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.