Remainders of Indwelling Sin in Believers (Chapters 1 & 2)

Having given the purpose of the blog, the first true blog will be heavy in theological content. However, I hope that the theological content that is contained in this blog will be devotional as well.

I have been reading John Owen's Sin and Temptation. This volume is contained in Volume 6 in The Works of John Owen. This book, I believe, is a must read for all believers. Owen is notorious about being hard to read, but this volume is the easiest to read of all the volumes and his language is very clear and devotional in this volume.

I am now in the third treatise and the title of this treatise is given in the title of this blog. Sin is a powerful influence in the lives of believers, though they are born again and possess the Spirit of God. Chapter 2 deals with this reality. Owen says that sin "is a law" that is within the soul. This means,

A law is taken either properly for a directive rule, or improperly for an operative effective principle, which seems to have the force of a law... In its first sense, it is a moral use which directs and commands, and sundry ways moves and regulates, the mind and the will as to the things which it requires or forbids.

Just like any law, Paul in Romans 7:17 says that "So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me." This indwelling sin, just like the Spirit within believers, is a law that commands and directs our hearts in certain ways.

With that being said I can now begin to describe what kind of law sin is in the heart. Owen beings,

It is not an outward, written, commanding, directing law, but an inbred, working, impelling, urging law. A law proposed unto us is not to be compared, for efficacy, to law inbred it us... An inbred law must needs be effectual.

This law of sin is a companion that is always with us. It can never be divorced from us while we have residence here on earth. Men who do not recognize this are actually deceived by this law that is within them and are therefore blind to this reality. It is a constant enemy. Owen continues,

Would you pray, would you hear, would you give alms, would you meditate, would you be in any duty acting faith on God and love towards him, would you work righteousness, would you resist temptations,--this troublesome, perplexing indweller will still more or less put itself upon you and be present within you; so that you cannot perfectly and completely accomplish the things that is good, as our apostle speaks, verse 18.

Sin is always there imposing its demands on our hearts. It is a constant enemy who seeks to conquer our soul (1 Peter 2:11). It pleads with our hearts. It promises rewards of pleasure. It seeks to comfort with these promises as well, that we may continually serve this law of sin. It does this easily because "It hath an intimacy, an inwardness with the soul, and therefore, in all that we do, doth easily beset us. It possesseth those very faculties of the soul whereby we must do what we do." Since it indwells our hearts, it knows our soul very well. If it sees that we are waging war against it; it knows exactly where to hide. If it sees that we are weak; it knows exactly where to attack. It is a constant enemy. This law abides in our soul, and is never absent; it always lingers and pleads with us. It also is always ready "to apply itself to every end and purpose that it serves unto." It will always give way to the enemy because it is a treacherous party. It desires your destruction. What then are we to do?

But, and how beautiful that Word is, the LORD has given the Spirit to believers and the ability to resist this law. I am going to make a long Owen quote, BUT PLEASE, read and see how he instructs us to trust the grace of Christ talking about The Law of God

Afterward God renews this law, [the Ten Commandments after the Fall] and writes it in tables of stone. But what is the efficacy of this law? Will it not, as it is external and proposed unto men, enable them to perform the things that it exacts and requires? Not at all. God knew it would not, unless it were turned to an internal law again; that is, until, of a moral outward rule, it be turned into an inward real principle. Wherefore God makes his law internal again, and implants it on the heart as it was at first, when he intends to give it power, to produce obedience in his people (Jeremiah 31:31-33).

Just as the law of sin is inbred, and because of its position, is powerful and efficacious, so God places The Law of Christ in our hearts to make it efficacious as well. The Law of the Spirit (Romans 8:2) pleads with our soul to do the will of our Father. It helps us fight the law of sin and it is more powerful than the enemy because God is fighting for us.

Lastly Owen states, "How little do the most of men think of this inbred enemy that is never from home! How little, for the most part, doth the watchfulness of any professors answer the danger of their state and condition." He thinks the more we understand the nature of this indwelling law, the less we will feel its effects. The more we see its actual power, the less effective it will be in our soul. Understanding this, Owen calls that we:

1. Need Humility in this task
2. Need intensity in prayer to plead that God keep us "from entering into temptation"
3. Need to be watchful AT ALL TIMES
4. Need spiritual wisdom to discern how to fight
5. Need the special grace of God to aid us
6. Need the Holy Spirit to empower us

With such a great enemy, how we need the grace of God to help in our struggle with the enemy that is has always lived within. May believers understand how crafty Satan truly is. May believers see how treacherous their hearts really are. May believers understand they need the grace of God every second of every day!