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

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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Two divergent views of sanctification arose within the movement, each with its own distinct methodological target in the task of counseling. The first view, represented by Adams, targeted observable, habituated behaviors in seeking to bring about change. In contrast, the second view, represented by Powlison and the large majority of biblical counse

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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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