I have many confessions to make before I start this blog. I do apologize that I am jumping back and forth between writings. It can be difficult to follow one work while I post on another the next day. There are reasons why I am doing this. First, this blog is designed for me as well. It is good for me to continue to think about Owen so my affections may be stirred for God. Also, my readers are not many, or may never be, and so I guess I am approaching this at a shotgun approach to stir interest in this very important book. I hope you will be faithful in following the lines in both works. I will then approach "On Temptation" in succession, hopefully.
With that being said let us consider Chapter 6 in “The Mortification of Sin.” Owen now deals with what mortification actually is. If you remember a couple of posts ago, [in chapter 5], we dealt with what mortification is not. We dealt with mortification negatively, now we deal positively.
First, the mortification of any lust consists in the habitual weakening of it. Owen continues, "Every lust is a depraved habit or disposition, continually inclining the heart to evil." You who have dealt with sin before, you understand its power and effect. The lusts in your heart are strong and powerful. Owen grounds this in Genesis 6:5, "Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is only evil continually." These lusts "wage war" against your soul. For there to be true mortification, there must first be a weakening of the disframing lust. Owen warns,
...how it [sin] will darken the mind, extinguish convictions, dethrone reason, and interrupt the power and influence of any consideration that may be brought to hamper it...
Owen does give some direction concerning sin. Owen lists two limitations about lusts in general commanding your heart:
1. Certain lusts, though they all desire to incline your soul to satisfy the whole of "the law of sin," receive some vigor and strength from circumstances that cause it to have dominance over other lusts. Temptation gives these lusts power to overcome the soul and dethrone grace in the heart. Temptation will cause you to throw off the yoke of Christ and put on the yoke of slavery.
2. Next, Owen simply states that some lusts are more "discernible in their violent actings than others." We know some people are given to certain behaviors; some are hot-headed, or arrogant, or hard-headed. This may be very deceiving to our eyes. It may seem that one man is truly pious but, "only their lusts are in and about things which raise not such a tumult in the soul."
Owen gives us a graphic picture as to what the weakening of a particular sin looks like:
As a man nailed to the cross; he first struggles, and strives, and cries out with great strength and might, but, as his blood and spirits waste, his strivings are faint and seldom, his cries low and hoarse, scarce to be heard; when a man first sets on a lust or distemper, to deal with it, it struggles with great violence to break loose; it cries with earnestness and impatience to be satisfied and relived; but when by mortification the blood and spirits of it are let out, it moves seldom and faintly, cries sparingly, and is scarce heard in the heart; it may have sometimes a dying pang, that makes an appearance of great vigour and strength, but it is quickly over, especially if it be kept from considerable success.
Just as men have a strong desire to live, and would strive to grab just one more breath from a cross, so sin has a strong desire to conquer your soul through the conquests or your sin. Crucify it; do not allow it one more breath and it will die.
Second, the mortification of sin consists of constantly fighting and contending against sin. You know that sin has a strong desire to live, so you must have a stronger desire (by means of the Holy Spirit who alone can empower you for this work) to strive against its desires. To do this there must be 3 things:
1. You must know the enemy that you are dealing with. Owen quotes 1 Kings 8:38, "knowing the plague of his own heart." How great is your knowledge of how your inbred enemy works and fights against your eternal salvation?
2. You must "labor to be acquainted with the ways, wiles, methods, advantages, and occasions of its success." Owen suggests,
And, indeed, one of the choicest and most eminent parts of practically spiritual wisdom consists in finds out the subtilties, policies, and depths of any indwelling sin; to consider and know wherein its greatest strength lies, what advantage it uses to make of occasions, opportunities, temptations, what are its please, pretenses, reasonings, what its stratagems, colors, excuses.
The more you find out the ways of your enemy, the better you will be in engaging this enemy.
3. You must load your mind daily with the things that would cause the mortification of this sin. Load your heart and mind with those things that will cause its downfall. Seek to give it more wounds. Continually strike it with the Words of Christ. Give it a battle so intense that it will flee (James 4:7).
Third, mortification consists in frequent success. To merely disappoint sin is not enough; you must have total victory over sin. You must have much success. As soon as you give sin an inch it will take a mile and will bring its friends who will do the same.
If these things are growing and apparent, you are on the road to true mortification. To expect this to be true, you must equip yourself for battle. You must be in prayer, you must be in The Word, you must have your affections stirred for the presence of Christ, you must surround yourself with those who discourage sin, and you must be in constant battle and pursuit over the livelihood of your soul. If you are not battling, sin is battling and will conquer. Allow these graces to combat your sin. May the Holy Spirit equip you for this work!
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