The Grace of Acceptance and Communion with Christ | John Owen

Deep Dive into The Saint's Fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit by John Owen - Chapter VIIIJohn Owen explores how believers experience communion with Christ regarding their acceptance by God. This communion requires specific actions from both Christ and believers.On Christ's part, His entire life of obedience and His sacrificial death were not for Himself, but strictly to secure the salvation and acceptance of His people. Christ acts as a public representative, paying the penalty for sin through His death, which brings believers absolution, and fulfilling the law through His life, which provides the perfect righteousness imputed to them. While this redemption was purchased at the cross, it is applied to believers in God's appointed time through the Holy Spirit to bring maximum glory to the Trinity. Owen clarifies that while Christ's imputed righteousness is the sole basis for justification, believers are still obligated to pursue personal obedience. This personal holiness does not earn salvation but is commanded by God to glorify Him, reflect His image, and serve as evidence of true adoption.On the believers' part, communion with Christ involves a deep conviction that they lack any personal righteousness capable of satisfying God's holy standard. Recognizing that their best works are deeply flawed, they completely abandon self-reliance. Instead, they joyfully embrace Christ's perfect righteousness, which brings them lasting peace and magnifies the grace and wisdom of God. Finally, believers engage in a daily, continuous exchange of faith with Jesus. They maintain a serious awareness of their sin, bring their guilt to the cross, and leave it with Christ. In exchange, they receive His perfect righteousness and love, a process that naturally produces deep gratitude, genuine gospel repentance, and a profound desire to honor Him.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