Why Does God Not Take This Sin Away From Me!? (Mortification Chapter 8)

We continue in chapter eight in "The Mortification of Sin." This chapter was revolutionary in my understanding of spiritual warfare. There is always that "one" sin that seems to plague us. We think that if we could just get rid of that one lust our spiritual life would abound. We think, "Why does God not take this sin away from me?" Surely, we know how to bring God more glory than He does right? Well, Owen answers these things in a way that is truly captivating.

The second rule proposed in the mortification of sin, or the rule that must be true if any one sin be mortified, is that there must be universal obedience. Owen sets this up,

A man finds any lust to bring him into the condition formerly described; it is powerful, strong, tumultuating, leads captive, vexes, disquiets, takes away peace; he is not able to bear it; wherefore he sets himself against it, prays against it, groans under it, sighs to be delivered; but in the meantime, perhaps in other duties,--in other ways that are not of the same kind with the lust wherewith he is troubled,--he is loose and negligent.

This is the heart of Owen's argument. We are prone to set are eyes on our sin, but take them off Christ. We are so depressed over this or that sin, which we should be, and seek to get rid of it because it "bothers us." In the meantime, we skim over sins that are just as heinous to God. We fail to repent from sin that Jesus Christ died on the cross to take away. Owen asks,

Now, canst thou think that God will set in with such hypocritical endeavors, --that ever his Spirit will bear witness to the treachery and falsehood of thy spirit?

Why do you desire the mortification of a certain sin? This goes back and applies to the last rule we learned. All mortification needs to have its interest in the glory of Christ. Is not your struggle with this or that sin just because it troubles your soul? This, I am afraid, is hypocrisy at its worst. You seek to rid your lust, but you are loose in conversation, you eat too much at night, you do not pray and seek the Lord with all your heart! Do not think the Lord will give you victory over your sin since your heart is not His anyways. Who knows why God has you suffer under this or that sin. God would have you suffer under this sin for years so that you may see your need of Him in all areas of your life, every second of your life. God does not desire half, or even three-fourths of your heart, God wants all of your heart. This the Great Shepherd will have.

Think about your life. "Know that every lust, every omission of duty, is burdensome to God, though but one is so to him." Your other sins are putting you on a course of apathy and spiritual death. Do you not think that your other sins will cause the sin that you desire to get rid of to become more excited in your affections? Are you neglecting time in the Word or time in prayer before God? Are you seeking to obey the commandments of the Lord? Are they your delight? This is the only way that God would have it; you must be about universal obedience in your spiritual walk if you are to mortify any sin.

Do You Have An Interest In Christ? Mortification of Sin (Chapter 7)

Going back to "The Mortification of Sin," we left off in chapter 6 of this great work by Owen. Chapter 7 begins a long strand of rules that apply to the mortification of any sin in your heart. In this chapter, Owen gives some general rules for this work. By rules, Owen means things that must be true in the work itself.

The first thing that must be true of any person desiring the mortification of sin is that they need to be a believer. In my opinion, this is understood. It is inconceivable that any person outside of the faith could mortify any one sin. The reason why this is impossible is that they have not died to the enemy within. As Owen says, it is those who "are risen with Christ, verse 1; whose 'life is hid with Christ in God,' verse 3; 'who shall appear with him in glory,' verse 4. (Colossians 3)." Also,

There is no death of sin without the death of Christ.

Considering, then, the unbeliever, one may start to think that this needs to be the present work of an unbeliever. Owen disagrees. Owen thinks, "So it is in this case: sin is to be mortified, but something is to be done in the first place to enable us thereunto." In previous chapters, Owen pointed out that only those who possess the Spirit of God could mortify sin. So it is in this case, the unbeliever is not indwelt by the Holy Spirit and does not have the right weapon to combat the enemy. Owen puts it,

All attempts, then, for mortification of any lust, without an interest in Christ, are vain.

What Owen would call this man to, being perplexed by his sin and not converted, is the "work of conversion of the whole soul, and not to this or that particular lust." The soul that has no interest in Christ is in bondage to the law of sin that resides and reigns in the heart. There is no reign of grace in the heart of the unbeliever. When this person tries to get rid of this or that sin, they may have temporary success. They may quit drinking for a week or a month or so, but soon they will return to the slop. The Holy Spirit is the only one who can mortify any sin in the heart. This leads to the frustration of sinners. They desire to get rid of the disease plaguing them, but there is no interest in Christ. Soon they will give up all attempts of the things troubling their conscience. After this, the law of sin has free reign to perform its design. Owen states,

And this is the usual issue with person attempting the mortification of sin without an interest in Christ first obtained. It deludes them, hardens them,--destroys them.

It is like trying to hang a picture on a wall where the nail is weak. The picture will continually fall to the floor or even break. Without the nail in The Rock, there will be no hope to anchor the soul.

Not only must a person be a believer to mortify sin, but this work is also a work of faith. The work of mortification is the work of living men, not dead. Faith is living, causing the soul to grasp God. Those who possess the Spirit and exercise faith find encouragement in this work, rather than discouragement. They hear the Word preached and know they have an Advocate at their side. Believers do not look to themselves or their ability to bring about this work. Believers understand that this is a supernatural work and the one working for them is stronger than the enemy within. Mortification is not a work of getting rid of any one sin, but remember that believers are called to mortify all sin in the body. If an unbeliever cannot mortify one sin, how is he expected to mortify the "deeds of the flesh?" Only those who have an interest in Christ have the weapons to fight this spiritual battle.

Consider your spiritual walk; you may have full confidence in your salvation, but are you fighting the fight with faith in Christ. Is Jesus Christ your hope for salvation? Just as Israel was reminded so we are, the fight belongs to the Lord! Believers, this is not an option for your spiritual life. This is a command from the Shepherd of our souls, Jesus Christ (John 10). Remember that you can do nothing without Him. He is the vine you are the branches.

Quit Trying, Give Up Hope? Remainders (Chapter 17)

Chapter 17 is the last chapter in this discourse. I am glad that I have made it this far, but it is bittersweet. The challenge that Owen sets forth is alien. There is true adventure in this work, and I have to say, this book has become a watershed moment in my life. Having read this book before, it amazes me how sovereign God is in all His dealings with His children. The Father decided that now was the time that I would see my sin. Believers, you serve a great God.

In this chapter, Owen evinces the strength of sin by showings its resistance against the power of The Law. The Law cannot conquer this enemy. The Law "entices" the enemy in a way. It does this by first "discovering" the law of sin that is in the heart. The Law is the agent who discovers this great enemy in the heart. Paul said, "I had not known sin, but by the law." Owen continues,

Sin in the soul is like a secret hectical distemper in the body--its being unknown and unperceived is one great means of its prevalency.

In the law's discovery of this enemy, the law also informs us of its nature. This inbred enemy is evil. We are only aware of this because of the law. It is the law that informs the soul of its vileness and its deadly effect. The law pleads with the soul, "It is a deadly foe." Scripture tells us, "For the wages of sin is death."

Not only these two things, namely, the discovering of sin and its revealing its nature, but the law pronounces judgment on the person. Owen says,

"Abide in this state and perish," is its language. It leaves not the soul without this warning in this world, and will leave it without excuse on that account in the world to come.

In this, we are able to see the power of the law. When the law pronounces judgment upon the individual, it "affrights the soul and slays the soul." The law is quite right in saying, "You are that man," and leaves us with no hope in the world.

Despite this great work of the law, the discovery of the enemy, informing of the enemy’s nature, and its pronouncement of judgment, it will never conquer the law of sin that abides in the soul. You would think that this would be enough to conquer any enemy. If any force were able to locate an enemy, having both its position and its intent, and then gave instruction on the attack, you would think the force were handicap if they could not subdue the enemy. Oh, how we are handicap! This great enemy would conquer all if God were not gracious!

Owen then sets the reader up. He says, "Do we not see it by experience, that many are wrought upon by the preaching of the law to a relinquishment of many sins and amendment of their lives?" Of course, the answer is positive. The preaching of the law does caution men of their sin. We know many people who feel the guilt of their sin and forsake some habit for a season. Nevertheless, go back a year later, maybe two if not in a shorter time, and the law of sin will burst forth with even more strength. This is because the enemy was not killed. The fruit of the enemy was done away with, but the root stood strong through the storm of the law. Owen gives an illustration,

As a traveler, in his way meeting with a violent storm of thunder and rain, immediately turns out of his way to some house or tree for his shelter, but yet this does not cause him to give over his journey,--so soon as the storm is over he returns to his way and progress again; so it is with men in bondage unto sin.

This is the frustration in life. So many people are weighed down with their guilt from sin. Feeling guilty, they go to church and hear the Word of God spoken. However, not being regenerate, they are unable to discern spiritual things and hear the Law pronounced against them. This causes them to promise to themselves that they will not perform this certain thing nagging them. Then, they make a vow to themselves or even maybe to their imagination of God. Since the motives were wrong from the beginning and the heart never changed by grace, the sinner is soon back in the mire of transgression. This leads to such frustration and discouragement that the sinner will give up hope of ever "matching up." This is the only remedy that the unregenerate are aware of in combating sin, this vowing. All hope is lost, and the law of sin has full reign since they have no weapon to fight against the enemy. Now, I know this is not the case 100 percent of the time, God does give effectual call some in this same situation. However, I feel that if we look into many of our churches today we could find this story somewhere in the pew.

The law, therefore, cannot conquer this enemy. The law only enrages and entices this deadly enemy. It brings a sentence, but not pardon. It brings the disease, but no remedy. However,

The Holy Ghost compares sinners, because of the odious, fierce, poisonous nature of this indwelling sin, unto lions, bears, and asps, Isaiah 11:6-9. Now, this is the excellency of gospel grace, that it changes the nature and inward principles of these otherwise passionate and untamed beasts, making the wolf as the kid, the lion as the lamb, and the bear as the cow.

Repentance from sin and trusting in Jesus Christ will always do what the law can never do. Saving grace will make the heart brand-new. The old heart is killed, and the new heart has reign. The enemy within still has life, but it is on its deathbed. Believers, you will always have this old man nagging at you from his deathbed. He will call to bring him food, water, and entertainment. However, when Jesus Christ returns, all things will become new. The old man will finally die and the elect will give glory to God the Father in Jesus Christ by their indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This, my friends, is the hope we wait for. This life is to come. On that day, we will understand that everything was created for glorifying God. We wait for this day.

Why Unbelieving Hearts Desire Naturalism and Murder. Remainders (Chapter 16)

With only one more chapter left in this treatise after this one, the end is getting exciting. This chapter speaks of the strength of indwelling sin in its manifestation in unbelievers. It is easy to say that this is where one may truly see its strength. There is no Spirit combating the law of sin, only a severely seared conscience. Remember, before we may grow proud, that this enemy dwells within us as well! Believers, you will never truly mortify your sin until Jesus Christ saves your soul on that day. Pray, fight; watch, so that you may fight the good fight!

Owen begins the treatise, and builds as well, upon the premise that,

Every creature of God has in its creation a law of operation implanted in it...

The power in the law of sin is unveiled in its ability to cause men to have no regard to even the basic things of life. Some things, Owen argues, are just basic to creation generally, even animals. Things like "nourishing their young, to live quietly with them of the same kind and race with them, to seek and follow after that which is good for them in that state and condition wherein they are created, ect." We do not need a vivid imagination to see where Owen is going with this. However, Owen reminds the reader that within man there is a moral responsibility that is not found in the rest of creation. Man alone has the ability and opportunity to enjoy God and yield to him in conscious obedience. Because of this, man is held morally responsible as well. Owen explains,

But he must do it also in subjection to God, and obey Him therein, and do it unto his glory, the law of moral obedience passing over all his whole being and all his operations.

Not only do men have an inbred instinct of certain things, they have an inbred law as well. As we will see, the law of sin causes men to cast these things aside.

Would you not think it strange if you saw cats and dogs destroy their offspring as they were being born? Now, I know that there are times when animals do this sort of thing. I know that male lions will kill male cubs to destroy future competition. I have seen some dogs kill pups only a few hours after being born. However, it is in the nature of animals to have a tender care for their offspring. God places this within creation so the animal will exist. How strange it is then that today we see too many people selfishly decide that a baby is not worth the responsibility. How strong is the power of the law of sin that human beings, who have children, would kill their offspring without any regard for the helpless babies? Certain known civilizations often sacrificed children to false gods. This, my friends, is one example of how the law of sin can cast off that thing naturally implanted in a human being from nature. Owen explains,

that inbred traitor, sin, [is the thing that can] stop the course of nature, when all the sails of it, that carry it forward, are so filled as they are in that of affections to children, but also drive it backwards with such a violence and force as to cause men so to deal with their own children as a good man would not be hired with any reward to deal with his dog.

Not only this, for it is more than apparent today that sin dominates our culture, but the law of sin also has the ability to cast off all consideration of the Gospel. Think about this for a moment. We are all aware of those times when our conscience screams at us we are in the wrong. Our conscience even rightly informs our intuition of the judgment that is due because of our violation of law. Does the Gospel not remedy this dreadful thought? However, how many do we know who have believed considering all the people in the world? True believers in Christ are few indeed. This seems irrational, nevertheless, this is the enemy we have to deal with.

Consider how great the Gospel is:

1. The Gospel is the most reasonable thing that can be proposed to the understanding of man! Man was created to bring glory to God and Him alone. It is man who has failed to do so; and it is his fault alone. However, God offers free pardon through the Gospel so that we may live to our utmost purpose and escape the burning wrath of the infinite God.

2. The Gospel is the most profitable invitation!

3. The Gospel is the most pleasant thing that a man can received. Owen comments, "Surely it is a pleasant thing to be brought out of darkness into light, out of a dungeon unto a throne, from captivity and slavery to Satan and cursed lusts, to the glorious liberty of the children of God."

4. The Gospel is necessary. Do not be deceived. Jesus Christ is your only hope for eternal life. History is full of examples how nothing will fill the empty void in your soul. You are not missing sex, alcohol, entertainment, a relationship; you are missing Jesus Christ. He is the only One who can remedy your ailing soul! Owen continues,

Tell men ten thousand times that this is wisdom, yea, riches, that all their profit lies in it, that they will assuredly and eternally perish, and that , it may be, within a few hours, if they receive not the Gospel...They will rather perish in their lusts than accept mercy!

How indwelling sin blinds the eyes of the heart from seeing this precious, multi-faceted jewel of the Gospel. All of life is contained therein, yet, it is rejected at the cost of 30-second pleasure.
How unreasonable is this! God offers sinners eternal life and it is rejected! Owen continues,

To leave God for the devil, after a man has made some trial of him and his service, heaven for hell, after a man has had some cheering, refreshing thought of it, the fellowship of the saints for an ale-house or a brothel-house, after a man has been admitted unto their communion, and tasted of the pleasantness of it; to leave walking in pure, clear, straight paths, to wallow in mire, draughts and filth.

Believers look at the nations and see these things! Upon this thought, remember the grace and mercy that God has shown you by giving you repentance. The law of sin's grasp on sinners’ heart is so strong that despite the beauties of the Gospel, it will leave them all for the ugliness of sin! You too were like this, but God in His mercy has caused your heart to live! May this cause you to tremble and be in constant thankfulness as you pray to your Father. Be thankful that your heart can say that you would rather have Jesus Christ than anything this world can offer!

Is The River Not Flowing? Remainders of Indwelling Sin In Believers (Chapter 15)

Having considered the power and efficacy of the law of sin, Owen now begins to discuss ways whereby the law of sin causes the hearts of believers to decay in the things of grace. When first brought into communion with God, we are full of humility and praise because we remember from the position we came. However, as we grow in the faith, that "first love" begins to wear off and we no longer consider grace a supernatural thing. This is what Owen would have us fight off. May we remember our first love, may we remember that we are sinners who deserve the absolute wrath of God because of His awesome holiness.

Owen first considers "the many streams and springs" that proceed from the heart upon our first conversion. These springs are what give our hearts the high "faith, love, holiness, fruitfulness, and obedience unto Christ." Owen gives a couple of reasons why this is true.

1. Newly professed Christians have a "fresh, vigorous sense of pardoning mercy." Remember how awesome it was when we considered from whence we came. Imprinted on the heart was that we deserve nothing that comes from the hand of God. Our hearts were filled with thanksgiving and humility. Owen illustrates this with Luke 7:47. She loved Christ so because of her being forgiven. The only way we will love Christ with a full heart is to have before us how much Christ has loved us. If we think this mercy a common thing, our love for Christ will be common and cold.

2. The newly professed have a "fresh taste of spiritual things." Owen illustrates,

As a man that has been long kept in a dungeon, if brought forth on a sudden into the light of the sun, finds so much pleasure and contentment in it, in the beauties of the old creation, that he things he can never be weary of it, nor shall ever be contended on any account to be under darkness again.

However, we see the marvelous light of the new creation in Jesus Christ. Do we keep before our minds the beautiful light of the Gospel we have been shown? Do we remember that we were dead in our trespasses and sins with no hope in the world? I believe that we do not remember that we came from the dungeon and have become used to the warmth of the sun. This is how indwelling sin captures us and causes us to decline in our spiritual life. Owen lists a couple of tangible ways this enemy captures our heart and causes us not to bask in the light of the Gospel.

1. It works in our hearts by "sloth and negligence." It causes our hearts not to continually be thinking about these truths of the Gospel. We begin to think about TV, schedules, assignments, money, responsibilities, and forget that our affections need stirring toward the Gospel. What does the Word of God remind us? Matthew 6:33, "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." I know how hard this is. I try to remind myself continually to allow the cross of Jesus Christ, in who are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, to fill all of my affections. Owen continues,

Let the heart never so little disuse itself to gracious, soul-affecting thoughts of the love of God, the cross of Christ, the greatness and excellency of gospel mercy, the beauties of holiness...

Allow these things I have put in bold print to fill your minds every hour. If you lack to do this constantly, your spirituality will decay and decline.

2. It works in our soul by "unframing the soul so that it shall have formal, weary, powerless thought of those things which should prevail with it unto diligence in thankful obedience." It causes our soul to see the beauties of spiritual discipline as common things. It makes our soul not "hunger and thirst for righteousness." It makes us see grace as a common thing. Is grace a common thing however? No, it is a supernatural thing! Owen commands,

When we have anything to do wherein faith or love towards God is to be exercised, we must do it with all our hearts, with all our minds, strength, and souls; not slightly and perfunctorily [performing as a routine duty; lacking interest or enthusiasm; apathetic], which God abhors.

Perform all spiritual duty with all your soul and so "engraft them upon your soul." This will cause those springs and streams in the heart to flow free and swift. No longer doing this will cause us to be slight in our affection toward God. We must always "Be serious in spiritual things if ever we intend to be bettered by them."

3. It will take the simplicity of the Gospel away from our soul. It will cause our minds to wonder and doubt. Do we need anything else to rouse our soul but the thought of forgiveness from sin? Do we need any other encouragement than that Jesus Christ is with us until the end of the age? I think not. This alone will fuel our heart to love God. Owen continues, "And he that really improves the gospel truths, thought he hears them a thousand times, they will be always new and fresh unto him, because they put him on newness of practice."

Not only does indwelling sin cause our affection for the gospel to be slight, making it a common thing, but it also causes us to be slight in our watching against Satan. It causes our minds not to be on constant alert from the enemy without. We have the enemy within, the law of sin that pleads for its obedience; the law of sin is a weapon Satan uses when he attacks our soul. However, we must oust the enemy within by filling our affections with the things above and we must watch and pray lest the enemy from without come and cause us to fall. Owen gives us a couple of ways he does this:

1. The law of sin "entangles the soul in the things of world, all which are purveyors for Satan." Satan causes the world in general to entangle our thoughts, emotions, and feelings. When this happens, this causes our affection for spiritual things to be nullified. It chokes us. We then become faint and choke the new man from breathing the life of Christ into our heart.

2. It makes the soul negligent in its duties. This has been considered some, but Satan has a way "which if he cannot obtain, yet he makes our lives uncomfortable to ourselves and unfruitful to others, in weakening their root." Owen explains,

Here, if it prevails, it will not fail to produce an habitual declension in the whole course of obedience. All neglect of private duties is principled by a weariness of God, as he complains (Isaiah 43:22) "Thou hast not called upon me, thou hast been weary of me."

Are you weary of God? If you are slight in your duties before God, Owen thinks you are and so does Isaiah!

3. Indwelling sin takes advantage in the soul by taking "evil examples from professors [believers] on how they should live." Remember, your example in life should be that of Christ. Though we have heroes in this life, they should never be our aim. Our affections, once again, should not be filled with them, but on Christ, who alone can satisfy. This is when we get in the attitude, "I am not as bad as he is." We see the bad example of others and justify our own actions. In addition, we actively perform the way others do. This is not the command we have in Scripture. We should only imitate those who imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

4. Indwelling sin makes the soul "cherish some secret lust in the heart." What secret lust do you cherish your heart? Owen warns that even the smallest treasured lust will “in every way weaken spiritual strength. It weakens confidence in God in faith and prayer." Believers, we need the full armor of God to combat the enemy; one small defect in our armor will cause our spiritual death. Owen continues,

It disturbs the thoughts, and sometimes will even frighten the soul from dealing with it by meditation, lest, corrupt affections being entangled by it, grace loses ground instead of prevailing...By these and the like means it becomes to the soul like a moth in a garment, to eat up and devour the strongest threads of it, so that thought the whole hand loose together, it is easily torn apart.

In longing for sin, "If it be neglected, it certainly hardens the heart, weakens spiritual strength, enfeebles the soul, discouraging it unto all communion with God, and is a notable principle of a general decay." Why treasure your sin, when you can treasure Christ? This too is hard because the law of sin is strong in its command upon the soul, but brothers and sisters, fight it! Remember, he who dies fighting dies a victor!

6. It uses "growing in notions of truth without answerable practice." This also will cause the soul to decay and decline spiritually, as Paul reminds us, "knowledge puffs up" (1 Corinthians 8:1). If these truths are not changing and humbling our hearts, they will certainly lift it up against God. All truth from Scripture is meant for our spiritual growth. Satan causes truth not to have its right application. If the truth is not humbling you, it will build up pride.

7. It uses growth in carnal wisdom rather than spiritual wisdom. Owen comments,

So much as carnal wisdom increases, so much faith decays. They proper work of it is to teach a man to trust to and in himself; of faith, to rust wholly in another [God].

Growth in carnal wisdom destroys the work of faith altogether. It puffs up the mind, and causes the mind to leave humility.

These are some ways where the law of sin gains advantage in the soul causing its decay from the graces of God. I would ask you to consider these things and see if these are true in your life. The point is, is that some of them are true, if not all at some time! Allow the Holy Spirit to search your heart and ask Him to break away the dividing walls in your heart. Allow the Holy Spirit to conquer those fortresses that you have set up against your spiritual renewal. Remember, if you are not killing sin, sin is killing you! Allow the streams of mercy to run fresh and anew in your soul. May your heart be a tree firmly planted by the streams of living water! May you find your peace, your hope, and your joy in Jesus Christ!

Why Are The Sheep Starving Who Are In The Fold? Remainders of Indwelling Sin In Believers (Chapter 14)

Beginning this chapter, Owen relays that the main of his work has now passed. This chapter seeks to give the reader a better understanding of the "power and efficacy of indwelling sin" by showing its effects on believers. Those who have grace upon grace poured out upon their lives still fall back in the traps of the old man. Owen does this two ways: (1) By showing the great "eruptions of sin in their lives"(2) By their "habitual declensions from the frames, states, and condition of obedience and communion with God, which they had obtained."

First, Owen would have us consider the actual sins that come out of the lives of believers as evidence toward the power and efficacy of indwelling sin. He does this a couple of ways, but first Owen reminds us that in the Scriptures we must remember, "Most of them were not the lowest form of believers but they had peculiar intimacy with God." Owen points us to men like Noah, Lot, David, Hezekiah, and shows that their walk with God was constant, yet they fell. Owen comments,

An ordinary engine could never have turned them out of the course of their obedience. It was a poison that no athletic constitution of spiritual health, no antidote, could withstand.

Not only did these men fall by the power of indwelling sin, remember that they did not fall from small heights. They did not fall at the very beginning of their profession. These men had walked with God for some time when these eruptions sapped their spiritual life. Consider,

Noah, according to the lives of men in those days of the world, had walked uprightly with God some hundreds of years before he was so surprised as he was (Genesis 9). Righteous Lot seems to have been towards the end of his days ere he defiled himself with the abominations recorded. David, in a short life, had as much experience of grace and sin, and as much close,spiritual communion with God, as ever had any of the sons of men, before he was cast to the ground by this law of sin.

What better argument is needed to prove the power of indwelling sin that resides within your heart? Did not these men have much sight of the goodness and grace of God in their lives? Moreover, as Owen puts it, "who had either better furniture to oppose sin withal, or more obligation so to do, than they?"

This certainly calls our attention to this great enemy. The Scriptures would have us remember these great men, and what these men are when not submitted before the power of the Holy Spirit! Next, Owen also shows that not only were these men experienced in the things of God, but also these abominations happened after some "newly received great and stupendous mercies from the hand of God." Had not Noah just seen the annihilation of an entire wicked generation and just came out of the boat by the grace of God when he fell into drunkenness? Had not Lot seen "hell coming out of heaven" upon Sodom and Gomorrah when he fell into incest? Had not David been delivered out of many troubles and out of the hand of Saul when he fell into murder and adultery?

Are we any better than these men? Do we think we will also stand against this great enemy if we do not watch and pray? If these great men, whom God himself calls righteous, men after His own heart, and the only righteous one, fell; what does this communicate about our enemy at hand? Owen concludes this point,

They are all set up as buoys to discover unto us the sands, the shelves, the rocks, whereupon they made their shipwreck, to their hazard, danger, loss, yea, and would have done to their ruin, had not God been pleased in his faithfulness graciously to prevent it.

The law of sin also proves its power by "the habitual declensions from zeal and holiness." Owen illustrates this point with an analogy,

As the wind which will blow down a dead tree that has no root to the ground will scarcely shake or bow a living, well-rooted tree. But this it will do.

These men we find as examples in the Bible, they were men who walked close with God. This seems to be common among believers that their zeal is not as strong as it was at their first profession of Christ. Owen evidences this point by having us notice this point. Is the zeal of most believers the same as it was form the very beginning? Do they attend to the word of God as earnestly as they did when they first confessed Christ? Owen continues,

Is there the same conscientious tenderness of sinning abiding in many as was in the days of old, the same exact performance of private duties, the same love to the brethren, the same readiness for the cross, the same humility of mind and spirit, the same self-denial?

When we find this to be true in those older ones in the faith, this is evidence of the efficacy of the power of the law of sin in their heart. It has a grip on the heart where they no longer push forward, but rather take the blows as common.

Owen concludes this chapter by showing the power of indwelling by contrasting it with the provisions made against it by the Holy Spirit. Owen believes this shows us how great an enemy is before us, despite the great gifts of the Spirit given to believers for their edification. First, Owen considers the word and the ordinances of the Gospel are given for the "preventing of decays and declensions in the saints, all for the carrying them on to perfection." He uses Ephesians 4:11-15 to make his point. The work of all these ordinances is for the "equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up the body of Christ." Yet do we not find believers using demeaning words when they talk to one another? Do we not find believers dragging each other's names through the mud? Owen then asks the question,

Does it have bounds fixed to its work? Does it carry us so far, and them leave
us?

No, the very work of these gifts from the Holy Spirit is given for our perfection before God. Verse 14 states, "so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes." Yet do we not find it to be true, despite these efficacious gifts given to the church that the law of sin still prevails over many believers?

Not only this, but God has also made us mindful of this assistance and is "continually calling upon us to make use of the means appointed for the attaining of the end purpose." God is continually calling us to come and find pasture provided, so that your souls may live. Owen gives a great illustration here; please hear this rather long quote,

If we see a lamb run from the fold into the wilderness, we wonder not if it be
torn and rent of wild beasts. If we see a sheep leaving its green pastures and watercourses, to abide in dry barren heaths, we count it no marvel, nor inquire farther, if we see him lean and ready to perish; but if we find lambs wounded in the fold, we wonder at the boldness and rage of the beasts of prey that durst set upon them there...It is indeed no marvel that poor creatures who forsake their own mercies, and run away from the pasture and fold of Christ in his ordinances are rent and torn with divers lusts, and do pine away with hungerand famine; but to see men living under and enjoying all the means of spiritual thriving, yet to decay, not to be fat and flourishing, but rather daily to pine and wither, this argues some secret powerful distemper.

This argues for a strong enemy. An enemy that can cause a soldier to starve in battle who eats three times a day. The believer who is praying, reading, and attending church can still be swept away by the craft of the enemy.

Does Jesus Christ not continually pour grace out on His Church? Is He not a Living Head who gives grace upon grace to His church, yet is His Church taking one-step forward and two backward? So many times, it seems that the dispensations of grace given merely combat the powers of indwelling sin and not to cause us to have spiritual victories. What about you, is this true of you? Is the grace given you just given to fight off your lusts? Can you say that the grace given you daily by your Lord and Savior is causing you to inch closer and closer to the image of Christ? It seems that in our life we are given so much grace, but the very next second we act as though Christ has not shown us mercy and favor. May we feed upon the green pastures of Christ! May Jesus Christ be our steadfast hope and joy! May we see the power of this inbred enemy and watch and pray against it. This, I believe, will cause our hearts to be ready to spring for the cross and deny ourselves.

Oh, Your Life Would Be Utter Ruin! Remainders of Indwelling Sin In Believers (Chapter 13)

Honestly, I am going to have to take a deep breath and gut this one out. This chapter in Remainders is a beast. Starting in the middle of 260, this chapter extends to page 278. It was a good hour and a half read...lol. With that being said, I hope this will encourage you to love Jesus Christ with all of your soul. I know it has me.

There is no way I could go about this chapter the same way I have with previous ones. What Owen does in this chapter is deal with the several ways the actual bringing forth of actual sin is obstructed. God uses various means and purposes to keep the law of sin from accomplishing its utmost desire, utter ruin (Proverbs 5:14). Owen comments,

That this is not so, is no thanks unto sin nor the law of it. What it conceives, it would bring forth; and that it doth not is for the most part but a small abatement of its guilt...There is nothing wanting on sin's part that every conceived sin is not actually accomplished.

Owen begins by noting that there are two things that must be present within the sinner to actual bring forth iniquity. God is the one obstructs these by His sovereign providence in the world so that sin will not come to its head. The first one is the power to do so (one must have the ability). Second, one must be also willing to commit the sin at hand. In this chapter, Owen considers five different ways the Lord uses to cut short the power to bring forth sin.

1. Owen observes that life is the foundation of all power. If there is no life in an entity, there will be no motion or movement. Something that is dead has no ability. Therefore, God sometimes in His obstructing the production of sin in the world cuts short the life of those who actually conceive sin. Now we know that God does this with believers and unbelievers. Owen here mainly has unbelievers in mind. The Bible is full of instances where this is true. The best example is Exodus 15:9-10 where the Lord deals with Pharaoh. Pharaoh had both the ability and the desire to pursue Israel and do away with her. However, God in his providence cut short the life of Pharaoh and his armies so that sin would not have its course.

However, we must understand that this is not the end purpose of God. God does shorten the life of sinners so that sin will not have its full course, but Owen would have us remember 2 Peter 3:9 which reminds us that God has declared that He is a patient God who desires that none perish. Owen comments,

This is the very end of the long-suffering of God towards believers, that before they depart hence they may come to the sense, acknowledgment, and repentance of every known sin.

The second point from this goes along; God also takes the lives of His own to prevent the guilt of sin overcoming them. God knows what each of His children can withstand. God does not tempt us beyond what we can bear as Owen illustrates,

Thus a captain in war will call off a soldier from his watch and guard, when he knows that he is not able, through some infirmity, to bear the stress and force of the enemy that is coming upon him.

As this is the case in war, in a similar way God also does not allow His children to undergo overwhelming temptations that may cause their denial of the Gospel or ultimate destruction that one finds in the unrepentant.

2. God also providentially "cuts short the power of them that had conceived sin." The Lord sometimes does not take the life away, but takes away the ability to perform the abomination. Think of the tower of Babel. They desired apostasy from God by building the great tower. What did God do? In verse 6, “They have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them that they have imagined to do." God took away their ability to perform this great act of sin; the Lord confounded their language. Owen continues,

This is the measure of their sinning, even their power. They do, many of them, no more evil, they commit not more sin, than they can. Their whole restraint lies in being cut short in power, in one kind or another.

Consider what a grace of God this is to us. That God at times takes away the ability of sinners to bring about what they desire to do in their hearts. What a terrible, frightening world this would be! Nevertheless, consider what a glorious God we serve who will not give the god of this age the power and ability to perform all that is in his heart!

3. Sometimes God raises up opposite forces to oppose the great power and desire of sinners. God leaves their desire and the ability alone; he brings an opposite power to oppose the great power of sin. God raised up armies in the Old Testament to do away with rebellious nations. He sends great storms and trials to bring a greater appreciation of His own character into the hearts of sinners. He sends the Holy Spirit to conquer the most rebellious of sinners.

4. Sometimes God "obviates" the accomplishment of sin by taking away the actual object that is lusted after or toward. The Lord may simply take away the person whom one plans to murder or ravage.

5. Sometimes God may even divert the thoughts of some men who have conceived sin in their heart. Owen illustrates,

Thus, also, when Saul was in the pursuit of David, and was even ready to prevail against him to his destruction, God stirs up the Philistines to invade the land, which both diverted his thoughts and drew the course of his actings another way (1 Samuel 23:27).

Think about God in the world and the advantages this brings people in the world. Look at the advantages the infinite wisdom of God brings to the advancement of faith in the world. First, this should cause us to praise the providence of God generally. Because God has done this, though at times we are unaware, we should be in even more awe of the greatness of our God. Please hear this line, Owen bursts out,

That all the earth is not in all places filled with violence, as it was of old, is merely from the mighty hand of God working effectually for the obstructing of sin. From hence alone it is that the highways, streets, and fields are not all filled with violence, blood, rapine, uncleanness, and every villainy that the heart of man can conceive. Oh, the infinite beauty of divine wisdom and providence in the government of the world! For the conservation of it asks daily no less power and wisdom than the first making of it did require.

Think about the peace you have in your home. If sin would have its full, God-opposing way, your home would be destroyed, your job would be stripped, your children would be abused; but, oh, the grace of God is so evident that most of the time these things are not true. Think about the times you where on the brink of sin. Your heart so desired to swim deep in the ocean of iniquity, you desired to forsake the Lord. But, God (how wonderful those two words are every time) in his mercy hindered you from transgressing His law and you kept your life. If God did not have full control of all events, how Satan would desire the death of all the people of God, the torture of their life, and the destruction of their soul.

Praise God that at times we find it difficult to bring about the lusts of our heart. Do not think this mere circumstance; these are the evidence of the mercy of God. Those times when our minds are diverted from disobedience, when the consequences of certain actions are too great we suppose, when the action would be too difficult to bring about though it would reward our flesh, all of these are evidences that God is a God who remembers mercy. Ponder how the Lord has caused you not to disobey His Law. Ponder how the Lord has been merciful to you! You know fully that if you were able to accomplish all that your heart desired toward sin, your life would be in utter ruin. You would have no hope, you would have no peace, and you would have no life! Taste, and see that the Lord is good!

Why You Will The Things You Wish Not To Do. Remainders of Indwelling Sin in Believers (Chapter 12)

Having an understanding of how the affections are entangled by the law of sin, Owen now moves to how the will consents to sin. It is obvious, the will is principle, and “it is the seat and cause of obedience or disobedience." The will is the final straw, for if will goes one way there is nothing else to override the soul from doing. Once the will is set on a decision that is the direction it will go. Owen states,

Every sin is so voluntary, that if it be not voluntary it is not sin

The will, according to Owen however, consents in two different ways.

1. There is a full and complete "deliberation of prevailing consent" of the will. Owen illustrates,

With this consent the soul goes into sin as a ship before the wind with all its sails displayed, without any check or stop.

This is when the will is full in its consent unto a certain activity. The will "rushes into sin like a horse unto battle." There is no hesitancy, but there is a full compliance to the sin at hand.

2. There is also consent of the will where there is a "secret renitency [persistent oppressing] and volition of the contrary." Yes, there is consent in the will to a particular action, but there is a part of the will that knows that such an action is not best. Owen continues,

Thus Peter's will was in the denying of His master. His will was in it, or he had not done it. It was a voluntary action, that which e chose to do at that season. Sin had not been brought forth if it had not been thus conceived. But yea, at this very time, there was resident in his will a contrary principle of love to Christ, yea, and faith in him, which utterly failed not. [However, this word mine] The efficacy of it was intercepted.

This is true only in believers. We have the law of sin at work in our soul, and we have the law of grace at work in our soul. We desire to obey the law of sin when it commands at times, and then we desire to obey the law of grace in our soul when it commands therefore obeying Christ. Remember, there is within every believer "the desire to do good." Owen explains, "Grace has the rule and dominion, and not sin, in the will of every believer."

Owen would have us remember not only does the flesh lust against the Spirit, but the Spirit also lusts against the flesh. This comes as great encouragement to us as believers. We have an Advocate helping us in our battle against sin. You are not alone. The Spirit keeps the acting of sin from being full and complete. Owen concludes,

And much spiritual wisdom lies in discerning aright between the spirit renitency of the principle of grace in the will against sin, and the rebukes that are given the soul by conscience upon conviction for sin.

I believe this can be an application of what Paul prays for in Colossians 1:9, "And so, from the day we heard, we have not cased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding." We should be praying for our brothers and sisters that they will be able to tell when the Spirit is lusting against the flesh to not give into the commands of the law of sin.

In the next point Owen does warn believers,

Observe, that reiterated, repeated acts of the consent of the will unto sin may beget a disposition and inclinableness in it unto the like acts, that may bring the will unto a proneness and readiness to consent unto sin upon easy solicitations.

Owen then moves to consider "the way that the deceit of sin proceeds in to procure the consent of the will." You must understand that the will does have "an appetite." It desires to be fed so it may act. The will is fed by the affections. This is why it is so important that we feed our affections on the things above, so that we will not give way to the law of sin, this how the law of sin captures the will. The will only chooses to do that which seems good unto it. Owen continues, "It cannot consent to anything under the notion or apprehension of its being evil in any kind." If it seems bad to the will to do something, it will simply do opposite that certain thing. This is how the law of sin operates upon our will, drawing away the mind from duty and entangling the affections to feed the will. Now the law of sin does acts in two ways to accomplish this:

1. It imposes "corrupt reasonings that grace is exalted in pardon." Owen describes how the Gospel teaches us to "deny worldliness" and then if one stumbles there is pardon in the shed blood of the cross. The law of sin,

Changes this method and order of the application of gospel truths

The Gospel's first intention is to keep us from sin and then relieve us from sin if we are to fall. However, the law of sin imposes liberty on the soul so to ruin grace. In this way, it makes the sin at hand seem favorable to the will. "Jesus Christ has bought your salvation; you will not burn for this action." This is a reversal of how God has designed the Gospel to apply to our lives. Do not give into this reasoning. The law of sin does this little by little, not shocking the soul in terror. It injects its poison little by little so you will not notice that sin carries your soul away.

2. It also imposes advantages to the will. Think about the Garden of Eden. Eve saw that "it is good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and to be desired to make one wise." This thought drug her away from the promise, "You will surely die." Now it imposes in two ways:

1. It forces the will to make a hasty decision without considering the consequences. Owen illustrates,

So was the case with David in the matter of Nabal. A violent provocation from the extreme unworthy carriage of that foolish churl stirs him upon to wrath and revenge (I Samuel 25:33-34). His entangled, provoke affections surprised his will to consent unto the conception of many bloody sins.

2. It makes frequent solicitations. A certain lust may lay in the heart continually soliciting the will to its obedience. Just like Joseph's brothers,

They hate their brother, because their father loved him. Their affections being enticed, many new occasions fall out to entangle them further, as his dreams and the like. This lay rankling in their hearts, and never ceased soliciting their wills until they resolved upon his death.

The lusts in the heart build and bring greater solicitations every time it builds. One temptation becomes another. The will starts to enjoy one temptation, it then becomes another one, and it then likes it and builds to another. The will conceives sin at each step of this process. You can see how sin is building.

The law of sin gains this advantage as well by the darkness of the mind. We know the truth only partially as believers. There are still shades of darkness throughout our minds to which we are blind to the will of God. Darkness will always exist in the mind until Jesus Christ returns, until then, we will battle against sin. Owen distinguishes this darkness in to forms: ignorance and error.

1. If anyone is ignorant all together of the will of God, what weapon will it use to attack the solicitations of the law of sin? Owen reminds us, "God complains that his people 'perished for lack of knowledge' (Hosea 4:6). Being ignorant of the mind and will of God, they rushed into evil at every command of the law of sin."

2. "There is ignorance in every error, but there is no error in all ignorance." The law of sin desires this advantage because it finds the most heat in error. The mind is puffed up with knowledge and is deceived into thinking a certain action is correct by its error. Think about those who are zealous. They believe their actions are right, but they are in error. Not only do men need to fill their minds with the will of God, but also they must be sure they are filling their minds with the actual will of God and not of man. What does Proverbs 2 remind us? It states,

Understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, form men of perverted speech, who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness.

These men have no understanding, so they walk in darkness. Nevertheless, understanding is a wreath (Proverbs 1:8) around the neck that will protect one from evil.

Do not allow your mind to be ignorant or erroneous in its thinking. The law of sin will use this darkness to bring about its ends. This is why it is important that we be constantly before the cross. There is a tendency for us to compare ourselves with one another. We think, "Yeah, but I am not as bad as he is." However, if we have are eyes set on Jesus Christ, we will be ashamed of our nakedness. If we keep our eyes on the beauty and majesty of Christ, it will fill our minds with his will. See that your will is not enticed by your affections by having a weak mind. Fill your mind with affection for the cross of Jesus Christ. Be reminded of Chapter 11 of this work. If we think rightly about ourselves, this will give us a right view of what sin is before God and help us appropriate our responsibility before Him.

A Cry Against X-Box and "Lost." Remainders of Indwelling Sin in Believers (Chapter 11)

Having spent some time describing how the law of sin drags the mind away from duty, Owen now considers the second work of the law of sin, namely, the enticing of the affections. Remember the verse from James, a man is "drawn away and enticed." Owen will consider what it is to be enticed and the ways in which sin actually entices the affections.

Owen gives three ways for us to know when our affections are in this state of being enticed.

1. "The affections are certainly entangled when they stir up frequent imaginations about the proposed object which this deceit of sin leads and entices towards." The law of sin here begins to possess the mind. It does this by filling it with the imaginations of the desired sin. Remember, this is all a process. When the object fills the mind with desire for the sin at hand, it can be said that the affections are enticed and tangled. Owen continues,

The lust of the eyes is that which by them is conveyed unto the soul. Now, it is not the bodily sense of seeing, but the fixing of the imagination from that sense on such things, that is intended. And this is called the "eyes" because thereby things are constantly represented unto the mind and soul, as outward objects are unto the inward sense by the eyes.

The mind is fixed on the object and frequently thinks about the image with the mind's eye.

2. This is evidenced "when the imagination can prevail with the mind to lodge vain thoughts in it, with secret delight and complacency." You know that your affections are enticed when you no longer heed the warnings from sin. You are complacent and satisfied with your sin. Sin tangles the affections by making the soul complacent with this offense before God. Owen shows this progression,

All these thoughts are messengers that carry sin to and fro between the imagination and the affections, and still increase it, inflaming the imagination, and more and more entangling the affections.

3. The affections are enticed when there is "readiness and inclination to attend unto the extenuation of sin." This even happens when reliefs to this particular lust are satisfied. If you find that your heart leaps to accomplish this or that sin, you know that your affections have been enticed. It is amazing how many hoops the soul will jump through to rush directly into sin. Notice how great your affection for this or that sin actually is. Think about what ways and how many ways you perform to bring about your iniquity?

Second, Owen shows how the deceit of sin goes about this process of entangling the affections. Remember, this happens once the mind is drawn away.

1. "It makes use of its former prevalence upon the mind in drawing it off from its watch and circumspection." Owen uses Proverbs 1:17, "Surely in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird." Think about it, If you are able to discern the trap, you would avoid the trap altogether. However, the law of sin is so cunning that it will bypass your eyes and cause you to fly unhindered right in the trap of sin. It blinds your spiritual eyes to the trap itself so that "the wing will not be able to carry you away." Owen concludes,

So doth the deceit of sin; it first draws off and diverts the mind by false reasonings and pretenses, as have been showed, and then casts its net upon the affections for their entanglement.

2. The law of sin makes sin seem desirable to the affections. Remember, it makes false promises to the soul for its satisfaction. The law of sin "baits" the affections. You are aware of how easy it is to bait your soul to conform to the image of the world. It takes work to be conformed to the image of Christ. Owen then warns that believers should not "suffer their minds, thoughts, or affections to fix upon sinful objects to nourish and cherish the law of sin." The law of sin even uses your imagination to bait the affections to conform to the law of sin. It baits and the imagination continues to think upon the reward at hand. This bait is a trap that entangles your ability to love God with all your soul.

3. Positively, as we just considered, the law of sin baits the affections, but negatively it "hides the danger that attends unto sin." It will draw the mind away from contemplating the consequences of sin. Remember, "The wages of sin is death." Remember the price paid on the cross for your sin. Did Jesus Christ not bleed and die for your salvation? What a great cost for the pardon of sin that the Son of God should die at the hands of godless men. Remember the consequences and dangers of sin to your soul and spiritual life.

Considering all this what must we do? Owen reminds us of the great Proverb found in chapter 4 verse 23, "Keep thy heart with all diligence." Owen commands that before all other things we must be sure that we are "keeping/guarding" our heart. Before you protect your good name, your estates, or even your life, protect your heart/affections. Guard it with all diligence. Owen gives a couple of ways to do this:

1. Do this in a general way. Generally, "prevent the working and deceit of sin which wars in your members." What does the apostle Paul advise in Philippians but that we should, "Set our affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Do not set your gaze or hope on the things of this planet. Do not hope in X-Box to give you entertainment or hope in the show "Lost" to give you entertainment. Hope in the glory of God Himself. Think of the beauty found in our Savior. This is the only thing that will equip you to fight against sin. If your affections are caught up on the things above, the things on this earth will dim in comparison to the Son of God, who is altogether lovely and worthy of our worship. This will cause you to hate the things of the earth. If the simple things of the earth overtake you, how do you expect to overcome the great enticements of the things of the world?

2. Do this is in a specific way. "Let your affection be in the cross of Jesus Christ." Owen continues,

Consider the sorrows he underwent, the curse he bore, the blood he shed, the cries he put forth, the love that was in all this to your souls, and the mystery of the grace of God therein.

What more of a heavenly vision can we imagine that this? Did Jesus Christ not die for your soul? Did he not become a curse for you? Did he not bleed to give you eternal life? Ponder these things, allows this to sweep across your mind every hour, every minute, every second of the day, the goodness and mercy of your Father. These thoughts will far outweigh the promises that the law of sin makes to your soul. Owen concludes,

Fill your affections with the cross of Christ, that there may be not room for sin.

Understading How Your Mind Can Become a Slave. Remainders of Indwelling Sin in Believers (Chapter 10)

This chapter gives close attention unto the first issue of the deceitfulness of sin, which is, "the drawing away of the mind from the discharge of its duty." If you remember past blogs, and we will consider in this blog, the mind is the engine or rudder of the entire soul. This is why Owen desires to pay special attention to the workings of the law of sin on the mind and giving prescriptions for its work. Owen reminds us,

If the mind be drawn off, if it be tainted, weakened, turned aside from a due and strict attendance unto its charge and office, the whole soul, will, and affections are certainly entangled and drawn into sin....

The first thing considered, and considered heavily, is that "for the right performance of any duty, it is not enough that the thing itself required be performed, but that it be universally squared and fitted unto the rule of it." Since this is important for the chapter, this means,

Now it is but a very little furtherance unto a building, that a man bring wood and stones, and heap them up together without order; they must be hewed and squared, and fitted by line and rule, it we intend to build.

Owen says this rule is the same concerning spiritual duties. Tons of people "do good things." It is not enough that we merely "heap duties upon one another," but we must arrange and do them in a way that would please God. This will be the aim of the entire chapter. Owen gives the analogy,

As letters in the alphabet heaped together signify nothing, unless they are disposed into their proper order, no more do out duties without this disposal.

Four things must be considered when one thinks about how to attend to spiritual duties. Owen teaches us how the mind must be prepared to perform duties unto God. Remember, the law of sin drags the mind away from its duty before God. Here, Owen seeks to show us how to align the mind rightly.

1. The matter of this work must be full and complete. Your duties before God must be full and complete as God has commanded it be so. Think about Saul, God commanded him to kill everything, but he spared Agag and the choicest cattle. This was disobedience. The whole duty must be full and complete to be acceptable

2. The principle of it must be done by faith. If your spiritual works are to be true spiritual works, to them in the only spiritual way. The only way to true spirituality is faith in Christ. There is no spiritual life outside of Jesus Christ. Every duty done unto God must "be done in the strength of Christ."

3. The third concerns the manner in which this is done. You accomplish this two ways: (1) All duties performed must be done by the means and ways in which God has appointed. If the smallest matter is not prescribed unto, "the whole duty is vitiated." (2) This should be the heart of these duties, namely that, "the affections of the heart and mind in duties belong to the performance of them in the inward manner." The duty is no good before God if the heart and affections are not in the duty. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13:1, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal."

4. The mind is to attend to the proper end of this work: The Glory of God in Christ. The law of sin will give you many other ends to this endeavor, but the only purpose behind our duties before God are to His glory in Jesus Christ our Savior. This is where the law of sin finds its greatest hook to draw the mind away. The mind must be steadfast to have this end in mind at all times. The mind must be diligent to keep its duty to this singular purpose.

Owen mentions a couple of ways that the law of sin does this. First, the law of sin persuades the mind to attend only to the general work to the glory of Christ rather than focusing on the particulars. The law of sin would have you be satisfied with a general aim, but the Holy Spirit would have you do very specific things to the glory of God. Owen gives this very illuminating illustration,

If a man be traveling in a journey, it is not only required of him that he bend his course that way, and so go on; but if he attend not unto every turning, and other occurrences in his way, he may wander and never come to his journey's end.

Owen is saying this: there is no general aim to the glory of God. Either you desire to Glory in God in specific ways or you do not glory in God at all. Just like the man on the journey, if he does not pay close attention to the map and take every single turn he will never arrive at his destination. "It is particular actions wherein we express and exercise our faith and obedience; and what we are in them, that we are, and no more."

Second, not only will it persuade you to the general aim to the glory of God, but it will also deceive your mind in being content with this aim. You will think, "As long as I am not having sex, as long as I am not as bad as this or that person, I am ok." You are wrong. Wake up from your slumber.

Owen desires to give us some particulars concerning not only the duties before God, but also to combat the particular sins that would arise from the law of sin secondly in this chapter. "Things they are which God hath appointed and sanctified, to give effectual rebukes and checks to the whole working of the law of sin, and such as, in the law of grace, under which we are, are exceedingly suited and fitted unto that purpose."

1. Consider the sovereignty of God. There is only one Lawgiver. You are ultimately sinning against God. Owen reminds us of Joseph, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God" (Genesis 39:9)? Owen reminds us,

But that which fixed his heart and resolution against it [sleeping with Potiphar's wife] was the formality of it, that it was sin against God, by whom it was severely forbidden.

Yes, your sin is a sin against others, but the only thing your heart, as a believer, will be resolved in is that it is a sin against your Savior.

2. Consider the deceit of every sin. You know the promises it makes to your heart, and you know as believers that these promises are lies. Owen believes, "consider the punishment appointed unto it in the law." Consider the terror that comes from God punishing wickedness. Remember Hebrews 10:31, "Vengeance is mine, I will recompense." In the blood of Jesus Christ there is remedy from this awful truth, but "this relief is not to take off the mind from it as it is appointed of God to be a restraint from sin." Consider Matthew 10:28,

Fear not them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather heart him that is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

3. Consider "all the love and kindness of God, against whom every sin is committed." Is God not a patient Father? How graceful has He been to you? This ought to guide your heart to the waters of peace and obedience. Consider how good He is to you in all of your ways and in your life! Allow all these considerations, when attempting to combat sin that is indwelling in your soul, as the law of sin seeks to draw your mind away from the duties of God.

Believers consider that you are not sinning merely against the law, you are doing something greater; you are sinning against the special mercies of God. Have you not been shown great grace from the Father? Do you sin against the very mercy of God? Also, consider in your temptation, "the blood of Christ." Did Jesus Christ die so that you would be free to sin or not to sin? Did He die for your holiness or your corruptness?

The deceit of the law of sin causes the mind to be spiritually slothful. It does this by causing you to be "dull of hearing" and be regardless concerning your lack of zeal for God. The law of sin causes the mind to be "weak and ineffectual in its attempt to recover the duty of obedience to God." This man is just like,

In the turning of a door upon its hinges, there is some motion but no progress...His endeavors are faint, cold, and evanid [liable to vanish or disappear; faint or weak]; he gets no ground by them, but is always beginning and never finishing his work.

It also takes away your spiritual courage. It causes you to be heartless in difficulties and discouragements in life. It causes you to fall and stay fallen. Proverbs 22:13, "The sluggard says, 'There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!'" You will begin to think it is impossible "to that accuracy, exactness and perfection" which we have considered in this chapter. This is not the position of the Christian whose life is in Jesus Christ. However, this soul described is conquered and enslaved under the power of sin.

In conclusion, Owen gives us great weapons to fight against the deceitfulness of the law of sin. The law of sin,

Lays hold on the mind suddenly with thoughtfulness about the present sin, possesses it, takes it up, so that either it recovers not itself at all to the considerations mentioned, or if any thought of them be suggested, the mind is so prepossessed and filled that they take no impression on the soul or make no abode in it.

The law of sin not only does this but also does this continually. It constantly appeals to the mind to draw it away from a correct duty before God. Owen reduces this section with three headings: First, there is a remission of a universally watchful frame of spirit unto every duty, even the most hidden actings of sin. Second, there is an omission of peculiar attending unto such duties as have an especial respect unto the weakening and ruin of the whole law of sin. Third, it makes us spiritually slothful. Seek to fill the mind with these things that you may be victorious in your contending against the inbred law of sin. May Christ be with you and empower you by His grace!

Your Need To Ditch An Easy Spirituality and Cry Out For Jesus Christ

I am not sure what to think at times concerning some responses I receive from believers who have certain "questions" on doctrine, theology, ect. I believe that the Lord has remained constant throughout a rapidly changing world. Within a society that is driven by TV, instant information, and blazing internet, it may seem that God communicates to us in these ways as well. I do not think this is true. I believe He can; but I believe His purposes are far greater than merely giving information within 30-second sound-bites. Believers in Christ, I would like to remind you today of your need to continually pursue Christ every day. I am reminded of Jeremiah in his letter to the exiles,

When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will heart you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

The response to a section like this so many times is what God wants to do for me. Let me encourage you today, this passage is not about your ultimate desire for a better life or a quick spirituality; this passage is about that time when Jesus Christ will have everything placed under His feet, even death. Only when the light is fully revealed will the elect be freed from the presence of sin.

Notice, "when the seventy years are completed." What about those who will never get out of Exile? The truth is some never come out of exile. Unbelievers will never enter that sacred rest promised by the Father. But for those whom God wills to save, there will come a day, and that day will come, when God will cause His people to "seek Him will all of their heart."

Long for this day. Striving for holiness is not an easy task. Do not think your spirituality comes like an order from Amazon. Your ultimate salvation will only come at the end of the age. God is not accomplishing salvation for the hope of gratification in your comfort, He is bringing salvation to the Glory of His name. At times that means you will seek day and night for His presence and it not come. It means that you will suffer while on this earth. It means that you will hunger and thirst. It means you will cry out to the Lord and He will seem far away. But believers, for those who run the race of endurance, Jesus Christ is your glorious Savior who will bear you up, and will be with you in these times. Jesus Christ stands ready to save not only those who have not yet called upon His name, but those who will receive salvation on that Great and Glorious Day. The day that the Spirit longs for. The day when our Great High Priest will have all things subjected under His feet.

For those who will come out of this Exile, then and only then does God promise the great blessings of His salvation. Do not look for God to answer you in the desert in ways you expect Him to. He may have you suffer, He may have you be persecuted, He may have you wait. However, know that He will bring you up out of the desert when He sees fit to do so. Remember the Lord does not offer salvation like an auction on Ebay. Becoming like Christ is something that will take your entire life. Do not think you can pay $10 a week and receive spiritual wisdom from above. You must labor and strive day by day, hour by hour to obtain your salvation. You must be in constant battle against sin, you must cling to Christ with all of your heart. Then, and only then, will you have a true spirituality.

You Can Do Nothing Without Jesus Christ. The Mortification of Sin in Believers (Chapter 7)

Who can actually perform this work of mortification? How does this particular person perform mortification? These two questions Owen answers in this chapter. Only one who has repented from their sin and trusted in Christ alone can actually do this work of mortification; Owen will prove later. This work is also done by faith.

This first proposition comes almost as a no-brainer. Of course, only believers can mortify sin. However, it is the way Owen proves this point that makes this chapter worth consideration. Owen grounds all reasons in this one statement. Now, this statement should come as a no-brainer as well, but how many times do we forget that,

There is no death of sin without the death of Christ.

Both statements find their grounding here. A person needs to be a believer (putting trust in the death of Christ for the remission of sins completely), and needs to pursue this work by faith (putting trust in this work each day for peace and spiritual life). If anyone thinks that a man without the Spirit of God can perform this spiritual work is in error. Sure, sin is to be mortified by this person without Christ, but there is a greater work that needs to be done, regeneration. In the words of Owen,

So it is in this case: sin is to be mortified, but something is to be done in the first place to enable us thereunto...All attempts, then, for mortification of any lust, without an interest in Christ, are vain.

This man, who is not a believer, is merely feeling the guilt of some situation in his life. He does not desire the glory of God, but the removal of discomfort from his conscience. Is this the true work of mortification? No, this man is like the man who tries to build his house on the sand. When the rains fall, the house falls. The reason why it falls is that it is not built on the Rock.

Think about it this way. This particular man is heavy with the guilt of his sin. He "pacifies and quiets his conscience without going to the Great Physician." This leads him to a dangerous state. One, this leads to a self-righteousness that will see God's opposition rather than favor. Remember, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Two, when the long line of life comes about and finds that sin is, in fact, not mortified he will begin to think,

that all contending is in vain, he shall never be able to prevail; he is making a dam against water that increases on him. Hereupon he gives over...And this is the usual issue with persons attempting the mortification of sin without an interest in Christ first obtained. It deludes them, hardens them, and destroys them.

Do you see this deadly circle? The soul believes for some length of time that it is victorious. It thinks that it has done this work without Christ. Then, upon discovering the truth, it will depress the soul causing it to harden itself against the magnificent grace of Jesus Christ. Only those with an interest in Christ can mortify sin. This leads to the second point.

You believer, do you have an interest in Christ in this work? Is this work in your heart done by faith? Owen comments,

Now, if there be a work to be done that will be effected by one only instrument, it is the greatest madness for any to attempt the doing of it that does not have that instrument.

So you may be asking yourself, "So should unregenerate men "cease striving against sin, live dissolutely, give their lusts their swing, and be as bad as the worst of men?"" If the work of killing sin is not the work of an unbeliever, should they not worry about it at all? Owen has us look at it this way:

He first answers this question with a resounding NO. It is an evidence of the wisdom, goodness, grace, and love of God that men do not extend their sin to its fullest ability. God even allows the unbeliever not to pursue sin fully. Therefore, when this unregenerate man desires this work, this is an evidence of the Spirit of God at work, though maybe not the work of salvation, which is his greatest need. The Word of God has effect on all men and leads them to amazement in the things of God. Owen concludes,

I take not men from mortification, but put them upon conversion. He that shall call a man from mending a hole in the wall of his house, to quench a fire that is consuming the whole building, is not his enemy. Poor soul! it is not thy sore finger but thy hectic fever that thou art to apply thyself to the consideration of. Thou settest thyself against a particular sin, and dost not consider that thou art nothing but sin.

The need for Jesus Christ in this work cannot be overstated. Christ should be the interest of this work of mortification not only generally, but also specifically/daily. The Holy Spirit finds His work in the cross. If the Spirit is leading you to this work, He is leading you to the cross. Owen states,

To break men off particular sins, and not to break their hearts, is to deprive ourselves of advantages of dealing with them.

Remember, God has no interest in merely a part of any man's soul; He is interested in the whole soul of the man. The work of mortification is for those who have placed their ultimate trust in the death of Christ for the death of their sin, and for those who continually see their need of the renewing power of the Holy Spirit, who finds His work in the work of the cross. Remember the words of Titus 3:4-7,

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to this own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Remainders of Indwelling Sin in Believers (Chapter 9)

It seems to me that the Lord has purposed me to read the chapters in this book exactly when I need to. When there are questions, the chapter I am reading answers it. When I am struggling with this or that sin, Owen reminds me of what the Word says and my responsibility before God. Chapter 9 comes as a challenge to believers to cause the mind to think about God continually to God. Along with the challenge, Owen also gives us some practical ways we may be able to discern the workings of the law of sin on our mind.

The design of the law of sin, as we have considered, is to draw the mind away from its due consideration on the things of God and man. Owen begins this chapter by reminding us of the importance of Prayer and Meditation. These two spiritual duties should always go together, as the Puritans are faithful to remind us. Rightly meditating upon the Word should eject our hearts in prayer toward God. Owen reminds believers,

It is our pondering on the truth as it is in Jesus, to find out the image and representation of it in our own hearts; and so it has the same intent with prayer, which is to bring our souls into a frame in all things answering the mind and will of God.

Owen gives three "rules" by which these two spiritual exercises are to be performed:

1. "Meditate of God with God." Owen believes that when we think about the excellencies of God, namely, His "glory, majesty, love, and goodness," it should be done in a way so that we are speaking to God these great things. Ascribe to the Lord. This directs our hearts toward Him in humiliation, the place where our hearts need to always be.

2. "Meditate on the word in the word." Believers should constantly "consider the sense in the particular passage insisted upon." We should look to God to guide our hearts into the truth, giving us a correct view of both God and ourselves.

3. Not only should we think upon the Word and God, but also we should do this constantly. Since we are weak to think upon these things throughout the day, we should make up for this by doing it constantly. Continually go back to the Word and in prayer. Two or so hours after prayer, you will likely forget the promises you made to yourself.

As we have considered, the mind is the engine to the whole effectiveness of the soul. The direction of the soul determines upon the meditations of the mind. Prayer is the opportunity of the soul to appropriate itself correctly before God. True prayer is a praying that is mindful of the "wants, straits, and emergencies of the soul and mind." Only in prayer do we find the deepest contradictions in our hearts. Only in prayer do we find the deepest, most hidden motivations. The Holy Spirit assists us in this work. He gives us assistance in not only rightly evaluating ourselves, but also rightly crying out to God. Not only this, but praying in faith "countermines all the workings of the deceit of sin; this is because the soul constantly is engaging God and therefore opposing sin." Praying in faith causes the believer in "pursuing sin unto its very ruin, because we know:"

First, if there is any lurking of sin in our hearts it will certainly oppose itself to the work of prayer in faith, for faith and sin are contradictory (Romans 14:23).

Second, if there is any sin lurking in your soul it will drag your mind away from a universal communion with God. Owen states,

It will breed a tergiversation unto it, a slightness in it.

Tergiversation means, to change repeatedly one's attitude or opinions with respect to a cause, subject.

Last, Owen makes his point by illustration,

There is no greater evidence of hypocrisy than to have the heart like the whorish woman, Proverbs 7:14, "I have paid my vows," now I may take myself unto my sin;" or to be negligent about sin, as being satisfied that it hath prayed against it.

Do you ever feel as though you "deserve" to engage in some sort of disobedience because of some prior obedience? Are you “earning merit” by your “good deeds?” This, to Owen, is a dangerous place to be.

Now, to be sure, sin also has an offense in its work. We have seen how we are to take offense against sin, but sin has its offensive set as well. Sin puts forth its deceit by:

1. Taking advantage of the weakness that is in your flesh. Owen says,

No relief or advantage, then, coming in by it but what is purely spiritual, it becomes wearisome, burdensome to flesh and blood. It is like traveling alone without companion or diversion, which makes the way seem long, but brings the passenger with most speed to his journey's end.

You can know that sin is offensive when you notice your flesh weakening toward spiritual duty and obedience toward God. When you feel burdensome toward the Word and prayer, when it seems that you need to hurry and get away from praying, these are all sin's working and taking advantage of the weakness of the flesh.

2. Sin also takes advantage of your soul when it "makes use of corrupt reasonings, taken from the pressing and urging occasions of life." Owen's argument here is that so many times we settle for good things, rather than what God has planned for us. Owen continues,

But if in anything we take more upon us than we have time well to perform it in, without robbing God of that which is due to him and our own souls, this God calls not unto, this he blesses us not in.

I know this very well from previous secular employment. For those of you who have a hard time saying, "No," now is the time. Your first priority and responsibility is your soul before God. You are to glorify God with your life. If any duty would not cause you to glorify His name, you are to abandon it. Do not be consumed with money, pleasing your boss, or making good grades. Some of these things in general are good, but they can take your soul. If you are careful to protect your soul and “guard it with all diligence” (Proverbs 4:23), you will find true life and purpose.

3. It takes advantage by drawing the mind away from its duty, by promising compensation in performing those other duties that are not good for your soul. Owen states, "As Saul thought to compensate his disobedience by sacrifice." Disobedience is just that, disobedience. There is no remedy to what it truly is. Two wrongs never make right.

I would like to conclude this with some questions that Owen asks at the end of this chapter. This ending comes with strength and great encouragement. He premises all these questions with this proposition, "The principle care and charge of the soul lies on the mind; and if that fail of its duty, the whole is betrayed...The failing of the mind is like the failing of the watchman in Ezekiel."

Would you, therefore, take the true measure of yourselves, consider how it is with you as to the duty of your minds which we have inquired after. Consider whether, by any of the deceits mentioned, you have not been diverted and drawn away...

Owen hopes,

May not such a soul say, "If I had attended more diligently; if I had considered more wisely the vile nature of sin; if I had not suffered my mind to be possessed with vain hopes and foolish imaginations, by a cursed abuse of the gospel grace; if I had not permitted to be filled with the things of the world, and to become negligent in attending unto especial duties--I would therefore not be sick, weak, thriftless, wounded, decayed, defiled."

What will the Lord say to you on the final day? Will you hear those long desired words, "Well done good and faithful servant?" Are you negligent in your spiritual disciplines; do you pray as you should? If you are to have a healthy soul, your mind must be steadfast and sound in its directing of your soul. Do not allow your mind to be dragged away from the cross of Jesus Christ. Cleave to God in all things. Daily renovate and quicken your heart to bring about the duties you know you need to be performing. Resolve to not dally with sin and become negligent in your responsibility before God. Remember, you are not saved by the works of the law, but by hearing with faith.