To [b]mortify[b]old man[b]old man[b]death blow
Do you mortify? Do you make it your daily work? You must always be at it while you live; do not take a day off from this work; always be killing sin, or it will be killing you.
- From "The Mortification of Sin" by Rev. John Owen
good word!
Indwelling sin always abides while we are in this world; therefore, there is always a need for it to be [b]mortified[b]dead to sin[b]inner nature[b]only in part[b]mortify
- From "The Mortification of Sin" by Rev. John Owen
yes, i agree that mortifying is a daily work. but, does he believe we can be free from practicing (habitual) sins, like the sins names in gal.5? does he believe we can walk free from KNOWN sins? paul speaks of a clean conscience (from known sins).
God bless
Dear myfirstlove,
The sins mentioned in Galatians 5 are termed "the works of the flesh" by Paul (v. 19). These are:
Adultery, Variance, Fornication, Emulations, Uncleaness, Wrath, Lasciviousness, Strife.
Idoltary, Seditions, Witchcraft, Heresies, Hatred, Envyings, Murders, Drunkeness, and Revellings.
Your gracious question is "Did Owen believe a Christian can be set free from indulging in the abovementioned activities?" My response is an unequivocal [b]Yes![i]willpower
Yet, as we grow, we are bound to slip, and WILL slip. We will, most assuredly "miss the mark" as a bowhunter can occasionally miss a deer. Growing in grace is a tough maturational process, a learning process where we must undergo the Spirit's daily tutelage (sometimes painful) which progresses from glory to glory, until the day we die. This is typical of any type of growth, spiritual or physical. Do I believe we'll reach a state of sinless perfection on earth before the celestial glorification of the saints? Absolutely not. But the Bible is clear that we must wage war with our flesh to put to death our rebellious members while here on earth. If we do not master sin, sin is sure to master us. This is our service to God, mind you; God will not hunt down and kill fugitive sin if we do not allow Him first entry into our personal jurisdictions to apprehend the hiding felon.
I think Owen believed the same. I've never found him to say that we can be utterly free from ever practicing another sin. Such a notion would be unscriptural! The greatest Christian who ever lived - Paul himself - is on record saying he hadn't yet [i]attained[b]tempted[i]give in to the tempation
Of course, this is how I see it. You may see it differently! I welcome your gracious discussion, for I feel it is crucial that we have a proper understanding as to what mortification is, how it is wrought, what it is [i]not
With love and respect for a dear sister in Christ,
Brother Paul
AMEN!
God bless you!
Thanks Paul for bringing this up. I have noticed this word from time to time and its good to have a more solid understanding of the usage.
Thus, it is the constant duty of believers to render a death blow to the deeds of the flesh,
I wonder if this is what the Apostle had in mind by [b][i][color=000000]...I die daily.[/color]
If so, how would that relate to the first part of the verse: [b][color=000000] I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord,..[/color]
Any thoughts?
PaulWest on 2006/8/30 23:08:16 posts...
I am not sure that this is what Owen is saying. In fact your quote seems to suggest that he isn't saying this.Indwelling sin is compared to a person, a living person, called the old man, with his faculties, properties, wisdom, craft, subtlety, and strength. The old man is utterly mortified and slain by the cross of Christ. He is said to be "crucified" with Christ (Romans 6:6), and ourselves to be "dead" with him (v.8). This takes place in regeneration. The work of the Holy Spirit, Who is planted in our hearts, also opposes the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:17). Is he not making a distinction here?Indwelling sin always abides while we are in this world; therefore, there is always a need for it to be mortified. Some have wrongly and foolishly believed that we are able in this life to keep the commands of God perfectly and are wholly dead to sin.
I am not sure that this is what Owen is saying. In fact your quote seems to suggest that he isn't saying this.
Dear brother, you'll have to take it up with Owen. Both quotes are his.
But to answer your observation (in defense of John Owen, sorry): no, I don't really see a distinction. I see sin referenced as the 'old man' in one, and in the other as an abiding and thriving presence, in need of daily mortification.
Respectfully and with Christian love,
Brother Paul
Dear ChrisJD,
The statement about the "death blow" is Owen's own. Everything here is from Owen's "Mortification of Sin". What's mine is the response I wrote to myfirstlove, philologos and now this response here to you. I just wanted to clear up any confusion and put my disclaimer down!
Okay, my brother, you wrote:
I wonder if this is what the Apostle had in mind by ...I die daily.?
If so, how would that relate to the first part of the verse: I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord,..?
Well, I think we need to take all of chapter 15 into consideration. What is Paul talking about here? The preceeding verses are dealing with the resurrection, and how some men were saying that there wouldn't be one (v.12). Now, Paul preached the resurrection, and he had suffered much for this gospel, and freely admitted that all his efforts were in vain if this was true (v.19). Paul's crux is that, although in Adam all died, even so, all men shall be made alive in Christ (v.22). Paul says, "Why stand we in jeopardy every hour" if the resurrection I preach is but a myth? He tells the Corinthian church that he is facing death every day in hope of the resurrection. He protests what's the use of all his efforts, if the dead do not rise. Might as well do as the Epicureans do - eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die (v.32).
JB Phillips says it like this: "I assure you by the proud certainty we share in Christ Jesus our Lord, that I face death every day of my life!"
The question then arises, by which manner does Paul face death daily, according to the context of the present chapter? Is he speaking of a literal death in the face of danger? His was certainly a dangerous job! The next verse (v.33) he speaks of "fighting with beasts" after the manner of men in Ephesus. We know he was stoned. We know some Jews had put a bounty on his head. We know he was chased and beaten and jailed with peril after peril heaped. He certainly faced death daily in this literal aspect.
Yet Paul also spoke of another death - the death of his 'old man' that had been crucified with Christ Jesus (Gal. 2:20). Paul speaks of a daily self-denial, a mortification of the works of the flesh. He issues warnings to Timothy and the young churches to flee such things as youthful lusts that may give rise to sin. He exhorts us to "mortify" or to kill or put to death the deeds of the flesh. John Owen proposes that this process of mortification is daily, on-going, progressive and untiring. I plan on expanding this teaching here, to show the relationship between the 'old man' which is slain with Christ and our ever present responsibility of systematically mortifying any efforts he may have in coming down from the cross.
I believe the death Paul speaks of in 1 Cor. 15:31 may very well encapsulate both ideas of death - the physical jeopardy of his own mortalitiy, as well as the death of brokeness and daily self-denial whilst walking in utter submission to God's Spirit.
Just my thoughts, brother!
Paul
"When sin lets us alone, we may leave sin alone; but sin is always active when it seems to be the most quiet, and its waters are often deep when they are calm. We should therefore fight against it and be rigorous at all times and in all conditions, even when there is least suspicion. Sin is always acting, always conceiving, and always seducing and tempting. Who can say that he has ever had anything to do with God or for God which indwelling sin has not tried to corrupt? This battle will last more or less all our days. If sin is always acting, we are in trouble if we are not always [b]mortifying.
There is not a day goes by where sin either foils or is foiled, prevails or is prevailed upon. It will always be so while we live in this world. Sin will not spare for one day. There is no safety [b]but in a constant warfare
- From "The Mortification of Sin" by Rev. John Owen
PaulWest on 2006/8/31 23:08:54
Protest is a little bit stronger than I feel about this but I welcome the opportunity to talk through some of these issues. I think I have not read Owen thoroughly enough to grasp what he is saying yet.What is your protest? Is it the fact that in Owen's second statement, sin is already determined as "mortified" or "slain with Christ" and thus completed? I believe Owen is describing ideally how it should be, how God wills it to be.
If 'protest' is the right word it would be in terms of 'does the scripture ever speak of mortifying sin?' I think the two key references are probablyRom. 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Col. 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: In the Romans reference the word is θανατοω (thanatoO) from thanatos meaning 'death'. So 'put to death' would be a good translation here. While the Colossian reference uses the word νεκροω nekroO, nekros is a corpse. The idea is the same in both passages but the divergence from Owen's usage is that he equates the 'old man' of Romans 6:6 with 'indwelling sin'; and I agree with him. The 'executioner' however in Romans 6:6 is not 'me' but God Himself.
Both the Romans and the Colossian references seem to be relating to 'deeds' rather than 'nature'. Indwelling sin, the old man, is God's business. I cannot execute it although even in an unregenerate state I am held culpable if I do not restrain it. The deeds (praxis), "doings" are my responsibility although even here my weapon of execution must be 'the Spirit' and not my own will power.
What do you think?
Ron, you have made some great observations.
First and foremost, the issue, I think, we are facing is: Is there a difference between 'the deeds of the flesh' and 'sin'? Are they one and the same? Does one result from the other? Are we responsible for actively dealing with one and not the other? If sin is our nature, does the 'old man' merely exhibit the deeds of our nature? Is the 'old man' a reference to sin, or he in reference to the flesh?
You have correctly said that only God can execute indwelling sin, and I agree with both you and Owen! I don't think this was ever an issue, as I think we'll see when we dig deeper. I am excited!
Brother, I working in a funeral home right now (appropriately enough!), and unfortunately, I must bring this post to an abrupt close, as a family has just walked in. I will continue our gracious discussion later on this evening!
By the way, I am well acquainted the with the Greek "thanos"; as a mortician/embalmer, I had to undergo grueling classes in thanatochemistry and thanatological anatomy. "Mortification" is right up my alley, so to speak! 8-)
With love and respect,
Paul
By the way, I am well acquainted the with the Greek "thanos"; as a mortician/embalmer, I had to undergo grueling classes in thanatochemistry and thanatological anatomy. "Mortification" is right up my alley, so to speak!
Paul,
Thank you for posting these powerful writings by John Owen on the Mortification of Sin. They are poignant and powerful. Bless you for all the time and energy you put into sharing such wonderful truths with the readership of SI. Our lives are blessed, challenged and enriched by them. How desperately we need this truth to touch us in the deepest recesses of our hearts.
Bless you, brother!
The deeds (praxis), "doings" are my responsibility although even here my weapon of execution must be 'the Spirit' and not my own will power.
Amen!
Would you say that sinful deeds manifested are a result of indwelling sin unmortified? In other words, can mortified sin (the slain old man), give life to unmortified deeds? If iniquitous deeds displayed in the flesh of the believer are not the result of indwelling sin slain by God, from whence do our wicked deeds germinate? Can that which is dead, bring forth life?
Paul says in Romans 6:6 that our 'old man' is crucified with Christ, that the body of sin be destroyed. If the body of sin be permanently destroyed by God, from what source then is the genesis of sinful deeds? Do the deeds which we are called to mortify come only from third-party sources of temptation, or are they personally manufactured?
Before we go any further, I think we need to make a determination. Has God done his job in slaying the 'old man' with utter finality at our moment of regeneration, and all that is left for us to do is monitor and mortify in the Spirit our temptational 'deeds' in the members? Or is there still something wicked dwelling within us, fighting, rebelling, contending and vying for our faculties - albeit half-dead and screeching from the grave? Something that must die daily, something that only God can kill, and something that God will not kill without our willful surrender? Something that, if not mortified daily, will begin to clamour within our inner chambers and work its way with gathering strength to fleshly exposure? As the 'old man' is slain with Christ, can he, like Christ, per chance undergo a similar resurrection? It is certain the 'old man' haunts us from beyond the grave: "...and by it he being dead yet speaketh," can certainly apply to the 'old man', as Paul exhorts us to: "...put off the former conversation of the 'old man'..." (Ephesians 4:22). Is this a warning to relinquish the nasty tendencies of a thing now mortified, or is it instead a call to protect against dead men rising from caskets?
Let me hear your thoughts, brother. This is so very important to understand. Either sin's root is living in us, or it isn't. Either sin is crouching at our door, still attempting to master us, or it is totally obliterated and we have nothing to fear but our own misdeeds from yielding to hell's extraneous temptations.
BTW, I apologize for my last post. It wasn't until later that I realized you had already dealt with the questions I put forth!
Brother Paul
[b]"Sin, if not continually mortified, will bring forth great, cursed, scandalous, and soul-destroying sins (Galatians 5:19-20).
Every time sin rises to tempt or entice, it always seeks to express itself in the extreme. Every unclean thought or glance would be adultery if it could; every covetous desire would be oppression, and every unbelieving thought would be atheism. It is like the grave that is never satisfied. In this we see the deceitfulness of sin. It gradually prevails to harden man's heart to ruin (Heb. 3:13). Sin's expression is modest in the beginning, but once it gains a foothold, it continues to take further ground and press on to greater heights. This advance of sin keeps the soul from seeing that it is drifting from God. Sin precedes higher by degrees, and it hardens the heart as it advances. This enables the deceitfulness of sin to drive the soul deeper and deeper into sin. [b]Nothing can prevent this but mortification.
- From "The Mortification of Sin" by Rev. John Owen
The 'executioner' however in Romans 6:6 is not 'me' but God Himself.
I agree, and I also propose that the 'executioner' in Rom. 8:13 and Col. 3:5 is God as well. We alone can do nothing except exercise sheer [i]willpower
Brother, I hope you can agree that we have a responsibility to walk in the Spirit and mortify indwelling sin daily, and that it is our business to do it in the Spirit through faith. Since God has slain indwelling sin, according to Rom. 6:6, could it not be proposed that we are now "without sin" if someone confuses your line of reasoning?
We [b]prevent[b]indwelling sin[b]root
If the root of sin is already slain with Christ, how then do Christians backslide? Where do the oubursts of rage come from? Pride? Do they not lie dormant within us, waiting to come forth when provoked? It is clear that a pot of "hot tea" is brewing within us, waiting to slosh out onto our skin should we fail to keep the flame down. You're a Brit, so I figured I'd give you an illustration you could relate to! ;-)
Any thoughts?
The Oberlin Evangelist.
July 15, 1840
Professor Finney's Lectures.
Lecture XIV.
DEATH TO SIN
TEXT.-- Romans 6:7: For he that is dead is freed from sin.
In the discussion of this subject I shall notice,
I. THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF DEATH MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE.
II. WHAT KIND OF DEATH IS INTENDED HERE.
III. WHAT IT CONSISTS IN;
IV. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN IT;
V. HOW IT IS EFFECTED.
I. Different kinds of death.
1. Natural death. This is the death of the body.
2. Spiritual death. This is death in sin. It is total depravity or a state of entire alienation from God.
3. Eternal death. This consists in the endless curse of God.
4. Death to sin.
II. The kind of death mentioned in the text.
The death here spoken of is manifestly a death to sin. This is very evident from the context. At the close of the preceding chapter, Paul had been speaking of the super-abounding grace of Christ, and commences the sixth chapter by saying, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?" Here Paul is speaking of those who were alive and yet dead to sin,[.] He spoke of their having received a baptism into the death of Christ. By their spiritual baptism they had been solemnly set apart or consecrated to the death of Christ. "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection; knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now, if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:" He speaks of them as not only dead, but, by their spiritual baptism buried into the death of Christ. And to carry the idea of their being still farther from the life of sin, He speaks of them as being planted into the likeness of his death, and crucified with Him that the body of sin might be destroyed. And then adds in the words of the text, "Now he that is dead is freed from sin." In the margin it reads "is justified from sin." The term here rendered justification may be rendered "is made righteous."
It is plain from this connection, that Paul is speaking of those who had been so baptized by the Holy Spirit so as to be dead to sin, buried, planted, crucified, as it respects sin.
III. What it consists in.
Summarily, death to sin consists in the annihilation of selfishness, and the reign of perfect love to God and man in the heart and life.
IV. What is implied in it.
1. Death to sin is the opposite of death in sin. Death in sin implies living for self, or being dead to God's glory and interests and only alive to our own glory. Death to sin implies the reverse of this. It implies a death to our own interests and happiness as an end of pursuit, and a living wholly to the glory of God, and for the up-building of his kingdom.
2. Death in sin implies a will opposed to the will of God. I speak here of a fixed and permanent state of the will in opposition to a single particular volition. A will in this state is not at all influenced by the will of God. It has never submitted to his will, and consequently a knowledge of the will of God is no influential reason to determine its volitions. But death to sin implies a will wholly subservient to and under the control of the will of God. I speak now also of a state of will. One who is dead to sin has no other will than that God's will should in all things be done. Lay before him any question in which he is in doubt in respect to what the will of God is, and he will find himself unable to decide upon a course of action. All he can decide upon in such a case is to search and inquire what is the will of God. But until he is satisfied in some way in respect to the will of God, he is utterly in doubt and finds himself unable to make up his mind and come to any decision in respect to the question before him. This is a state of mind directly opposite to a death in sin. In a state of death in sin, the will of God is not inquired after as the great and only influential motive to decide the will. A man in this state has, as we say, a will of his own. He decides upon his own responsibility, in his own strength, and entirely in view of selfish reasons. While one who is dead to sin, has so submitted himself to the will of God--so bowed his will to God's will, that he decides nothing in view of selfish reasons, and the will of God has come to be the controlling reason or motive of his conduct. Let him but know what is the will of God in the case, and his will is yielding as air. But shut him out from this knowledge, and he is in a state of the utmost perplexity and cannot decide upon any course of conduct. He can only say, I have no will about it. However uncommon it has been for christians to come into this state while in life and health, it has not been at all uncommon for them to be in this state while on a death bed. Every one conversant with death bed scenes has probably witnessed such cases of entire surrender of the whole being to the will of God, as that the individual was unable to choose whether to live or die and could only say, I have no will about it. Not knowing what the will of God was, there was no other choice than this, viz. that the will of God, whatever it was, should be done. Ask an individual whether sick or well, living or dying, who is in this state, whether he wills or chooses a certain thing; and if it be a question in respect to which he is in doubt, as to what the will of God is, you will find him to be entirely at a loss. He is conscious of choosing that the will of God should be done. But until he knows whether this or that is the will of God he has no choice about that particular event.
3. Death in sin implies a self-indulgent state of mind. To consult ones own ease, happiness, reputation, and interests is natural to him who is dead in sin. If he is on board a steam boat you will find him ready to contend for the best berth, and hastening to obtain the best seat at the first table. If riding in a stagecoach you will observe him seeking for the best seat. To consult his own comfort, his own indulgence and happiness is the law of his mind. And in ten thousand ways will this state of mind develop itself.
But a death to sin implies a self-denying state of mind, a disposition to give others the preference, a choosing to accommodate others, and bless, and benefit others, at the expense of self-interest or self-indulgence.
4. A death in sin implies the real and practical regarding of ourselves as our own. But death to sin is the real and practical regarding of our whole being as God's.
5. A death in sin implies the love of our own reputation. Death to sin implies the making of ourselves no reputation as Christ did.
6. A death in sin implies the practical regarding of our possessions as our own. Death to sin implies the real and practical regarding of our possessions as God's.
7. Death in sin implies the dominion of the flesh and a will in subjection to the flesh. A death to sin implies a subjection of the body to the soul. It implies the keeping the body under and bringing it into subjection, and that all its appetites and propensities are brought into subjection to the will of God.
8. A death in sin implies a state of mind that is influenced by sensible objects, by the honors, riches, opinions, and things of this world as much as if its possessor expected to live here forever. Death to sin implies the giving up the world substantially as a dying man gives it up. Its riches, honors, amusements, pursuits, ambition, strifes, and envyings, what are all these to him? If he knows himself to be a dying man, he regards them not. He desires them not. He seeks them not. He does not, cannot, under these circumstances, will to have them. He chooses nothing of this world's goods, but those things that are really necessary for the few hours or moments which remain to him of this life. A little more breath--perhaps a few spoons full of water--a little of the kind attention of his friends are all that is left for him to desire of earthly good. Now death to sin implies this giving up all desire and expectation of the wealth, honors, and selfish pursuits of this world. The man who is dead to sin is as absolutely satisfied with a competency of earthly good as a man is who is on a bed of death. He would no sooner lay his schemes of earthly aggrandizement, or for enlarging and perpetuating his selfish gratification, than a man would upon a bed of death. In a word, he has given up the world as an object of pursuit, as really and emphatically as if he knew himself to be doomed to live but one hour. He has entered upon a new and eternal life. All his plans, desires, and aims are heavenly, and not earthly, sensual or devilish.
[V.] IV. How this death is effected, or how persons may enter into and exercise this state of mind.
1. Not by the strength of your own resolutions. You will never die to sin by merely resolving to die to sin. It is one of the most common delusions among men to suppose that they can stand against temptation by the strength of their own resolutions. Peter thought himself able to follow Christ even unto death. But his resolution, like all mere human resolutions, failed him just when he most needed its support. A brother said to me the other day, "I have learned this of my resolutions, they are firm enough when there is nothing to overthrow them, and just when I do not need their support. But they always fail me when I do, just when I have a trial that demands their sustaining power, I find they are like air and good for nothing.["]
2. This state of mind is never to be entered into by any unaided efforts of our own. Sin has too long had dominion over us. Our powers are too much enslaved by its protracted indulgence. Sin has too long been our master, to be at once put down by any unaided efforts of ours. But,
3. This state of mind is effected by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Spirit does not imply the bestowment of miraculous gifts, as some seem to have supposed. The Apostles possessed miraculous gifts before they were baptized with the Holy Spirit. The power of miracles may or may not be incidental to spiritual baptism. But it, by no means, constitutes any part of it. Nor does spiritual baptism imply great excitement.
But it does imply such a degree of divine influence as will purify the heart. The New Testament writers manifestly use the term baptism as synonymous with purifying. Water baptism is typical of spiritual baptism. Spiritual baptism, is the purifying of the heart by the Holy Spirit. Miraculous gifts, great excitement of mind, great rejoicings, or great sorrowings over sin, may be incidental to spiritual baptism, but they are not essential to it. You that have read the memoir of J. B. Taylor will recollect that on the 23d of April 1822, while he was engaged in prayer, he felt his whole soul sweetly yielding itself up to God. Such a sweet thorough yielding himself and all his interests for time and eternity, into the hands of God he had never before experienced. Now I suppose that this was the effect of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He ever after remained in a state of mind entirely different from anything he had before experienced.
In receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit we are by no means passive but eminently active.
This influence is secured by faith. Faith in Christ throws the mind open to the influence of his truth and gives the Spirit the opportunity of so presenting truth as sweetly to bring the entire person under its whole power. Christ administers spiritual blessings, and this is received by taking hold of his promise to baptize with the Holy Spirit, and throwing the mind open to his influences. The baptism of the Apostles, by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, will illustrate what I mean. Christ had promised them that they should be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence. They fastened upon this promise, and waited in a constant attitude of prayer and expectation, throwing the door of the mind open to his influence. Now Christ has given to all believers a great many promises of the freeness of the Holy Spirit. He has said that the "Father is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him than earthly parents are to give good gifts to their children." The "water of life" which is so abundantly promised in both the New and Old Testaments is the Holy Spirit. This everyone knows who has attentively considered the real meaning of those promises.
And now if you would enter into this death to sin, you must be baptized with the Holy Spirit. If you would be baptized with the Holy Spirit you must fasten upon the promises of Christ and take hold of them in faith, laying your whole soul open to receive his influences. Rest with the utmost confidence in his promise to give you of the "fountain of water of life freely." And when you have taken hold of his promise, be sure not to let go or let your confidence to be shaken until you feel a consciousness that "you are baptized into his death."
REMARKS.
1. In the connection of this text, Paul speaks of himself and others as dead to and freed from sin.
2. If death to sin does not imply entire sanctification, death in sin does not imply total depravity, for they are manifestly opposite states of mind.
3. As death in sin is consistent with persons doing many things which the world regards as righteous so death to sin may be consistent with many things which the world would regard as sinful.
4. Paul's history confirms the profession which he here makes of being dead to sin.
5. The circumstances of the primitive Church rendered a death to sin almost inevitable, at least in many instances. The profession of attachment to Christ must inevitably cost many of them all that the world holds or calls dear. They had to enter upon the christian life by a renunciation of the world, by giving up worldly expectations and pursuits, as much as men do on a bed of death. This state of public sentiment was eminently calculated to facilitate their entrance into a state of spiritual death, and was no doubt a prime reason for their rapid advancement in the divine life.
6. We see why it is that state and other violent persecutions have already greatly contributed to the spirituality of the Church.
7. We see also why it is that state and worldly favor has crippled the energies, and overthrown the purity of the Church.
8. We see how the idea comes to be so prevalent that Christians are not wholly sanctified until death. As a matter of fact, this no doubt generally is true, that Christians are not wholly and permanently sanctified until about the close of life, until they come into that state in which they expect very soon to die. I once knew a good man who was told by his physicians, that in consequence of the enlargement of the large blood vessel near the heart, he was exposed to instant death, and that at all events he must expect to die very soon. This intelligence after the first shock was over, was instrumental in baptizing him into the death of Christ. He very soon entered into a most blessed and heavenly state of mind, let go of the world, and seemed to stand looking and waiting with most heavenly serenity for the coming of the Son of Man. In this state of mind he was informed after a while, that he might probably live for a long time, notwithstanding his disease. This so staggered him as to well nigh bring him again into bondage. Not seeming to understand the philosophy of the state of mind in which he was, and how to remain in it by simple faith, he staggered and groaned under this intelligence till Christ, true to his promise, interposed and set his feet upon eternal rock. After this he lived and died to the wonder of all those around him, few if any of whom perhaps, so much as dreamed that his state of mind was what is intended by a death to sin.
[9.] 8. Payson and multitudes of good men have found it easy to enter into this state of mind when all expectation was relinquished of remaining longer in this world. But it seems impossible or difficult for most persons to conceive, that this state of mind may be really entered into, with a prospect of any amount of life still before us.
[10.] 9. But there is no need of waiting until the close of life before we die to sin. We have only to thoroughly let go of all selfish schemes and projects whatever, and give ourselves as absolutely up to the service of God, as much as we expect to when we come to die, and we enter at once into this infinitely desirable state of mind.
[11.] 10. If persons have entered into this state of mind, new trials may call for fresh baptisms of the Spirit. While we are in this world of temptation, we are never beyond the reach of sin and never out of danger. If selfishness could be called into exercise in holy Adam, how much more so in those who have lived so long under the dominion of selfishness? If a man has been intemperate or licentious although these appetites and propensities may be subdued, yet it behooves him to keep out of temptation's way; and renewed temptation calls for fresh and more powerful baptisms of the Holy Spirit. Be not satisfied then with one anointing. But look day by day for deeper draughts of the water of life.
[12.] 11. If we allow any form of sin to live, it will have dominion. It must be wholly exterminated or it will be our ruler. The principle of total abstinence in regard to sin is wholly indispensable to the reign of spiritual life.
Let us then, beloved, not rest satisfied until we are conscious that we are dead and buried, by spiritual baptism into Christ's death, until we are planted in the likeness of his death, and so crucified with Him that the body of death is fully destroyed.
Or is there still something wicked dwelling within us, fighting, rebelling, contending and vying for our faculties - albeit half-dead and screeching from the grave? Something that must die daily, something that only God can kill, and something that God will not kill without our willful surrender? Something that, if not mortified daily, will begin to clamour within our inner chambers and work its way with gathering strength to fleshly exposure? As the 'old man' is slain with Christ, can he, like Christ, per chance undergo a similar resurrection? It is certain the 'old man' haunts us from beyond the grave: "...and by it he being dead yet speaketh," can certainly apply to the 'old man', as Paul exhorts us to: "...put off the former conversation of the 'old man'..." (Ephesians 4:22). Is this a warning to relinquish the nasty tendencies of a thing now mortified, or is it instead a call to protect against dead men rising from caskets?
This is so very important to understand. Either sin's root is living in us, or it isn't. Either sin is crouching at our door, still attempting to master us, or it is totally obliterated and we have nothing to fear but our own misdeeds from yielding to hell's extraneous temptations.
Mr. Owen's thought's here are exacting.
Every time sin rises to tempt or entice, it always seeks to express itself in the extreme. Every unclean thought or glance would be adultery if it could; every covetous desire would be oppression, and every unbelieving thought would be atheism. It is like the grave that is never satisfied. In this we see the deceitfulness of sin. It gradually prevails to harden man's heart to ruin (Heb. 3:13). Sin's expression is modest in the beginning, but once it gains a foothold, it continues to take further ground and press on to greater heights. This advance of sin keeps the soul from seeing that it is drifting from God. Sin precedes higher by degrees, and it hardens the heart as it advances. This enables the deceitfulness of sin to drive the soul deeper and deeper into sin. Nothing can prevent this but mortification. Mortification whithers the root and strikes at the head of sin every hour. The best saints in the world are in danger of a fall if found negligent in this important duty."
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