Communion with the Trinity (John Owen, 1616-1683)

BY nature, since the entrance of sin, no man hath any communion with God. He is Light, we darkness; and what communion hath light with darkness? He is life, we are dead. He is love, and we are enmity; and what agreement can there be between us? Men in such a condition have neither Christ nor hope nor God in the world (Eph 2:12), “being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them” (4:18). Now, two cannot walk together unless they be agreed (Amo 3:3). Whilst there is this distance between God and man, there is no walking together for them in any fellowship or communion. Our first interest in God was so lost by sin, as that there was left unto us (in ourselves) no possibility of a recovery. As we had deprived ourselves of all power for a return, so God had not revealed any way of access unto Himself; or that He could, under any consideration, be approached unto by sinners in peace. Not any work that God had made, not any attribute that He had revealed, could give the least light into such a dispensation… 

But now in Christ we have boldness and access with confidence to God (Eph 3:12). This boldness and access with confidence the saints of old were not acquainted with. By Jesus Christ alone, then, on all considerations as to being and full manifestation, is this distance taken away. He hath consecrated for us a new and living way (the old being quite shut up), “through the vail, that is to say, his flesh” (Heb 10:20); and “through him we have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Eph 2:18). “Ye who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for he is our peace” (vv. 13-14)…Upon this new [base] and foundation, by this new and living way, are sinners admitted unto communion with God, and have fellowship with Him. And truly, for sinners to have fellowship with God, the infinitely holy God, is an astonishing dispensation. To speak a little of it in general… 

Communion is the mutual communication of such good things as wherein the persons holding that communion are delighted, [based] upon some union between them. So it was with Jonathan and David: their souls clave to one another (1Sa 20:17) in love. There was the union of love between them; and then they really communicated all issues of love mutually. In spiritual things, this is more eminent:1 those who enjoy this communion have the most excellent union for the foundation of it; and the issues of that union, which they mutually communicate, are the most precious and eminent…  

Our communion, then, with God consisteth in His communication of Himself unto us, with our return unto Him of that which He requireth and accepteth, flowing from that union that we have with Him in Jesus Christ. And it is twofold: (1) Perfect and complete, in the full fruition of His glory and total giving up of ourselves to Him, resting in Him as our utmost end; which we shall enjoy when we see Him as He is, and, (2) initial and incomplete, in the first-fruits and dawnings of that perfection that we have here in grace, which only I shall handle. 

It is, then, I say, of that mutual communication in giving and receiving, after a most holy and spiritual manner, which is between God and the saints while they walk together in a covenant of peace, ratified2 in the blood of Jesus, whereof we are to treat.3 And this we shall do, if God permit; in the meantime praying the God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Who hath, of the riches of His grace, recovered us from a state of enmity into a condition of communion and fellowship with Himself, [so] that both He that writes and they that read the words of His mercy may have such a taste of His sweetness and excellence therein as to be stirred up to a farther longing after the fullness of His salvation and the eternal [enjoyment] of Him in glory… 

That the saints have distinct communion with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (that is, distinctly with the Father, and distinctly with the Son, and distinctly with the Holy Spirit), and in what the peculiar appropriation4 of this distinct communion unto the several persons doth consist, must, in the first place, be made manifest. 

The apostle tells us, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (1Jo 5:7). In heaven they are and bear witness to us. And what is it that they bear witness unto? Unto the sonship of Christ and the salvation of believers in His blood. Of the carrying on of that, both by blood and water, justification5 and sanctification,6 is he there treating. Now, how do they bear witness hereunto? Even as three—as three distinct witnesses. When God witnesseth concerning our salvation, surely it is incumbent7 on us to receive His testimony. And as He beareth witness, so are we to receive it. Now this is done distinctly. The Father beareth witness, the Son beareth witness, and the Holy Spirit beareth witness; for they are three distinct witnesses. So, then, are we to receive their several testimonies; and in doing so we have communion with them severally. For in this giving and receiving of testimony consists no small part of our fellowship with God… 

The apostle, speaking of the distribution of gifts and graces unto the saints, ascribes them distinctly, in respect of the fountain of their communication, unto the distinct persons. “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit” (1Co 12:4- 6)—“that one and the selfsame Spirit” (12:11), that is, the Holy Ghost. “And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord” (12:5), the same Lord Jesus. “And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God, etc.” (12:6), even the Father (Eph 4:6). So graces and gifts are bestowed and so are they received. 

And not only in the emanation8 of grace from God and the illapses9 of the Spirit on us, but also in all our approaches unto God is the same distinction observed. “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Eph 2:18). Our access unto God (wherein we have communion with Him) is “through Christ,” “in the Spirit,” and “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. 

Sometimes, indeed, there is express mention made only of the Father and the Son: “Our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1Jo 1:3). The particle “and” is both distinguishing and uniting. Also John 14:23, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” It is in this communion wherein Father and Son do make Their abode with the soul. Sometimes the Son only is spoken of, as to this purpose: “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1Co 1:9). And, “If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev 3:20)…Sometimes the Spirit alone is mentioned. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all” (2Co 13:14). This distinct communion, then, of the saints with the Father, Son, and Spirit is very plain in the Scripture... 

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 [actions] 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. Now, these are either immediately acted on God, and not tied to any ways or means outwardly manifesting themselves; or else they are farther drawn forth in solemn prayer and praises, according unto the way that He hath appointed. That the Scripture doth distinctly assign all these unto the Father, Son, and Spirit…is that which, to give light to the assertion in hand, I shall farther declare by particular instances: 

1. For the Father. Faith, love, obedience, etc., are peculiarly10 and distinctly yielded by the saints unto Him; and He is peculiarly manifested in those ways as acting peculiarly towards them, which should draw them forth and stir them up thereunto. He gives testimony unto and beareth witness of His Son, “This is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son” (1Jo 5:9). In His bearing witness, He is an object of belief. When He gives testimony (which He doth as the Father because He doth it of the Son), He is to be received in it by faith. And this is affirmed: “He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witness in himself” (1Jo 5:10). To believe on the Son of God in this place is to receive the Lord Christ as the Son, the Son given unto us for all the ends11 of the Father’s love, upon the credit of the Father’s testimony; and, therefore, therein is faith immediately acted on the Father. So it follows in the next words, “He that believeth not God” (that is, the Father, Who bears witness to the Son) “hath made him a liar.” “Ye believe in God,” saith our Savior, that is, the Father as such, for He adds, “Believe also in me” (Joh 14:1) or, “Believe you in God; believe also in me.” God, as the prima Veritas, 12 upon Whose authority is founded and whereunto all divine faith is ultimately resolved, is not to be considered personally, as peculiarly expressive of any person, but essentially, comprehending the whole deity…But in this particular, it is the testimony and authority of the Father (as such) therein, of which we speak, and whereupon faith is distinctly fixed on Him, which, if it were not so, the Son could not add, “Believe also in me.” 

The like also is said of love. “If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1Jo 2:15), that is, the love that we bear to Him, not that which we receive from Him. The Father is here placed as the object of our love, in opposition to the world, which takes up our affections—“the love of the Father.” The Father denotes the matter and object, not the efficient cause, of the love inquired after. And this love of Him as a Father is that which He calls His “honor” (Mal 1:6). 

Farther: these graces as acted in prayer and praises and as clothed with instituted worship are peculiarly directed unto Him. “Ye call on the Father” (1Pe 1:17). “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named” (Eph 3:14-15). Bowing the knee compriseth the whole worship of God, both that which is moral in the uni- versal obedience He requireth, and those peculiar ways of carrying it on that are appointed by Him: “Unto me,” saith the LORD, “every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear” (Isa 45:23). Which, verses 24-25, He declareth to consist in their acknowledging of Him for righteousness and strength. Yea, it seems sometimes to comprehend the orderly subjection of the whole creation unto His sovereignty. In this place of the apostle, it hath a far more restrained acceptation and is but a figurative expression of prayer, taken from the most expressive bodily posture to be used in that duty. This he farther manifests, declaring at large what his aim was and whereabouts his thoughts were exercised in that bowing of his knees (Eph 3:16-17). 

The workings, then, of the Spirit of grace in that duty are distinctly directed to the Father as such, as the fountain of the deity and of all good things in Christ— as the “Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” And therefore the same apostle doth, in another place, expressly conjoin, and yet as expressly distinguish, the Father and the Son in directing his supplications: “God himself even our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you” (1Th 3:11). The like precedent also have you of thanksgiving: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (Eph 1:3-4). I shall not add those very many places wherein the several particulars that do concur unto that whole divine worship…are distinctly directed to the person of the Father. 

2. It is so also in reference unto the Son: “Ye believe in God,” saith Christ, “believe also in me” (Joh 14:1). “Believe also, act faith distinctly on Me; faith divine, supernatural—that faith whereby you believe in God, that is, the Father.” There is a believing of Christ, namely, that He is the Son of God, the Savior of the world. [It] is that whose neglect our Savior so threatened unto the Pharisees, “If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (Joh 8:24). In this sense, faith is not immediately fixed on the Son, being only an owning of Him—that is, the Christ to be the Son—by closing with the testimony of the Father concerning Him. 

But there is also a believing on Him, called “Believing on the name of the Son of God” (1Jo 5:13; so also Joh 9:36)—yea, the distinct affixing of faith, affiance,13 and confidence on the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, as the Son of God, is most frequently pressed. “God”—that is, the Father—“so loved the world…that whosoever believeth in him”—that is, the Son—“should not perish.” The Son, Who is given of the Father, is believed on. “He that believeth on him is not condemned” (3:18). “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” (3:36). “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (Joh 4:29, 40; 1Jo 5:10). The foundation of the whole is laid: “That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him” (Joh 5:23)…For love, I shall only add that solemn apostolic benediction, “Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity” (Eph 6:24)—that is, with divine love, the love of religious worship, which is the only incorrupt love of the Lord Jesus.

Farther: that faith, hope, and love, acting themselves in all manner of obedience and appointed worship, are peculiarly due from the saints and distinctly directed unto the Son, is abundantly manifest from that solemn doxology: “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (Rev 1:5-6). Which yet is set forth with more glory: “The four living creatures, and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints” (5:8); and “Every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever” (5:13-14). The Father and the Son (He that sits upon the throne and the Lamb) are held out jointly, yet distinctly, as the adequate object of all divine worship and honor forever and ever. And therefore Stephen, in his solemn dying invocation,14 fixeth his faith and hope distinctly on Him, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,” and, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” (Act 7:59- 60)—for he knew that the Son of man had power to forgive sins also. And this worship of the Lord Jesus, the apostle makes the discriminating character of the saints: “With all,” saith he, “that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours” (1Co 1:2), that is, with all the saints of God. And invocation generally comprises the whole worship of God. This, then, is the due of our Mediator, though as God, as the Son, not as Mediator. 

3. Thus also is it in reference unto the Holy Spirit of grace: The closing of the great sin of unbelief is still described as an opposition unto and a resisting of that Holy Spirit. And you have distinct mention of the love of the Spirit (Rom 15:30). The apostle also peculiarly directs his supplication to Him in that solemn benediction, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all” (2Co 13:14). And such benedictions are originally supplications.15 He is likewise entitled unto all instituted worship from the appointment of the administration of baptism in His name (Mat 28:19)… 

Now, of the things that 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.

1 eminent – important; especially valuable.
2 ratified – confirmed. 
3 treat – deal with; discuss. 
4 peculiar appropriation – particular obtaining. 
5 justification – Justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein He pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in His sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone. (Spurgeon’s Catechism, Q. 32, available from CHAPEL LIBRARY) See also FGB 187, Justification. 
6 sanctification – Sanctification is the work of God’s Spirit whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God and are enabled more and more to die to sin, and live to righteousness.” (Spurgeon’s Catechism, Q. 34) 
7 incumbent – necessary as an obligation or duty.
8 emanation – flowing forth. 
9 illapses – gentle sinkings in.
10 peculiarly – especially. 
11 ends – purposes for which something is designed. 
12 prima Veritas – prime or first truth.
13 affiance – trust.
14 invocation – calling upon God for help in prayer 
15 supplications – earnest, humble requests or pleas in prayer.    

From “Of Communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” in The Works of John Owen, ed. W. H. Goold, Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1862). 

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John Owen (1616-1683): Congregational pastor, author, and theologian; born in Stadhampton, Oxfordshire, UK.

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