Sanctified by the Spirit: John Owen, Habits of Grace, and Biblical Counseling

Owen’s understanding of sanctification corrects and reconciles two divergent conceptions of sanctification that have developed among the first and second generations of biblical counselors, respectively. The first, represented by Jay Adams and his followers, regards habituation as primary in bringing about human change, while the second, represente

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However, Owen’s doctrine of sanctification is particularly relevant because he thoroughly explained the internal work of the Holy Spirit in making believers holy, as well as how this work manifests both in the internal functions of the heart and in external acts of righteousness. Thus, Owen emphasized the importance of internal motivation and exter

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The first and second generations of biblical counselors diverge in their approaches to counseling not merely because of differences in their personalities or preferences. Rather, their divergence arises from the different theological conclusions that each stream draws from Scripture. Indeed, the divergent emphases on habituation and heart motivatio

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