John Owen's next quest is examining the "actings and operations" of the law of sin that finds its seat in the heart. Owen comments,
We know not that anything lives but by the effects and works of life; and great and strong operations discover a powerful and vigorous life. Such are the operations of this law of sin, which are all demonstrations of its power.
There are two general workings in the law of sin. These two heads are how it is able to reproduce itself in the life of the person. The first is aversation and the second is opposition. Aversation comes as a weird word. In fact, there are many words that come weird to more modern English readers in this volume. Aversation is a natural dislike toward anything, an aversion. The law of sin and the Spirit of God have an aversation toward one another. The Spirit desires to go one way, the law of sin another.
First, Owen considers Aversation. Owen opens up,
All indisposition unto duty, where in communion with God is to be obtained; all weariness of duty; all carnality, or formality unto duty,--it all springs from this root.
The law of sin has a natural aversion to it concerning the things of God. Owen warns that if you find that this is not true for your own soul, be warned in two ways. These two may be found to remedy
1. There may be ignorance of the true state and condition of your own soul. Owen warns that these people may not know how their soul works. I personally have found how true this is for me. We are to be people who study and know how are souls work. If we are to ever gain an advantage against this great enemy, we are to know where and how it finds advantage against our soul. Owen continues, "They are in the dark, and neither know what they do nor whither they are going. It is like the Pharisee knew little of this matter; which made him boast of his duties to God himself."
2. It may be that you do not have faith or an interest in Christ in the first place. Sin makes little opposition to your soul because you are in complete alignment with sin itself; it is a friend.
Owen now tries to bring light to this reality by showing how aversation reveals itself in our duties:
1. "In these will this aversation and loathing oftentimes discover itself in the affections." Sometimes while in communion with God there will be a small drive that says, "Is this over yet? Hurry up!" and we will get tired. This is the law of sin waging war against the things of God. Owen warns,
Even when convictions, sense of duty, dear and real esteem of God and communion with him, have carried the soul into its closet, yet if there be not the vigour and power of a spiritual life constantly at work, there will be a secret loathness in them unto duty; yea, sometimes there will be a violent inclination to the contrary, so that the soul had rather do anything, embrace any diversion, thought it would itself thereby...
Sometimes our hearts would rather do ANYTHING, than pray to God with patience. This is a sign that your heart has an aversation toward God in it. How we need the grace of God to turn our hearts to Him. This is evidenced by having no drive to ascend the hill to hear from God and learn from Him. There is no waiting on God.
2. "It discovers itself in the mind also." Owen advises,
The sum is, that the mind should be furnished with the considerations that are prevailing with God, and be in readiness to plead them, and to manage them in the most spiritual manner, to the best advantage.
But there are times when we notice that when we pray, when we are in worship, our mind wanders. The law of sin is always diverting your mind toward vanities. When believers are trying to meditate, there is that inbred enemy seeking to put the mind in neutral. Never let the law of sin alone, or it will grow, kill this aversion early. Do not let it linger.
Owen concludes by giving five ways to divert this indwelling sin
1. "The great means to prevent the fruits and effects of this aversation is the constant keeping of the soul in a universally holy frame." Only complete obedience, and a heart that is totally surrendered to God will enable you to "say with the Psalmist (Psalm 57:7) 'My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed.'" Owen continues,
It is utterly impossible to keep the heart in a prevailing holy frame in any one duty, unless it be so in and unto all and every one.
There is harmony in universal obedience, it cannot be partial. Either you are totally surrendered or not surrendered at all. Either you are obedient or disobedient. As it says in Titus 1:15, "To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled."
2. Owen commands, "Labour to prevent the very beginnings of the workings of this aversation. Let grace be beforehand with it in every duty." As Paul says in Romans, wherever good is, evil will be present there with you. Do not let sin parley with the soul. Do not allow a debate to occur with sin and your soul. Sin, whose seat is your heart, will entice and put you in subjection every time. Owen concludes this point,
Get grace, then, up betimes unto duty, and be early in the rebukes of sin.
3. Though its work does damage, "yet be sure it never prevails to a conquest." Owen encourages us to not fold under its pertinacity. Though sin may continue to knock at the door, do not even consider it at the door. Though sin entices you with rewards to its obedience, do not believe its lies. Owen stresses this even more with these words,
To case from duty, in part or in whole, upon the aversation of sin unto its spirituality, is to give sin the rule, and to obey it in the lusts thereof.
4. "Carry about a constant, humbling sense of this close aversation unto spiritualness that yet lies in our nature." Considering the cancer that sin is, men should always be in perpetual watch over their souls. Since you understand the nature of the law of sin, and its hatred toward God, this should lead to a humble spirit before the Lord. PLEASE CONSIDER THESE NEXT WORDS,
That after all the discoveries that God hath made of himself unto them, all the kindness they have received from him, his doing of them good and not evil in all things, there should yet be such a heart of unkindness and unbelief still abiding as to have an aversation lying in it to communion with him,--how ought the thoughts of it to cast us into the dust!
Consider how good God is. Consider how you do not give Him the glory and praise that He is due. I have been wrecked at this point. How wretched are we that God would continue to poor out His grace and mercy and yet continue in our disobedience?
5. "Labour to possess the mind with the beauty and excellency of spiritual things, that so they may be presented lovely and desirable to the soul; and this cursed aversation of sin will be weakened thereby." If you do not think something to be beautiful you will not be drawn to it. Put yourself in situations where you are captivated by the beauties of spiritual fervor. Come and see that the Lord is good! If you are neglecting your spiritual duties and not allowing your heart to taste the goodness of the Lord, no wonder you think it a weird thing that Christians around you are "corny" or "hyper spiritual." You do not know the beauty of having fellowship with the Lord. Seek to know this fellowship.
As He has with me, may the Lord continue to show that you can do nothing without Him? May we see that if left to ourselves we would curse God all the days of our life? The reason why you love the Lord is because He has loved you first. Remember that every thought of unbelief, would be atheism if brought to its head. But you and I serve a great God. His name is Jesus Christ. "For in Him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28)
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