, Owen warns of a false spirit, explaining how Satan has shifted his tactics from exalting ordinances without the Spirit to exalting a supposed spirit that rejects both ordinances and the written Word. Believers must test the spirits, as this false spirit claims new revelations and directs people away from the Scriptures. While the true Holy Spirit brings Christ's words to remembrance and exists to glorify the Son, the false spirit seeks only to glorify itself and diminishes the historical work of Christ. Additionally, the true Spirit pours out God's love, bringing joy, peace, and the confidence of children. In contrast, the false spirit is characterized by bondage, enslaving fear, and cruelty. Ultimately, the true Spirit encourages humble prayer, whereas the false spirit arrogantly pretends to transcend such practices.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReformedExplainerWorship Music: https://suno.com/playlist/3a498d0f-c90e-4981-8aa7-59834e7239f7https://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730