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!
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